Teaching can be hard...

... Good thing I have a lot of support! I had an extremely long work meeting today but we went over so much valuable information! I am excited to start school in a week. Hopefully I can do better than this teacher...

The Science of Happiness

I found this gem the other day and I fully support the message. Enjoy!

Fourth of July

Yesterday was busy and I didn't get a chance to update this blog but I am going to take the time now... I am grateful for the freedom that we have in this great country, for the men and women who are serving and have served this country. I am grateful for the time that we have to celebrate, that we can take the time to spend with friends and family without worrying so much about life. I am grateful for fireworks, parades, smiles, and the Gospel that allows me to more fully understand my purpose. I am grateful for God and his hand in what happens to me on a personal level but also for his hand in what happens in this country. There is evil around us but if we put our trust in God we will not fail. I hope your Independence day celebrations were enjoyable.

I don't know that many people are aware that the Star-Spangled banner has more than one verse (because that is all that is ever sung) but the last verse is my very favorite. I love the message that it conveys. 

"O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

 Between their loved home and the war's desolation.

 Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land

 Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

 Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

 And this be our motto: "in God is our trust."

 And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

 O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

July is here!

Planning for my internship is swell! Yesterday I started planning math for the first few weeks and today I was working on the first day! 22 days until school starts!

I head this the other day... I am in love with her covers!

Yesterday I was able to go to the Provo Temple with my ward before they close for the Summer (For those of you who are wondering what the Temple is look here). My grandparents found out I was going and emailed me some family names that they found that needed to be done soon. I felt the spirit so strongly in the Temple, I love having that connection with my ancestors. I am grateful for this gospel and the blessings it brings me as well as the proximity of the temple to my house.

The weather today was just amazing! I love the warm wind and light rain of the Summer (The smell of fresh rain has to be my favorite!). While spending time outside in the rain (We played cops and robbers for FHE) I climbed a fence for the win, it was quite exciting!  I don't know that I have ever climbed a fence before, it was a new experience... Happy Monday!

This song keeps getting stuck in my head, but that's okay because it makes me happy! 

Today I was able to go to my parents ward and I ditched Sunday School for Primary (They have singing time, what's not to love?). The lesson today was about Baptism. To start off the lesson the teacher asked the kids what they knew about baptism. My favorite answer was "It washes all the bugs away". Later she had an object lesson. She asked the kids what they did that they know they should not do and for each thing she put more dirt onto her hand (to later immerse in the water and wash it away) here is some of that conversation...
Her: What do we sometimes do that our parents ask us not to do?
Kid 1: Slapping people in the face.
Kid 2: When I want to slap someone I just grab a pillow.
Kid 3: My parents told me not to pinch anyone.
Kid 4: Unless you are not wearing green!

I am so thankful for children and the humor that they bring to my life! I am also grateful for my earthly father and my Heavenly Father! Happy Father's Day!

Currently, this is my favorite song!

Some people just amaze me! I am so grateful for the opportunities in my life that I am able to perform and receive service. I know that by performing little acts of service we will become better friends and be more comfortable around others. I remember reading a study about the effects of service on friendship and it found that when you perform acts of service for others you are more invested in the friendship than when others perform a service for you. This makes sense to me but it is still impressive that there is such a connection between how you treat others and how you feel about them. Happy Sunday!!!

So my dear brother has lived through his first Hurricane!!! He is on his mission in Iowa (Well, Hannibal, Missouri right now) and they had a hurricane last week. They spent the next few days helping to clean everything up. I am grateful for my brother's safety as well as his example of service!

THUNDERSTORMS!!! There was a major sky-quaking, rain-drumming on the house storm today. It was so awesome! I definitely changed into shorts and a T-shirt and giddily ran outside to play in it even though it was freezing! (What better way to put off doing my internship things that are due in 2 days??)

Also - I am grateful for LIFE! :) My birthday was Saturday, and this whole weekend was so great! I am alive and get to live every day (the beautiful sunny ones, and the freezing cold rainy ones) with a smile! :) Or try to, at least. I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had lately. Life is wonderful, and my friends and family are amazing.

For my birthday I had a big group of friends come stay the night at my parents' house Friday night, and my parents made us food and everything! They are so great. :) Saturday I just hung out with family. Both sets of grandparents and my sister and her husband came over for a dinner of all my favorite things. Sunday I got 2 callings (relief society pianist - totally called it!.. and indexing committee, which I have purposefully and successfully avoided up until this point, so that is sort of one of those slap in the face ones. But... I am grateful for the opportunity for extra service. It will be really good for me.) After that I drove out to Liberty to spend the rest of that day and the next at another friends' house. We played lots of games, watched movies, didn't sleep nearly enough, and rode 4-wheelers. Life is beautiful, and it just keeps getting better! :)

- Meagan

I saw this the other day and though it made me sad it made me happy... I love the happiness that is shown throughout this little video and I encourage everyone to watch it!!!

And here is the video that is shown near the end...

Today I had the chance to go to the scholastic warehouse to find some books... The books at the warehouse are, for the most part, half off! I thought it would be a great place to get some books for the classroom and find a few new ones for myself... After my trip I now have quite the start on my classroom library all for under fifty dollars (The teachers at my school also gave me some books)!

When I got home I decided to read one of my new books (the ones I bought for myself). Sadly, I read the whole thing in four hours... meaning that I finished at 2:00. I am so happy that it is Summer and I can stay up late nights reading my books but, it is just a little bit sad that I don't even stay up so late (early?) for homework. 

And, in support of YouTube's humor week...

I am thankful for the church in my life. Today, church was just what I needed to hear. The whole time I was listening and learning from those around me as they shared their experiences. I am grateful for a Father in Heaven who knows of me and knows how to help me to become the best I can be.

Today I saw one of the students from my fifth grade practicum... It was great! He came up and gave me a hug and then was talking to me for a few minutes. It made me smile when we had this little exchange concerning my internship:

Him: Miss. Fiso, they should have hired you at our school. All of the fifth grade teachers are leaving and you could do it.
Me: Well, they didn't and that can't be changed.
Him: I should have talked to the principal. (He said it with complete confidence that the principal would have listened to him. It was great!)

As odd as it sounds... YouTube makes me happy because it can make me smile! I know, from watching, that it is not only me who does stupid things and it is okay to just accept my idiosyncrasies.
 

It is great having a library down the street from my house. I love reading and the library being so close makes it easy for me to indulge... I may have read 3 books in the past 48 hours (Yeah, this Summer thing can be good and bad on my social life.)

Today I was able to go to the park with some friends... We played games, ate, and talked. It was great fun! Also... With Summer around the corner I would like to share this 'crucial' public service announcement from the Harvard Sailing Team

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

I am so grateful for the women in my life, especially my mother and my grandmothers. Today was my first mother's day without my Grandma Fiso. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have of the Plan of Salvation, it makes her death so much easier for me. My grandmother's have always been such good examples to me. It is rare to see either one of my grandma's in a bad mood and I hope someday that I can develop that trait. My own mother is amazing! I am so glad to have her as my mother and I love knowing that when I am having a hard day she will be there. Sure we have our off moments but I sure love my mom and I hope she knows that!

My Grandma's (Grandma Fiso on the left and Grandma Dickson on the right)

We went to England

Once upon a time. . .

I'm grateful for kind strangers... They make life much more interesting! Today I went to the library and one of the librarians came up to me and started a conversation. We talked about some books we read and liked and she made a few suggestions for me, great way to get my Summer reading started!