Halloween: the great debate

It's funny how jacked up people get over Halloween. No matter how these things once started, they have evolved! We are part of the group who has fun on this day. As I type this, my one-eyed husband is all dressed up in a pirate suit, ready to scare the little kids... or not. He isn't that scary! But he has a wonderful sense of humor and he loves to have fun. So we celebrate, not with haunted houses or creepy devilish anything, just fun and candy and enjoying the presence of little children coming to the door for a treat.

Poetry Friday: Blank Beauty by Judith Pordon

My students in Writers' Workshop loved this:

Blank Beauty by Judith Pordon

Beautiful blank pages

kiss our

imaginations

with backgrounds

that demand precision.

Our black letters cross

on tightrope lines,

curving

without wavering

across deep invisible currents.

These beautiful blank pages

are promises of our

reflections.

Our gentlest strokes

of darkness upon light.

My Book Club

Like many junior high schools, ours is set up so we teach our core classes in the morning. Bible is first and then all the history, math, English, and science follows. The afternoons begin with an enrichment class, one of four: Spanish, Pacific Northwest History, Writers' Workshop, and Applied Science. All student take each of these as a one-semester class at some time during the two years of junior high. Grade levels are not an issue and the seventh graders love being in class with the eighth graders. We used to have enrichment classes three days a week (MWF) with fun classes called electives on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But it just didn't work. I really needed continuity for Writers' Workshop. My students sometimes just lost their train of thought when they had to wait so long for class. Plus, most of the track meets were on Fridays so the Spring was awful!

Last year I proposed a change. We would teach our enrichment classes every day, five days a week for seven weeks and then devote the last thirteen to fourteen days of every quarter to electives. And it works! Quite well! Each teacher is asked to do two of four electives during the year and parents volunteer for the remaining classes. Usually I facilitate a chess room first quarter and the word game room third quarter. But this year I wanted something different. I wanted a book club. So I put it out there, thinking of all the special girls who would sign up to read Pride and Prejudice with me! Imagine my shock at having six boys in my group - not a girl to behold! P-n-P would obviously need to be replaced.

We started with Archer's Quest by Linda Sue Park. A Korean-American, Ms. Park wrote A Single Shard, one of my favorite books for junior high and the one I use to introduce writing research papers to my students. We finished AQ in a week and were ready for other things. So I went through my bookshelves and pulled out 30 books that I thought the boys would like. They quickly made their choices, pulled up bean-bag chairs and floor pillows and read for 30 minutes. The last ten minutes of each session we get together and talk about our books. So far we've discussed setting, characters, over-riding themes, conflict, and surprises. This has worked beautifully. I read too. The first couple of days I read some of their books but I finished them so fast that it didn't seem quite fair. Now I'm reading a book about birth order. The boys were intrigued by that idea. I love how each boy's face lights up as he shares his book with his friends. It really is a great class!

A couple photographers from the yearbook staff came into my room during our book club today. They took pictures - and the boys never knew they were there. They even got one of me, leaning back in my chair with my feet on my desk. This is the most wonderful 42 minutes of my day. And the boys love it!

50 Gourdes

No, I'm not talking about the hard-shelled vegetable looking thing. A gourde is a unit of currency in the country of Haiti. One of the blogs I follow just mentioned that a man (sick with cholera) told the writer that he was too poor to get a moto-taxi to go to the hospital. The writer mentioned that the taxi only cost 50 gourdes or $1.25 US. There's danger in that statement. Anytime we value someone's currency based on our own, it gets tricky. When our family first arrived in Haiti, the Haitian gourde was legally tied to the US dollar, so much so that we used to calculate everything in Haitian dollars, a currency that honestly never really existed. But it wasn't just the ex-pats that referred to the currency that way, the grocery and hardware store owners, the bankers, as well as the average Haitian on the street did too. At that time, $1.00 US was equal to 5 gourdes - not 50! So even though the 50 gourdes is only worth $1.25 US, to that sick man it is still 50 gourdes - not one, not two but fifty! Those of us who get paid in US dollars and exchange our valuable currency for the very weak Haitian gourde can quickly accumulate a lot of gourdes. However, the Haitian who works sweeping the street or doing yard work or working in one of the few factories in Haiti is not paid in dollars but in gourdes, a currency that has plummeted in value over the years. Fifty gourdes is a lot of money to a poor Haitian.

