Why you gotta be so mean?

I'm a 4th grade teacher, so I see A LOT of meanness on a day to day basis. I wouldn't always call it bullying. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. I try my best to teach my students to respect others regardless of whether or not you like them. I try to teach them to be kind towards each other. Often times, I feel like my words go in one ear and out the other.

Not only do they get lectures from me, but there's anti-bullying talk everywhere. It's on TV, it's on billboards, and our counselors teach it as well. Kids know that "bullying" is the magic word to get attention to their problem. While I wholeheartedly agree that bullying needs our attention, I also feel that kids need to learn to discern what bullying truly is and how to handle smaller situations on their own. Because I hate to tell them, this problem will not go away as they get older.

Why do we expect kids to be kind and respectful towards one another when grown adults can't even do it? I'm disgusted at what I see on the internet on a daily basis from ADULTS. Name calling and belittling someone simply because their opinion differs from yours. There's a particular situation that I've seen recently that has brought my attention to this, but this isn't the first time I've seen this happen. Often times, things are blown way out of proportion. When you're reading something on the internet, you don't know the person's heart and intent. When you're writing something to put on the internet, it can be hard to get your full thought across. Where's the grace? Where's the respect?

Why do we live in a country of free speech where "everyone's entitled to their opinion" as long as it's the same as ours? If someone's opinion is different, they get called "closed minded." I read things regularly that I don't agree with even from bloggers who I enjoy following. I do one of two things. I either close it out and move on with my life or I leave a comment respectfully stating my difference of opinion. I don't need to call them a name. I don't need to write my own post blasting them. I don't need to make them feel stupid. That's pointless and immature.

As a blogger, it can be scary to put your thoughts out there in this public arena. When I write a more "controversial" post, I'm always nervous to post it. You're always taking the chance that someone is going to be rude to you about it.

I know what some people would say about this topic. "Well, we have free speech." or "That's the chance you take when you put your thoughts out there on the internet." While this is true, is that really the best attitude to have? What do you accomplish by putting someone else down? Can you not have an intelligent, respectful discussion on the topic rather than a public bashing? Do you ever consider that that person has feelings?

I don't know...it just really bothers me to see people be so downright mean to other people when all they're trying to do is share their thoughts or beliefs on something. Aren't we adults? Can we start acting like it? We need to set a better example for the children of the world who are our future.

I have this quote hanging in my classroom and I truly believe this is the only way to change these things. We can't change the whole world, but we can do what we can to make it a better place.

Ornaments for Adoption: Help Wanted

It's almost that time of year again. It's the most wonderful time of the year! It's my favorite time of year! Which also means, it's getting close to time for my 2nd year of Ornaments for Adoption.

For those of you who weren't around here last year, I started an adoption fundraiser called Ornaments for Adoption. From early October to early December, I sold ornaments to benefit a family that was in the adoption process. I also shared an adoption related post every Monday during this time. It was my favorite thing I've ever done with my blog and I'm so excited to start it again this year.

I'd love for you to look at my Ornaments for Adoption page and look back over the posts from last year. You can also view my Facebook page to see pictures of the ornaments I made.

I still have a lot of details to work out for this year, but I want to go ahead and start spreading the word. This is where you come in.

How can you help?

-Make sure you're following my blog through GFC, Bloglovin, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and/or Instagram to keep up with all the latest OFA news.

-Share this post, the Ornaments for Adoption page, or the Ornaments for Adoption Facebook album to spread the word about the upcoming Ornaments for Adoption. Use #ornamentsforadoption when sharing.

-Add the button below to your sidebar to help spread the word about Ornaments for Adoption.

-Come back on October 7 to find out about the family that will benefit from this year's OFA as well as to begin ordering your ornaments and to find out about the OFA giveaway.

-Has your life or the life of someone you know been affected by adoption? I'm also looking for a few more people to guest post. Email me if you'd be interested in guest posting mdhall88 {at} gmail {dot} com.

-Do you own a shop/small business or are you a crafty person? Would you be willing to donate an item or two to be used in a giveaway for those who buy ornaments? If so, please email me at mdhall88 {at} gmail {dot} com.

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What's on my fridge?

I'm really loving series these days. It helps my OCD mind to organize things and it gives me something to write about at least once a week.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw Kera from Nugget on a Budget (who just brought home her second daughter-Congratulations!) post her Fridge Tales. She saw the idea on someone else's post who was linking up with Old School Blogging. So, I want to give credit where credit is due. I did not come up with this idea.

