College Checklist Spreadsheet

College Application Checklist

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Julia at Stepping Stones, 4 years 8 months

Julia 4 years (2)

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Robby’s 3rd Grade School Picture

Robby 3rd Grade School Picture

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Julia’s school picture from Stepping Stones

PhotoScan

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Family Pictures November 2014

2014-11-30 10.49.46

2014-11-30 10.54.14

2014-11-30 10.50.48

Thanks for taking these, Kathleen!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Nicene Creed (Revised) vs. Apostles Creed Comparison

I was looking online for a comparison chart between the revised Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed and could not find one.  The one on the Vatican website only had a comparison with the old version of the Nicene Creed. I’m sure this already exists somewhere, but I am putting it here in case anyone needs it.  I can’t get the formatting to translate exactly from my Word document.  It is lined up much better there, but maybe this will save someone some work.

The Apostles Creed The Nicene Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

[At the words that follow up to and including ‘and became man,’ all bow.]

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried,

and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

He ascended into heaven  and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end

I believe in the Holy Spirit,  the Lord, the giver of life,  who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy,  catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Fall 2014 Julia and Amelia at the Arboretum

2014-11-07 11.06.35

2014-11-07 11.07.02

 

2014-11-07 11.13.15

2014-11-07 11.14.03

2014-11-07 13.32.25

2014-11-07 13.33.05

2014-11-07 13.41.29

2014-11-07 13.41.30

2014-11-07 13.41.31

2014-11-07 13.41.34

2014-11-07 13.41.35

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Pics from our day in Dallas

Abigail worked in the bio lab at the Perot yesterday, so I took Robert and Julia to the Dallas Museum of Art, Klyde Warren Park, and the the Perot to retrieve Abigail.  We are so lucky to live close enough to Dallas to take advantage of these wonderful destinations.

She is pretending to be a baby cheetah that fell asleep.

She is pretending to be a baby cheetah that fell asleep.

2014-07-29 16.06.27

Playing on the frogs outside the Perot.

Pick up soccer at Klyde Warren Park.  He can find a friend anywhere.

Pick up soccer at Klyde Warren Park. He can find a friend anywhere.

2014-07-29 15.34.41

Snow cones at the park between museums.

In the African Art section, there are examples of dyed fabric you are encouraged to touch.

In the African Art section, there are examples of dyed fabric you are encouraged to touch.

 

Here you see a priceless piece of work, and Monet's Water Lilies.

Here you see a priceless piece of work, and Monet’s Water Lilies.

Contemplating the fountain in the sculpture garden.

Contemplating the fountain in the sculpture garden.

2014-07-29 16.06.34

Robert was impressed with this painting of a man with his giant fish.

Robert was impressed with this painting of a man with his giant fish.

What is this thing?

What is this thing?

He's using it as cover for gunplay, she's using it as a tightrope.

He’s using it as cover for gunplay, she’s using it as a tightrope.

2014-07-29 13.43.12 2014-07-29 13.42.07 2014-07-29 13.40.56 2014-07-29 13.40.05 2014-07-29 13.38.10 2014-07-29 13.38.08 2014-07-29 13.37.04 2014-07-29 13.37.07

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Julia and Amelia at the Stepping Stones Program

20140520-203518.jpg

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Tips for Students for Success in your Scholarship Interview

I recently served on the scholarship committee for a small local organization. Here I provide some insight for students into what happens in that decision-making process, and how to succeed in the interview.

The most surprising thing to me was how competitive the competition was even for this small scholarship from a small specific organization. I could have justified giving the scholarship to any of six of the nine applicants. I was amazed at the level of grades, test scores, and extracurricular accomplishments of these students. It is hard not to take losing a scholarship competition personally, but it really, really isn’t’ personal. There were five of us on the committee, and we all advocated for different students at different times during the discussion.

