Not Me Monday - Musicals

Last night my parents and I stumbled upon ANNIE GET YOUR GUN on television. We have seen this musical on stage a few times and we love the music. This musical includes such classic songs as "There's No Business Like Show Business," "You Can't Get A Man With a Gun," "The Girl That I Marry," and "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better."

I realized the topic for my "Not Me Monday" while I was watching the movie and listening to the beautiful old songs: I did not grow up believing these examples of love seen in musicals and fairy tales. Not me!

I would never grow up thinking that men and women can fall in love at first sight, like in SEVEN BRIDE'S FOR SEVEN BROTHERS.

I would never believe that a man would want a prim and proper and perfect wife, like Frank Butler sings about in "The Girl That I Marry." I would never believe that a man would be excited for the responsibility of marriage, like he sings about in, "My Defenses Are Down." And I'd certainly never believe that after all the twists and turns of a love story, he would end up loving and marrying the spunky red-head who claims "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better." (In this version of the movie, she was blond... but we all know that Annie Oakley had red hair!)

I would never grow up expecting my life story to be like Cinderella's in Rogers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, or Nellie's in SOUTH PACIFIC. I'd never dance around my yard pretending that they were the mountains of Austria pretending to be Maria from THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

In these movies, the women don't jump from man to man to man throughout their twenties trying to find the one they're meant to serve. In these movies, there is one man pursuing one woman - and they have challenges - and they get married. I would never grow up believing that example of love. I would never grow up hoping and dreaming for that kind of life. Not me.


I would never be disappointed when my life is not comparable to a musical from the mid-1900s. Not me.

For more confessions of Not Me Monday, visit here.

Caffeinated Randomness: Rare Form

Oh this week. I have been in rare form this week.

How about some highlights - please embrace the randomness... because that is where my brain is.

Points from the week:

• Crying over a luke-warm shower
• Four nights spent in Vail, two nights spent in Eagle - I'm enjoying the different commutes; 3 miles from my place in Eagle to school; 30 miles from Vail to school... my car actually warms up by the time I get to school when I drive from Vail.
  
• Wednesday night Night Skiing at Keystone - so good to shake off a day!
  
• I was offered an all-expense paid trip to the Super Bowl... which I declined. Long story.
• I was evaluated by my mentor teacher on Thursday morning and I did very well. When she told me I did very well, I started to cry - because so little of what I do every day is teach children... I was evaluated on about 10% of what I do everyday and it just all came out my eyes in the post-evaluation meeting - I am that awesome!
• Spurred by job frustrations and turning down the Super Bowl offer, I was in RARE form last night -- considered a trip to Utah (because things always look better from Utah) but settled for wine, Wendy's and a few movies with a friend
• Tonight, a friend is visiting from Steamboat and we're going snowshoeing up on Vail mountain with the Science Center. I'm really excited - it'll be a nearly full moon and my first time snowshoeing
• Tomorrow and Sunday will be full of skiing and time with my parents
• Then Monday I'll start all over again..

So I totally did that "What are you passionate about?" link from the other randomness girls... but all they asked was my birthday month. Seriously? Is that like the Chinese year you're born, or your astrological sign? I wasn't too sold on my passion being defined by the month January and nothing more.

I wanted to do the "What does your middle name say about you?" because I thought it would be fun... but... ... *Brooke tidbit for the day* ... ... I don't have a middle name. I'm Brooke Sanden until I'm married and then Sanden will be my middle name.

Have a great weekend every body. :)

For more randomness, visit Andrea.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Matthew 12:18-21

Matthew 12:18-21

"Here is my servant whom I have chose,
the one I love, in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on Him and
He will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out;
No on will hear His voice in the streets.

A bruised reed He will not break,
and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out,
till He leads justice to victory.

In His name the nations will put their hope."

For more Word-Filled Wednesday, visit here.

A Stolen Week

This will be my first addition to "Not Me Monday."

Because I never do things that I won't admit to doing... not me.

I love reality. I would never love a week completely removed from reality. Not me!

When last weekend was already a three-day weekend, I would never take an additional personal day during the week. Not me!

My first week of on-line grad school, and an important week in the preschool, I would never encourage my friend from college to extend his trip and hang out in Eagle all week. Not me.


