The Visitors

There have been a few visitors to my class over the past few days. Our beloved private school welcomed lots of children back to learning on Wednesday. Our K-8 school is one of three schools on campus; the high school is across the parking lot from us. As you might imagine, several new 9th graders came back to visit their old junior high teachers. I love getting hugs from my former students. Today three boys came to visit... young men actually. All three had grown considerably over the summer. But the greatest thing happened... Mr. Principal happened to be standing nearby as two of the boys left my classroom and called out to them, "Hey guys, how are you doing?" To which one of my dear grads replied, "Very well!" Isn't that great? He said well!!! Knowing when to use the word good and well is one of the heralds grammar acquisition. And believe me, junior high boys are not terribly excited by the proper use of small words. But I was thrilled. I turned to Mrs. History Teacher, also standing nearby, and asked if she'd heard what he said. Oh yes... she had a big smile on her face too. She heard him. The casual use of proper speech - music to a teacher's ears!

A New School Year

Here we go... I've been working in my classroom for a few weeks. Friday morning --> afternoon was the Meet and Greet for K-8. High school does theirs Monday evening. One of the things I did differently in my classroom this year was the top of my bookcase. I have taken an idea from my young librarian friend, Andrea, and will change out the books each month. The first month, September, the display is entitled Super Series for September. This month I'll feature a few student favorites, including the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, a good selection of Roald Dahl books, the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, the Shadow Creek Chronicles by T. Elizabeth Renich, and several books from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. I have many others I could have put on the top shelf but this is a good variety for the first month of school.


I've made a few other changes as well. Last year I placed my parts of speech posters on the back wall but I've brought them to the front again. Students kept getting out of their seats to check out the definitions and examples, so it is worth bringing them back to the front.




I posted a question on my facebook account about how to sort books in the classroom library and almost everyone said by genre. My initial reaction had been to do that, but getting the opinions of people I respect made it quite easy to follow up on the idea. I'm going to try to push the students to be careful with re-shelving. Right... Oh well, as long as they're reading!


There has also been a lot of renovation going on at school, notably the boys' bathroom near the school library and sixth grade classroom. The day before the Meet and Greet for students and teachers, that hallway looked like this:

Nothing says welcome back better than thrones in the hall for all!

Pruning

Saturday morning I pruned my vegetable garden. Earlier in the week, I brought my mother over to my house to show her my raised-bed garden. I was sooooooo proud of it! My mother is a master-gardener so I thought she would be impressed with my 2nd-time-ever vegetable garden. Well, she was impressed all right but not in a good way. She got right with the program, telling me that I needed to prune all the suckers off the tomatoes, cut off the remaining blossoms, in fact, cut the tops out of the tomato plants. If I didn't, my tomatoes might not ripen properly. I have LOTS of tomatoes and some are pretty big, but they are all green. Next, she suggested I remove some of the excess foliage from my one (huge) zucchini plant so I could actually see if I have any more zucchini in there. I thought I had two - ahem - I had seven. Then she said something that kind of hit me in a different way than she intended, "You've watched me raising tomatoes for years; I thought you knew this."

Saturday, as I pruned away at my plants, I thought about my mother's comment. How much am I counting on my children, grandchildren, students... knowing what to do because I assume they have paid attention to what I have done? The truth is that I did watch my mother plant and cultivate her flowers and vegetables for at least a couple decades. But I didn't really learn anything until I asked questions and she provided the answers. She was always willing to share her knowledge; I wasn't always paying attention.

We have to speak the words. Do we want our children to be polite, well-mannered? Instruction is needed. Do we want our kids to love books and reading? We must read to them. Are we hoping our children will find a valuable relationship with Christ? We have to talk to them, share our Christian experience, pray with them. We cannot assume it will be caught - it must be taught.

The other thing I realized as I was pruning was that it was taking a very long time. I spent well over an hour at the job. I realized that I could have nipped the suckers (little growths that appear between a branch and the main stems of the plant) as they appeared and it would have taken just a few minutes. Since I waited until I had fruit-loaded plants, I had to be quite careful when I cut, and the job was far more tedious than necessary. The same is true in our lives as parents, as teachers. If, from the very beginning, we start right and consistently do all that is required to raise up well-mannered readers who love Christ (my prior examples), the outcome may be what we hope for - fruit bearers. I'm grateful to my mother for all the lessons she has taught me over the years. I just hope I remember them better than I did the pruning.

Back at it

I've been working in my classroom for just over a week. There is so much to do to get ready for a two-week departure. We will go to Texas for my husband's surgery at some point - still don't have a fixed date for that. Yesterday, I spent some time talking with my principal and we decided on a sub for the time I will be gone. The sub I really wanted has been hired to teach 4th grade in our elementary building. I don't know the lady that's coming but her creds look very good and my principal mentioned that he hoped she wouldn't be too strict. I know what all my teacher friends are thinking right now, and yes, that was the comment that sealed my choice! Long live strict subs!

I have planned five weeks of lessons. I have photocopied all the work I will need, which has turned out to be a mixed bag... I was told my class was full, and I would have no more... and then, yesterday, we accepted another student. I was not happy as that means I get to go back and make one more copy of everything! But I got over it when I realized if we get two more, we'll hire another teacher so I'm really hoping that will happen. Plus the new student is fluent in French! How often does that happen?! Never in this neck of the woods. I'm excited to have her for that very reason. (For those who do not know, I'm also fluent in French - or I was!)

Yesterday afternoon, Mrs. History Teacher and I worked on student scheduling for junior high enrichment and elective classes. Mrs. H.T. is the same age as my youngest son, but we get along as though the decades of separation were not there. She is an excellent teacher, incredibly organized and creative, and I'm so grateful to work with her. We complement each other quite well; what I don't think of, she does - and vice versa. In addition to scheduling, I have the chapels for September all lined up with speakers, and I have my stuff out of boxes and on the walls, journals in the proper bins, books in the cases. Honestly, I could start tomorrow... but have another week to go. Meetings begin the 24th and students show up the 31st. I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting year!

Poetry and Cancer

A few days ago, one of my Haiti friends, Ruth, posted about a book of poetry called The Radiation Sonnets. I had no idea such a collection existed but I think I'll have to get this book. A couple weeks ago, my husband and I learned that the dreaded "C" had returned. We know there is surgery in the future but are unsure whether it will be necessary or even possible to have radiation again. He had the maximum dosage the last time around and it's not a great idea to over-radiate any part of the head. So we'll see what happens. This whole thing is so surreal; we honestly thought we were done with this stuff. Oh well, he is alive and active and I am grateful!

