Crazier Cazier: Our Growing Family's Blog: January 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

"They Smell Fear"

"You ever watch 'The Dog Whisperer?" Spencer Holmgren, the third-grade teacher who I do my level-II teaching with asked me one day. "No," I replied, admitting I didn't catch too much TV these days. "Well, it's about this man who disciplines dogs," Mr. Holmgren continued. "Kids are just like the dogs on his show. They need discipline, love, and respect. Most importantly, you need to remember one thing: they smell fear."

So much for a pep-talk. For my special education class for level II, I have been required to go into an elementary school this semester. While I admit I wasn't too excited that I had to go into an ELED class (since I'm aiming to be in secondary education), I was more than a little excited to go to Woodruff Elementary School to observe and take part in one of the third grade classrooms there. It's been a great experience, and learning one too. Especially when Mr. Holmgren couldn't make it back to the classroom and it was just me staring into the faces of 24 eight and nine-year-olds. One word sums up the feelings in my heart: fear.

I was in a near-fatal car accident in high school, I've spoken live on the radio with just seconds of warning beforehand, declared the Lord's truthfulness into the blazing eyes of Norway's largest city's State Church Minister, and avoided the swing of a gang of druggies high on their addictions... yet never before have I truly felt such fear as I did staring into these clear 24-pair of eyes. I licked my lips and swallowed hard. I knew they knew it. I knew they could smell it.

Almost before I had a chance to say "Let's work on some assignments," chatters started, slowly at first, then evolved into a roar. Students soon started to migrate from their chairs to various parts of the room. Little girls' pigtails twisted into devil-horns, and those "cute" little boys' smiles cracked into mischievous grins.

I started sweating bullets.

I admit I like being the nice guy. It's hard to be the "mean jerk." But, watching this classroom suddenly transform into a warzone, I realized I needed to crossover to the dark side: I needed to be the teacher.

Demands blurted out from my mouth, surprising even myself, as I declared that the whole class would lose ten of their "victory points" if they don't sit in their seats in the "ready position." Maybe it was because I was the Lion in the "Wizard of Oz" my senior year of high school, but my acting has really taken off. I'm not sure if they just thought I was unpredictable or if they really thought I was a serious force to be reckoned with; either way, my fear was hidden.

Just forty more years of this fear-hiding and I'll have it set.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Back to the Gosh Dang Grinding Wheel....School

Well, I figured that it's about time that I write a post on this thing! I have so much to talk about that I'm going to give you headings on each different thing.
I think I'm going to start this off by telling about a wonderful school vacation!

The Salt Lake City Temple:
For Christmas, Dave and I were in New Mexico. On the way down, we decided to spend a night in Salt Lake. This was going to be our Christmas present from "Santa". On the drive down to Salt Lake, while debating where we would eat and what we would do, we had the novel idea to actually attend a session at the Salt Lake Temple rather than just walk around outside it. Somehow this had never occurred to me, as such a thing had never been an option until now. We quickly changed and went to the temple. A more wonderful evening I cannot have imagined. After finishing a beautiful session, Dave and I were asked to help with some sealings. A woman had a neighbor who was unable to leave her home due to her health but had names from her family that needed to have the work done for them. We were only too happy to participate as we didn't have any set plans to keep us from it. There were only three people in the sealing room (excluding the necessary priesthood authority), Dave, myself, and the woman who had brought the names. We were very excited to learn that the names were Swedish (Dave's ancestry is Swedish and he served his mission in Norway). It was even more amazing to hear the names pronounced perfectly by the sealer as he had served his mission in Sweden. The other two gentleman in the room had also served missions in the Scandinavian Area. It was incredible to know only a few people filled the room and yet, to realize that room felt crowded. It was an absolutely amazing experience and we could not have had a more enjoyable evening together.

Christmas with The Taylor Family:
Christmas was an absolute blast! Nick, Heather and the Girls were in Pennsylvania (visiting Heather's family) until around 10pm Christmas Night so they missed out on the tubing in Durango but it was definitely one of the highlights of the Holidays. We also enjoyed watching Rob model fake high heels and a dress while playing Guesstures (girls against guys). Christmas morning was a delight as usual! We were all thrilled when Nick, Heather, and The Girls returned home. We learned a lot from Riley while being there, such as how much I like sleeping through the night! LOL! Anyways we had a great time with the family and had a great First Christmas Together!

New Years with The Cazier Family:
New Years was as much of a joy as Christmas! Again games were wonderful, food was delicious and family was wonderful! I have to admit the highlight on this one were the illegal fireworks Erick set off at New Years (in Idaho) and Mama Beth seeing the flashing lights of a cop car outside the window! Thank goodness the officer didn't decide to stop in and chat with us! It was great fun watching the nieces and nephews and being able to talk to with everyone. Another highlight of this family time was the baptism of Konner Steven Cutts! It was an absolutely wonderful experience to watch him. I learned so much from watching the faith of this 8yr old boy. I loved spending the time with all of the family!

