2011 in Retrospect

This has been quite a year for me. My life has changed in numerous ways. I have changed in numerous ways. There is much to speak of in relation to this whirlwind of year so...Let's begin at the beginning, and work our way to the end!

January- The Month of New Beginnings.

Talk about starting this year of with a bang. I must have had some sort of intuition, knowing that I needed to make it worthwhile.This was the first January in 4 years that I did not join the NAU Dance Team at Disneyworld for the UDA National Competition. Instead, I holed up in my apartment, studied for the AEPA, and began what will forever be remembered as the "BEST/worst student-teaching experience" of my life. It was also in this month that I actually took the dreaded AEPA. During one of those sleep deprived nights of studying, I reached out to a friend that had been gone, but definitely not forgotten. The act was reciprocated and so began the rebuilding of a bridge that had been burned straight to the ground. And as it goes with all things good...there is also the bad. My compadre of Ewing's Sarcoma, one of the strongest people I will ever know, was handed his ticket for round 2 of the battle. Andre began the process again from scratch with more faith, and courage, and strength than ever before.

February- The Month of Anticipation.

AEPA test results recieved...PASS and PASS! Whoo hoo!! Moquie is Cancer free for 5 years!

March- The Month of the Home Stretch! 

Student Teaching has consumed my life, so I pick up a part time job...because I am so smart...Ok really, I made the decision to stay in Flagstaff for one more, what I hoped to be, AMAZING summer. I applied for a Supervisor position at what had been my place of work for the past 2 years. And...low and behold...I got it! Yay me! Erika Ruesch. Recreation Supervisor. Forest Highlands Golf Club.

April- The Month of Paperwork and Internet Searches. 

So long student teaching...hello real world. Graduation Applications...Job Applications....Phone Interviews...MORE job applications...Laveen? Where is Laveen? And why do I want to be there SO badly...? Laveen Laveen Laveen!!!

May- The Month of Announcements. 

Graduation in a tent. GRADUATION IN A TENT!!! Heck yeah! NAU ALUM! Birthday! Meeting with the other builder of the bridge. Loss of a local legend, loss of a dear friend. RIP Joe. Dad has...cancer? 

June- The Month of Denial. 

Job interview in Globe to be close to Dad-shoot me. Job offer in Globe-shoot me. Accept job in Globe-shoot me. Dad has cancer. Throw myself into my work...love my job. Work, work, work. Missing Flagstaff already and not even gone yet. Time spent between bridge builders...much progress being made. Trip to Lake Powell-healing wounds for family.

July- The Feelin' Good Month.  

Work. Work. Work. LOVE MY JOB. Love Flagstaff. Procrastinating packing. Bridge almost complete. Happiness. It's official...Miss Ruesch-4th Grade!!!

August- The Month of Ups and Downs. 

Goodbye Flagstaff, the place I've called home for 4 years. Hello Globe, the home I ran from 4 years ago. Dad starts radiation. Missing Flagstaff. Missing the bridge builder.Moquie buys a car! Welcome to the world Clara Clarkson!!! Falling in love with 27 4th graders. Feeling lonely. Bought a horse, I mean a dog. Named him Max. Bridge completion postponed...indefinitely. Heartbreak. 

September- The Month of the Angels. 

Angel 1-Full time teacher, part time DANCE teacher? Yes please. Angel 2-"So where do you want to work? Laveen? Oh, my son works there..." Angel 3-Enter son-stage right.

October- The Month of Taking Chances. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences-who wouldn't want to be at work from 6am-8pm? Fall Break..."You know what would be really fun? Disneyland..." Graduate school? Graduate school together? AEPA revisited.

November- The Month of Giving Thanks. 

Thankful for a job. Thankful for family. Thankful for friends. Thankful for second chances. Thankful for the realization that not all bridges are meant to be mended, there is a reason they fell the first time. Thankful for the gift of dance. Thankful for curve balls in life that lead you to places you didn't want to be, but NEED to be in order to get where you are going. Thankful for Max. Thankful for special people who come into life at just the right time. Thankful for health.

December- The Month of Miracles. 

Miracle 1-Moquie enjoys running?! Miracle 2- Moquie stops drinking soda. Miracle 3- Moquie survived first semester as a real life teacher. Miracle 4- Dad is...cancer free! Christmastime. Family. Friends. Happiness. Everything falling into place. Everything feeling just right.

Life goes by so fast. TOO fast. Relfecting back on this year, there is so much that I have left out. But in all, these are the most important events that have shaped me into the person who is saddling up for 2012. This year has been terrible in so many aspects. I mean, absolutely unbearable at times. I left a place a loved to return to a place I despise. My close friend and my father both got served a nice plate of  "Cancer a la cuisine". I lost my best friend for not the 2nd, not the 3rd, but the 4th and final time. Yeah. It sucked. But man, thank goodness for the good things in life. Like, welcoming a new life into the world, into our family. Like, having a job that I absolutely love. Like, meeting new people who have changed my life for the better in countless ways. Like, doctors and medicines that make diseases go away. 

Reading these words...I realize now what it all means. Life, as we know it, is a plan.It might not be the plan WE had intended for ourselves. Heavenly Father has a plan for each and every one of us. And if we can just put our faith in him, even in times of anger, doubt, sorrow...he will pull through with that silver lining that makes it all worthwhile. Wow. 

