The "Christmas Card"

Dear Friends and Family,

I have begun to send out Christmas cards, and instead of sending a letter I have directed you to our blog. (If you have not received yours yet, do not panic, I had to have more printed. We have more friends than I thought, which is always a nice thing!) So, having done that I need to update you on our latest happenings.

Of course, our biggest highlight was our July 1st wedding in Wheatland followed by a wonderful cruise to the Bahamas. It was the wedding of our dreams in every way.

Brock is continuing to work at MidVale Irrigation. He is enjoying his job and the flexibility that goes with it. He has enjoyed a few hunting trips and a competitive coyote hunt. I'm afraid his married life may be getting in the way of his hobbies a bit. Brock did a bang-up job on the house Christmas lights this year! They really do look awesome. In fact, we had to take a drive last night, just so we could admire them when we got home. No Joke!!

I was recently asked to apply and then hired as our school's K-8 technology teacher. This is a new program that accompanies a brand new lab. I am very excited about bringing in some of the best software that education has to offer right now. (Thanks again to my mom, who continues to teach me everything I know about teaching...from preparing for the music concert to the computer lab.) I will not be able to start the position, however, until a certified replacement if found for my classroom. (If you know of anyone, tell them "FCSD #38.) My students are settling down and really taking off, which is exciting. Our days are still filled with many trying moments of wills, but I would like to say they are becoming more sporadic. My heart goes out to them all.

Our families are doing well. Angie and Nate are at UW. Angie is approaching her senior year on the volleyball team and has found an outstanding "male friend". Nate is beginning his quest through college and doing it in style I hear. Brock's sister and husband, Matt and Amy live in Thermopolis. Amy is the school counselor and Matt teaches HS English. My parents are on the farm, my dad has taken up a part-time career in Farm Insurance Sales. Bud and Susan live in Pavillion, Bud works for Mid-Vale and Susan is the secretary at the high school. All are doing well, and for that we are thankful!

Marriage has definitely been a blessing and I think I can say for us both that we enjoy each other every day. It is exciting to see what else life has in store for us. We have learned a lot this year. We are enjoying our home and "new" life and are blessed by all of the great people who surround us.

We hope the best for all who read this and pray for blessings in your lives.

Love Always,
Brock and Aftann Kisling

This year we traded Turkey for Vegas...

We took a road trip with Rob, Diane, and Nate to Las Vegas. We went to take in the Mountain West Conference volleyball tournament and to give Angie some Thanksgiving cheer. Needless to say the games did not turn out as hoped, UW lost to UNLV in three games. However, "fun was had by all" (Pinebluffs Post, 1976). We had a great time roading in Robbie's new Trailblazer and viewing Mormon country, it was beautiful!

The weather was a much enjoyed break from the 15 degree chill of Wyoimng. So to pass the time until the game...we managed to fit in a little golf.

AFTANN EVEN HAD A GOOD TEE SHOT!!

Mr. Fix It

It was a bittersweet ending for the Cowgirls...we are fans no matter win or loss. In fact our travel time to game time ratio was somewhere around 15:1. WE LOVE ANG!!

The Bellagio water show is always a crowd pleaser...especially when set to "My Heart Will Go On". We were sure the parents were touched!

While waiting to eat at P.F. Chang's...not quite turkey but close.

(Nate was not old enough to gamble, but, by george, he can smoke!!)

We tried to make it home on Friday, but got hung up glofing in Mesquite, NV and swimming at the great Holiday Inn in St. George. (Dad still does the best cannon ball!) The 75 degrees was just more than we could pass up. Mom also hit a great tee shot. I'm pretty sure the women won both Closest to the Pin prizes. WAY TO GO MOM!!

We all had a great time and Brock was the only gambling winner. Thanks again Rob for the trip!

Fall is here...

During this season we are continually reminded of all the things we have to be thankful for. My class has conformed considerably and I added three more boys last week. We are making great progress, and not strictly academicly. Brock is continuing to enjoy gov't pace at MidVale and loves his Fridays to spend time doing what he really enjoys. We have spent some very meaningful time with our families. And I think I can speak for both of us that marriage is a WONDERFUL thing. I know that I am one lucky lady and hope everyone can find the happiness we share. God has blessed us richly!

After an unsuccessful year of deer and elk hunting, Brock has found a new way to keep in touch with nature. During our frequent sessions of raking leaves in our back yard, we have encountered a new friend. Our next door neighbor has named her Mama. (She lives with our hive of bees in our back yard elm.)
We are discovering that the holidays are not nearly as exciting when you neither d have your college friends nor mothers to get you inspired...but we're doing our best. We carved pumpkins tonight...this one is mine.....
and this one is Brock's...enough said! (I hope that our future children get his pacience and abilities.)

