Integrity

I have been thinking a lot about integrity lately.  At school it is one of the behavior expectations that we request from our kids.  When I first started teaching them what integrity meant, I was kind of confused myself.  I mean, is it something that you can actually TEACH another person, or is it something that you are born with; something that, because of your upbringing, you inherit?

The way I explain integrity to my kids is this: "you should do the right thing, even if no one is looking."  I tell them that if they throw something away and miss the garbage can, they should pick it up.  No one tells them to pick it up, they should just do it because that is showing integrity.
This makes me question how much integrity we, as a people of the American society, really show integrity on a daily basis..which also leads me to question if we are not showing integrity, do we really have it?

Today I was marking the grass on our school field getting ready for Field Day.  School had been out for a few hours, so there were no kids on campus.  As soon as the kids across the street saw me, they came running over to the fence, climbed over it (we have a locked playground due to 'tagging') and proceeded to talk to me about the big day.  Deep down, I KNOW the right thing would be to tell them that they could not come onto the playground/field because we have a locked campus....but I also can't help but think that this is 'their' playground.  There are no other safe parks around the neighborhood and they see school as a safe place to play.  I know that many kids slip under the fence to play basketball and I even noticed a hole cut in the fence so kids could climb through.  Maybe this is an example of both parties not having integrity; me, because I didn't say anything and them because they came through the fence.
Does integrity come with age?  When I was younger, I would write on desks, put my initials in wood and scrape away paint from a table.  Is this a lack of integrity, or just immaturity?  Now, as an adult, I would never do that.  Did my integrity not take shape until I got older and even then, I have to question if I really have 'it'.

I guess it just makes me sad to think that many people in our world don't have integrity, or they do have it, they just don't show it.  My principal had her wallet stolen while at a high end winery.  Someone just picked it up off the table and walked away with it when she wasn't watching.  Because of the lack of integrity in our country, she was then held at airport security for three hours as they asked her questions about her true identity.
 On the other hand, another co-worker left her purse at Subway and when she called to see if it was still there, someone had turned it into the cashier.  That gives me some hope that people still do mean well, but how often does that happen?

The other question regarding integrity that I have been pondering is what really defines integrity.  If I hold the door open for the person behind me, is that integrity or just being polite?  I know I should do it because society says I should.  If a new mom drops her child's sock and you pick it up for her, is that integrity or just being nice?

So, with all of the questions that I have about integrity, how am I supposed to 'teach' my kids to just have it?  It's a tough one.

An Ode to Facebook

We just finished watching Hot Tub Time Machine and while it was a pretty corny movie, I have to say that it has gotten me thinking...how lucky we are to have the technology that we have today.  Since I am such an avid 'facebooker' I think that it just might be the best invention ever (after sliced bread of course).  Gone away are the times of written coorespondance via the mailman (although it is fun to get a letter once in a while) and here are the days of 'chatting', 'friending' and 'e-viting'.  In this day and age the worst insult is to 'de-friend' people; it's like a slap in the face!  When a good friend of mine broke it off with her long time boyfriend I vowed to de-friend him.  When people want to keep in touch they say "Look me up on Facebook and I'll be your friend".  How strange.

Because of Facebook I have been able to keep in touch with people who, before social networking, would probably not be a part of my life.  I have to admit that Facebook has made my life better.  I can keep in touch with Robin in Seattle, my family in Boise, and Jen in Denver all with just a few clicks.  If it were not for Facebook, I would not be going to the Rockies game tomorrow with Jared and his wife Erin. 

So, with all of this texting, tweeting and blogging, Facebook is still the ruler in my book (although I would like people to read my random blogs).  Feel free to stalk me at any time, although if you try to friend me, and I don't know who you are....I will reject you.  It's like elementary school all over again, only when done via the computer I don't feel as guilty!

The Petersen's

After much discussion with Ryan, I have decided to start a blog...against his will.  He says that no one cares what we do.  This may be true, but I figured anyone who doesn't care what we do, doesn't have to read this!

For those of you who don't know, Ryan and I first met at South Jr. High (in Boise, Id), but it was not until college at the University of Idaho that we started dating.  When Ryan got his masters' degree in tax at Denver University, he got a job.  Once I was done student teaching in Boise, I moved to Denver to live with him.  We have now been married for four years, have a pug named Oscar and a house in Aurora, CO.

We have a lot of things in common, but we both have a love of traveling.  This past summer we went to South Africa and to Hawaii.  I will try to post some pics from our trips later.

Well, I guess we will see how this blog thing goes. 
Take care,
MacKenzie