I would never have a week when I am only in the preschool on Tuesday and Wednesday. I would never have a week as follows:
Monday - no school (skiing with friends)
Tuesday - at school
Wednesday - at school
Thursday - personal day
Friday - conference in Denver

Furthermore, I would never use that personal day to go to Denver a day early for the conference and to enjoy the city. I would also never wake up in Denver Friday morning and get a phone call from my boss telling me that she and all the other preschool directors can't get over Vail pass due to a snowstorm - they can't make it to the conference. I would never end up being the only person from my district at a state conference - that would never happen to me.

Additionally, during this week when I am not escaping from reality, I would never see more movies in movie theaters in ONE WEEK than I have in the past three years! I would never attend a Film Festival, see Blind Side, and Avatar 3D IMAX (all in theaters) in the same week. Not me!

What is worse of all, never would I hate the fact that I'm back to reality this morning. I would never have that heavy feeling in my chest on a Monday - that "here we go again" feeling that makes me want to cry. I would never fight that feeling after a great week of non-reality. Not me.

I would never be so emotional that when I got into the shower last night and didn't have hot water, I would never cry. Not me. I would never cry over luke-warm water. There are people all over the world who would be very thankful for a warm shower. I would never cry over a cold shower. Not me.

For more Not Me Monday, visit here.

P.S. I would never misspell the word stolen in the title of this blog posting. I would never write the post in advance and save it entitled, "A Stollen Week." Not me! I would never mix up "stollen" - a German bread with "stolen" a variation of the verb 'to steal'. Not me!

Word-Filled Wednesday: Psalm 23:1-3

Psalm 23:1-3

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday, visit here.

Quick Week

This will be a quick week. I can tell already.

For once, I don't want a quick week. I want to slow down this week. I want today to be Monday instead of Tuesday.

This clearly demonstrates that humans are never satisfied - one day I want to fast forward time... now I suddenly want to slow down time... talk about "the grass is always greener" mentality.


My three-day weekend was amazing and it is a real struggle to find any joy in coming back to work today. This is made more difficult by the fact that one of my friends, a classmate from undergrad, with whom I spent the three-day weekend, is staying in Eagle the rest of the week. Where do I want to be right now -- anywhere but here at work.

We had a KILLER day of skiing yesterday. I know some great hikes. We're exhausted because of how much running around we've done all weekend - even a relaxing movie sounds great.

I want to have an attitude of gratitude and I want to be joyful and thankful to be at work today... I guess desire is half the battle?

Time is flying and I want it to stop.


My friends won Best Narrative Short Film at the Festivus Film festival over the weekend. Their film was HILARIOUS and we all had an awesome time at the screenings and then the party.

Glass Slipper

The Quote: "Brooke, you are a glass slipper in a sneaker world."

The Context:

In small talk with a colleague, he asked how my love life was going. From my answer he sort of teased me about the type of person I might be looking for. I told him I realize I might be waiting for awhile and that's okay with me.

He told me, "Sometimes its not Mr. Right, its Mr. Right Now."

I let him know in NO uncertain terms that "Mr. Right Now" is not an option for me. There is no "Mr. Right Now."

When he pressed a little further about the kind of person I'd want to date, I kept it light and told him not to start setting me up with his crazy friends. Then the conversation took a more serious turn.

He told me he would NEVER set me up with his sketchy friends and if he ever sent a guy my way it would be with the real consideration that we might work well together. Then he thought a minute and said that he really couldn't think of anyone he's ever met that would be a good fit for me. I responded with, "Neither have I," and laughed it off.

Then he looked at me and said, "You are just... pristine. Brooke, you are a glass slipper in a sneaker world."

What a beautiful compliment from a random friend. What nourishment to my soul. God bless this colleague who offered such an unexpected word of blessing and encouragement to me.

The Analysis:

A while ago, I did a thoughtful post on Cinderella, so I think it's pretty cool that this thoughtful post is about a glass slipper. You see, when I think about it, I relate more to the glass slipper than I do to Cinderella.

The glass slipper is so strong - but incredibly fragile at the same time. How can something be strong and fragile like a glass slipper... but that is what I am.

The glass slipper has been admired in a number of ways - sometimes in its use while on a foot, sometimes for its beauty while on a pillow, sometimes in its delicacy while being held in a hand. It is always the same slipper but different people focus on different strengths and characteristics of the slipper.

