College Speech

We, teachers, are supposed to speak to our students about our college experience today. Since I tend to ramble and get off track easily, I decided I better have a "rough draft"....

My College Soapbox....

I am passionate about college not just because I am a teacher but because of my background. I grew up in south Texas. My parents were born in South Texas. My mom in Donna, Tx and my dad in Harlingen, Tx. My grandparents were from Mexico. My parents were migrant farmworkers. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THAT IS? you travel from place to place working in the fields and ranches. In south Texas, at the time I grew up, many families did this. All of them hispanic families...

I started working when I was 8 years old. From 5:30 am - 6 pm in the fields every day from April to October. From late October to early April, I attended school. My parents and my 4 sisters would travel to Wyoming and Washington state. In Wyoming, we would work the sugar beet harvest and bean harvest. In Washington state, we would work the apple harvest.

It was VERY difficult work and we lived in poverty. When I show immigrants wanting to come to the USA in class I show it with passion because even though I ddidn't immigrate here I know what it's like to live in terrible poverty and to want a better life for yourself. I saw that in my parents. They would do ANYTHING to give their children a better lifhen they drilled COLLEGE into our brains! They didn't want the cycle of poverty and not having choices to continue. they had to make tough decisions because of this dream that they had for us. They moved us from south Tx to the Panhandle of TX, my sophomore year, and it was like going to a foreign land. No Hispanics here. Spanish language was not the dominant language. Poverty because my dad and mom had to start over. But my dad KNEW it was better for his kid's future. There were better better opportunities for his 4 daughters here. My sisters and I hated it because my older sister and I were in high school and we were having to start all over. But you know what? 4 of my 5 sisters have either 2 year or 4 year college degrees! We would not have had that if we had stayed in south Texas. Too much poverty and few chances at college.

Here in Borger, I realized I could go to college. One of my sophomore teachers recommended me for advanced English. I thought "wow?". In that class, I began to think, "Maybe I can go to college? Maybe? Maybe?". No one was there to help me or show me or guide me. I just researched and got the paperwork myself. I found out there were tons of scholarships and grants especially if you were poverty / low-income like me. Then I found out that if you studied a subject that was in high demand that there were more scholarships and grants. I studied Accounting during my years at Frank Phillips College (I made all A's) but later on I switched to education after I taught Sunday School and realized I loved children! I got married after graduating from Frank and moved to Denver, Colorado. I decided to wait a year before continuing but then we got transferred to the Philippines (Air Force). We lived in the Philippines for 3 years. When we returned, we moved back to Borger and I started back to WTAMU but only for one semester because then we moved around some more before settling in at Louisville, KY. I started college at University of Louisville I attended school there for 2 years. I was one semester away from graduating but then we moved again. To Glorieta/ Santa Fe New Mexico. I then went through a divorce and came back to Borger and finished my degree at WTAMU.

Don't give up if you think college is unattainable. When I first taught at Borger Middle School, many Hispanic students were shocked when I would say I had my degree. They would ask, "You mean Hispanics can go to college?" Yes! Yes! Anyone can!

I help a lot of students with their paperwork for college by the way. That is the only draw back, paperwork. But if you are willing to sort through the paperwork and trouble of trying to fill it out, IT IS WORTH IT!!

Elizabeth Hernandez-Forrest

2011 - 2012

I llove Lissa Anglin’s website (http://www.lissaanglin.com/blog/) - - both her beautiful pictures and her blog. Her recent post really encouraged me to look at my past year and then to the upcoming year…

Struggles/To Do list for year 2012:

INVEST more in my problem classes/students. I have really seen this come true this last year. Praying diligently for my problem classes/students helps me be sensitive and teaches me to love them! It’s rocked my world!

PUSH my boundaries in regards to my weak areas. Learning to say “no”, learning to not be too much of a people pleaser, learning to take more time for ME, and learning to speak up for myself. A friend of mine, posted this wonderful saying on Facebook, “Wisdom to know which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.”

Continue to GROW…..as a new mother-in-law, stepmom, mom, new daughter-in-law, new sister-in-law, and aunt. These are all areas I need to grow and be better in.

KEEP UP with friends better. Be intentional. Be available. This is so, so hard!

Stay ON TRACK with my health & fitness. Don’t let the busyness of life, teaching, family, etc to take away from this. It’s such a big part of a healthy me.

