Sometimes I Write

30 Day People Challenge – Day 6: Favorite Teacher

Posted in Free to be me, Joy in the Journey, Just for fun, tagged #30peoplechallenge, 30 Day Challenge, books, Central High School, freedom, La Crosse, Music, Random Lake, Teachers, Twilight, Wisconsin, words, writing challenge on November 6, 2015| 1 Comment »

I wouldn’t be who I am today without the teachers who’ve poured into me over the years. I’m grateful for all of the men and women who did their best to educate and inspire me from Kindergarten through college, but there are two women who share the title, “Niki’s Favorite Teacher.”

Elementary school was particularly rough for me – LOTS of family drama, and at the end of 3^rd grade, my mom moved me and my brothers across the state to a little town called Random Lake. I joined a soccer team, quickly made friends, fell in love (wait for the crush post in a few days), and won the 4^th grade spelling bee. Other than major dental surgery and a crabby old lady teacher, it was a pretty good year for me. Then I moved on to 5^th grade and my life changed forever.

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Miss Kintop was tall, single, an unabashed lover of all things Terry Bradshaw and…wait for it…BOOKS. Yeah, now you know where I’m going with this, don’t you? I’m sure I learned a lot that year, but all I remember is her reading to us after lunch every day. There were kids who would doze off a bit or fidget out of boredom. Not me. I was enthralled with her voice, the way she held books, and absolutely loved that she’d have to stop reading now and then to breathe deeply and wipe away a tear, or clear her throat before continuing. I’m convinced if all teachers read aloud like that, there would be no literacy problems in our country.

I learned how to read when I was three years old, but I learned to love reading while I sat in Miss Kintop’s class at age ten. It probably helped that the other object of my affection that year was sitting in the 5^th grade class next door, not distracting me. 😉 Miss Kintop started sending me home with books and challenged me to read at a higher level, and I did. She praised and hugged me, telling me what a good student I was, which made me want to try even harder. Yes, I was THAT kid. My reading level jumped that year and I’ve been at the top of the charts ever since. People are my first love, but books are a close second, followed by music…

music-love-pretty-quotes-quote-Favim.com-572562 Mrs. Allen was my high school music teacher. I’m of the opinion she should be sainted. She was THE mother figure of my high school years. I spent as much time with her as possible, helping her out with ANY task she’d give me. Eventually she’d gently tell me to go home. I remember her as a freshmen, taking my face in her hands, looking into my eyes and calling me a little songbird with a beautiful voice. She told me to sing my song. For a girl like me who soaked up any love I could get like a dry sponge, those were words of life! I had the privilege of being in several of her musical groups and taking private voice lessons through her and my other wonderful music director, Mr. Aronson. They helped me develop my musical gift, and gave me an opportunity to belong.

Mrs. Allen formed a couple of quartets and that’s how I connected with the girl who would become my high school best friend. She found several opportunities for us to perform in our community, but knew my mom could never afford the outfits I needed for our performances, so Mrs. Allen not only paid for mine, she also sewed/altered them for me. I know I’m not the only one she took care of like that. She was so good to me. One of the last times I saw her, I was home visiting from college and got to tell her about my engagement. She took my face in her hands again and smiled at me with shining eyes, then pulled me into a hug and whispered to me, “Congratulations! I am so happy for you, you beautiful girl!”

Words and music threw open doors of freedom for me and now I’m a teacher, hoping I’m making an everlasting impression on my students. I’m speaking life to them and inspiring them towards greater confidence and their own freedom. I teach Drama at a private school on Fridays, and every week my students high-five me on the way out the door. And yes, I notice the ones who remind me of my younger self. I go out of my way to smile at them with shining eyes and pour love on those sweet little sponges.

Go read about the teachers who inspired my challenger friends:

30 Day People Challenge – Day 4: Your Dad

Posted in Family, Holidays, Humor, Joy in the Journey, Just for fun, tagged #30peoplechallenge, 30 Day Challenge, Dad on November 4, 2015| 4 Comments »

Me: Hi Dad! So…I’m doing a writing challenge this month and YOU are my topic for today. Is there anything you do or don’t want me to tell the world about you?

Dad: (Long pause) What is this for? Facebook?

Me: No, it’s for my blog. A couple of my friends and I have taken a writing challenge for our blogs this month. So…this will be public.

Dad: Do you have to interview me?

Me: Um…sure! I can do that! What do you want to be when you grow up?

Dad: (Laughter) I don’t know if you’re being serious or not. I’ve actually joked about that recently.

Me: Dad. This is very serious business. (Holding back a giggle) Let’s start with an easier one…What’s your favorite color?

Dad: Well, when I buy a car, I tend to go with blue, but I really like green, you know the color we painted our office? It’s also the color of money. (He laughs again)

Me: Good answer! I love green. It’s my favorite too. Okay…Tell me something fun on your bucket list.

Dad: Aruba. I’d like to vacation there sometime. I always thought that would be interesting.

Me: Well, I know you’ve traveled a lot, any chance that will become a reality?

Dad: I don’t know…maybe.

Me: What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done so far on your travels?

Dad: Shari made me go parasailing with her. I didn’t want to go, but now I’m glad I did. We also really enjoyed snorkeling in the Bahamas.

We chatted for a bit longer about Max’s girlfriend and what I’ve written about so far with the challenge, then my friend Cherie showed up to surprise me with Chai (YAY!) so I had to wrap it up…

Me: Okay Dad, I’m going to write this post tonight and tomorrow I’ll send you a link to it…and a picture of Max’s girlfriend.

Dad: Can you use an alias?

Me: (Laughing) I think the title of the post will make the use of an alias a moot point. Okay, what would your alias be, Dad?

Dad: Uh…Elmer.

Me: Elmer???

Dad: I supposed Fudd would be too obvious.

Me: Hahaha yeah, probably.

Dad: Elmer Johnson, then.

Me: That sounds like a very Wisconsin-ish name. Okay, Elmer. I love you. I’ll chat with you soon!

He cracks me up! 🙂

Since I didn’t record the conversation, I may be slightly off in the details, but this was fun. I love my dad. He’s a funny man. I don’t get to see him very often, but I really enjoy our time together, and we do have our phone conversations to look forward to. He’s good to me and he’s a good grandpa to my kids. Then there is my wonderful stepmom, Shari. My dad has a treasure in that woman! She’s a spunky, fun grandma!

Every year or so when I venture back to Wisconsin, my dad throws a huge party for me. My siblings and their families, aunts, uncles, and cousins all come over for a family cookout and we eat northern food, talk about the Packers, and tease my dad about his pride and joy – his impeccable lawn. 😉 It’s one of my favorite things about “going home.” After these parties, I go to bed feeling like I’ll burst – not from the food, but from the overload of emotions. I feel wanted and accepted and loved. My dad does that for ME. Wow.

We got to spend Easter with them this year. It was the first time in ten years all of my kids were in Wisconsin at the same time, so we did the “Grandpa tour”. He showed them the houses he lived in and his old school, he took them to the skate park and watched them do their tricks on their skateboards, and he showed them his model train and let them run the controls. We also introduced them to the wonder that is blue moon ice cream, and I drove them all over the city on the “Mommy tour”. It was a great trip!

Isn’t he handsome? Every Father’s Day I pull this photo out and post it on Facebook. It’s an older one, but I love it. I didn’t grow up with my dad, but he’s been in my life since I was in college. I’ve known him much longer than I haven’t. I don’t tell him often enough, but I’m crazy about him! (Even if he needs a better alias. We’ll work on that.)

Check out these other Dad posts:

30 Day People Challenge – Day 1: The Person You Love Most

Posted in Family, Free to be me, Humor, Joy in the Journey, Just for fun, Marriage, tagged #30peoplechallenge, 30 Day Challenge, Benny Nowell, people challenge, True Love, writing challenge on November 1, 2015| 1 Comment »

Allow me to gush for a moment. Isn’t he handsome? This is the love of my life.

It was a cold day in January when we met on the campus of York College in York, Nebraska. I remember it clearly. He does not. Whatever. It wasn’t until a couple of months later when we were both cast in the school play that I really took notice of him. We were dating a month later, and unofficially engaged a month after that. Benny likes to tell people I proposed to him, but we all know that’s not true. After all, I had the entire York choir present when he popped the famous question. There are LOTS of juicy details to our story, but for the sake of this post, I’m going to skip ahead to the present day.

In May we celebrated twenty-two years of marriage, y’all! I threw that “y’all” in there for his benefit, since he’s a Texan. Yes, that sweet, funny, polite, southern boy married me – a kind, fierce, opinionated, Yankee girl. Along the way we learned what love really means and we’ve been spreading it around as much as possible ever since. We made three cute babies, who are growing up nicely. People can’t decide if they look more like me or him. What do you think?

I’m okay with them looking like him. My bearded wonder is hot!

And funny. The kids got that from him too.