Education@!@#%$

My sister-in-law sent me this...after today, I could not have said it any better...enjoy and remember to laugh!!

After being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said: "Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking momentwith a love for learning, and I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their T-shirt messages and dress habits. You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job. I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment,recognize signs of anti-social behavior, make sure all students pass the state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap. I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card. All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile AND on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food stamps! You want me to do all of this and then you tell me...


I CAN'T PRAY?"

Love was in the air!

First up (after us) Nick and Laura Berg, August 5th, 2006, Vermillion SD.












Next back to Riverton...August 19th, 2006...Bert and Misty Dale.

Hold on to your seats folks...

Today was our first day of school, and OH MY GOODNESS! The Lord says that He will never give us more than we can bare, but I begining to wonder. I have 13, 11 boys and 2 girls. Well, I had three girls to make the grand total 14, but of course being the only one with skills at all has decided to return to Riverton (I asked if I could go with, but was shot down...) Anyway, I cannnot even put defiance, lack of respect for self and others, inappropriate actions and comments, and the lack of boundaries into words....pray, pray, pray.

"And Fun Was Had By All", Pine Bluffs Post

Last weekend our great collage and current friends the Bergs (as of Aug 5th) and the Ried's came to visit. We all realized how important it is to make the efforts that it takes to keep in touch. Easier said than done, we realize, but true friendships are one of the best things God has given us.

We visited Sinks Canyon...

Nick Berg has his first showing as a genuine cowboy with Wranglers, boots, and for the first time, a trusty steed. (courtesy of Curtis Inman).

We also went golfing, and celebrated Nick and Chad's birthdays.

My classroom

Here are some pictures of my new haven...not quite as good as last years set up...but I'm sure we will manage. I am the only one in our wing with my own outside access door! (I'm thinking I may need it from time to time.)

School Begins...

As I start school this year and progress through our professional development, I realize more and more how fortunate I am to have grown up in a stable, moral, safe, and prosperous environment. The realities of the reservation culture awaken before me again. The most heartbreaking of it all is to hear what an enormous gap there is between ideals of how Indian culture once was and what some so badly want it to be again and the brutal realities of what is currently happening. At this point the school is promoting the reinstatement of Arapaho language courses in our school, with federal money from a Title III grant, in hopes that scores will improve in all areas. (I hope to be a fluent speaker befor long...just kidding.)

I received my class list today and only have 13 students at this time, however I have gotten a gasp from everyone who has previewed my list. I am simply aking for prayers that I will be a sense of stability, security, and acceptance in their young lives.

Bathrooms really stink!!!

Just as a random addition that no one will really care about that I'm going to share anyway...bathroom renovation is the crappiest job on the planet! (No pun intended, either.) We have a lovely new floor, but we have sprung a leak in our pot. From wax rings to rusted bolts, we do not recommend this project to anyone who is starting out their married life. As we have discovered a project of this nature does not bring out the best in either party. Just a tip for the day. ( I didn't think anyone needed a picture of this so I'll just leave good enough alone.)

On a bit of a cleaner note, I finally received our professionally taken wedding pictures, so for those of you who are interested, I will post more of them soon.

Embarking on our new life...

Hello to everyone...
I am now finally jumping on to the "technological band wagon" on creating my own blog mainly due to the reason that I am wanting to comment on my friend Hannah's adventures of the world. ...but who knew that it could be so much fun.

I suppose that I do have some things to report....

Brock and I were married July 1st, 2006 in the wedding of our dreams, surrounded by around 180 of our closest friends and family members. We then took a very enjoyable cruise to the Bahamas.




Brock will be taking a job with MidVale irrigation district after completing his tenur at the gravel pit, but will still be in active persuit of a teaching job...or so he says to keep me happy I think.

I will be returning to Arapahoe School on the Reservation, to continue fulfilling my civic duty, as a 3rd grade teacher. I am so blessed to have what I have been given, and working with under privelaged youth reminds we of that every day.

We have purchased a house that we have been putting our sweat and tears into. We are just about finished and with a few loads of prize items from my parents and his, we feel as if we are living in style.

Our most recent news is that we have had the privelage of traveling to Vermillion, SD to partake in the marriage of dear friends, Nick and Laura Berg.

More to come...and pictures too, these aren't the best pictures but they will give you an idea....