Chi-ca-GO !

We are heading to Chicago in the morning so we can see these sweet people by afternoon.
Can't wait!

Family Heritage

This weekend has been all about family. Friday night I accompanied my 83-year-old mother to her 65th high school reunion. It was great to see her connect with friends from long ago and those with whom she lives life regularly still. Sixty-five years... wow! As you might imagine, there weren't a lot of people attending. Three other 'children' attended with an elderly parent; it's all about the designated driver! It was a good experience and I'm so glad I went. I know my mother would not have attended without me.

Today my husband preached both services at our church. He did an amazing job sharing the Word and some of his own story. God used him powerfully. After that, we attended my annual family reunion. My dad had 17 siblings: 10 brothers and sisters, 1 half-brother, and 6 step-brothers and step-sisters. Most left Kansas as soon as they could - around age 17 or 18 - and moved to Western Washington state. Every year since the mid-1940's, the family has come together on the first Sunday of August for a huge potluck picnic. As a kid growing up, I really looked forward to this event. My cousins were more than family; they were my friends. We had a blast as kids. Now things have changed a bit. The main thing is that we only have three of the originals left: Uncle John (90 in January), Aunt Margaret (87?), and Uncle Walter (79). All the others are gone... and we miss them. The stories are not quite so colorful or heart-rending. Many came from the old country (German Russia) and lived through the Great Depression. And every one of them made something exceptional of his/her life. All of us kids were able to go to college if we wanted to and most of us did. The stories we share are memories of them, plus it is good to see everyone again.

It's been a good weekend of reflection about my family and how they have allowed me to be the person I am today. I am so fortunate, so blessed!

Website Grammar

I'm really not trying to be picky - but - I just visited a website dedicated to a certain kind of homeschooling, one that emphasizes classical education by parents who know their students best and therefore are more prepared to help them succeed. I cannot count all the errors in grammar I found on that site. I am not against homeschooling, just against those who say they are going to do it and then don't really do much. I've had some students who've had excellent homeschooling preparation and others who were enrolled in my class because the parents realized they hadn't done anything to really prepare their student for high school and figured I could do it in a year. I know, I know, it's like anything else, always examples of good and bad. I just think that those who like to point out how good they are at what they do probably ought to have a proofreader.

Legacy

A few days ago, my eldest granddaughter sent me an e-card. Actually, every so often she sends a short note via email and I always write back. The last time, she asked me to send her little sister an e-card because she was sad that she never got any email. So I did... one with monkeys; it fits. Anyway, Kayla helped little Sierra choose an e-card to send back to me, thanking me for the card. The one she sent had this song playing in the background, just the chorus of it...

Legacy (Nichole Nordeman)

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

The chorus says exactly what I feel. I want my grandchildren to know that they are loved unconditionally, by Jesus and by us. I want them to believe that they can change the world - because they will - for good or not so good, we all do it. I love all five of them so much; we are so blessed!

Unfortunately... it's back.

On Monday of this week we learned that the lump under my husband's (empty) eye socket is cancer. We are so disappointed. If you want to follow his progress you can check this blog: http://restore-process.blogspot.com/ It's the easiest way I know to keep lots of people informed. Please keep us in your prayers as we again walk this all too familiar pathway.

Reading in 2011

Here's my list for this year... so far:

Books Read in 2011

1. Essays 1: First Series - Ralph Waldo Emerson
   
2. Stuck in the Middle (Sister to Sister) by Virginia Smith
   
3. Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow
   
4. Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry
   
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
   
6. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
   
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
   
8. Drums of War by Edith Morris Hemingway
   
9. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
10. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
    
11. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
    
12. Emma by Jane Austen
    
13. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
    
14. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
    
15. Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson
    
16. Invisible by Lorena McCourtney
    
17. The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen
    
18. Fated to be Free by Jean Ingelow
19. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli
    
20. Fated to be Free by Jean Ingelow
    
21. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne
    
22. The Heart of Rachael by Kathleen Thompson Norris
23. A City Schoolgirl by May Baldwin
24. Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie
    
25. I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson
    
26. Evergreen: A Christmas Tale by Richard Taylor
27. “Hard Creek Bridge” a short story by Isaac Sweeney
28. Dandy Detects: A Victorian San Francisco Story by M. Louisa Locke
29. A Chance in Time by Ruth Ann Nordin
30. Summons From A Stranger by Debra Diaz
31. A Lady of Quality by Frances Hodgson Burnett
32. The Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade
33. Teddy’s Button by Amy LeFeuvre
34. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
35. The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux
36. The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
37. The Fifth of March: A Story of the Boston Massacre by Ann Rinaldi
38. April Morning by Howard Fast

Through it all

Can't get this out of my head today, which is probably a good thing!

Through it All

You are forever in my life
You see me through the seasons
Cover me with Your hand
And lead me in Your righteousness

And I look to You
And I wait on You

I'll sing to You Lord
A hymn of Love
For Your faithfulness to me
I'm carried in everlasting arms
You'll never let me go
Through it all

Ending the summer month

July is the only true summer vacation month. We teach, work in the classroom, and have meetings until mid-June and start it all over again in August, so both of those months are short. Suddenly, here we are; this is the last week of July. It's a great month for our family. Both of our sons were born in July as were two nieces and three nephews. Our wedding anniversary (#38!) is this Wednesday, and both of our sons and their lovely wives have anniversaries this month. Scott and Kass celebrated #15 the same day as Brian's birthday and Brian and Erin will celebrate #9 tomorrow, the day before ours. I love all the partying we get to do in July; it makes it an expensive month but so much fun!

Summer Sleepover

We had a day at home to wash clothes and rest before we brought two of our five grandchildren over for a summer sleepover.


We played games at home and then packed a sandwich picnic and headed down to the lake to play and eat. Sitting on the dock, the two adorables asked Grandpa all kinds of questions about snakes, mosquitoes, and water lilies.



Tired children slept well and after french toast and a few morning cartoons, we headed out to Watershed Park to hike the two-mile trail. It was gorgeous, mid-60's, sunny, and sheltered with a canopy of greenery. When a boy sees a good climbing tree, he has to climb it. It's the law of the universe.



After the hike, the smiles were even bigger than before we started. A perfect summer day.

Finally: Home Again

This has been an interesting and sometimes difficult week. Several months ago, my hubby noticed a lump under his (empty) eye socket. For those who don't know, T had radical cancer surgery in 2004 which resulted in the loss of his right eye/orbit. Following weeks of radiation and almost five years of quarterly, then annual visits to MD Anderson Cancer Center (the best cancer hospital in the world!), he was told to go home and live his life. He was finished. And we did. Then about a year ago, the skin graft in T's orbit started showing infection and this lump got bigger. After messing around with over the counter treatments and less than adequate medical care, we went back to Houston.

