About Me!

Let’s get to know one another a little better…

Hey!  My name is Heather Crow Ensley.  I am 21 years old and a senior at Appalachian State University.  I am majoring in elementary education.  I was recently married on June 27, 2009 at the Green River Plantation in Rutherfordton, North Carolina.  My husband’s name is Miles Ensley.  He is a wonderful man who loves and supports me in everything I do.  We have so much fun together!  Below are some pictures from our wedding.

I am from a small town called Ellenboro in Rutherford County, North Carolina.  I absolutely love my hometown.  I attend Caroleen Baptist Church and am so thankful and blessed to be surrounded by such amazing Christian family and friends.  Interestingly, I have had the same set of friends since kindergarten.  We always get together when we are home.  The main event we look forward to every year occurs the second week in September.  This is when the Ellenboro Fair is held at my former elementary school.  It is an old-time country fair.  We have a tractor show exhibit, farm animal petting zoo,  produce and baking contests, pig races, bluegrass and gospel music shows, and fair rides.  This event is a staple in everyone’s lives in Rutherford County, and it’s a good, wholesome time where we can get together and have a good time.  The following picture is one from my hometown of the cotton gin.

What I like…

I absolutely love living in the country and would rather live no place else.  I love the outdoors, and as a result, I unwind by taking an evening walk in the woods with my husband (especially this time of year when deer sightings are prevalent).  Along these walks, flowers, of any kind, always catch my eye.  My favorite kinds of flowers are hydrangeas (which were prominent in my wedding), magnolias, azaleas, rhododenrons, peonies, and wildflowers.  I also enjoy riding my four-wheeler, relaxing under the pergola with a good book, having campfires in my backyard, going fishing, having meaningful (yet fun) talks with people, and asking questions.  The pond in the picture below is near my house, and it is one of my favorite places in the world!

I like to ask lots of questions, but how do we learn without being inquisitive?  My daddy nicknamed me “The Question Girl” because as a child I would never take anything for face value.  For me, there always had to be something more, something deeper concerning a particular object or sujbect.  I was the girl who wanted to know everything about anything.  Maybe it has something to do with growing up in a small town where your business is everybody’s business, or maybe it’s just a unique trait of mine.  Either way, I love asking questions and learning more about the world around me.  I am sure this will help me relate to my elementary students who are learning new things everyday about the world around them.  I am really interested in people, especially history and literature.  I believe there is no better way to learn about people and how they think than to study them through their writing and the things they have done.  Therefore, history and language arts provides me with a launch pad where I can explore different time periods, different cultures, and the interesting experiences of others.

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Being a Southern girl, I am naturally drawn towards the Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction time periods.  I enjoy reading fiction and nonfiction books about this time period and strive to learn more about the War Between the States and how it has affected us now as a nation.  History is so interesting to me because it helps us understand why we are the way we are today.  I also really like geography.  Maps intrigue me, and I make it a priority to learn where new places are on the globe at least every week.  I hope I can bring my interests and excitement about history and literature into the classroom so children will see these topics as dynamic and a vital part of their everyday lives.

I absolutely love music.  I grew up with music as a main part of my life, especially with my family and in church.  I love to sing and play the piano, clarinet, and banjo.  Music is something that can relax the mind and awaken the spirit.  When I am having a bad day, it can positively change my whole perspective of the situation.  Therefore, I believe music should be an integral part of every classroom.

I also love photography and traveling.  I have visited thirty-six states and a few cities in Canada.  I have hundreds of albums of the pictures I have taken.  My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and Charleston, South Carolina.  While on our trip, I took 848 pictures!  A few years ago, my family took a trip ”out West.”  I took over 1,000 pictures on this trip!  I am amazed at the beautiful scenery surrounding me, and I cannot resist capturing the moment!  I want to keep the picture in my mind a memory forever, and as a result, we have many framed scenic pictures (that I have taken) in our home.  Our family room’s decor is devoted to scenic pictures of the mountains, lakes, and waterfalls of places we have visited.  Below is one of my favorites that we have displayed in our home.

What I dislike…

I dislike complicated things whether it be situations, people, assignments, or any other problem.  I feel like life should be more simple than it is.  For example, if we would slow down and realize that most of the things we do really will not matter in ten years, then I think the world would be a better place.  People worry about the most trivial things and make these things into life-altering decisions when they really just need to make up their mind.  For instance, people will let decisions about their hair color, lunch dates, or wedding dress rule their lives and affect their personalities.  This really does not make sense to me when there are way more important and urgent things we should be worrying about.  Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest, such as a smile on a bad day or a sunset in the evening.