For our 20th anniversary, I spent a month making a list of things I love about Benny. It’s a little long to share the whole thing, but here are a few of the highlights:

Benny is intentional. He still pursues me. He is kind. Friends and strangers alike are drawn to his kindness. He has a father’s heart. He carries in him the amazing ability to touch the hearts of the fatherless and those who need to hear how special and loved they are. Our kids aren’t the only ones who call him Popa.

Benny is romantic. When we can’t afford fresh flowers, he texts pictures of them to me. He flirts with me. Sometimes it’s even appropriate and suitable for the public.

Benny has big, strong hands. I feel safe when his fingers wrap around mine, or play with my hair, and when they rest on the small of my back when we’re standing in conversation with others. They’re the same hands that threw our children in the air then caught them when they were small, eliciting squeals of delight, and the hands that now wipe away tears after an injury. With the same gentleness in which he holds his family, his hands bring healing to our friends and those we encounter on the streets. His hands carry heavy loads for those who need help carrying things, and lull babies to sleep at church. Yes, I love his hands.

Benny is a dreamer and visionary. He’s the one who comes up with the plans and I help figure out how to make them work. We’re a good team. He’s bold and courageous, and a fiercely loyal friend. You want him in your corner because you can trust he’ll have your back.

Benny loves me even when I’m a pain in the ass, and he doesn’t make me go camping with him. That’s a marriage saver right there!

Benny Nowell is my no-brainer choice for the inaugural post of this challenge.

I love him the most.

Be sure to check out who my fellow challenger friends love the most:

nikinowell.wordpress.com/2015/11/01/30-day-people-challenge/

It’s not too late to join us! Get the details here:

My Journey to the Storyline Conference in Nashville

Posted in Free to be me, Joy in the Journey, Traveling on October 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I am in Nashville, Tennessee for Donald Miller’s Storyline Conference this weekend. Let me tell you how it all came together.

My Texas friends Chris and Allen, and my Colorado friends Luke and Jason, all attended Storyline and came away changed men. They don’t know each other but they’re all men I hold in high esteem, and they know me well enough to know that I needed to attend Storyline, and they told me so. Though I was hopeful, I knew it would take tremendous finagling and a small miracle to make that happen. And it did.

Luke emailed me a few months ago to let me know for the conference in Nashville would have a “pay what you can afford” option, and encouraged me to register. He and his wife wanted to help make this happen for me.

When we got our tax refund, I got online and registered, paying money that wasn’t “extra” but trusting that God and my extended friends and family would help make this a reality.

Chris has wonderful parents who have a time-share in Nashville, so he arranged for me to stay at a beautiful resort this weekend as their guests.

My friend Cherie gave me vouchers for two free car rental days with Hertz.

Luke rallied some other friends and they chipped in to pay for my airfare. (I want to honor them but don’t know if I have permission to publicize who they are.)

I had to come up with money for registration, the other 2 days of car rental, gas, food, and the deposits required. I’m a part of an AMAZING group of people! They’re generous, encouraging, and challenge me to leap beyond what I think is doable. I’m not a very good dreamer and tend to settle for less, so I am incredibly grateful for my people who push me to dream and pursue. I’m here in Nashville…pursuing.

Several years ago I attended a National Youth Workers Convention where the late, great Mike Yaconelli told us we tend to wear ourselves out at these things. We succumb to the pressure of attending every workshop and activity offered, sucking the marrow out of the experience so it was worth our money. He gave us permission to grab a bottle of wine and hole up in our rooms if that is what our spirits need. My spirit need both focus and rest this weekend.

I fell asleep watching a terrible movie last night, and woke up to a text from Benny. The hours in between were spent wrapped in blankets with the ceiling fan on and lots of pillows cradling my body. No dog scratching at the door, no children waking me up in the middle of the night, no saggy mattress that hurts my back, and no list of things I must accomplish today to keep life moving along. Just a dark, quiet, peaceful, beautiful room holding promises of the kind of rest that comes with stepping away from my daily routine for a bit. I chose to skip the pre-conference blogger’s breakfast this morning and wake up leisurely. No guilt. No regrets.

I’m heading out to the university for pre-registration and to find some lunch, but felt the need to blog first. I’m redefining and refreshing some things this weekend. I started this blog in 2004 and it’s morphed into several things over the years, just like me. It’s changed with my needs, wants, and pressures to be something other than what it is, and yet it’s still me and my journey.

My blog is an online window into my life. Not everyone wants that view, and sometimes I close the curtains for a bit, but I’m still here and I’m welcoming you to join me on my journey.