I am more than happy to say it was a good week. All the tests were negative for cancer. We also learned a lot about some of the issues T will face with the orbit. We learned that the skin graft is far more sensitive than we realized and will probably always present some issues. Six weeks of intense radiation will do that. The only awful moment came when the doctor, our fabulous Dr. Esmaeli, decided that the lump needed a needle biopsy just to confirm her diagnosis. It was extremely painful and it had to be done twice! Not fun! However, the reason it had to be done twice was that the doctor doing the procedure was unable to harvest enough cells for the lab. After the second dig, getting what he needed, he informed us that usually when cancer is present, the fluid vomits into the needle. His word, not mine. This did not happen and the initial reaction is that the lump is part of the restorative process: scar tissue, for us laymen.

So we are home again and thanking the Lord for health and a future. I am grateful every single day, that I can grow old with his man, my high school boy friend, the love of my life.

While we were there (in 104* temps!) we did some vacationing. We went to Galveston for the first time and returned to Spring, the site of an old-time village, full of cool stuff. We think we found a coffee table to replace our hand-me-down of 11 years. We'll see. We haven't received the medical bills yet and they promise to be significant. Not that I care - I don't care - I'll pay them off over ten years if I have to; I have my husband!

T with his new buddy in Galveston

Quiet Morning

It's Friday morning and I've been working hard all week, getting everything ready for family visitors. This is my last quiet morning for several days so here I sit in my leather recliner, coffee in hand, still in pjs, enjoying the calm. I still have a few things to do but no pressure. Unfortunately, my husband, who has been working harder and longer than I have, doesn't get a break. I wish he could have a long quiet morning too... maybe in a couple weeks.

I read something on a blog that I am sure I have seen before but never written down: "Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me, and I may be forced to love you." William Arthur Ward.

I think the encourage part is the one that sticks out to me. Many years ago, during some of our initial days in ministry, I heard a sermon or read something about encouragement changing people's lives. Since that time in Vancouver, I have really tried to take that idea to heart and intentionally plant encouragement into the lives of others. I'm not always good at it. Sometimes the critical part of me takes over and I see everything negatively, but that is really not who I want to be. I deeply desire to see the world with optimism. I want to see the potential in people, especially children, and lift them so they can become stronger and have the desire to keep moving forward. As I deal with students and colleagues, I try to ask myself, What if this person was my child, my sister, my brother? How would I want someone to respond to him/her? That helps me a lot.

As much as I want to be an encourager to others, I also want to do it for myself. I want to tell myself that I can more than I can't. I want to forgive myself for my mistakes and keep trying to do better. I want to believe that I will make a difference in the world by making a difference in the life of one child or many, the number doesn't matter so much.

So... time to get moving and start the things I have on my to do list for this day.

Summer-time Yum!

Now all we need is vanilla ice cream to go with these!
Gotta love summer in the Pacific Northwest!

Done - kind of...

We did the best we could with what we have:

We never did find the hardware for the daybed so we'll need to order some to have it ready for the next visitors. However, the den is clean and the beds are ready for a baby and her big sister. Two more big sisters will be able to claim the queen-size hide-a-bed in the living room.

The books are off the table, in the hallway bookcases, or hidden away in boxes. Dinner may now be served!

And there is no twin mattress creating chaos in the kitchen.

Making changes

Right now my house is a mess and I'm sitting on the couch, blogging. This weekend our nephew, his wife, and their four daughters come for a four-day visit before they leave for a new teaching assignment in Cambodia. I need to get cracking but I'm just not sure what to do!

Rewind:

My hubby sweetly gave his school office desk unit to one of his assistants because she kept hurting her leg on the old one she had. That meant we moved his executive desk (read large) from home to his school office. Then we realized he needed a computer desk at school so we took the one I had used for a couple years (pro-cert), painted it black, and moved it over. That made room in the guest room for a chair. Nice.

Next we decided to put a daybed in what was once his dedicated home office. We have four girls coming and I hate putting people on the floor to sleep, even little people. Our kids brought over the frame for their daybed minus the hardware. They're looking for that in between the three extremely active adorables demanding attention, swimming lessons, and chasing after a big dog named Scout who likes to run off. I also have the twin mattress in my kitchen/family room.

The hubby had a tall three-unit bookcase that matched his executive desk so we moved two of them to the hallway (we have a super-wide hallway) and the middle one with doors to his office. It fit perfectly.

Last night, older son and family stayed for dinner because after dropping off the daybed, dad started showing his many books to son and son started packing them into boxes and my laundry basket to take home. By nearly seven o'clock, little Sierra was begging me to feed her so burgers on the grill worked quickly and satisfied her and the rest of us.

So now I have various books, knick knacks, and office supplies scattered in several rooms. I don't know where to start! Augh! I think I'll go find boxes and see if I can eliminate some of the clutter. I'll just stack the boxes in the garage. But I must say, at least the guest room is ready!

Moment of Magic

That's what my son said about his daughter's behavior.

Last Saturday, first-born granddaughter Kayla was a flower girl in her mother's cousin's wedding. At the rehearsal, Kayla met the other flower girl. Evidently the bride's mother works with the deaf and the little girl walking down the aisle with Kayla was one of her students, not completely deaf but seriously challenged. Additionally, the little girl reads lips, a fascinating skill. The connection between the two girls was instantaneous and their practice was flawless.

If there is a word to describe Kayla it is Kindness. Although a bit shy, she is extremely tenderhearted and kind to others, always putting herself in the other person's shoes, so to speak. After the wedding rehearsal was the big dinner. I do not know the little girl's name so I'm just going to give her one: Rosa. It solidifies the connection with my Kayla Rose and indicates the little one's Hispanic roots.

My son said there was a big buffet that was well worth waiting in line to experience. My d-i-l's family members were through the line and seated together at a large table, thoroughly enjoying each others' company. Since they don't live very close to each other, I'm sure the reconnecting was a lot of fun. Kayla's mom was at the table with her family, and her dad was still in line when Kayla came away from the buffet with a full plate in her hand then looked around the room. Her dad said that she looked at the family group and smiled, but then she saw her... she saw Rosa with her father, mother, and younger sibling, sitting alone at another table. Kayla's dad watched as a multitude of thoughts dashed through his daughter's mind, and the lump in his throat grew when he saw her move away from the laughter of her own family to sit with the isolated little family; he couldn't wait to join her.

