correspondence 7

dear blog,

i'm sorry i've been neglecting you so badly these past few months.  life is very full right now, and any time that i might have to sit and write has been spent on other pursuits (like sleeping). i can't promise that the next few months will be any better.

dear second semester,

you have already caused me to break down once, and it's only been a week.  teaching 6 different classes, plus facilitating 1 more for good measure, will most likely turn me into a crazy person.  this is going to be rough, so buckle up.

dear spanish 2 students,

there are 28 of you and 1 of me.  let's try to make this work better than last semester, shall we?

dear staar,

i have a feeling you are going to make my life very difficult and very frustrating for the next three months. boo.

dear 45-day paleo challenge,

3 weeks down, 4 more to go!  (ohmylife, i miss sugar.)

dear diamond ring,

you are very sparkly. you make me happy.

dear wedding planning,

you make me want to elope.

dear westminster kennel club 2013 dog show,

i. cannot. wait.

dear valentine's day,

my fiancé wants us to not even acknowledge you exist.  he thinks it's a silly holiday.  while i agree with him, i secretly love you now that i actually have a valentine.  i doubt he will change his mind, but i promise to celebrate you in my own small way (sadly, sans sugar. maybe a paper heart chain?).

dear imagine dragons, the lumineers, of monsters and men and the head and the heart,

y'all rock my world.

dear star trek: next generation,

13 episodes into season 1 and i still don't know how i feel about you.  probably because i keep on falling asleep.  i guess it's a good thing there are 6.5 more seasons of you, right?

dear iphone,

i'm sorry that i keep on dropping you.  i promise to be less klutzy if you promise not to fritz out on me.

dear 10pm bedtime,

yeah.  clearly that didn't happen tonight.

dear june 15,

please get here soon.

dear m,

ily. slurp!

correspondence 6

dear new school year,
it feels good to be working again.  i like being busy, having purpose.  only, this first week was more than a little crazy.  would you mind slowing down and maybe letting me catch my breath and organize my thoughts every once in a while? i'd greatly appreciate it.

dear students,
welcome back.  it's going to be a fantastic year.  so buckle up and hold on tight.  and please, stop talking while i'm talking.

dear spanish,
when i went back to school for a degree in english teaching, i never imagined that i would be teaching you, too.  but guess what?  i'm really, really glad i do.  my spanish 1 class this year is adorable.  my spanish 2 and 3 students?  they'll be a bit more of a challenge.  pero, venga, vamos. podemos hacerlo.

dear lds mission to malaga, spain,
gracias.

dear crossfit,
the "filthy fifty" wod from yesterday? 50 box jumps, 50 jumping pull-ups, 50 kettlebell swings, 50 walking lunges, 50 knees to elbows, 50 push presses, 50 back extensions, 50 wall balls, 50 burpees, 50 double unders?  yeah, i'm feeling it today.  having trouble walking without waddling.  but don't worry, i'll be back at it again on monday.

dear espn college gameday,
i am so looking forward to spending saturday mornings with you for the next four months.  much better and more entertaining than saturday morning cartoons.

dear college football,
so glad you're back.  you're my favorite part of the fall.  hoping i can catch at least one live game this year.  go cougars!  hook 'em horns!

dear cold weather,
if you could make an appearance sooner rather than later this year, that would be awesome.  looking and feeling like a hot mess everyday is getting old.  plus, i have an over abundance of hoodies that are just begging to be worn.

dear yellowcard,
love the new album.

dear avett brothers,
can't wait for your new album.

dear rachel,
this song and this song.  thank you.

dear z,
as i was leaving a football game last night, i saw someone who looked like you.  this has happened quite a few times since you left, and i really don't know if the people i see really do look like you or i just want them to look like you.  but there is always that split second when i recognize your face in the face of another that i miss a breath and the irrational hope that the past eight months have all been some cosmic joke somehow feels like a real possibility.  but just as quickly, the moment passes and i have to remind myself that no, this is not a joke.  it really did happen.  you were here, and now you are not.  the encounter always makes me sad, but then i remember that you're not really gone.  not a "goodbye," just a "see you a later."