Accomplishments of 2011:

Did the IMPOSSIBLE (in my mind that is!) - - got my daughter, Anna, married. Got my son, Ben, graduated. Got a group of 28 people to Spain & France for a 10 day trip. Got the old house that I had lived in for 12 years cleaned, boxed up of all possessions, and totally empty all by myself!!

Got my “BEARINGS” in regards to being married. This is quite an accomplishment after being a single mom for 12 years. Only other single moms know what I mean!

Kind of ties in with the above: GREW our marriage. Lissa Anglin mentioned that a friend's mom once told her that couples in a healthy marriage need to date weekly, retreat monthly, and vacation yearly. I am thankful that Bobby makes sure that we do this a lot. He is a great husband.

WITHDREW from being involved with the college ministry at church. This was a hard, hard decision which is why I include it as an accomplishment (remember the part about saying “no”?). With my dad’s health, new family, new marriage, etc., I knew that this was the “season of my life” that I had to pare down my extracurricular activities.

RECEIVED the Teacher of the District award (http://www.borgernewsherald.com/content/forrest-receives-rootgillespie-foundation-award)

JOINED a monthly book club that I am thoroughly enjoying. I am loving having the time to read again. Love the monthly time we get together to discuss, ponder, and question books and their themes! ☺



"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure..than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt

Husbands

I have been going through a really difficult time In my life lately. My Dad had been doing poorly, had fallen twice in a time span of one week, and had spent 4 days in the hospital. He is back to doing great...in fact better than before due to 3 blood transfusions and having been assigned a specialty nurse. But my emotions from all this upheaval have not done so well. I have cried a lot. A lot. My Mom's absence and seeing my Dad's decline just brought this tremendous depression. My poor husband just has been so perplexed. He has really tried to do so much to "be there" for me. It has really touched my heart. I am so thankful I have him here for me. I am so humbled that he is a rock for me at this vulnerable time in my life.

"The best is yet to be, the last of life for which the first was made. Our times are in His hands.". - Robert Browning

One month/One year

It's been 1 month since I last blogged. Busy month to say the least! Spent 10 days in Barcelona/Madrid/Paris which was quite a trip of a lifetime! The week prior was full of planning and preparing. I can't believe that the trip actually happened though! Kind of boggles my mind. Another thing that boggles my mind is the year that just passed!

Last year at this time I was so stressed about the upcoming academic year since I knew that my life would be so hectic with the events coming up...my marriage, Anna's marriage, Ben's graduation, Ben's moving away, and then the Spain/France trip. I thought, worried, and stressed how I would get through it all. God, as my continual rock, proved faithful and strengthening!! All of these were FIRSTS for me and things that were outside my comfort range. God grew me and showed me that I really could do it. Getting married in the middle of the school year and then moving from a house that I have lived in for 13 years and doing all of the moving by myself really gave me new confidence in my abilities!! Planning a low budget wedding for Anna and then getting her actually married (with my sisters' and good friends help) was another event that made me think, "I can't believe we did it?". Ben and John's college graduation was another event that occurred with an incredulous mind (thanks to my dear husband, Bobby Forrest!) because we had to move furniture (Anna & John Mark's)to a 4th floor apartment as well as getting *ALL* of Ben's furniture and stuff moved out and ready to depart for Portland, Oregon. All of this moving occurred in the time frame of 2 days!! The Spain trip was another HUGE weight on my mind mostly because I was taking such a large group (29 folks) and it was something I had never done before...another FIRST! Overseeing behavior (of high school students), striving to make it a fun trip, as well as coordinating the daily agenda was quite a challenge. But I did it (thanks to my sponsors and the adult men in the group who were INVALUABLE! Thanks Tye Geppi and Bobby Anderson)! Not a perfect trip but then nothing is especially when 29 different and various personalities are involved (LOL!) I still loved the trip and would not change anything because the group bonded and had so much fun together!!

So the year has been "fast & furious" but it's been good. Once again, I wouldn't change anything. God used every event of this past year to grow me, mature me, and give me confidence as his child. This is truly the mantra of my life.

Apricots

I have been going crazy with apricots! The good kind of crazy though. Our apricot tree is producing buckets of apricots EVERY day! I have learned how to jar them! Kudos to me ( sorry for the self praise but I really do feel proud of myself!). I also noticed that when Anna and John Mark went to Portland that they had what looked liked a yummy apricot almond Danish so I googled and found this yummy recipe. It might have to be my project for tomorrow....

www.jeenaskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/05/apricot-and-almond-danish-pastry-recipe.html

Can't wait!!!