This was not an event that was high on my son's priority list; he went to please his wife and daughter. But even as he thought of what he could have been doing (sleeping) at home, he reflected on how special it was to have that moment of magic when he saw his daughter choose kindness over her own possible pleasure. He was so glad he didn't miss it.

Summer Book Club Begins Again

I had a great day yesterday! Around 11 in the morning, I went to the YMCA and took over the grandkids, allowing my lovely daughter-in-law a day on her own. My son is away on business and the three adorables have our family's high-energy-gene which can be a real drain when they choose to engage it. The little bit has swim lessons first so finishes first and can be showered, dressed, and ready to go when the other two finish their lessons. That's a good thing as she wants both my help and my full attention whenever she can get it. Once the three were finished, we headed to the DQ for lunch and ice cream. Summer and Dairy Queen kind of go hand-in-hand for me. After a quick trip to Sears for socks and long-sleeved T-shirts, it was off to Jumpin' Jacks for a full hour of bouncy, slidey things. They were already a bit tired after swimming and this sealed the deal. We headed to our house and by the time I got inside, the two older kids were stretched out on the sofas in the family room, waiting for me to hand them popsicles and turn on the cartoons. I wanted to laugh out loud but restrained myself. As dinner time approached, I began the process of getting them off the couch and in the car. After one last 30-minute stop at the playground in the park, we continued to their house where I delivered three worn-out kids who were ready to eat (or not) and drop into bed!

Just before we left my house, I handed each of the kids a book. Colton looked at me and wanted to know why I was giving him a book. I told him it was summer reading time. Kayla immediately piped up, remembering our book club discussions from last year. She explained to Colton that he would read the book and let me know when he was finished. Then the two of us would go to lunch and talk about his book. He looked at the book, looked up at me and said, "This is a chapter book Grandma." (He just finished first grade) I told him that he was right but I thought he could read it. He glanced at a few pages and agreed, then responded, "I'm going to read this in the car so I can go to lunch with you right away!" I laughed... I know summer is all about activity with this boy so if he reads a few books, I will declare myself the victor! Long live summer reading!

My contribution

Sometimes I don't get along well with others; I don't work well with others. That seemed rather evident to me the day we were packing/moving the in-laws. When they decided to come to my house overnight, I was so glad to go home and prepare the guest room for them. I really did want to help but the group dynamics can sometimes make me crazy, so I volunteered to clean their condo after everyone left. My m-i-l is the world's all-time, most dedicated housekeeper - ever! I didn't think it would take me two hours but it did. It took five! I didn't expect the refrigerator to take that long and I didn't expect the bathrooms to take that long and.... you get my point. At the end of the day, some guys came to remove a couch and hide-a-bed that the in-laws were donating to someone in need. I tried to get these guys to listen to me - didn't happen. What did happen was they crunched the bedroom door, poked a good-sized hole in it with the hide-a-bed leg. I was irritated big time but they couldn't tell. I appeared totally serene. I just wanted them gone! Thankfully the hubby found a You-Tube that explains how to repair a hole in a hollow-core door. Not what we wanted to do but at least it's fixable!

Then last night the hubby decided to move his desk from the home office (which he doesn't use nearly as much these days) to his school office. We're getting ready to have company and need a bit more bedroom space. I am actually quite excited about the change because it means my kids and grandkids will be able to have a comfortable space at our house this Christmas. They are coming for six weeks! That will be so much fun! It's a long way down the road yet so I haven't allowed myself to go there. But it's always in the back of my mind. Family makes it all worthwhile.

Moving at 80 and 90

My in-laws are almost all packed up. They are almost 85 and 92 (summer birthdays) and are moving from WA to ID, to a college town with lots to see and do, plus a lot more sunshine than Western WA. He loves to golf and she has a ton of friends over there so it's a good move for them. However... at their age, moving is more than a pain, it's down right dangerous! They've been working too hard and are totally worn out. Tomorrow they're beginning the drive over there. So if I were you, I'd get off the roads between Olympia and Nampa for a couple days, cuz here come two sleep-deprived old people to a freeway near you!

Seattle Séjour

This week, the hubby and I went to a conference on Differentiated Instruction in Light of Brain Research. The conference itself was very interesting with a lot of practical resources provided for the 300+ private school educators in attendance. However, I really didn't want to get up before six in the morning for an hour's + drive to Seattle on Monday, then home, and back to Seattle on Tuesday, so we came up with a brilliant plan.

My brother owns a condo in downtown Seattle only ten minutes or so from SPU, home of our two-day conference. No one has used his condo in more than a month so he graciously agreed to let us stay there. We drove up Sunday afternoon, avoiding a lot of heavy traffic, and settled in for a relaxing afternoon, wandering the city on foot and thoroughly enjoying Zeek's Pizza.

Monday we drove the few minutes to the university and stay put until four in the afternoon. We called some friends who live in Edmonds, met them for dinner that evening, then headed back to the condo and rested well before our last conference session on Tuesday. Each day, a catered lunch was provided, and it was sooooooo good! Tuesday we knew we couldn't each much dinner after our pasta lunch so checked out a Seattle magazine and found a Caribbean restaurant that specialized in Cuban pork delicacies. After enjoying the early evening at the Ballard Locks, we went to The Paseo and shared a delicious grilled pork, green salad, rice and black bean platter! This tiny space was hopping! Seating was limited to six tiny tables and we were fortunate to snag one of the last vacancies. Don't offer these guys a credit card or check; they're strictly a cash only establishment. This place gave new definition to the proverbial hole-in-a-wall restaurant! And it was wonderful!

Wednesday morning we packed up, left the condo, and headed downtown, specifically to Pike's Place Market and my all-time favorite kitchen store, Sur La Table. I also wandered into a Made in Washington store and bought Goodnight Seattle, a sweet book that I will read to my granddaughter via iChat and then ship to France to add to her expanding library. After our traditional trip to Ivar's on Pier 54, we headed home and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon and evening. Well, I did... the hubby mowed the lawn, weeded, and accomplished several other outdoor jobs. Tomorrow he will go into the office and I will tackle the laundry and then babysit two of our three adorables here in town. The third is headed to Seattle with her mom for a wedding rehearsal. She's going to be the flower girl in a cousin's wedding. And she will do it perfectly!

Such a great way to participate in a conference and spend our first week out of school together!