much love,

katie

correspondence 5

dear students,

thanks for a great year.  shall we do it again?  say, august?

dear summer vacation,

waking up at 10am, wearing as little makeup as possible, doing whatever i want during the day, staying up as late as i want at night... i kind of love you.

dear redheads,

y'all are too cute.  so glad you found each other and decided to spend eternity together.  full wedding details coming soon.

dear summer reading,

i have big plans for you.  my goal is a book a week, but that might be a little too ambitious.  harry potter 6 & 7 are first on the list.  and the possibilities are endless after that.  can't wait.

dear texas heat,
call me crazy, but i love you.

dear sidewalk sandwiches,

i realize that everyone else in the world calls you "ice cream sandwiches," but i don't care.  you're delicious and you taste like summer. 

dear ragnar relay wasatch back,

oh goodness. you're next week, right?  it's been a rough six months and training did not exactly go according to plan.  please be kind to me.  

dear ray bradbury,

thank you for penning such a literary masterpiece.  it is now one of my favorite novels and i don't think i'll ever get tired of teaching it.  so sad that you are gone, but you will live on through the wonderful words and worlds you left behind.

dear imagine dragons,

this song and this song are currently playing on repeat.  thank you for adding so much musical joy to my life.

dear z,

you've been gone for 6 months.  it's still hard to believe sometimes, but i think the peace is finally coming.  i'm able to talk about you without feeling that stabbing pain in my chest.  i sometimes wonder what you would be doing right now if you were still with us and i smile.  but then i think about what you are doing right now in heaven and i smile even wider.  i'll be in utah next week and i'm looking forward to visiting your memorial.  miss you, bud.  love you always.

much love,

katie

correspondence 4

dear 5:30 morning run w/ dad,
i will probably continue to moan and groan about getting up before the rest of the world, but secretly i kind of love you.

dear sydney bristow,
i forgot how BA you are.  so excited to re-experience all 5 seasons of your disguises, wigs, international adventures and all-around awesomeness.

dear anthro,
i don't play tennis, but ohmylife, i really want to buy this tote.  i expect i'll lose all willpower and be adding it to my collection soon.

dear friday jeans-day,
the simple act of putting on jeans in the morning to go to work puts a smile on my face.  thank you.

dear 10-yr. old black boots,
you're old, you're big, you're clunky and i love you.

dear students,
on monday, we will be having a little talk about integrity and character.  and also a discussion on why plagiarism and cheating is wrong.  seriously.  it's gotta stop.

dear big bang theory, 
love ya. bazinga!

dear ks, hg & rr,
so. excited. for. ragnar.  it's going to be a blast.

dear pizza,
i think you are my favorite food.  ever.

dear z,
i thought about you this week while listening to a favorite song from back in the day.  the flood of memories of course brought tears to my eyes, but i realized that i was also smiling.  it's the first time i've really smiled and felt comfort when something has reminded me of you.  the pain is still there, but it's slowly moving to the back of my heart to make room for peace and happiness.  miss you, bud.

much love,

katie

correspondence 3

dear central market,
i have this secret desire to be able to walk into your cafe and say "the usual," and the person behind the counter will know that i want a veggie burger (no sprouts or pickles) and sweet potato fries.  a girl can dream, right?

dear central market flowers,

you make my heart happy.

dear texas blue skies,
you were so beautiful yesterday, and it looks like you are making a return appearance today.  please stay.  forever.

dear driver of the red truck who honked at me yesterday as i was running,
i'm flattered, really, but i think we both know i look absolutely ridiculous when i run.  give me a couple of months and then you'll really have something to honk at.

dear fringe,
i'm so glad you're back.  please never go away.

dear bailey baby,
i'm having trouble sleeping, what with you crawling all over me and sitting on my face.  please go away.

dear sleeping-in until 9am on a saturday,
i love you.

dear ms. perry,
still not sure how i feel about you (the blue hair, seriously?), but your new single is currently playing on repeat.  love it.

