My flight arrived in Indianapolis around 2:00 am. Allie lives a short drive from the airport. We got settled around 3:00 and slept until she had to get up to log on for a work meeting. Her apartment is so cute. It's hard to believe she'd only been there about a week. She, like me, likes to get settled. her bedding is adorable, her couch is perfect, her artwork from Paris is adorable, and everything is perfect - so Allie! Allie said that her 13-year old self who had a lime green bedroom would be proud that she still likes color. Her windows look out onto a grassy area, which I used for morning walks. I just walked around the grassy area and the parking lot. One morning I smelled skunk and got nervous. When I got back from my walk and asked if there are skunks in the neighborhood, she told me it was weed. I hadn't considered that.
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| Best part of Allie's decor - this BUTTER pillow |
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| Look at the artwork she bought at a tiny gallery in Paris next to the gelato shop. Her couch, pillows, table, rug, etc. It's all so perfect. |
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| This picture of me visiting Allie's classroom in Spanish Fork to talk about teaching as a profession is on her desk. I have the same photo in my office. TEACHERS! |
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| Dad made this wooden A for Allie to paint when she was little. It hangs on her bathroom door. She said she remembers thinking blue with white and yellow flowers would be so cute. |
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| I helped Allie put together this shelf and a desk. The pattern behind the shelf is made of cling-on wall decor. So cute for this nook. |
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| That little ceramic dish is something Mike gave Allie for her desk. A student had made it for him and it was on his desk for years. |
Allie took me on a drive around Indianapolis. We found the temple after I got us a bit lost. It's only about 15 minutes from her house. It's close to the mall where she works part-time. She drove me past Pike High School, where she taught last year. She also drove me through the rich neighborhoods and past a VERY expensive private school - Park Tudor.
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| The temple is in Carmel |
We ran errands to Costco, Target and Trader Joe's to get her stocked up on things. She made yummy food. That girl can turn just ingredients into yummy food. She really has a knack for creating dishes. We replicated the delicious watermelon drink that Bekki and I got at Animal Kingdom. I had figured it out at Kristen's. Allie took me downtown to see a cute home decor store. We also walked through a really cute art deco hotel. We drove past some beautiful war memorials downtown at night. They are beautifully lit. One is the first memorial in the US to the everyday soldier and sailor. It's at what they refer to as "The Circle" in the middle of town. She drove me past the speedway, then we drove in and saw cars driving on the track. I was very excited about that. We got a very greasy carne asada quesadilla late one night.
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| Exterior of the Speedway |
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| Speedway Museum |
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| This flag hung in the entrance of the grocery store. We ran into one of Allie's students from last year. She said she had looked for Allie in her classroom and was sad she hadn't come back. |
We mostly hung out all day and just enjoyed being together. The most fun was when she had to be online with students on Friday for 2 hours. It was their first day online with their teachers. I worked quietly in her kitchen while she taught and it was so fun to hear her engage the kids in conversation, even though it's an online school with students learning from home. She used their names, she asked lots of questions, and told them about herself. She's a great teacher and she really likes her job. The curriculum is developed. She doesn't have to take roll. If no students log in to class, she records a lecture and posts it online. It's more pay and they will cover the cost of graduate school. Kinda all the benefits of teaching without the hassles.
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| Right before she started teaching |
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| This is what online teaching from home looks like. |
I got to go to Madewell and meet Allie's mall work friends. We also got delicious Key Lime Pie ice cream. It was so fresh and had chunks of graham cracker crust. It was delicious. Her friends at the mall are very nice. Allie had to work a couple of times, but I just stayed at her apartment and worked on BYU stuff. I had plenty to keep me busy, getting ready for a new semester that starts soon.
One night, when lights were out and I was falling asleep, I heard Allie gasp. She then told me that she had gotten word that a student from Pike named Bobby Fletcher had been shot and killed earlier that week. That's it. He was found dead at an apartment complex. There is still no suspect. Probably never will be an arrest. It was the first week of school. Bobby was a junior with hopes of playing college basketball. Allie said he was a really nice kid. She told me about his cooking group, what kitchen they worked in, etc. If I remember correctly, he was in a class that happened to be all boys. I'm still thinking about it and it makes me so sad. So senseless and something we don't hear in Utah, but is common there.
I left Saturday night and got home around midnight. Mel came and got me. It was so sweet of her. I had been gone 2 weeks and just didn't want to spend $150 to park my car. I really appreciate Sierra Trump taking me to the airport and Mel picking me up. I also appreciate Kamiko and Bekki letting me spend the night at their house the night before my early flight.
It was a good summer of travel, but I was ready to get home to my own bed and to attack my to do list for the school year and for the UAFCS conference that we are hosting at BYU. I'm the president of the organization and Dawna Baugh is in charge of the conference.
Now that I've been home a couple of weeks, I'm feeling much more prepared for all that is coming in September. I can do this!