Lit Circles - American War for Independence

I finally have enough different books that I can have literature circles that deal with the American War for Independence. Since I have students who read at various levels this can get a bit tricky. But I found multiple copies of several books including the old stand-by that's still quite good Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. In addition I have Mr. Revere and I by Robert Lawson, The Fighting Ground by Avi, An Eye for An Eye by Peter and Connie Roop, and Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen.

Mr. Revere and I is interesting because it's told from Scheherazade's point of view - and she's a horse. The protagonist in An Eye for An Eye is a 13-year-old girl, Samantha, who does not allow herself to be defined by the social expectations of her day but chooses to fight to save her brother. The girls who read it liked Samantha's independent spirit even if they thought the book was too easy.

Woods Runner is a new book; the paperback version doesn't come out until January 2011. I scoured the libraries until I found six copies that I checked out for my students. This has a very interesting format. The story line is quite simple. A 13-year-old boy, Samuel, is very adept in the wilderness. His parents and other nearby settlers depend on his hunting skills for meat. One day while out hunting, the British come, accompanied by Iroquois, and kill most of the settlers, but take his parents captive. The story follows Samuel's journey as he attempts to save his parents. In between each chapter is a half-page to page and a half of historical information that relates to the previously read chapter. This causes a slight disruption in the flow of the story but the facts presented are quite interesting, not what junior high students usually learn while studying the American War for Independence.

Frankly, none of these books is difficult to read but Woods Runner and The Fighting Ground are quite descriptive in the death or dying scenes. The Fighting Ground is interesting in that it takes place over just a few days. The scenes are measured by time not dates.

I plan the literature circles so we finish these book studies just a few days before the history teacher actually starts teaching this part of American History. It gives the students a lot more background information than they realize and helps them relate to the information presented.

Disparity

The word disparity keeps coming to my mind. For several days I've been reading everything I can find on cholera because people I know in Haiti are now fighting that battle. And here at home, it has been homecoming week. Football games, class competitions, carnival, volleyball games, and last night's homecoming cruise on Lake Washington that ultimately took us near Bill Gates' little place on the water. With very little research I discovered that "according to King County public records, as of 2002, the total assessed value of the property (land and house) is $113 million, and the annual property tax is just over $1 million. Also according to the National Association of Home Builders, the median American house size is slightly more than 2,000 square feet. Microsoft founder William Gates III house is more than 30 times that size." [http://labnol.blogspot.com/2005/05/inside-bill-gates-home.html]
Yeah, it was totally impressive.

Disparity... Now I'm not here to bash Bill Gates. I am well aware of his investment in health care and education both here and abroad. But what do we do about disparity? My husband and I talked today about ourselves, the cruise we went on with our students last night. Seriously, what a fabulous evening! The kids were gorgeous in their pretty dresses and nice suits. Dancing, singing, and laughing hilariously, everyone had so much fun. But as we passed along the shoreline, we wondered how many people were living under the bridges, homeless, cold and wet, hungry?

Disparity... What must we do? Should we stop the party? Stop homecoming and prom and school plays, all activities that cost a lot of money, and put that money into something to help the poor? Would it help the poor? I just don't know. How do we respond to the suffering in the world?

Poetry Friday: Did I Miss Anything? by Tom Wayman

I found this one night in my shuffling around blogs. I loved it! I've printed it off and shared it with our staff at school. I just had to repost it! Now is the season of colds and flu at school and kids always ask the question:

"Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom Wayman

Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours.

Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent.

Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning.
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose.

Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter.
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
on Earth.

Nothing. When you are not present,
how could something significant occur?

Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human experience,
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder.
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gathered,

but it was one place,

and you weren’t here.

Lunch Duty

It's silly but I hate being in the lunch room. I only have this duty once every three weeks but I think I'd pay one of my colleagues to do it for me. Anyone want to make an extra $25? When we go into the cafeteria, we inevitably have to wait for the pre-schoolers to vacate our tables. They're late. And messy... you can only imagine! The third and fourth graders leave within five minutes of our arrival but the kindergarteners stay until five minutes before we leave. It . is . chaos! The noise level is well beyond obnoxious.

