Wedding Gift!

So my brother is getting married. I love his fiancée. For Christmas this year I was not sure what to get him and her for that matter. The past few years I worked at The Body Shop, and had a great discount so I would get stuff from there, but this year I did not have that.

I sometimes come up with great creative ideas, but the idea is for them to be great they cannot be forced.

In the past I have created many great picture frames. Using standard, black picture frames with the white mounting on the inside. I would splatter paint the frame and then write something on the mounting and then have the picture on the inside. (For example)

This year I decided to make my brother and fiancée a picture. I found a simple outline of a bride and groom standing facing each other. I sketched it out and outlined it in with black paint. Then I used mod podge and a white shimmer eye shadow to accent her dress. I also ripped up newspaper and mod podged that for his tuxedo. It looked fantastic. I do not have the picture, I need to get one. But I also decided to make a mix CD for them. Like a celebrity playlist I wrote down why I chose each song to be on the list.

Here is the list.

Take My Breath Away by Berlin

I chose this song because it so 80’s! It bring me back and I hope that both of you never stop taking each others’ breath away.

Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

This song is kind of self-explanatory. Ashley this song is meant for you! Jeremy make her feel beautiful every single day, because Ashley you are amazing just the way you are, and I know that is why Jeremy loves you.

Enchanted by Taylor Swift

I think this song is so cute. I hope that both of you can say “it was enchanting to meet you.” I have heard Jeremy say that love caught him by surprise, and was very natural. I can imagine that your first night on the bus stop bench felt like this “This night is sparkling (maybe cold), don’t let it go, I’m wonderstruck, blushing all the way home, I’ll spend forever wondering if you knew, I was enchanted to meet you.” And these lyrics are very true of where that night led both of you, “This is me praying that this was the very first page, not where the story line ends.”

Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon

This song is also self-explanatory. I thought it was funny and vey appropriate. I do hope that your sex is on fire, (Over share?)

P.S. I Love You by Nellie McKay

I hope that at the end of every conversation, letter, night, argument and what else you can think of, you end with P.S. I love you. It is a simple, yet powerful phrase.

Jeremy by Pearl Jam

I wanted to make sure to have a song for each of you on this album, and I remember Jeremy at your sixth grade birthday party, I think, when someone bought you this cassette tape. The true meaning of this song is quite sad, but I hope that when life gets you down, you push back and stand back up.

Ashley by A.J. Bascom

Ashley I hope that you realize that you are completely worth it and amazing. You made quite an impression on my brother and that is not the easiest thing to do. “Ashley you are the best thing for me since love, maybe even better!”

Can’t Help Falling In Love With You by Ingrid Michaelson

I also love this old love song that was rejuvenated by Ingrid. “Take my hand—take my whole life too.” These lyrics are what you two have already done, and you will simply be showing that to the rest of us on your wedding day.

You Are the Best Thing by Ray LaMontagne

This song I did not know before you I went to your wedding website and now I have fallen in love with this song. It hope that you both feel as though each other is the best thing that has ever happened to you.

Gotta Have You by The Weepies

“No amount of coffee, no amount of crying, no amount of whisky, no amount of wine, no, nothing else with do I’ve gotta have you.” Beautiful!

Nothin’ On You by B.O.B

You both have tried with other people, but it did not work because you were meant to have each other. All the other girls and boys out there have nothin on either one of you! You guys are two of a kind, two peas in a pod, ha.

I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

So this song is about your spouse dying and then you joining them, but I think that The Dark can be symbolic of many things, it can be tough times in life or going to unknown places and I hope that you both with support each other when times get rough or when you aren’t quite sure what the other person is doing, I hope you trust them and follow them where ever they go even if it is into the dark (I am not condoning illegal things here, ha!)

Don’t Stop the Music by Jamie Cullum

I hope that you guys never stop singing and dancing, when you are stressed turn some music on and just groove it out! You can escape into the music for a time! Just “Please don’t stop the Music!!!”

The Way I am by Ingrid Michaelson

When you guys first starting dating, I was driving with Jeremy to our dad’s house for Christmas and he put on a CD that you made him Ashley and this song was on it and I knew from that point that I think I would get along with you. It is an amazing song of love and devotion and that is what I hope for you guys. This song will always remind me of you two.