I also dislike being rushed.  I like to take things in stride and have time to figure out exactly how I am going to approach something.  For instance, I have never waited until the last minute to do any assignment or plan any event.   If I did this, I would probably go insane and not be able to finish it.  This proved true when planning my wedding.  We were engaged on December 15, 2007, and I began planning the wedding in March of 2008.  I like to know what to expect and to be able to plan for any changes.  Therefore, I try to keep up with what is going on and plan out how I am going to do something.  This helps me do my best and makes what I do worthwhile.

In addition to my aversion for being rushed, I loathe disorganization.  For me, disorganization is a result of being rushed and does not coincide well with my personality.  I like everything to be in a neat and orderly manner, whether it be my desk, my room, my bed, my closet, or a number of other items.  I dislike when everything in my room is not in a certain place.  For instance, before I leave my room each morning, I try to make sure it is in a neat and orderly manner.  That way, when I return, I feel like I can do exactly what I need to do next.  This is especially true for my desk.  Everything on my desk has a place, and if it is not in that place, it is hard for me to function.  I know this seems weird, but it keeps me satisfied.

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Finally, I dislike things that are not completed at 100 percent.  When things are not done at 100 (or more) percent, it is usually a result of being rush and being disorganized.  I really like how these two things work together, because if I have time to complete an endeavor while implementing my organizational skills, I will be able to put 100 percent into it.  It really annoys me when someone does something half-heartedly.  Why do it at all if you are going to put such little effort into it?  As I am writing this, the quote Dr. Frye used by Chris Martin of Coldplay really resonates with me.  It reads, “Whatever you do, do it enthusastically and people will like it more.”  Even God commands us to do this.  In the Bible it says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.”  Wow!  That’s more than 100 percent right there!  What I do in life should be a reflection of  God through myself.  If I complete something half-heartedly, then it shows my apathy and disconcern for it.  I do not want to be known as apathetic; I want to be known as life-changing!  As an educator, I hope to display these qualities in my teaching practices, as well as in my everyday life.

Even though this section is about dislikes, I cannot help but add that I have learned something new about myself.  As I have already mentioned, this is usually accomplished through writing.  In fact, I just experienced an epiphany.  I realized how passionate I am about teaching and doing things will all my heart.  I love the way I was able to relate my passion for teaching to my faith and connect it with my life.  See, if I were never challenged to write this blog entry, then I would have never realized this.  Pretty neat, huh?

How I act…

I can act very different, depending on my mood and the environment I am immersed in.  First of all, I act very enthusiastic.  I love to meet new people and connect with the people I already know.  I love to do silly things and make seemingly ordinary things fun.  As this picture shows, why not go out in the snow and act like you’ve never seen it before?  I mean, it is an amazing thing!  Life is a gift, and we should not waste it.  Everyday is a new day.  At the end of my life, I do not want to look back and think about the days I missed out on, but look back and remember the days I lived to the fullest.

I can also act very motherly.  My group of friends nicknamed me “the mother” in middle school because I was always acting older and giving advice to my peers.  I have always wanted the best for people, so if I see them doing something I do not think they should be doing I will talk with them about it.  I also really enjoy children, and people have often commented that I look very natural with children.  I hope to have my own children in the future because I know they would light up my life!

As I have already mentioned, I act very inquisitive.  I am constantly thinking new thoughts and deciding how those thoughts fit in with what I believe or already know.  I really enjoy the fact that I like to ask questions because it makes my life more interesting.  For example, I was walking down the street in Boone one day and I decided to stop and ask a man who was playing the banjo what song he was playing.  This led us into a thirty minute discussion where I learned not only about the song he was playing, but I learned about his life.  He told me about his dog, his favorite restaurant, and where he wanted to be in ten years.  See, asking questions is a lot like reading, and it can take you anywhere!  Not only do I like to ask questions, but I absolutely love it when people ask me questions.  It shows they are genuinely interested in me and what I have to say.  I think it is awesome when another person wants to know more about you.  A huge part of life is about the relationships we make with the people around us, so what better way to do this than to ask questions?