Students will do all kinds of things in the cafeteria that they would not think of doing anywhere else! And I don't mean throwing food. Although a few have pulled that stunt, it doesn't happen often. Especially if I'm in the room. But the pushing and bumping and snatching of others' stuff, oh dear, so annoying. I only have one more day and then I don't have to do this again until the middle of November.

In my previous schools, aides were hired to take this duty. And the school before that? We ate outside at picnic tables. Oh fond memories of rice and beans and bananes! I don't remember that being a duty but it sure is now!

Praying the News

The purpose of the news is to make us pray. I am convinced that immeasurably good things would happen if we prayed about the news rather than complained about it all the time. [And yes, I am totally sick of nasty political ads and wish it was mid-November right about now.] God calls us to pray continuously: in times of crisis, blessing, need, praise, all the time - we're supposed to pray. It's about communicating, talking to God. He wants to hear what we think and then He wants to tell us what He thinks... if we'll just listen. He wants to prepare us for hard times and share in our joy. We're supposed to pray, to want to pray. I'm so glad it just means to talk, just normal conversation.

All day I've been praying for students. Former students. Our junior high gets a big influx of students from the public elementary schools each year and then after 8th grade, they often go back into the public high schools. I am so aware that I only have two years to teach these students to stand up for the right thing because it's right, to bear the burdens of others, to love others - not only as we love ourselves - but with the new commandment that Jesus gave - to love others as He loved us.

A local high school student died in a car accident last night. As soon as I saw the two-sentence breaking news, I posted a message to my former students who are now part of that high school student body. It basically said this: "Armor-up. God is calling you to comfort and console, to be a voice for Him at your school tomorrow. We will be praying for you!" And we did. Our staff prayed for those former students this morning and many of us continued to pray throughout the day. As I followed comments on FB I realized that our students were answering God's call, listening, loving, helping, comforting, encouraging... and I was so grateful that they were ready and that we were praying.

The news is often discouraging; we need to recognize it as God's call to prayer. And pray.

Two Weeks later

What cute grandchildren I have. Eliott is now two weeks old (only a week in this photo) and his big sister, Grace, adores him. We do too!

Autumn Fun

Yesterday was fun. My husband and I have worked hard for months both at home and at school. He's a high school principal and I'm a junior high language arts teacher. At home we have completely renovated our backyard, something that took all summer to accomplish. There has been a fair amount of renovation at school also. T redesigned the staff work room layout, making it much more organized and effective for teachers. Plus it just looks good! New classes were added and others deleted from the school program. Slowly but surely he is making significant changes.

When we woke up Saturday morning, late, the sun was shining and the cool air beckoned us outside. It would have been so easy to work in the yard. I have 75 daffodil bulbs that need planting! But we resisted that temptation and headed downtown.

We haven't been in our downtown area for a few years. Sad but true. Parking has a lot to do with that. But since the weather was gorgeous, we parked and walked about ten blocks into the downtown area. We first hit a great toy store. We need to buy for additional people this Christmas since we are going to Israel to spend the holidays with our French kids and their families. I found dolls that I love for the little girls but the price exceeds the budget that we were given so I need to keep looking. Nuts! We had lunch at an old restaurant that my dad used to haunt. He needs to truly haunt it now (he died in 2002) because it isn't very good anymore. Then we walked around town, window shopping, looking for a bakery that would make the memory of our lunch disappear. We didn't find a bakery but we did find an antique store that had lots of books at good prices. I bought 22 books for $34. Not bad.

I've noticed something in my classroom. Each day my kids come in and read quietly for as long as I can permit. It depends on the day and the quantity of material that needs to be covered. I have added considerably to my classroom library to the point that the kids spend quite a long time scanning the shelves. I've noticed that the boys have gravitated to the non-fiction shelf. Yes, I only have one good-sized shelf of non-fiction books and several of them are biographies. I love biographies because they can inspire kids to persevere but my kids aren't really reading those books. Interspersed among the bios are several books on fishing, hunting, spiders, snakes, and cowboys. Yes, I do live in the west. Yesterday more than half the books I picked up were non-fiction books that my boys would enjoy. There are more cowboy books as well as books on sharks, inventions, and space. I also bought three Patrick McManus books. A little known fact about PMc is that he was once employed by the Daily O - our local newspaper. He is a great, humorous, short-story writer and the author of the first story my 7th graders read each year. They also base their first essay on this story. I can't wait to share these books with my students. My boys are going to fight over them!

