Because Some Days are Good Ones on Which to Change the World

Today was a little event that has been almost six months in the making... a little event that was the brainchild of a couple of kids on a drive to Nashville to a Holocaust conference... a little event that THEY sold to six other classmates in Holocaust Literature to choose as their Memorial Project... a little event that I in turn roped my wonderful cousin and HER Sports Marketing class into partnering with us on... a little event that raised over $2000 to build homes in Cambodia for displaced families! This little event was called the Run for Cover 5K and it benefitted People for Care and Learning's Build a City project. I am so forever grateful that we pulled it off, that I had these people to work with, that we raised that much money, and that our friends and family and fellow Raiders and community supported us the way they did.

Below is my fb status just now, which is accessible on here for some with whom I am not fb friends (and all of the kids), so I thought I would post it.

Know what today was? A great day to change the world. I have never been more proud of my people and I can't say enough how blessed I am to teach the people I teach, work with the people I work with, have the family I have, live in the community I live in, and be friends with the people I am friends with. (LONG AND EMOTIONAL STATUS COMING UP)

To my former students who participated (Leah, Erica, Hayley, Anne, Adam Moss, Megan Ownbey, Sara Anne Ownbye, Heather Jackson, Jackie, Elijah, Morgan)-- you guys amaze me. I love to see the heart that you have for people and what you are already accomplishing. I wanted to get a pic of all of you, but it was too busy.

To Robby, who so willingly agreed to be the lead cyclist and come out early today-- you know how much I love and adore you and it thrills me to see you, all these years later, headed to law school with that 4.0 still intact.

To my "running" friends (Amy and Sarah, Anita and Emma, Karla Bolanos, Kraig, Jason and Andrew Moore, Amy Smith and her running maniacs, Bennett and Reed, my girls Emma and Kelsey) who chose to spend your morning running for a cause, you will never know where your impact stops and I will never forget your support of me. Thank you for CHOOSING to spend your running time here.

To my NON-running friends (Julie Phillips, Melissa Barnett, my mom and others who fit into one of the other categories as well) who came out early on a COLD Saturday morning only to stand beside me and stand UP for Cambodian people who need a home, YOU are the people who make this world a better place and I am beyond privileged to call you "friend".

To my COWORKERS and other CCS personnel (Paula Ware, Kathy Phillips, Susan Tindal, Becky Davis, Lisa Brewster, Danielle DeBusk, Sandy Farlow, Becca Lay, Andy Byrd, Cassie Cantrell, Nick Cantrell, Sheron Smith, David Moore, Don Spivey, Katie Turpin) who love these kids (and hopefully me) and either gave a donation or participated this morning-- You KNOW how much this matters to these kids and YOU are the reason they are the people they are!

To the parents of these kids (the Currins, the Hutts, Gina Moser, Mr. Stukanov) who came out and loved on all of us-- I want to take parenting classes from ALL of you. You have it figured out. :)

To Melissa Barnett and the CHS football cheerleaders who elected to take part in this and let their money go to a cause instead of a banquet-- man. I don't even know what to say except that you showed this morning what the heart of a Raider really is.

To all current CHS students (who won't see this) who ran/walked, either out of love for your classmates, compassion for people, or a desire to make me happy-- IT WORKED. There is no better school anywhere and certainly no better students.

To Melissa Adams and the marketing class (I don't remember all of their names, so I won't name any), who partnered with Holocaust Lit-- There is no way this would have been the success it was without you guys. Your efforts (and CRAZY amount of corporate sponsors gained) were the perfect partnership for us. Melissa, from co-teaching yearbook to this event, there is no one else I would prefer working with than you!!! LOVE YOU!

To "my" kids (Grant, Justin, Becca, Olivia, Victoria, Oleg, Alex, and Walker), who won't see this until May 10 (but I will write them all a card)-- Y'all. I know you are proud of yourselves, but I wonder if you will gain a full appreciation for what you have done until you are older. You DID it. You GOT it. YOU are the change that we need in this world. You took knowledge of a tragedy that happened almost seventy years ago, let the implications of that seep into your mind and heart, then looked around to see what you could do for YOUR world in 2013. And most importantly-- you DID. You built at LEAST two houses across the globe for people who have been living on a garbage dump. I don't have the words to tell you how proud I am of you and how much I LOVE each and every one of the eight of you.

I could die (or retire) happy right now. :)