dear fun.,
i don't know how i feel about you, either, but your music sure does provide excellent running beats.  love it.

dear short hair,
i realize that i will probably be taking all of this back in about 2 months, but i've decided to grow you out. after looking at old family photos and the incredibly short (and awkward) hair i had in the late 80s, and then again in the late 90s, i think it's time to try something different.  please don't be mad at me.  more than likely, i'll see you again, soon.

dear z,
i finally mustered up the courage to run past your house yesterday.  for the past few months i've been purposefully avoiding my usual 3.5 mile loop to the elementary school and back because it takes me right past your house.  i used to love running that route, just for the casual glance down the street to see your truck in the driveway.  but now, your truck is gone, your family is gone, and so are you.  miss you, but i'm starting to move again.  and it feels good.

much love,

katie

correspondence 2

dear students,

good luck on the ela taks test tomorrow.  y'all will do great.

dear ela taks test,
please be kind to my students tomorrow.  they're good kids.

dear pinterest,
stop being so addictive.

dear london,
5 more days.  be there soon.

dear pretty girl,
congrats on making varsity tennis!  you are a rock star.  so excited for you.  and so excited for our facetime study session on thursday.

dear cheese-flavored everything,
seriously.  i think i have a problem.  i must find a way to stop eating you.

dear running shoes,
last night was fun.  tomorrow night - same time, same route?  it's a date.

dear central market cafe,
your avocado shrimp salad was good, but i'm still in love with your veggie burger.  so. yummy.

dear marcus luttrell,
i have never sobbed my way through an entire book before.  thank you for telling your story to the world, and thank you for your service to this country.  you are my hero.  ps: you get bonus points for being a texan.

dear sisters,
i've been missing y'all a lot lately.  can we please plan a sisters-only vacation for the very near future?  love you all.

dear brothers,
i miss you two, too.  j: tag, you're it, remember?  c: you still alive?  call me.  love you lots.

dear laundry,
i loathe you.  please wash, dry, fold and put away yourself.

dear sugar,
i miss you.

dear z,
i miss you more than i miss sugar.  a lot more.  but i'm feeling a little stronger everyday.  thank you for showing me what is real.

much love,

katie

correspondence

dear high school girl who i tutor,
thank you for giving me the opportunity to talk about what i believe with you this afternoon. it's been a long time since i've shared my testimony in that type of setting. i enjoyed answering your questions; and no, you did not offend me. but seriously, next week we have to get back to sat/act prep. as much fun as today was, i don't think your mom is paying me to talk religion with you for an hour.

dear 80-degree weather in february,
you make me happy to be a texan.

dear father and son playing catch in the front yard,
you make me proud to be an american.

dear ks,
ohmygoodness. i'm glad we're friends, too. and ps: i don't judge. i simply observe with love.  and pps: yes, i stole your blog post.

dear ke,
congrats on your mission call! sister missionaries are the best. you will be fabulous.

dear upper respiratory infection,
i have not enjoyed our time together.  please don't bother calling again; you are not welcome.

dear antibiotics,
thank you.

dear running shoes,
tomorrow? let's do it.

dear students,
i apologize, again, for crying in front of y'all. but i meant every word: y'all are my distraction from the hurt, my daily dose of happy. thank you for being patient with me as i try to put myself back together. i think you are all wonderful and i love being your teacher.

dear sugar,
for some silly reason, i've agreed to give you up for lent. i'll miss you.

dear vocal chords,
i know you feel like i've forgotten all about you, but i promise i haven't. i know you are still there, i know you are just waiting for me to belt it out. i still need a little more time... but soon, i promise. soon.

dear mom and dad,
i love you.

dear semester exams,
i dislike you just as much as the students do. if you could grade yourselves, that would be great.

dear cheetos,

i really need you to stop being so cheesy and crunchy.  i have feeling eating a (small) bag of you every other day is not very healthy.  if you could please stop showing up in the pantry, i could maybe forget how good you are.

dear london,
2 weeks!

dear z,
i miss you. it still hurts, but it's getting better. thank you for the happy memories; they get me through the day.

much love,

katie