Praises

Yesterday was one that I was able to get a lot of things accomplished and probably explains why I had to DRAG myself out of bed this morning and why I so desperately want to do NOTHING today! Lol! 

I went running, watered Sommer's plants as well as feed her dogs. I then went to the Cooley house and worked 1 1/2 hours in Ben's room (boxing up things, throwing out things, cleaning up). I came home and worked on EF Tours paperwork as well as Attorney General stuff and then spent a couple of hours writing recipes in Anna's cookbook.  I also called Dana Newton to find out if Anna's wedding pictures were up which they were. So just a day full of a lot of "little" stuff which ends up draining you. 

I had the blessing of not having to worry about dinner because Jerad, Morgon's boyfriend, was smoking trout at Janet's house and we had that as well as yummy corn on the cob along with baked potatoes. So delicious!!

I keep wanting to pinch myself because of not having to work any outside jobs. I always tear up and cry when I think about it. It's such a HUGE blessing to me. Thank you Lord that you brought Bobby to me and that he allows me to be home during the summer. I just can't thank you enough heavenly Father for bestowing such grace and mercy to me. It's so nice not having the burden of work and to concentrate on home and marriage. 

Also, thank you Lord because the Spain trip with EF Tours is coming together. It's been a lot of work but it is all worth it. Praise the Lord! I pray that the trip itself will go smoothly. I pray that you, God, will watch over us in every aspect of the trip. The flight and layovers, the keeping the group together at all times, the temperaments & personalities of all the enrollees, the behavior of the students and their abiding by the rules, and above all that we will ENJOY ourselves! This is my prayer Lord. It's such a blessing to go and I want You to be glorified in all of it.

My Dad & Erma Bombeck

I was out running and praying and I began to think of my Dad and his influence on me. My sisters and I dwell a lot on my Mom and her influence but my Dad was as equally an influence on us. He was usually out working during the day and/or out working on the yard, out working on vehicles, out working in his garage BUT his influence was there just the same. It reminds me of the story that journalist, Erma Bombeck, tells and if you have never heard/read it, then google it:http://tassiedevil.tripod.com/papa.htm



My Dad's Influence on me:

1. My ability to be social and being attracted to FUNNY people...my Dad was ULtRA social and ultra funny! The epitome of a people person. My love of social settings and loving people who make me laugh comes from my father.

2. My ability to be a "trouble shooter/problem solver"....can you say 'duct tape'? Lol but very, very true. I grew up seeing my Dad solve any problem that came our way and using whatever was available. I find myself doing the same thing now.

3. My being "bold" when it comes to defending my children...I am RARELY bold but when it comes to my children then I see my Dad rise up in me. He was very protective of his 5 girls. Attack my children and you will see that I will become a 'lion' and this is because of my father.

4. My respect and love of the church....once my dad got saved, he deeply respected all things about church/clergy/God's Word and I love him deeply for it. I thank him for instilling that in me.

5. My love of adventure...my dad THRIVED on adventure (we traveled to practically every state in the United States!) and I am so glad he gave that to his daughters as well.

6. My pride in self.....he always praised us (whereas my mom "kept our feet planted on the ground") and instilled confidence and pride in us. He did NOT hold to the "machismo stereotype" in regards to women. His motto has always been "shoot for the moon". Thank you Dad.

7. My love of romance and being affectionate....my dad was the ultra romantic/affectionate one (my mom was the opposite) and I love, love, love that I grew up with a father who was always showing love to my mom in this way. I am also thankful that I have some of this in me as well. Thanks Dad.

8 My love of the outdoors/gardening....my dad always had a garden and was outdoors all the time. I am glad that I married a man who is the same way as my dad in this aspect. The outdoors is something that I thrive on which is due to my father.

9. My love of culture and ethnicity (both Mexican and American)....my dad taught us to love both our Mexican and American heritage. He knew that both were valuable and were things to be honored.

10. My love of travel.....i love traveling (especially by car!) and it's because my father took us EVERYWHERE (all over the country) with him and my mom. I love that we traveled in a truck with a camper (my dad, mom, and 5 girls!)and thus learned to love to embrace the "open road"!

I LOVE MY DAD!