Sierra's Sleepover #2

Whew! What a day we have had! I picked up almost four-year-old Sierra a few minutes before noon and off to DQ we went. After lunch, we got ice cream and went to Grandpa's office to drop off a strawberry-chocolate chunk blizzard for him to enjoy. We stopped at the store for popsicles and some new sandbox toys because... we created a sandbox for Sierra to enjoy! It's made from a big old drawer that used to be part of the bedroom closet in my mother's 1940's house. I just think it's cute and she loves it!

Staff meeting delight!

Yesterday's staff meeting really surprised me. We actually accomplished several things. That's been my biggest gripe. For too long we have hashed over the same old things then tabled everything for the fall. This year, decisions were made, changes that will make our lives easier as teachers, including dress code, assemblies, attendance policy enforcement, and other things that are smaller or don't directly affect junior high.

Part of the success yesterday was finally getting people to see that we are two schools in one, that junior high is simply not the same as the elementary grades, and that we need to acknowledge this and allow for some changes. One of the biggest disconnects for us has been the Grandparents Day celebration. I'm all for grandparents but once students hit junior high, this kind of event is not always successful. While elementary classes have three grandparents for every student, our classes had one or two sets of grandparents for the entire class. It's been like that for years and making this event anything but a boring embarrassment has been a huge challenge for us. This coming year, junior high will opt out of the day and have a normal day of classes. This is so much better for us.

Another issue, a much bigger one, has been the tardy policy, rather, the enforcement of the tardy policy. Our policy is quite strict and consequences are clearly spelled out but when those consequences are not delivered, students receive the wrong message. Yesterday we requested the authority to deliver the consequences ourselves, and it is going to happen. Little by little, we are shaping our part of the school.

I have to say, part of what we do comes from my experience at QCS. When I taught there, we had a principal for the school and administrative assistants for each department within the school. I had that responsibility for the middle school. We had our own staff meetings, dealt with discipline issues, curriculum issues, and made recommendations to the administration that often resulted in change. Teachers had a voice - or at least we believed we had a voice. And that's what happened in staff meeting yesterday. Teachers spoke, were heard, and witnessed change. It was a good thing!

Who says?

When I moved back to the Pacific Northwest, a song came out that I just had to own. Bon Jovi's "Who Says You Can't Go Home." I loved this song! It perfectly suited my emotions at the time. And today, five years after moving home again, I still love it. Last night two of my four brothers, my mother, my hubby and I went to a lovely waterside restaurant to celebrate my mother's 83rd birthday. My mom is amazing! She is, without doubt, the most independent person I have ever met and my husband says I'm just like her on that front. I do respect people who try their best to resolve their own issues and live their own life without becoming hermits. My mom is one of those people. I really hope I am able grow old just like she has!

81 Days

My summer vacation is 81 days long... well... kind of... I do have to sit through a meeting on Monday, but I've been known to get up, head to the restroom and not come back for a l.o.n.g time, so that doesn't bother me. I am going to a two-day conference on brain development and learning in junior high students, but that's in Seattle, and we're going to stay in my brother's downtown condo so in spite of the long daytime learning, we'll have some evening fun. I determined last year to truly focus on my days outside the classroom, to read, to garden, to spend intentional time with my grandchildren and my mother. I loved it, so I am going to do this again. But first - it's 10 o'clock in the morning and I should probably get out of the pj's and into some blue jeans. The garden needs watering. Bliss!

Good Day In School

Today was our last in the building day. Tomorrow is the all-school picnic at a nearby park. Our day started well with a bit of sun. Students finished a crossword puzzle that they seemed to enjoy, got everything out of their lockers, wiped them down with clorox-wipes, and then it was time for the awards assembly. I really must do something about this. It's tortuous! The assembly started at 9:35 and ended at 11:50. My students were wasted! I don't care much for this assembly, but I do plan well for it. Last year I took the baby quilt I was making and quilted all morning. This year I took one of the new novels I'm reading for a possible Lit Circle book for next year and I read to page 138, in spite of the noise all around me. I told my students to take a book or sketch pad and pencils because it would be long. Last year's went on for 90 minutes and I thought that was a big deal. This year's was nuts! But it's history so that's that.

The afternoon was far more successful. It was party-time! Students brought cookies, chips, sodas, fruit, veggies, cupcakes, and Rice Krispie treats! I picked up the DVD Tangled from the local Red Box. I love Red Box... good grief, a new movie for a buck! What's not to like! Usually I don't have too many kids show up in my room for the movie but this year, I had a roomful! It was hilarious listening to them sing along with the characters! The last period of the day, the PE teacher took the students for some outside games so we could clean up the mess in our classrooms. I got everything off my walls and windows and put away. Once I clean off my desk, I'll be ready to check out! Productivity!

On the way home this evening, I passed kids playing outside in shorts and tank tops. It was 62*. I thought about where I used to live in the islands. If the temperature ever plummeted that low, people would wear sweaters and hats and whatever else they could find to get warm. Sun and 62 degrees equals summer weather in the Pacific Northwest!

And On They Go!

I just walked in from 8th grade promotion. My feet hurt and I'm tired but it was a good evening. My husband, the high school principal, groaned more than once tonight as these kids exhibited their unique personalities. It's okay; he'll love them once he gets to know them! They are ready to move on and I know they will do well. I told them today that they each have ten million mistakes to make in life and they might as well take a risk and start learning from them. They will be fine.

Pretty Cool!

Tonight was the high school senior/parent evening. It was really nice, simple but nice. Had cake and punch and the kids were able to share with their parents. Academic awards were also handed out. They used to do this during graduation but it makes it way too long so this is the evening activity when it happens. There were several amazing awards. A lot of our kids got the presidential award for excellence (a dozen or more) but the one that kind of blew me away was the Washington State academic awards. Each high school in the state can submit the names of the students who meet certain criteria, like a 3.5 and a 1600 minimum on SAT and 26 minimum on ACT. Then they calculate the top 10% of the state, which winds up being much higher than the minimum. We have 47 students graduating this year and 8 of them made it into that top ten! That is just plain cool!

There are people who want to say that a Christian high school doesn't measure up academically. I know that's not the case! One of the great faculty members that makes such a difference in these kids lives is Dr. Norm Nielsen. Recently he's been chosen as the top chemistry high school teacher in the NW region. This is the link to the article but you do have to scroll past the grads and the summer school stuff. He is an amazing guy and our grads tell us that college biology, chemistry, and physics are smooth sailing for them. They've already had the tough stuff with Norm!

The theme for the high school is Raising the Bar. My hubby is the principal and is committed to academic excellence. It was important to him as a student and it's even more important to him now. I could tell he was happy tonight with all the national and state awards our students were receiving. It is truly well worth the effort.

Sunny Saturday!