Poetry Friday with Emerson

Not a poem but one of my favorite American authors ever:
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The definition of success--
To laugh much;
to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children;
to earn the approbation of honest critics
and endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to give one's self;
to leave the world a little better,
whether by a healthy child,
a garden patch,
or a redeemed social condition;
to have played and laughed with enthusiasm,
and sung with exultation;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived--
this is to have succeeded.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why Rats?

I'm not sure why God created rats. I know I can't stand them. Having lived in tropical parts of the world for 25 years, Martinique, Haiti, and the country of Miami, I expected to see them everywhere. I hated watching them scamper across the electrical wires onto the roofs of buildings. Finding purpose in the life of a rat... I'm struggling with that one. Imagine my surprise at discovering one in my garage, here, in the cool and comfy state of Washington! After packing lunches for school early this morning, I opened the door in the kitchen/family room into the garage, turned on the light, stepped onto the garage landing and before stepping down onto the concrete floor, noticed a rat calmly waddling across the floor toward the furnace. I didn't scream but I didn't actually enter into the garage either. Calling for my husband to do his manly duty, I went inside to finish getting ready for school. T informed me that the rat had moved slightly behind the furnace. Not good! He thought it had probably eaten the poison he'd left under the shed in the backyard and that it was dying because as he explained, he'd never witnessed a rat move so slowly. UGH! All day I thought of that rodent in my garage. I got home from school at least two hours before T but I didn't linger in the garage. Not me... I came into the house, firmly shut the door, and stayed busy. Later, T came home and finished the job of slaying the rodent who was somehow still alive. Gross! I find those critters to be disgusting. I sure hope it didn't leave any family members behind!

Lovin' technology!

Some days technology is my friend and other days it is a bitter enemy. On enemy days it usually means something isn't working! But today I am loving it sooooo much! This morning T and I spent an hour on iChat, watching our grandchildren and talking with our kids who live in France. Oh we miss them but iChat does make it so much easier!

Poetry Friday - New Grandson

I have a new grandson but I live in Washington (state) and he lives in Jouy-en-Josas, France. The earliest I will be able to hold him is Christmas time, and he will already be close to three months old. So in honor of my newest (#5) little one, I post this poem by Susan L. Schmidt.


A poem written by a grandmother to her grandson whom she has not yet met. She gives her heartfelt advice to live the good life.

Letter To My Grandson
© Susan L. Schmidt

By the time you read this you will be a big boy.
I know you will be kind, funny, wise, sensitive, interesting, and a ball of fire!
Your parents are all of these things.
I know you will be strong and a wonderful hugger. Your father was and still is.
I wish you happy, happy, days! You will have some bad days, yes.
They are important so you can appreciate the good ones.
There will be disappointments; I know you will be able to handle them.
Granny always says, "Life is 10% of what happens and 90% how you handle it.
I pray you learn about humility.
Please always let an outsider feel inside, and always, always, be kind.
I hope you learn that honesty is the best policy, and that doing hard days
work will always make you feel better.
Be a loyal friend, one people can count on and trust.
I hope you put all of these wonderful things you possess to make yourself and the world around you a better place to live in.
Please learn about the “God Stuff”, it really works, trust me.
You have such a wonderful mother. She will be the one to teach you all the good things in life. Remember how to play, for you are in for a loving time.
I hope we will be close always.
I can't wait to see you. I love you already.

Granny
Susan L. Schmidt

What a difference nine hours make!

I have a new grandbaby! His name is Eliott Ray and he was born on Tuesday, October 5th. Yes, I know today is Monday the 4th but he lives in France so he is nine hours ahead of us. It feels weird for him to have his birthday on a day we have yet to experience! But I am overjoyed. Another red-head! Woo-Hoo!

And the walls came a-tumblin' down!

Twenty years ago... I remember watching the wall that separated East and West Germany fall. I stopped by Jeanine van Beek's house on the campus where we lived in Haiti. She was in her living room, glued to the TV, tears streaming down her face. Jeanine's family had suffered during WWII. Her father was responsible for saving many Jewish refugees and the family went through a tremendous amount of suffering because of his commitment to do what was right regardless of the cost. Jeanine never thought she would see that wall destroyed. It wasn't too long after that when a college in Schauffhausen called her to be their president. She was thrilled to go, to be a part of the new Europe. Jeanine died several years ago. She was an ordained minister, a gifted professor, a very intelligent woman, and I was proud to be her friend.

