5 on Friday...

My 5 on Friday

1. The Changeling. Last week, I watched this over at a friend's house. I remember when this movie came out. Coming from an English Lit background, when I think of a changeling, I think of an ugly or stupid child left by fairies in place of a pretty child. However, this movie didn't have fairies in it, but Christine (Angelina Jolie) ends up with a boy who has been substituted for her own child. I'm not going to say anymore because I don't want to give too much away. Evidently, it's based on a true story that happened in the 20s. I thought it was a good movie! But do know, it is kinda long. I think around 3 hours. Not to mention, Angelina looks beautiful in this movie. Sometimes, it's hard to hate her...

2. Zoo.  Last Saturday, my mom and I had a mother/daughter day and went to the zoo. It was perfect because it wasn't hot, but it wasn't cold. Therefore, the animals were out and very playful. I absolutely love the zoo! It's one of my favorite things to do in my city. 

I think I interrupted his lunch. He's like, "Must you stare at me while I eat!"

3. Adversity. On Wednesday, adversity met me at my doorstep. It was seriously one of the worst days I've had in a long time...it got progressively worse as the day went on. Yesterday, I woke up and was getting ready. I looked down and saw someone had already texted me at 6ish in the morning. It was the guidance counselor at our school. She sent me this verse, "Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye stand."  When I read that yesterday morning, I told adversity that it could screw itself. It WILL be a good day. And it was stressful, but it WAS BETTER than Wednesday. 

4. The Nutcracker. I simply am about to burst. I can barely contain my excitement! I've hinted around for two years now to my husband about the Nutcracker. And for two years, I have NOT been to the Nutcracker. It's my favorite Christmas story, and when we have children, I want to make it a family tradition of seeing it every year. Well, since my husband didn't take the hint(s), I just went ahead and bought tickets this year. It's a win-win situation for us. I get to see the Nutcracker, and my husband isn't in the doghouse for not "knowing" I wanted to go see it. It's two months away. I want time to fly by so I can see this!

5. BEST compliment I've ever received. I'm tearing up while I'm typing this sentence. I have a student who comes to see me every year, actually a few times a year. She was one of my students from my first year teaching. She's a good girl----good morals, good grades, smart, funny, beautiful inside and out, responsible, and an all around good kid. She now knows that they were my first year students AND she still comes to see me. I'm so happy that she flourished in my class, and that I didn't scar her for life. lol. Believe it or not, I have never seen the movie The Freedom Writers. I believe it came out right before I was student teaching, and I just never got around to seeing it. My former student has been on me for awhile about watching this movie. I kept telling her I'd get on Netflix but just hadn't found the time. She came to visit me a few weeks ago, and she brought me the dvd. She said now I had no excuse to not watch it. AND, she wanted me to watch it because she said felt the main character was a lot like me. When I watched this movie over fall break, I was floored, humbled, and astonished that anyone could compare me to a woman like Erin Gruwell. It was probably the best compliment I've ever received in my life. As I watched the film, I understood how maybe she thought of me as somewhat like the character in the film. I do dress somewhat conservatively, I always wear pearls, and I love my students. I feel that all my babies have the capacity to learn and grow. And for me, I expect the best from my kids, I push them, I challenge them, I LOVE them. I BELIEVE in them.