A New Semester:
Now we've started a new semester and coming with that is plenty of change. My work schedule changed so that Dave and I can both get where we need to go with the car. He'll be starting his practicum in the schools and taking classes so I work 8-4 so that he can drop me off and pick me up and he'll still be able to get to his classes and work. I'm taking 14 credit hours this semester and will hopefully graduate from Snow after this semester with my Associates in General Education. From there I supposed I'll have to figure out what kind of career I want to settle into so I can get my Bachelor's. Dave is taking 14 credits as well and is excited for the practicum this semester.

Life Today:
I've had a few very interesting things happen lately. Lay-offs at work. This started my week and to say it was stressful would be an understatement. Thank heavens, I was not laid off nor will I be in any of the forseeable future. It was something completely unexpected for everyone at work and it was really hard to watch my friends lose their jobs but it was a learning experience for me. The Lord definitely watches out for us everyday. Dave and I have also been doing great together.

I had a really great thing hit me today while Dave and I sat reading the Ensign with Dave. I realized that the times when I've felt the closest to Dave and really enjoyed life, is when we are doing something spiritual together, such as our time when we read the ensign and attend the temple together. It's wonderful!

Well anyways...we're doing great! Had a fantastic holiday and a wonderful time being married!

We're engaged!

Dave and I had mentioned getting married and we knew that's what we wanted however I was not expecting to have him propose until the spring semester had started and to not be getting married until the beginning of the fall semester.
Dave had other ideas.
December 12 was the last day that Dave and I had before I headed back to New Mexico for Winter Break. For my Christmas Present Dave had told me that he was taking me up North to walk around Temple Square with all of its Christmas lights, and to the church history museum, to see the new Joseph Smith movie, and to take me to dinner anywhere I wanted to eat. He also gave me a gift card to one of my favorite stores, Deseret Book which he also planned to let me roam through while we were up North.
Others had mentioned the possibility of him proposing but I brushed it off knowing that he didn't want to get engaged this semester. I knew I was right when the week of the trip, Jake and a date (Emily Dutson), planned to join us for the trip.
The day we had set to leave, I was a stressed out mess. I had packing to do, and a final to finish. Dave, Jake, and Emily all arrived at my apartment while I was still in my Pajamas finishing the last of my work. I very quickly showered and got dressed (thank goodness my roommates had already picked out my clothing for the occasion). We left town and I slowly de-stressed as we continued the drive. By the time we made it to Salt Lake we were all starving. We stopped and got the soup and sandwich at the Nauvoo Cafe, which was absolutely amazing and incredibly delicous. We then found the times for the Joseph Smith Movie and left to walk through the Church History Museum. On the way there Dave and I realized that his camera had no batteries so Jake and Emily walked through the museum and Dave and I went to buy the batteries. We all made it back in time for the beginning of the Joseph Smith Movie. It was a fantastic movie which also had me crying by the end of it. When the movie finished the lights were all on at Temple Square so we decided to walk around. As we walked Dave began tossing his keys in the air. He dropped them and I stopped to wait for him while he picked them up. It took me a few seconds to realize that he was proposing to me! I said yes and he slipped a beautiful ring on my finger.

How We Met/First Date

Dave and I first met when he and his best friend Jacob Thomas ( a fellow resident on Castilleja Dorm like myself) decided to decorate Duke Dance's apartment before he returned home from his honeymoon. At the time they claimed that they needed help knowing how to decorate it and therefore were looking for the help of a few girls. They roamed the hallways until they found a room of about 6 girls (including myself). We agreed to help and set up a time for later in the week. Later that week we all met up and made a trip to Walmart to get the needed decorations. While there Dave and I ended up separated from the rest of the group. Dave and I talked while we looked for the right decorations...he asked what brought me to Snow and I answered honestly. "The Lord. This is where he wanted me and there is no other explanation for it." He claims this impressed him...and I think I believe him. The next Friday, I had the apartment to myself for one hour before my next class. I had just succeeded in splattering miracle whip all over after dropping the bottle on the floor when someone knocked on the door. Lo and Behold it was Dave. He came and we talked for the next hour. He invited me and my roommate Marsha to go on a hike the next day. I thought carefully and decided it would be fun. I was almost late for my next class which I just happened to have with Jake. Jake and I started talking and the plans changed so that we ended up turning the night into a double date and doing the hike that night rather than the next day. Sadly enough I am not much of a hiker and I gave a little over halfway through the hike. Dave, ever the gentleman stopped with me and we again talked for the next hour while Jake and Marsha finished the hike and came back to us. The men had brought with the makings for a sandwich which we all ate while watching the sunset. Afterwards we headed back to the car and went back to Duke Dance's apartment to watch the Emperor's New Groove and Mountains of Ephraim (most of you won't know this one..it's a home video Dave and Jake made before their mission) and enjoying a bowl of ice cream. Before ending the night Marsha and I invited them to join us for the rodeo in Manti the next night. They agreed and that concluded our first date!

Crazier Cazier: Our Growing Family's Blog