Poetry Friday: Don't You Quit!

I was reminded recently that often we are too quick to give up, on others and on ourselves. It is vitally important that we remember that some of the best minds in the world were early failures.

Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was four years old; he didn’t read until he was seven.

Sir Isaac Newton did not do well in school.

Ludwig Von Beethoven’s music teacher said, “As a composer, he is hopeless!”

Thomas Edison’s teachers claimed that he was too stupid to learn.

F.W. Woolworth went to work in a store when he was 21 but couldn’t work with customers because the manager said he “didn’t have enough sense.”

Walt Disney was fired from his job at a newspaper because he had “no good ideas.”

Enrico Caruso’s music teacher told him he couldn’t sing.

Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college.

Louis Pasteur did not do well in chemistry in college.

Louisa May Alcott was once told by an editor that her writing had no popular appeal.

Fred Waring was rejected from the high school chorus.

Winston Churchill failed sixth grade.


So as I look at my junior high students, I want to the one who totally believes in them, to forcefully encourage them--

Don't You Quit!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit-
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up
Whe he might have captured the victor's cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It might be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

An Extremely Significant Day!

September 30, 2004 was a very difficult, life-giving day for our family.

In April that year, my husband was diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the lacrimal gland, a tiny tumor in an equally tiny gland that created incredible havoc. We lived in Miami at the time and although there were many excellent surgeons and oncologists in the area, and we visited four of them, no one seemed willing to take action. I was so frustrated. Everytime we saw a doctor it was for tests or more exploratory surgery. A moment came in June when my husband and I finally realized that no one knew what to do. We called a friend, a former family physician, who recommended that we self-refer to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, a part of the University of Texas Medical Center. God ordained that conversation with our friend because it changed our lives immediately.

T began the lengthy process of obtaining copies of all his tests and records and by mid-July, had faxed everything to MDA. Within days we had a response. We were to be there by the first of August for a week. There we had an amazing encounter with Dr. Bita Esmaeli, a teeny-tiny, incredibly brilliant, Iranian, oncologic-oculoplastic surgeon. She was the first doctor we met who had treated patients with T's cancer. She had seen three before him. She ordered a number of tests and after a few days met with us again. She had one recommendation that she believed could save his life, not just treat him while he lived with this disease but cure him of it. She was wonderful! She exuded confidence and assurance. However, the one course of treatment would mean that T would have radical, disfiguring surgery. He would lose his right eye, eyelid, and all surrounding nerves and tissue. She hoped to save the bone structure that comprised the orbit. T was devastated. He wouldn't lose an internal organ or chunk of flesh that could be hidden under clothing, he would lose part of his face. It was not an easy decision for him but he chose life; he chose to have the operation.

Today, six years after that day-long surgery, I continue to bless Dr. Esmaeli and her team who used every bit of their knowledge and expertise to heal my husband. I thank God for His sustaining grace that allowed T to not only endure but to thrive as he inspired all around him with his dry wit, unfailing humor, and positive outlook.

T had only one fear, that his grandbabies would be afraid of him. They have been curious from time to time; sometimes they're worried that Grandpa might hurt but they have never pulled away or shown even a bit of fear. In fact, when Gracie and her family lived with us for a few months last year before moving to France, she became used to seeing Grandpa without his eye-patch or prosthesis. One afternoon he came in from work, took off his patch, and Gracie ran to his arms. He picked her up and she turned toward him, patted the right side of his face, and kissed his empty socket. It was a moment of incredible emotional healing for T.

So today I celebrate renewal of life. We treasure every moment we have with our children and grandchildren. We pour ourselves into our students, doing all we can to prepare rock-solid Christian leaders who will love others as Christ does. And we are thankful, not only each year at this time, but every day, every minute, for the possibility of living... together.

Yes, I am amazed!