First, a note on the application: Please have the smartest, most detail-oriented person you can find proofread your application. Misspelled words, bad grammar, and simple messiness distract from your accomplishments. Print out the application rather than hand writing it if you can. The more details you can add, the better. Especially for a scholarship where the judges may not be familiar with common school terms, it is best to over explain. If you were the president of ABC club, you need to explain what that stands for, what it does, and some clue about the amount of time and effort the activity requires. Read the criteria carefully and emphasize whatever you have that seems to fit.

If you are invited to an interview, you are being seriously considered for the award. It may be yours to lose. I actually changed my mind about who I thought should win based on the interviews; if they exist, they are important.

Here are some tips to help you have a successful interview:

1. Show up 10 minutes early; know how you are going to get there and where you are going to park, and leave yourself time to find the room.
2. Dress nicely, no shorts, jeans, etc. Brush your hair and freshen your makeup if you wear it. Interviewers always notice your shoes. Make sure they are appropriate, clean, and in good repair. Take fashion risks at your own peril.
3. When you come into the room, smile, shake everyone’s hand, and introduce yourself.
4. Do your absolute best to sit up straight and be still while you are being interviewed. If you are carrying anything, set it down beside you. It’s hard to know what to do with your hands. Folded in your lap is best if you aren’t gesturing. Do not sit on your hands, pick at your hands, or grip the side of the chair. Legs crossed or both feet flat on the floor is fine. Hold your head up and don’t slouch.
5. If you are being interviewed by more than one person at a time, be sure to make eye contact and engage with all of them. Focus on the person who has asked the question you are responding to at the time, without ignoring the others.
6. Don’t be afraid of silence. It is not your responsibility to fill every gap in the conversation. If you have finished answering a question and no one says anything, let it be. Give the interviewers a chance to absorb what you said and come up with the next question. When you are nervous, a ten second silence can seem like forever, but it isn’t. Not jumping to fill every pause shows your confidence and poise.
7. Be sure that you review your application so that you do not accidentally contradict yourself. You must be consistent.
8. If in answer to a question, you can think of a personal story that demonstrates your answer, by all means tell it. Interviewers are trying to get to know you, and relevant personal stories let them do that best. Don’t go on and on, be concise, yet complete.
9. Interviews require you to think on your feet. The best way to do that is to listen and focus very carefully to the questions, so that you are responding as exactly as possible. Answer thoroughly what you have been asked, and no more. Let the interviewer ask a follow up question if they are interested in knowing more. Again, a short silence is your friend.
10. If the scholarship is based at all on need, you WILL be asked about your financial situation. Come prepared to be open about that. Expect to be asked about the cost of colleges you are considering, whether you have been offered any other scholarships, and what resources you have. If you don’t know exactly, try to find out. The interviewer will understand if you haven’t gotten a complete financial aid package offer yet, but you should know how much is saved for your education, and what you have been offered from other sources so far. These questions may seem very personal, but if the scholarship is based on need, they are fair to ask.

11.  Prepare to be answer questions about which colleges you are considering and why.  Avoid mentioning a friend or significant other as a reason for attending a certain college. No matter how many other good reasons you have, it will seem as if you are just following that person. You want to present yourself as more a leader than a follower.
12. You will probably be asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. Ask something relevant to the scholarship itself or the organization. You can think of this beforehand.
13. Be prepared to discuss any activity or aspect of your life that relates to the organization. If the scholarship is from the Irish Society, for example, be prepared to discuss how being Irish has affected your life and what it means to you. The scholarship will go to someone with a strong connection to the focus of the organization.
14. You will probably be asked about your accomplishments. If you have a story about how those helped you become a better person or overcome some adversity, work that in to the conversation. The interviewers would love to hear a tale about how you took control of a situation and solved a problem and learned something from that, especially if it relates to the organization’s goals.
15. If you have applied for a scholarship for, for example, red haired people, and you don’t get it, it may well be that your hair just isn’t red enough. That was the most important thing to that organization, despite your stellar resume. Brush it off and move on, you just weren’t right for this particular award.

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment