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.

SATs

This week is Stanford testing at our junior high. The kids are doing pretty well. We dedicate our morning to it... well, a good portion of the morning, from 9-12. After each test, we give the students a 15 minute break. They play basketball, eat a snack, talk up a storm, just hang out and it works. They get more morning free-time than ever but they also have to quietly sit still more than ever so it's a nice trade-off. And next week, oh bless my heart and soul... next week is Spring Break! And it's loaded! I have a dentist appointment on Tuesday afternoon, I'm babysitting my grandkids from Wednesday - Friday, and I just got an email from my sister-in-law whose mother died yesterday, and the funeral will be sometime next weekend. Bless her... her mother had been suffering for quite a long time but losing a mother is still a tough situation! Anyway, I think I'll sleep all day Monday. It's the only free time I'm going to get all week!

Don't Cross That Line!

Sometimes I hate rules. I know I hate dress codes, even though I do believe in them. Enforcement is NOT fun! Yesterday, Missy showed up to school with two jackets on over a black tank top that was too large for her. Every time she moved, well, let's just say that no imagination was needed. I sent her down to the office to call mom. Missy didn't actually argue, she just offered to zip up a jacket. I told her to call. She left and I called the office to get them prepared. Missy called mom who could not come with better fitting clothes but agreement was reached that the jacket closest to the tank would be zipped all the way up. Later, mom called the school to thank us for our intervention. Seems that Missy has been feelin' like she's all that these days and home has been a war zone. Mom was grateful for the support. Our office secretary was so shocked at her gratitude that she probably stammered all over herself! First thing she did after hanging up the phone was send me an email expressing her delight over a mother who gets it and is willing to say so.

This afternoon, T was the admin guy at a game, one where a pretty good player had to sit on the bench because homework was not turned in so the overall grade was pretty awful. Although he was pretty upset, he got to work and turned in a pile of homework today. Mom thanked T for holding the line, said she didn't have to do a thing or say a thing, he got the message and did the work. Mom was grateful. It absolutely made T's day!

S is in a meeting on the other side of the country, and the temperature of most of those meetings is pretty much near boiling. We've been praying non-stop, for protection of his heart and mind, for answers that are full of clarity and seasoned with wisdom. Tonight we learned that all is well and the power of prayer is palpable around him. Go God!

We have had some tough days, nearly three weeks of tough days. Today was a sign of relief. We do what is right, because it is right, not because it is easy. Because it's not - it's tough! But it is right!

Spring - kind of

The seasons have changed according to the calendar and Spring has arrived... sort of. At least we're not totally positive here in Washington state. It did approach 60* today but the wind kept it a bit chilly. I am ready for the sun to shine and the rain to stop for a while. The somber, gray skies wear me down, make me tired. This is the last week for third quarter and the last study skills class with my girls for a couple of weeks. Shining brightly, tempting us beyond our ability today, the sun came out in all her glory. We did a walk and talk around our campus for about three or four laps total. I was so glad for a change and hope it stays around for a while, a long while!

Three Days?

It's been three days since I posted. I don't usually wait that long, or I haven't in a long time. But this week has been totally crazy! I'm ready for the little men in the white suits with the strait-jackets for blubbering teachers to come pick me up and put me out of my misery. But I've been told they are busy at another nearby school so I guess I'll just have to go back to junior high.

The Pain of Others

I follow many blogs, not formally, not clicking the little follow button on their website, but I read them none the less. Some of them are bookmarked on my page and others I have in my bookmark menu on my computer. Many are written by people in pain. It may be horrible to say but one of the things that I always do is come away from their sites inspired by their resilience and humbly grateful for my ordinary life. I follow several people whose children have cancer or have died from cancer. I follow several whose children suffer from RAD or other acronyms that are no fun. And I follow several people who live and work in Haiti, a place we called home for 18 years. My life has changed. Ten years ago we were dealing with the challenges of Haiti. Seven years ago we were introduced to cancer and its ramifications. When we were living through our personal challenges, it just seemed like life... I mean, that was just our life. Now we are in a different space and when I read other blogs and hear about those challenges, my heart just bleeds for people! And I pray, I really do. I do not know you personally but I pray for you faithfully. My guess is that it is one of the reasons people write some of the things they write, so others will pray. God help you all!

Poetry Friday: Stay Away From The Flu

So I don't really have the flu, just a bothersome tummy, but I thought this was kind of cute. From someone in a health department, trying to keep people from spreading their germs.

Stay Away From The Flu

It is nice to get a flu shot it's true
But if you can't, here is what you can do

Tiny droplets of flu are out for you
Stay away from the droplets - stay away from the flu

If someone is sick stay three feet away
Or a sneeze or cough may spray droplets your way

And don't touch your eyes or nose or mouth
Cause droplets of virus come in by that route

Your food can bring droplets of virus to you
So first clean your hands and I'll give you a clue

Can't find a sink - don't know what to do
Use hand sanitizer, always carry with you

Place a dime size amount in the palm of the hand
And rub over both hands the best that you can

If these do not work, there is medicine too
But you have to take it within two days of flu

I hope this poem helps you not get the flu
But if you do, try not to spread it too

Coughing at someone just is not fair
Cough or sneeze into a tissue with care

And if there is no tissue that's okay too
Sneeze away and down, your sleeve will do

And if that fails, use clorox wipes - that's my mantra in my classroom. I've been through the entire class supply already this year and hit parents up for more, which they graciously provided. They didn't want their kids getting sick and it seems to make a difference. I think it's because I have each of my students wipe his/her own desk (and hands) so they are sterile as well as their work surface!

Yo dit

So the word on the street is that the little man is coming home to Haiti tomorrow. I guess there just isn't enough chaos quite yet. Big earthquake, massive death, destruction, homelessness, cholera, money not getting where it needs to go - but if the big silly baby dictator with millions that weren't his gets to come home then the little guy who also took millions that weren't his gets to go home too! (Stomp foot!) What incredible egos these two have, and boy, do they like to let everyone know they've got 'em. None of this helps anyone, except the two of them. They get to feel important, loved, worshiped, and act arrogant, powerful, and influential, when everyone knows they're just insignificant, worthless, little beings. Ridiculous!

Makes Me Crazy!

I cannot abide poor grammar and spelling on websites and facebook. It drives me crazy! I suppose I should tolerate the facebook language, texting language, but the grammar errors - there, their, they're, - where, were - its, it's - to, too, two - these things really irritate me. It is especially awful to read poor grammar on mission websites. People asking for money should be careful to ask properly.

Electives

For most of each quarter, students are involved in one enrichment class every day. These include Applied Science, ESL, Pacific Northwest History, Spanish, and Writers' Workshop. At the end of each grading period - the last 14 class days - students are involved in electives that range from Lego Building to Sewing to Weight Training to Cross Stitch to my class, Word Games. Makes sense right? English teacher = word games! Two of my boys just couldn't get into a game today so asked permission to get some poster board, then, using the scrabble tiles, began to create a crossword puzzle. They'd draw a tile from the box, think of a word that began with that letter plus the definition or clue, and work it into a grid. I love their creativity! The rest of the boys (yes, only boys signed up for this class) had about fifteen games to choose from but they all huddled around one - Apples to Apples - and laughed and played and learned. I do enjoy electives; it's so nice to watch my students having fun!

Daylight Savings Time

I have a wonderful husband. Last night he went around the house, changing all the clocks - yes, we have a lot of clocks! This morning we decided to only go to second service. It's been a hard week, for various reasons, and the lazy morning was perfect. I updated my reading list for the year. Here's what I've read:

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 English-style novel, beginning and end were good)

We also i-Chatted with our kids in France. My those babies are growing! Love being able to watch it happen.

Sierra Sleepover!

Tonight three-year-old Sierra is having her first sleep-over at Grandma's. This is a first for her, at least the first without her siblings. We have been going non-stop, playing outside scooping toys out of the pond with the cleaning net (then throwing them back in again), racing up the hillside to be on top of the world, playing hide-n-seek in the rhodies, watching Angelina Ballerina and Bob the Builder, fixing tacos for dinner, building roads with blocks and racing cars on them, splashing in the bathtub and playing with funnels... whew! When it was time for bed, we couldn't cuddle close enough to suit her! What a precious child! Mommy's parting words were that Sierra could call home all she wanted... not once! Wow! We'll hit the ground running in the morning, I'm sure. We stopped at the store to get bananas on the way home this afternoon and had to buy powdered sugar covered donettes as well and a little package of M&Ms. We may have to go shopping tomorrow too. This, my friends, is the meaning of life!

Treasure Island

We started Treasure Island in my 8th grade classes today and it went pretty well. I've had different reactions to this book over the years, so today I began by reading the first chapter aloud. It worked; they're interested. I just hope it holds, since I don't have time to read the entire book aloud!

Painting? or Taxes?

And painting wins every time! T has known all week that I planned to go to my mother's and help her paint today. Sooooo he decides it's time to do taxes. I hate doing anything like this! I think I'm allergic. When we lived overseas, we would say to our sons, "We're going to do the books!" The boys would get on the phone, call friends, and disappear for the day. To this day our boys laugh about our dysfunction when it comes to finances. It's still happening! So this morning I spent an hour separating receipts into monthly piles then I got into my painting clothes and left the building! Didn't come home until 4 o'clock but the man's still going strong. Augh! I hate taxes!