Welcomed Guests

This past weekend, the Hartman abode at Mud Island was more like the Hartman Hotel. My wonderful, amazing, artistic, best-in-the world dad (can you tell I'm trying to suck up because he did me such a favor?) came to my school to do demonstrations on the potters wheel all morning. He got in town Thursday night and we (yes, WE...Randy helps with the mexican meals) cooked him our homemade tortillas which we are quickly making famous! ha! After a big mexican feast and some brownies, we all sat down on the couch for the best TV night of the week: the Office and Flashforward.

Friday morning we drove out to Arlington for our big DAY of CLAY. It started out with CLICK (Christ Living in Christian Kids) where we got to eat some donuts and the students were able to watch my dad create a vase from a ball of clay, talking about how He is the potter and we are the clay and to make something beautiful out of our lives, God must first have complete control and our lives must be centered and our hearts opened up. I was so glad the students were able to hear such a memorable and powerful message.

Next were the three classes he did the same clay demo for (except he was supposed to leave out the whole message part and stick with art....by the last class he started getting into Jesus talk and as much as I know the kids needed to hear it, I had to remind him that too much of that would get me fired at a public school). Below are the pictures of him on the wheel in front of about 60-70 middle schoolers.

Hard at work making mugs and handles.

Not a great picture, but this shows the cool video image of what was going on. Technology never ceases to amaze me!

TA-DA! One of the finished products.

So my dad was supposed to leave at lunch to go meet a friend, but since he couldn't get a hold of his buddy, he decided he'd stay and watch me teach. Talk about pressure! My dad was watching me do what he has done for 28 years. It ended up going well and was such an honor to have him with me all day. Some embarrassing little moments of the day: my 7th grade students walked in and asked if he was my husband. My response? My husband has much more hair than this! Also, after 28 years in a private school setting, it definitely shows! His cell phone rang during class not once, but twice, and after a sigh of relief from all my students realizing it wasn't their own cell phone and they were not about to get written up, my dad would answer and at one time even shouted "SQUIBBY!" (apparently a nickname for his college buddy). At the end of the day, I was so glad my students were able to see me in my element with my pops, and the immediate effect he had on some of those boys was priceless.

Our next visitor was one of my besties from 4th grade, Michelle. I was so excited for Michelle to visit, and also exhausted from the long couple of days I had just had! When she arrived, the three of us (3 was kinda the magic number for the weekend considering Randy tagged along for a lot of it, and Michelle didn't seem to mind) went to our favorite little deli, Young Avenue, and then just vegged out on the couch. Saturday we went on a walk (a newfound tradition with any guests that visit) along the river and then shopping and sightseeing Memphis. That night we cooked some yummy dinner, almost burnt down the apartment making bruschetta, had some red wine, and baked (and ate!) delicious gooey chocolate pie cups. Then, Michelle and Randy played tennis while I was ball girl...haha.

Sunday....rest.

Have I mentioned how blessed I am with an amazing family and group of friends? :)