It is absolutely gorgeous outside. I've been working in the yard for three hours, and I'm sore. Picked up the mail and came inside to pay a bill on-line... thinking about going back out... thinking, thinking... not moving yet. We took all the weeds off the front hillside and are dreaming of what it could be. I have to remember to take some pictures so I'll be able to do a before and after. I should have done it before we weeded! We put in pathways in the back yard last year and we are thinking of adding one to the front this year. We would have a couple purposes for the path, a route to the mailbox (down on the street) without having to go down the driveway, which is on the opposite side of the house, and a way to head to the back yard from the front door or mailbox area. We need to extend our retaining wall on the west side of the house and build a small retaining wall along the new path. We'll add ferns and azaleas along the retaining wall, back them with my lilacs that will have to be moved. I'm beginning to see it.

One Week

I have one more week of school. My 7th graders just discovered that they actually have to work through next Wednesday and they are shocked. Poor things... this is the perfect time for grammar review and boy, do they need it! We just finished a capital letter review and the grades were not spectacular. Next, word usage... one of my pet peeves. I just corrected a girl who wrote except rather than accept. If I hammer away at this hard enough, it's possible these students will know a few of these things before high school.

Today I removed several things from my classroom walls, mostly schedules for sports, electives, enrichment, and such. I also took down student work and gave it to them. It's always interesting to see which students toss their work and which save it. Nearly all my only children save their work. And yes, I have several onlies in this class. That explains a lot of the conflict these students experience. They are simply used to getting their own way.

So... the sun is shining and I have the afternoon to look forward to. I'm done with most of my work! What joy!

Grades DONE- - -

And uploaded! How glad are all the teachers out there that we don't have to calculate our own grades and fill out paper report cards? That used to take HOURS! As frustrated as I can get over little quirks in our school record keeping program, I am enormously glad that I don't have to do the manual calculating and paper shuffling that I used to do every quarter. Today I gave my 8th graders their last test, entered it, and it's done. Had I been doing this manually, I would not have been able to count today's test. Tomorrow we'll be watching a 30-minute DVD Auschwitz: If You Cried, You Died about two Holocaust survivors. It falls perfectly after our literature circles. My 7th graders are going to take a vocabulary test which won't count - but they don't know that. Ah yes... one more week and vacation begins. This year hasn't been horrible, not at all, but I am ready for summer break. Leisurely mornings, sunshine, garden, and grandchildren... perfect!

The Crazy Farm

That's where I told my 7th graders I was going: the crazy farm. They wanted to know if there really was such a place and I assured them there was, not too far from here either. Then D wanted to know if he could have visitation rights. "Absolutely Not! If I'm going crazy, I'm going alone!" was my sweet reply. We are at that point of the year when 7th graders forget they have been in school for nine long months, nearly ten, and act like they haven't a clue in the world how to do a thing! We've been doing the same kind of vocabulary work all year long, the same grammar all year long, the same... you get the picture... but they don't. Their role in life right now is to push me over the edge and I'm rolling right along, I assure you!

Cramming

It's the end of the year - nine (9) days left. That's counting today. I have to have grades in by 8 o'clock on Thursday morning and someone seems to think we need a staff meeting on Wednesday afternoon at 4 o'clock. I failed to mention that I have a parent conference right after school because of a discipline email I sent home. These folks are supportive; they just like to talk the thing to death. The staff meeting may happen but I'd say the junior high is going to be underrepresented. The entire thing is a bit disconcerting. It seems that the office wants the grades a day earlier every year, and we try to accommodate them. However, to schedule a staff meeting the night before... sounds questionable at the very least. I have other 'able' words that I could use but this is a public forum.

Remembering...

It's Memorial Day. My father served in the army, after WWII, in France. Oh how he loved France! And so does our family. We lived in a village in the Alps for a year learning French, and now our younger son and his family live near Versailles. It's all about the memories. We get concerned about making memories for our children and grandchildren but I believe memories become more precious as one ages. Saturday I took my mother to the cemetery and we arranged flowers on my father's, grandparents', great-grandmother's, and uncle's graves. There are a lot more family members we could have remembered but these are the ones who mean the most to my mom. It was a nice day, a bit of sunshine, and only took an hour or so. It's good to remember those we love.

Today the kids and grandkids came over for a BBQ. We had a blast. The little ones are all old enough that we don't have to worry about them falling off the hillside or into the pond. We grilled a ton of food and grazed all afternoon. Then the guys packed up the kids and took them down to our lakeside park. Nice. Kassie and I sat in the living room, looking at magazines, napping, and enjoying the unexpected moment of calm. It's been a good day, with good memories for me, hopefully for the kids too.

Grandpa and Colton

Painted the house

Actually, I should say my brother painted the house! He needed a short project and we needed the house painted. He has since been called up for FEMA and will head to MO to help with that struggle. He's worked for them before and it gets pretty intense.

Anyway, the house went from gray with darker gray trim-


to Svelte Sage (green) with white trim:


It feels fresh and clean!

12 contact days...

I know, how unprofessional of me to count the number of contact days left in the year. The only thing I can say is that I started counting later this year than I did last year. Of course last year I gave up my planning period to teach a World History class for the high school. Oh the things we do for those we love! By not having that class, the 5th-8th grade spelling bee landed on my plate again. We used to do it all on one day K-8. It was unreal! (as in awful) We finally split it a couple years ago and it is so much easier on all of us! So I've been choosing words (350 of them) and defining them so I can be sure to understand them myself. Next step, create a sentence for each word... well, maybe I'll skip the 5-7 words; they aren't beyond my scope. However, some of the 8th grade words are really hard and I need to have a sentence ready to go because I probably wouldn't be able to come up with one on the spot, even with the definition staring me in the face!

Nothing like 'em

I have the leaders in my homeroom. I spend an incredible amount of time trying to harness their energy and need to socialize. They are an amazing group of students who have the possibility to become really great leaders. Here's a good example: the boy who was the primary character in the mime during the Spring Concert is a local preacher's kid. They live in a pretty rough area, full of gangs and other not so fun stuff. Last night they were robbed at church. They lost their musical instruments (thousands of $$ worth), the son-in-law lost the guitar that was a gift from his now-deceased father, mom's keys were also stolen... That was scary! Before bed, mom was reassuring her boys of God's control in their lives, and her son (my student) suggested that they stop and pray. She sat down on the floor by him, and he began, "Dear Lord, thank You so much for the awesome day we've had. Thank you for dad's best sermon, ever, and for letting us worship you with our instruments. And even though we've had this robbery, I pray that you will help my little brothers to feel safe, tonight. And comfort my mom since her piano was stolen. In Jesus name, Amen." His mother was SO blessed by his mature perspective on the day and so am I.