I did, however, think it would be fun to turn into a weekly series where I share what's on or in my ________ and fill in the blank with something different each week. I think this is just a fun way to get to know someone better.

So, today I want to share with you what's on my refrigerator.

Here's the front of the fridge:

1.  On top of my fridge is my mandoline slicer. It's quite handy for cutting vegetables.

2. On top of my fridges is also where I keep my lunchbox. The joys of being a teacher- you don't outgrow a lunchbox.

3. I have to support my school, Troy University.

4. I got this magnet for free from Shutterfly.  I used a picture from our honeymoon after we'd ridden ATVs to the top of the mountain.

5. We got this magnet from the Outer Banks. It shows the lighthouses that you can find on the Outer Banks.

6. This magnet is from our church, Imago Dei. We've been going there for about 2 months now. It's a different church experience from what we're used to and we're enjoying it.

7. These are pictures of the two children we sponsor through Compassion, Alan and Malaiyarasi.

8. For our first anniversary, we went to Disney World. This is a magnet we got on that trip.

9. It's hard to see, but this is a golden crane. My aunt from Texas gave me a wedding gift the night of our rehearsal dinner and a small package was closed with this crane. She is very interested in Japanese culture. She wrote how cranes mate for life and represent fidelity. I thought it was neat and wanted to hold on to it.

10. There are 3 magnets marked with the number 10. They are my magnets that I brought back from Ek Balam in Mexico. There's a jaguar, a pyramid, and an Mayan calendar.

11. This is a magnet from our recent trip to Wilmington where we visited the Battleship, USS North Carolina.

12. This is a magnet from our trip to New Bern. This magnet shows the pharmacy where Pepsi was first invented.

13. This is my calendar. I'm still old school and like to have a paper calendar.

14. I also like to keep a notepad on my fridge for making lists. This notepad looks like an ipad.

15. This is my appointment card for my upcoming dentist appointment. Dental hygiene is very important to me. :)

16. This is another magnet from our trip to the Outer Banks. This one shows the site of the Wright Brothers historic first flight.

17. This is our SEC football schedule. Lee cheers for Florida and I cheer for Alabama, but we really enjoy watching any SEC game.

18. These are gift cards. When Lee was working at a church and with me being a teacher, we get a lot of gift cards as gifts. We're slowly working through using them.

19. This is my bag where I collect Box Tops. Last year, my class collected the most Box Tops in the school. They are an easy way to earn money for a school. If you're not already collecting Box Tops, I'd encourage you to do so and give to your local school (or you could send them to me).

20. Yes, this magnet says "Got Gas?" This is a magnet from a GI doctor that we visited for Lee's health issues. He had 2 of them, but I had to draw the line. One "Got Gas?" magnet is plenty!

21. This is a stack of post cards. We buy post cards at the various places we visit to send to our nieces and nephews. Since we don't get to see them often, we enjoy sending them post cards from our travels.

22. These are coupons. My school sells these coupon books every year. These are the ones from last year's book that I thought we might use.

Here's the side of the fridge:

1.  This is my calendar for my track at the year round school where I work. I have to keep up with when I'm working and when I'm tracked out. 

2. These are pictures of some of my family members. One is one of my brother's senior pictures. The other is a picture of my grandmother who passed away in 2008. 

3. This is a picture of Lee and me when we went to an Alabama football game. Of course, it's one of my favorite pictures.

4. This is a picture of Alan, who we sponsor, and his younger sister, Mayli. His mom sent it to us along with a note on the back. 

5. This is a picture of Lee and me from when we were dating. One of my friends gave me the magnetic frame and I used to have it on my fridge in college. So, I continued to have it on my fridge now. 

6. This is a picture of 4 of our nieces and nephews. These are Lee's brother's children (who we send post cards to). Since this picture, they've had 2 more children. 

7. This is a Hoops and Yo Yo magnet that I gave Lee when we were dating. Lee and I love their cards and ecards and use to send them to each other all the time. 

8. This is a picture of my family one Thanksgiving. 

9. This is a magnet from the first school I worked at. 

So, that's it. Those are the things you would see if you visited my house and looked at my refrigerator. 

What's an interesting thing you have on your fridge?