Vader Obsession

Many people have collections. And people have many collections. That's me. I have several collections such as cabbage patch kids, shot  glasses (apparently. I wasn't aware of this), my state stuffed animals, my dragon collection, and my Darth Vader collection. I just added one more piece to my collection: a Build-a-bear outfit. I had a monkey lying around and decided that he was the lucky guy to be in the suit. Ok, so it didn't fit right but I have a stuffed Darth Vader!! Now, if only I can find the darn McDonald's Happy Meal figurine, I can add one more Vader to my collection.

UPDATE: I got the McDonald's Vader! Yay!!

Belated Post: Sushi

I've noticed that a lot of my posts are of food. I'm thinking that's not a good thing. This pretty flower is tuna sashimi. Tuna is my favorite fish. It has a really clean taste to it when it's raw, unlike salmon. I haven't had sashimi in a while and this was a surprise. The sauce is a mixture of soy sauce and sriracha hot sauce. If you haven't had this sauce, you better have a strong stomach and tolerance for spicy. This thing will burn a hole in your tongue! It is so good, though. It tastes a bit sweet. I decided to mix both of them and had a blast eating my sashimi.

Working With My Hands

So I was casually going about my business on Facebook when a friend posted a creative challenge: Reply to his post to receive something he made and in return, I would post the challenge to others, who would receive something I make. I had two responses to my challenge. I had to figure out what to do. It had to be something that I enjoyed doing and small enough to mail out and not pay an arm and a leg. I decided to do what I like to do in my free time: cross-stitch.

Here is one of the designs I'm working on for one of the two:

Small. Simple. Pretty. I hope the person who gets this appreciates it. Now, I could have opened my book of designs and just picked one from there, but I'm somewhat busy and this seemed like the best thing to do. Besides, I do have to count and stitch it, so it's not as if I'm simply buying something and sending it. I have to work on it. But hopefully it won't take me forever to do so.

I'm not sure if I want to post the second one. However, I will post them both when I'm done with them.

Stitch away, cookie!

Just a Drawing

The shadow people are all around us. They are the true emotions that we hide behind a smile or a casual look. They are the true moods we fall into even after we have agreed to be happy and satisfied. They are the shadow people and they are all around us. You just have to look within the darkness of your life.

Before the Storm

Before the state test. I'm exhausted, so I'll leave it at that. See ya, cookie!

Into the Sunset

We worked so hard for six months. They grew tired, frustrated, but in the end, walked away with the tools to be the best they can be. Tomorrow, my kiddos will perform and take the state test. I'm not worried. I did my part. In the end, it's all up to them. I am done with the test preparation.

May they forget all their troubles and drama.
May they realize that this isn't only about the school and me, but about them.
May they succeed and see that I was not lying about them doing well.

Tonight, I feast. Tomorrow, the day belongs to them.

Apology

Those are the words I received today from a young girl who is going through a lot lately. She messed up and the punishment has to go through, but she wrote me these words amongst many and I remembered what it was like to be her age. When I was younger and into my early twenties,  I remember saying, "Adults don't remember what it's like to be a teenager." In fact, I took pride in remembering for when my new young ones came to me with their young problems, I was ready and focused. However, in the past few years, and two months away from turning 30, I realized that I am slowly forgetting what it's like to have life altering problems, such as losing a boyfriend or getting in a fight with a best friend. I forgot what it was like to walk around with my girls and how devastating it was when that other girl started spreading rumors about me. High school was difficult.

Nowadays, I simply roll my eyes and shake my head. These problems don't mean much now compared to all the problems I have in my new adult life, but back then, those seemed like the end of the world. Is she really sorry for what she did? Yes, I believe she is. Does she need someone to talk to? You bet. And if I have to be the one to take time from my schedule, then so be it. High school is tough. Being a teenage is even more tough. 

We tend to forget these simple truths.