Finally, I act compassionate.  I like to not only talk with people, but I like to understand them.  It would not be fair for me to simply make assumptions about someone without actually being them or knowing them.  Therefore, I try to learn as much as I can about a person and think of how I would feel if I were in their shoes.  This is especially true with people who are less fortunate than I.  Yes, maybe people made mistakes to get themselves in the situations they are in today, but I am not above them.  It would be wrong for me to write them off as unworthy of my help.  If we show compassion and give positive examples for others to follow, then we can help them rise above their situation to become better individuals.

I believe all of these things work together to make me who I am – a unique individual.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall…What do you see?

I am five feet, seven and half inches in stature.  I think including the half inch is important considering I enjoy being tall and want to make myself seem as tall as possible.  I have an average build which is nice because every store always has a medium.

I have golden blonde hair, which looks like the summer sun dancing upon the sand.  My hair is like a frame for my round face and medium sized nose.  My chin is quite round as well.  This frame-of-sorts is also as flat and straight as a fritter.  I learned this term from my Maw-Maw who has always had a unique way of saying things, as most Southern women do.

My eyes are like a chameleon.  My shirt often dictates what color my eyes will be that day.  Naturally they are turquoise blue.  However, if I am wearing different shades of blue, they can have as many variances in color as the sunrise or sunet.  My eyes can transform from emerald green to a grayish-steel blue in an instant.  It is quite fascinating.

My face is like a passage way into my thoughts and feelings.  I definitely show how I am feeling through my facial expression.  I often look happy because I like to smile a lot.  People often comment on how straight my teeth are.  This is a result of eighteen months of braces and Crest Whitening Strips.  Smiles are contagious, and even if I am having a bad day, and smile can help me put things back into perspective.

What I think you should know about me…

I consider myself a reader and a writer.  I love to read and write.  My mother is an elementary school teacher, and she read to me from the time I was born.  I said my first word sometime between three and fourth months and have been a natural talker and reader all my life!  I was reading simple books my age three.  Reading has always come naturally to me, and I enjoy it so very much!  It has been so very important in my life, and I have learned some of the most important things about myself and the world around me while reading.  It sparks my imagination and gets my thoughts going.  Reading also helps me write, which I enjoy doing often.  Sometimes I feel like I express myself even better in writing.  Words always seem to flow from my mind as I write.  I hope through learning more about language arts and the writer’s journal, I will be able to effectively produce active readers and writiers in my own classroom.

I am also a proponent of integrating different subjects across the curriculum.  I believe integrating different subjects and teaching them together makes learning exciting, meaningful, and applicable.  Students can see how every aspect of what they are learning work together and how they can use them in their everyday lives.  I believe making learning useful is key.  This style of teaching also fits perfectly with my love for language arts and history because they can easily juxtapose one another perfectly.

One of my passions is volunteering.  Whether it be at a homeless shelter feeding people, working with children who have special needs, or helping repair homes for those who are not financially able to, I love to interact with others.   I desire to show my love and support for them.  So often we get caught up in our daily lives that we forget there are other people in the world with needs.  I love to help meet those needs.  It makes me feel like I am fulfilling my purpose in life.

An interesting fact about my husband and I is that we always like to be involved in some sort of project.  For example, my husband really likes to build things.  He built an outdoor pergola outside our home, and it is gorgeous!  He also built really nice shelves in our office.  At the moment, we are working on a 1984 Ford 150.  It is a work-in-progress, but now consists of new, huge tires we can take off-road.  He is currently working on improving the inside of the truck and will eventually work on the outside (paint, new bumper, etc.).  It really amazes me how he can simply figure things out and do them!  I love that he lets me help, and it really strengthens and builds our relationship.

Why I want to be a teacher…

My main passion in life is teaching.  I want to become an elementary school teacher because I desire to be a life-long learner, and I want to impart this quality in my students.  When children are at this age, their attitudes towards learning and life are being developed and shaped by the people around them, with school being one of the biggest influences.  I want to shape these children’s attitudes (academic, social, and emotional) in the right way so they can reach their full potential.  Teaching encompasses much more than standing up in front of a class and lecturing.  New situations always arise when teaching children.  I like to put things in a different perspective so my students can learn more effectively.  I want to teach my students lifelong lessons that they can use not only in the classroom, but in their life as well.  I have a true passion for teaching and learning, and I would like to be able to instill these values in others as well.