On that note, See ya later 2011! It's been real, it's been fun. 2012, Here I come!!!

Man Over Board!!

I told my little ones on the first day of school, "We are going to be together, in this tiny little space, for a long time. We need to learn how to work together...like a family, like a team." They know that if one person gets in trouble in Library they are all going to have to suffer the consequences. In our class, we celebrate each others achievements, and show compassion in times of struggle. We do not scoff, criticize, or poke fun at the ideas of another comrade. Instead we discuss, compare, and analyze the similarities and differences between our thoughts as a whole and use our results as a way of demonstrating that not everyone has to think the same way.

The transformation of 26 independent students becoming 26 independent students, working together as 1 to achieve a common goal...now that is truly a sight to behold. And just yesterday, I witnessed it first hand. 

Multiplication at age 9/10. Yikes. Multiplication can be hard at any age. Heck, I still count on my fingers. And you either get it right away, or you struggle. There really is no shade of gray. During our multiplication drill today I asked a student what 9 x 7 was. Blank stare. Wait for it. Wait for it. (insert cricket noise). Nothing. Now, being that this was a drill I began to move on to the next person (bad teacher moment on my part). But, before I could fully address the same question to the new student, another brilliant mind interrupted, "Miss Ruesch, wait. Shouldn't we help him?" To which another replied, "Yeah, Man Overboard!" And suddenly, an upheaval of 4th grade cries! "No one gets left behind!" and "Pull him to shore!" My goodness. They were right. So, I asked for some suggestions as to how we might help our shipmate! One student suggested using counters. Another drew an array. And still another stood front and center to demonstrate the "never fails" finger trick. No one gave him the answer. No one laughed in his face. The buoy was tossed out by one, and was pulled in by the hands of 25. Amazing. 

I say this often, but more so now than ever before does it ring true. I might be the one with the college degree and the certificate. But these kids, they teach me something every single day.

'Tis the Season

It's that time of year. 

You catch yourself singing along to the tunes that are familiar between all generations while walking down aisle 7 of the grocery store.

Boxes (and boxes and boxes-if you are in my family) of glistening adornments are pulled from storage. Each one nestling treasures that spark the fire that warms your heart.

Homes become cozy cottages, even in the driest of deserts.

Families join together to participate in the annual holiday traditions. 

Pine trees made of synthetics sprout from living room floors, surrounded by love; love wrapped in especially picked paper and topped with the perfect bow.

I would consider myself to one of the biggest fans of Christmas. I love everything about it. I look forward to it each and every year. I love that my family comes together and exchanges gifts. Not for the purpose of receiving them, but to see how much thought and love was put into picking out that "perfect present". My family might not be good at a lot of things as a whole, but we are great gift givers. Spending hours upon hours, days upon days, starting the day after the last Christmas has passed-to find that perfect "ah-ha!" treasure for each and every person. As I reflect back on Christmas's of old...I have started making a list of some of the gifts exchanged between my family that will never be forgotten. 

Here they are in no particular order:

1. Grandpa's Arctic Cat- "For me? For me?"-To: Grandpa From: Family Delivered By: Nick and Joe
2.Patrick's Coin Collection, taped onto a piece of paper- To: Mo From: Patrick
3. Mimi's Gun- To: Joe From: Mimi (The year Joe got 1 present!)
4.  Silver Dollars and 50 Cent Pieces- To: Kim, Robin, Tina From: Ray
5. Kieren's Smelly Cat- To: Kieren From: Aunt T and Kimmy
6. Gorilla Glue "It will change your life","What is it? Viagra?"- To: Papa From: Joe and Nick
7. Fish Christmas Tree Ornament- To: Court From: Mo
8. 4 wheeler- To: Tina and Robin From: Mom and Dad
9. Bulging Box of her own clothes- To: Mo From: Kieren
10. Games for a Wii, before the Wii was given- To: Nick From: Mimi and Papa
11. Special Delivery Christmas- To: Patrick; Hand Delivered to Cali By: Mimi and Papa
12. Chopped Veggie Containers- To: Jess From: Mom
13. Jase's 1st Gun- To: Jase From: Papa
14. Red Ryder BB Gun- To: Main From: Gerine and Ray
15. John Wayne Gun- To: ML From: M
16. Past, Present, Future Ring- To: Gerine From: Ray
17. Baby (horse)- To: Nick From: Mom and Dad
18. Nikon Camera- To: Mac From: Mimi, Papa, Mom and Dad
19. The year of the Christmas Puppies: To: Mo, Kieren, Joe, Nick, Patrick and Mac From: All the Parents
20. Grandpa Gall's quote on "Country" Magazine- To: Mimi From: Anonymous...

 I know that a lot of you who read this won't get the sentimental value behind the vague descriptions, but I hope you can walk away with a feeling of love and giving for this, the holiday season.

And to my Amazing Family; truth be told, the best Christmas gift I have ever received was the year I got to spend it with you, and not in some smelly hospital room. I will never forget the day the doctors said I could be home for Christmas. I love you all so much and I know that I don't tell you that often enough.

Love,
Mo