Different contexts elicit different qualities:

The glass slipper has been useful and beautiful - its had a night in the limelight.

The glass slipper has been lost.

The glass slipper has been helpless.

The glass slipper has been carried.

The glass slipper has been searching.

The glass slipper has been tried on the feet of countless maidens hoping to find its owner.

The glass slipper is rare.

The match to the glass slipper is even more rare.

The glass slipper has no control over when her owner is found... she cannot do the searching herself.
She is at the mercy of the Prince who takes her to the different prospects.

I feel like the glass slipper... strong, fragile, beautiful, lonely, searching, displayed, waiting.

Yes, much more like the glass slipper than like Cinderella.

For more thoughtful randomness, visit Under Grace and Over Coffee.

Thankful Thursday - trying

I do not feel thankful on this particular thursday. This reminds me that thankfulness is a choice, an attitude, not always a feeling.

Today I am choosing to be thankful for the following blessings:

1. Eight years ago I celebrated my birthday in a new way. From ages 1-17, I had birthday parties -- GREAT birthday parties. These parties included but were not limited to a sleigh ride and bon fire, roller skating, a surprise sleepover, a fancy dinner and limo ride, McDonald's party, and bowling to name a few. For my 18th birthday, I did something different. My mom and I went up to my sister's house with a tub of popcorn and "The Princess Diaries" and the three of us watched a movie. Looking back, it remains one of my favorite memories - birthday or not. It is also the only time this simple evening ever happened - my mom, my sister and me watching a movie. My sister died of cancer five months later. I am thankful for this memory.
2. I am thankful for crazy children wrestling on the floor of the preschool. The rough-housing means they are happy and healthy - it also means I need to keep an CONSTANT eye on them, but I am thankful nonetheless.
3. I am thankful for the LARGE amount of qualified applicants who have applied for the job opening in my preschool. I am very prayerful about how to choose who is best for our preschool, but I am thankful for all the options.
4. I am thankful for my cat, Lexie. Sometimes on your birthday people show this sudden outpouring of love and attention - because they feel like they have to do so. My Lexie is the same every day. She doesn't just wait for me at the window on my birthday - she waits for me at the window everyday. She doesn't just give me a hug (or the cat version of a hug) on my birthday - she wants me to hold her every day. Her demands are so simple and yet her love is so vast.
5. I am thankful for the 3 day weekend ahead. I'm feeling a little stir crazy and I am happy that when Sunday evening arrives - I can STAY UP LATE, take a road trip, watch a movie, turn my alarm off and NOT have to prepare for work on Monday. I realize Sunday is a few days away and I try to be thankful for things today - not things in the future... but all thanksgiving is taking an effort today, so I'll allow an exception here.

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Truth 4 the Journey.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Psalm 45:11

Psalm 45:11

"The King is enthralled by your beauty;
honor Him,
for He is your Lord."

Sometimes one picture is just not enough.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday visit here.

Meant for Me!

Don't you love that feeling when you KNOW something is meant for you? Maybe you aren't even aware of the burden weighing on your mind and heart... but suddenly the Lord is meeting that need and loving you in that moment.

Sometimes it's a Bible verse, a word from a friend, a song on the radio, a familiar face in the crowd... God is Big and He encourages in many ways.

Tonight, on my drive to girl's discipleship, this song was meant for me. PRAISE GOD! I hope this song and this beautiful video with it blesses you like it did me.

Caffeinated Randomness: Handbook 2010

Happy Friday, Friends!

What a great week I've had. Not perfect, but the joy of the Lord compensates for a myriad of rough times.

This morning, I awoke to an email from a dear old friend (we were hall-mates my freshman year of college) and I'd love to share the contents below.

