Keep Your Fork

I don't know where this came from, but I first heard about it from Marilyn after Wally died. Someone had given her a plant with a fork in it. When I asked why, she told me the story. So thankful and comforted that she knew there was still the best to come.

There was a woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things "in order", she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. The woman also requested to be buried with her favorite Bible. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly.

"What's that?" came the pastor's reply.

"This is very important," the woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand."

The pastor stood looking at the woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor. The woman explained. "In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork'.

It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance! So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?'. Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork....the best is yet to come".

The pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman goodbye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She KNEW that something better as coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman's casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite Bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the pastor heard the question "What's with the fork?" And over and over he smiled. During his message, the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you oh so gently, that the best is yet to come…

Tea Monkey

Sandwiches tend to taste better when someone else makes them for you. Would you agree? I feel the same thing about a cup of tea. My OMM would make me a cup, I would enjoy it then go buy the EXACT same tea and I wouldn't like it. Same thing happened with Jane. Then I realized why it was this way. Friendship.

Sharing the cup of tea with a friend made it taste better than alone.

The other night I shared this cup of tea with Cassie and Jordan. Since I was the special guest, Jordan let me use his special tea monkey tea bag holder. It was divine.

Are you a tea drinker? Do you agree with me?

Frozen...Check

It is official, I am no longer the only person on the planet who hasn't seen Frozen yet. I no longer have to feel like this:

 You can put a nice check next to that on my bucket list.

Last Sunday our little town celebrated the class on 2014 with speeches, food, drink and fun. I went to seven parties with my friend Erin and her three girls. We only spent about fifteen to twenty minutes at each party before we headed to the next one. By the last party everyone was drained, tired, hot and thirsty, so what better way to end the night with a movie about ice!

The best part about the whole movie was when Haedynn curled up with me to watch. She was trying so hard to not sing along and quote every line. I totally understood how hard that was for her!

I wanted to take our picture but there wasn't a way to take a good one, so here is an alternative one!

Thank you Erin, Taelynn, Haedynn and Maesynn for helping me check off my first item off of my list this summer! Any others you want to help with?

Ideas Needed

Ok fellow crafters, I need your ideas. I have these...

glass "stones" that I had in a vase as a centerpiece. I no longer want them as a centerpiece, but my desire to be on the show Hoarders is too strong to just toss them. I can't think of anything to do with them, so I thought I would ask for your help.

Summer 2014 Bucket List

source

That's right folks, I am on summer vacation and there will be several days that I may not know what day it is. Ok the truth is, I don't always know what day it is during the school year. If you ask me on a week where we have Monday off, I will not succeed in giving you a correct answer.

Anyway, one thing I fancy about summer break is the chance to do whatever I want. This is the response I tell people when they ask me what I am going to do this summer. One problem with this attitude is that summer just seems to slip away if you don't have some sort of plan. Last year I had a bucket list and it went so well that I am doing it again!

Summer 2014 Bucket List (subject to change at any moment. Another great perk of summer!)

Hiking

• Fountain Valley Trail....Check
• Swallow & Coyote Song Loop
• Narrow Gauge & North Fork View

Watch Movies

• Frozen (I know! I think I am the only one on the planet!)...Check
• The Book Thief...Check
• Catching Fire

Items for School

• "I'm Finished" jar
• "Write On" jar
• Curtains
• Oil drip pan

Food/Drink

• Make a meatloaf...Check
• Snickerdoodle waffles
• Harry Potter Butter beer

Crafty Projects

• Finish quilt started years ago
• Pillow cases
• Pop bottle painting

Misc.

• Finish the AAA list of coffee shops with Molly (I think this one carries over from last summer)
• Put together my Muppets Puzzle...Check (no blog post for this one)
• Order and put up my chiming clock

I hope that most of these are done with family or friends. If you would like to help me check something off this list, let's do it! Adventures are more fun with someone!

Do you have summers off? Either way, do you have a bucket list and if so, what is on it?

Last Day of School Letter

Dear Fourth Grade Class of 2013-2014,

Well, we made it. No one died. I didn't lose anyone, well for very long. We laughed. We cried. We all learned at least something. It was a crazy ride and now it is over.

Some of my favorite memories are:

• Literacy lunch- thanks for making that successful 
• Watching you problem solve
• Snow shoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park
• Trying out a new writing program with you
• Reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane to you and seeing your reaction and passion for the story
• Introducing you to Billy, Old Dan and Little Ann
• The challenge that you gave me each and every day
• Teaching you the "old way" of doing multiplication and division
• Getting letters from you each month
• The first ever Slice of Life Challenge

I am excited to see what life has for you all. I hope to see several of you on the stage, court and field. You have so much potential, each and everyone of you. Thank you for allowing me to have a small hand in this.

Love,

Ms. Wilson

Success

I did it! I delivered my speech to the graduating fifth grade class! I think it went delightfully well I must say so myself! The kids laughed and I was told that a few even almost cried! Nailed it!

I also reached 10,000 page views today on my blog! On the 30th of April I celebrated my blogiversary, but was so wrapped up in life that I didn't get a blog post up. I did have a little private celebration while waiting for Kris to show up and devour some breakfast burritos with me!

I tried to find a cupcake, but it turns out that you can't buy just a single cupcake. Maybe next year. Anyway, happy one year *heart flutters*

On Friday, I will have successfully completed my eighth year of teaching. It is hard to believe that I have been at it that long. I have truly enjoyed the ride and tonight was a great reason why. It was such an honor to speak at the continuation and see such a great group of students. Before I know it, they will be walking across the high school graduation stage.

What have been some of your successes lately?