She moves in Her Own Way by The Kooks

I know you are unique Ashley because Jeremy wouldn’t choose to spend the rest of his life with just anyone and I am thankful for that. “I love her because she moves in her own way.” I can say that Jeremy loves you Ashley because you are not like every other girl!

Your Love is a Song by Switchfoot

“Your love is a symphony, all around me, running through me, your love is a melody, underneath me, running through me, your love is a song.”

Kisses and Cake by John Powell

This is an instrumental from P.S. I Love You and I thought it was quite appropriate for what you will be doing in Mexico in a few months. I find it beautiful and adorable, just like both of you!!!

My Love by The Bird and the Bee

This song has a double meaning, the title of the song and the name of the artist. The birds and the bees, hopefully you will be able to explain that one to your kids and also that you never stop seeing each other as “My Love.” I think this song is fun and very true to what I imagine it is like to fall in love, “Free Fall, black hole, excited, like going down a high slide.”

Love You ‘Till The End by The Pogues

I put this song last, because it is a perfect ending song. I hope that your love with endure and that you will continue to remember why you fell in love with each other. “I love you ‘till the end.”

It was quite a hit. My brother did get a little teary eyed!!!

Reinforcements Were A Success

She loved the Starbucks, I think I am back in her good graces, at least for another week.

Reinforcements...Starbucks

Today was my first day back with my FA. It went really well. I am not sure I have actually reined them in, or for some reason they were really good that day. All I know is that they listened, and everything that I wanted them to do they did. I was sitting there wondering where did my class go, I mean for real they were angels. I was very excited. I did not even think that the lesson was that exhilarating, but they seemed to be engaged the whole time and genuinely interested in what I was teaching. It was the first time that I have had that feeling, of accomplishment. Where I actually felt like I was a teacher, I could od this. Then I find out that I need to make sure that I am in good graces with my teacher, and I was thinking am I not, I thought I was. And FA said that he received an observation that she did on me, and it was mostly all negative. I was surprised to see that, because we talk about all the observations that she does and yes there were things that I need to work on, but there is always something positive. So I was quite shocked. Well I guess it is time to pull out the Starbucks!

OOPS!!

I think I was caught talking about my SA, which is not good. We were not saying anything bad, but it was the abrupt halt of a conversation when she walked in. And I think that she might have thought something was up.

Once Again...

So on November 4 I taught again and my teacher observed it, and it wasn’t the greatest once again. I did some things good, but on the whole they were not paying attention, they were having their own side conversations and they were being disrespectful not only to me, but to their peers. My SA gave me some really good strategies to use, she made sure to encourage me along with criticizing me. I knew I had a lot to learn, but I at least felt like I could do it.

Breath of Fresh Air

So after that bad day, I went to Trinity because I needed to hand in an assignment. I saw that one of my professors was there, who is my favorite professor that I have ever had. So I stopped in and chatted with her. She was so encouraging it was unbelievable. She pretty much said that my FA and SA could be wrong and my negative tone, that I will be a fabulous teacher and she had never doubted that. She said that I am a delight and I am special and different. I am not like everyone else, I am unique. And I will bring that with me into teaching. She gave me hope, I believe that she was sent from Him at the very moment, because he knew, he knew I needed someone to build me up. I was defeated with teaching. Teaching had won and I was sitting there done. She came in and said what is true, she spoke truth back into my life where it had been trampled over.

Not My Day

I found it hard to take criticism today. I am not feeling very good about my abilities after my chat with my FA. I do not feel as though I am a good teacher. I have only questioned this profession choice once in all my 23 years, but I find myself questioning it way more today. I don’t know what I am doing. I feel as though I am in way over my head. I do not feel confident anymore. I thought that I was doing way better on my tone, which now I have a new tone to work on, no longer is it my negative tone, it is now my productive tone. There is only so much I feel as though I can take and I think right now I am pretty close to it. I thought that I was connecting with the students and what not, but then everything goes out the window. I told so many people that my students were good when my FA was there, but not today. They were not good at all.