Before I do, however, I'll just share some randomness --

• I'm now officially registered for another degree. Why not get a Educational Specialist degree in Early Childhood Special Education? I keep reminding myself that I'm taking one class at a time. One class at a time. I've only earned degrees as a full-time student and the idea of balancing a full course-load with my full-time job is impossible. I keep reminding myself - ONE class at a time.
• Yesterday I attended an Individualized Education Plan Meeting (IEP Meeting) for a child that I attended his initial IEP meeting a little less than a year ago. This was a really big deal for me because last year this meeting was held during my first week of work. I hardly knew the child, I didn't know the parents, I hadn't written the IEP, I hardly knew the Colorado parts of an IEP let alone how to write one... this meeting was different. I am excited for February 2, 2010 because that date will mark 1 year since I've been at my job. I will have a point of reference for everything my job entails - I will be able to remember what we did last year. The annual IEPs I have, I will remember last year's meetings... This is a big deal that I will probably write more about as the date nears.
• A friend of mine from Vanderbilt is coming to visit this weekend. She's interviewing for a residency position in Denver and arranged her schedule so she could come up and spend the weekend in the mountains with me. I am SO excited to see her and spend a weekend finding fun times in the mountains.
• In other news, please continue to pray for my future husband. I'm back in the "dating world" - whatever that means, and I have to remind myself that this can be joyful. Frankly, I don't really like the process - or the idea of the process of dating. I enjoy a movie more the 2nd time I watch it... when I know what the ending is. I think I would enjoy relationships more if I knew what the ending would be - marriage or not. Praise God that that is not the way the world works... He knows best and if it were up to me, I would want to know the end result instead of living the journey as it comes.

That's enough randomness from my world. Enjoy the 2010 Handbook:

HANDBOOK 2010

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..
18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree…

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come..
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

For more Caffeinated Randomness, visit Under Grace and Over Coffee.

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful to be back to work this week with my amazing students, my awesome staff, and my cozy little preschool. I am tired, but I love what I do, and I am thankful for each day I am able to do my best at this job I enjoy.
2. I am thankful that the changes in store for my preschool are in the Lord's hands. I have one teaching assistant leaving in ten days, and one having some medical issues. God is good, and He is not surprised by these changes. He is not worried about them. HE IS. He Knows. He is good, and my preschool is in His hands.
3. I am thankful for trials. I don't particularly like them, but I do believe the Lord uses them. I do believe God is good and He teaches me through trials, He strengthens me through trials.
4. I am thankful for today. Yesterday is gone. I cannot take anything back or do anything differently. Tomorrow is unplanned, un-promised, and unknown. TODAY I can worship. Today I can love. Today I am the Lord's and He is my Father. I am so thankful for today.
5. I am thankful for the Lord's promises, especially Lamentations 3:22-23. "The steadfast love the the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness, Oh Lord"

My prayer for you is the hope, joy, love, and thankfulness of TODAY. Wherever you are in your walk, your life, your dreams, or even your nightmares, Praise God for Today! It will only be here once.

For more Thankful Thursday, visit Truth 4 The Journey.

Word-Filled Wednesday: Psalm 42:8

Psalm 42:8

By day the Lord directs His love,
at night His song is with me --
a prayer to the God of my life.

For more Word-Filled Wednesday visit here.

2010 - What a concept!

Two thousand ten!

How did it become 2010?

I was never one of those Y2Kers (in fact, I was not yet 16 when the world changed from 1999 to 2000). 2000 was never an unobtainable date in my mind. I was born in 1984 and the "turn of the century" was a term I grew up with. It was coming...

For some reason 2010 is much more of a milestone in my mind. 2010 has always been my Outer Limit. What is my outer-limit, you ask?

Well, I guess I just never did the math to realize how close 2010 was because 2010 was always my example, my outer limit of things to come. It was very common for me to have a conversation with friends during 2006, 2007, 2008 and even 2009 where I would say, "Someday when I get married - you know, way off in 2010."

Well, as you can probably guess, it was early in 2009 when I realized that not only did that statement not really work as a far-off date, but it is downright unlikely that I will find myself married in 2010.

Yes, there was a chance when I was in my most recent relationship that all the stars would align and I would actually be married in the year that I had always used as my far-fetched example, but now it is much less likely.

But this post is not about a possible wedding... its about the arrival of that far-off year that I'd always believed was so far away.

"It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine."

I guess that's how I feel today. 2010 is here.

I have no more outer-limit and things that will happen by a far-off date.

I guess I could make a new date - one that is ACTUALLY far off - like 2050, or even 2025... but I don't know that I will.

Maybe my new phrase will be, "Someday, when I get married, when the Lord provides," or, "when the Lord Wills," or "Someday, in the Lord's time."

That's probably a good perspective to begin 2010.

My dreams are in the Lord's oh so capable hands and in His time, the "Someday" will arrive. It is not for me to foolishly give him an outer-limit of timing.

Praise God for His beautiful timing!