Worrisome

What will all the people do who were counting on being in Heaven tonight rather than getting up in the morning to live another day on Earth? What about the teenagers whose parents believed and pushed and criticized, those students who now live with parents who realize that their kids were right and they were wrong? What about the families who sold their homes, quit their jobs, emptied their 401k's, savings accounts, ate down their provisions? What do they do and how do they begin again? I am quite concerned that these people are ill-prepared for life after planning so thoroughly for death. I know there is life after death, but we don't have a lot of say in the orchestration of that symphony. I certainly hope that these believers are able to find a way to jump-start their lives again. Oh how disappointed they must be! In all of that, there was one who was raptured within the past 24 hours. One of my 7th grade students has missed a lot of school this year. Her father had cancer. I say had because he passed on to heaven yesterday evening and is even now enjoying eternity, whole, without pain. We have the task of helping his 13-year-old figure out how to function now that dad is no longer on this earth. But we are committed to her and know that we will find a way to share our love and concern for her as we guide her toward life and responsibilities that will come her way once again. I just hope someone will guide those who have been so disillusioned by this man who thought he could interpret the mind of God. I hope some how he finds a bit of humility and decides to let God call the shots; essentially he is right, Christ will come, no question. The when? Makes no difference... whenever... get ready.

E-books: nice but fall short

I am a fan of E-books. I love to hold my little iPod and read in bed. It's illuminated so I don't have to turn on the bedside lamp, keeping my husband awake. But there are many reasons that I don't buy highly acclaimed YA novels in this format. First and foremost, I can't put them on the shelf in my classroom to share with my students. Every time I find a great book for teens or tweens, I bring it to class, give a one-minute hip-hooray on it, and put it on the shelf. It's usually there for less that 10 seconds before a student snatches it up. I can't do that with an E-book so I'm not going to buy it electronically in the first place. For example, I received the first three books in The Guardians of Ga'Hoole series from a sweet student and her mother. I skimmed them and brought them out one at a time. Bam! Gone... the kids couldn't wait; they were fighting over that first book which guaranteed that person first dibs on the second and third once I finished them. I hope Jeff Bezos doesn't go all electronic. His company is still a great resource for finding books at a good price. And I must buy The Hunger Games series!

They Rocked the House!

I take back everything I said in my previous post... well, at least the stuff about my students being off the wall. They were, earlier, but tonight -- they absolutely rocked the house at the Spring Concert! I am so proud of them!

Monday AND a Full Moon? Augh!

I truly intended to enjoy my day today. After spending a wonderful three days in the mountains for my husband's birthday, I really felt relaxed.


All my essays and research papers are graded for the moment. I'll get one more set next week and then that will be the end of this year's big grading marathons! Wow! So, my relaxing weekend in my mind, I check weather.com and lo and behold, the sun is supposed to shine! This is getting better each and every moment. I arrive at school in anticipation of a great day and welcome the crazies into my homeroom. I am serious; students were off - the - wall today! I checked and the full moon is tomorrow, which means (since it started like it did today...) this entire week is toast! And we have our Spring Concert tonight. Suddenly, I'm tired.

I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson

Wow! What a book! This is one of my literature circle books and although I had read most of it, I had not finished it. This memoir is a survival story from the Holocaust. The group discussion about this book is animated, deep, and intense. Students frequently ask if this is really a non-fiction book. They are horrified at the suffering this woman endured as a child. The most shocking part was near the end of her story when a German woman, who knew nothing of the camps, made the comment that it must have been difficult for people of Elli's age to do such strenuous work. Elli asks how old the woman thinks she is and the reply is 62-63 years old. Elli firmly announces that she is 14 years old, and the German woman nearly collapses in despair. The truly great part of this book is the fact that this child endured such trauma, such torture, and yet thrived after the fact. She went on to the United States, ultimately earned a PhD from New York University, taught for years at the university level, published many articles and books, and is a sought-after public speaker. My students have to recognize that they can do anything they set their minds to accomplish. If this magnificent child could become such an acclaimed educator after such intense horror, my students can definitely rise over any of their difficulties! They must grasp that message!

Literature Circles Again

My 8th graders have just started another literature circle. The books this time deal with the holocaust. All are stories about kids their age who survived (or didn't) this horrible time in history. I have introduced two new books to my collection this year: Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli and I Have Lived A Thousand Years by Livia Bitton-Jackson. Other books that the students chose this year include the ever popular I Am David by Anne Holm and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. I present nearly a dozen different books and I am always interested in the students' choices. I love, love, love to hear my students talk about literature. They know so much more than they think they know.

Mother Pride

These two boys are mine. Oh how I love them! And each of them has blessed me beyond words with my dear daughters and adorable grandbabies!


First my older son with his lovely lady and three adorables:

And then the younger son and his beauty, the ones with the babies... oh so far away and I miss them so much!
But there is no doubt; among all the mothers in the world, I feel so blessed beyond words. How good God has been to me. What riches I have in my dear family. Thank you Lord!

Still Reading - Updated

Here's what's been read in 2011:

1. Essays 1: First Series - Ralph Waldo Emerson (love Emerson!)
2. Stuck in the Middle (Sister to Sister) by Virginia Smith (Christian fiction: so-so)
3. Deeper Water by Robert Whitlow (Christian mystery: okay)
4. Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry (Christian mystery, based in Amish country: I really liked it)
5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (for the 50th time, still love it!)
6. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (brilliant!)
7. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson (magic!)
8. Drums of War by Edith Morris Hemingway (great for lit circles)
9. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
10. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (love these stories)
11. Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher (sweetly old-fashioned)
12. Emma by Jane Austen (what can I say? A-u-s-t-e-n!)
13. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (incredible)
14. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo (faith-building)
15. Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson (Christian Romance… cheesy!)
16. Invisible by Lorena McCourtney (old lady mystery, like Murder She Wrote)
17. The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen (old England novel, beginning and end were good)
18. Fated to be Free by Jean Ingelow
19. Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli (great book, quite disturbing)
20. Fated to be Free by Jean Ingelow (long… read)
21. The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne (like Sherlock Holmes, good read)
22. The Heart of Rachael by Kathleen Thompson Norris
23. A City Schoolgirl by May Baldwin
24. Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (love her style!)

Where were you?

On the morning of 9-11, I headed to Miami International Airport with my friend, Jennifer Paultre, who had just spent a couple days with us. I dropped her at the departure area and drove back to SW Miami to the grocery store. I was shopping when the news came over the intercom that the United States was under attack. A few moments later my cell phone rang, and Jennifer asked me to come pick her up. She would not be able to go home to Haiti for a week! Tonight, I had our television on a music station as I read an e-book. After finishing the book, I opened my facebook page to entry after entry: Osama bin Laden was dead. I switched to my MSNBC bookmarked page, "Justice has been done, Obama says" and he was right. Flipping on the TV, I watched our president deliver a carefully crafted speech. He needed to say it right. And he nailed it! He was firm, righteous, and articulate as he used his God-given gift of public speaking to present the details to the country and the world. I was in Miami, FL when the towers collapsed. Ten years later, I am in Olympia, WA, when the perpetrator was brought to justice. Ten years, oh my.

Enough Already!

It's cold outside, 46*, April 28th. This is nuts. Usually at this time of year we get the 60* weather, but not this year. I know I shouldn't complain; I have chosen to live in Western Washington, the Evergreen State - green because of all the rain that keeps things growing. I don't live in Kansas or Alabama or Tennessee or any of the other eastern states that are being destroyed by the twisters. I remember promising God that if He would keep us safe, I would go to Kansas City so my husband could complete his master's degree and then, when he was done, I would leave and NOT return to live there again. The four years we lived in KC, no tornadoes touched down in our county until two days before we moved. I remember looking to the heavens and shouting, "We're not gone yet!" It really doesn't matter where you live, there will be some potential for deadly natural disaster. Hurricane Katrina passed directly over our house when we lived in Miami. The good news for us was she had not yet attained stage 2 status! Now, in Washington, we think about earthquakes. There are a lot of them hitting different parts of the world. We'll have one at some point in time. I just hope it's deep enough that it doesn't destroy our lives and property the way it has in Haiti and Japan. Maybe God is trying to get our attention. Pay attention world! Enough already!

Grading

Due to the creeping crud that both my hubby and I had last week, I didn't get a set of 7th grade autobiographical essays finished until this weekend. I should have had them ready to hand back a week ago but it just didn't happen. I was really feeling awful, and as I told the students, they certainly didn't want me grading their papers while I felt that terrible. Who knows what kind of grade they would have received!

Well, I'm going to be busy this week. Tomorrow I will collect persuasive essays on Positive Thinking (based on Hatchet) and my Writers' Workshop students will turn in their fourth short story. I watched one of these stories come off the printer - 9 pages - oh my! The next day, I have research papers due from my 8th graders who have been reading A Single Shard. These papers all have something to do with Korea, but since I didn't want huge papers to grade (5-7 pages required), I provided the list of possible topics. So I will be occupied with about 90 essays/research papers. I really need to plan this month better!

However, I do know it could be much worse. The junior high teacher at the public school across the street has 30-35 kids in each of her classes. Imagine... That would mean at least 180 essays to grade. Normally, I read each student's paper three times, and depending on the paper, this can take from three to fifteen minutes each. That's 4.5 to 22.5 hours. Just think, it could be 9 to 45 hours! That's a lot of grading!

Round Two

After a week of the crud, it looks like I should prepare for week #2. My hubby is starting week #3! This thing is nuts: congestion, coughing, extreme fatigue! I can't wait to be finished with this. All that said, I haven't quit. I taught school every day, sometimes with very little voice. I worked in my garden for 30 minutes at a time, and we enjoyed the Easter Classic, the new annual wiffle-ball game at our son's house. Great group of people, tons of little kids, fabulous food, and beautiful sunshine. I'm sure our pastor was glad to see the rain come back today since sunny days around here are tough on church attendance!

Sharing

My hubby stayed home from school for three days last week. He has a hyper-vigilant sense of responsibility toward work so everyone knew he was really sick. Plus he went to the doctor - need I say more! We have really tried to keep his cooties confined to him, used Clorox wipes on the phone and TV remote, sprayed with Lysol, cleaned constantly, coughed and sneezed into Kleenex (or his sleeve), and washed our hands until they are peeling... but... Saturday I developed a serious sore throat and started sneezing. Guess who didn't go to church today? Yep... and I love Palm Sunday. We always have the little toddlers come in with their palm branches - it's so sweet - and we missed it. Oh well... at this point, I'm not near as sick as he was so we are hoping that our preventative measures will help me out to some degree. That and all the meds I'm taking to control symptoms, something T doesn't like to do. Anyway, we shared and shouldn't have; hopefully my students won't get it!

Mélange

I have been reading several blogs lately and have noted how some people are so well organized, topically. I mean, if she is a teacher - she follows other teachers. If he is reviewing books - he lists other blogs that do the same. If they live in Haiti - they have other Haiti blogs noted. If it's all about the family - there are other kid-oriented blogs listed.

I am not organized like that. My life is a jumble, having lived in Haiti, teaching junior high English, loving books, and enjoying life with my little adorables. So my blog follows a random group of people, undefined, just like my life. I think I like it that way.

My Commute

A friend of mine just started working from home. It feels a little strange to her because she's always been a part of an office culture but with one little boy who's two and another little person on the way, I think she's going to appreciate the advantages that this change will bring her. I started thinking about my commute. I live 3.5 miles from my school, and in traffic, it takes me seven minutes to get to school. I never get on the freeway and I only have three traffic lights that are of any significance. There are two others but they're always green, very little cross-traffic. As far as commutes go, it is ideal! I always listen to the local radio station both going to school and coming home, and I feel so sorry for those who are stuck on I-5 in the mess that exists between Seattle and Olympia. I am so glad I don't have to do that!

Randomness

I haven't written here for ages; somehow I am just not inspired. I have topics in my head but I need to take pictures in order to do those topics justice. And it is Spring Break. I seriously love Spring Break, always have. It arrives as old man winter is hitting us with fierce rains and we get to sit all cosy and warm inside by the fire. Then the sun peeks out for a moment here and there and I scoot outside to pull weeds, prune overgrown shrubs, and plant pretty flowers. It's also the time I go to the dentist. I know, that's a dumb thing to do, but I really don't like getting a sub for something like that so I always schedule my cleaning at the beginning of break so I will have time for dental work if I need it... which I don't! Yes!

This Spring Break we are going to watch our three local adorables for three days! Their parents are heading to the beach this afternoon for a much needed rest and we get to play with the kids. We'll stay at their house, much easier than staying here. Did I mention they have a German Shorthair? yeah... not my favorite part of hanging with the kiddos but it's okay as long as we are at their place. So, I need to get dressed and get going. Time is moving on and I'd much rather be doing than writing.