Sunday morning dawned and I began to get myself pulled together so I would be ready for choir. We had just finished our iChat with adorable Gracie and her parents in France and I was feeling a bit sentimental. I gave a glance at my email, quickly scanning one that had come from the church. It mentioned a Christmas dinner for women's ministries. Anyone who knows me is quick to realize that women-only events are not my forté. In fact, I avoid them like the plague! That's why I was surprised to hear that still, small voice whisper, "Remember when they ask you to speak, and you say yes, that it is all about the child."

I was more than a bit startled. I have heard that voice before. It spoke to me just before a letter arrived asking us to consider moving from Martinique to Haiti. Almost everyone knew that Haiti was not high on my list of places to live. That God would speak to me to prepare me for that letter and move was huge but not super surprising, given my attitude. But why would his voice speak to me now?

I went to church, got through the first service then spent several moments visiting with friends. I was walking quickly to the sanctuary doors when a lady called my name. She informed me that women's ministries was planning a Christmas dinner and would like me to speak. I just looked at that lady, took a deep breath and replied, "Okay." I walked on into the sanctuary and joined the choir on the risers.

I have been in a bit of a daze ever since. I don't get it. I know I don't particularly like these kinds of events but why in the world would I get this kind of emphatic direction? I don't know. I may never know. But I do know what I'll be talking about - because it's all about the child!

Poetry Friday - Good-by

This has been a tough week. Lots of emotional situations, too much loss. In addition to the death of my former student from Haiti, my local community has also suffered the loss of a cross-country coach and junior high teacher from ECS, a nearby Christian School. The students, staff, parents are all reeling from shock. The situation was incredible! He was returning from a running event, driving a van load of students (no other adult), came to a stop sign/light, and collapsed. Students shut off the engine and got help for their teacher. That was last week. This week, Tuesday evening, their beloved coach left this world for the life he constantly talked about in heaven. This particular school is our biggest rival for athletics. This week we have really tried to be supportive and caring. Our students have been terribly sad for the kids at ECS. So this week's poem is in honor of Mr. Newman, may he truly rest in God's peace.


Good-by by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good-by, proud world, I'm going home,
Thou'rt not my friend, and I'm not thine;
Long through thy weary crowds I roam;
A river-ark on the ocean brine,
Long I've been tossed like the driven foam,
But now, proud world, I'm going home.

Good-by to Flattery's fawning face,
To Grandeur, with his wise grimace,
To upstart Wealth's averted eye,
To supple Office low and high,
To crowded halls, to court, and street,
To frozen hearts, and hasting feet,
To those who go, and those who come,
Good-by, proud world, I'm going home.

I'm going to my own hearth-stone
Bosomed in yon green hills, alone,
A secret nook in a pleasant land,
Whose groves the frolic fairies planned;
Where arches green the livelong day
Echo the blackbird's roundelay,
And vulgar feet have never trod
A spot that is sacred to thought and God.

Oh, when I am safe in my sylvan home,
I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome;
And when I am stretched beneath the pines
Where the evening star so holy shines,
I laugh at the lore and the pride of man,
At the sophist schools, and the learned clan;
For what are they all in their high conceit,
When man in the bush with God may meet.

Too Many Nights

One of the responsibilities that teachers must assume, whether they like it or not, is attendance at evening activities. I think I've been to four in the first four weeks of school! It is tiring to work all day and then attend fund-raisers or back-to-school night or whatever other event someone thinks is good for teachers. Add to that a personal life and things can get out of control very quickly. Normally I have been available to babysit my grandkids on Thursday evenings but lately it's been one thing after another and it just hasn't happened. Singing in the choir means going to choir practice on Wednesday nights, the same night our school has staff meetings. I try to schedule quiet activities for Thursday because I'm usually so tired from the long Wednesday. I think I now have a couple weeks free of mandatory activities. I plan to enjoy my evenings at home, by the fire, reading some books that I plan to use in my classroom. They ought to be quick reads but I may fall asleep so who knows!

Protecting Integrity

What a tough situation. Students who fabricate incidents to their parents and parents who believe their students, even when proven wrong. When it involves character issues, I can get pretty angry. When someone attacks me, I deal with it - usually head-on and quickly. Either that or I totally ignore it; quite often I just don't think it's worth my time. But when people come after someone I love, I get so angry that I am almost ill. I just cannot get over how some people believe such s t u p i d i t y!!! They must be sensationalism junkies, gossip fiends. But how do we combat such idiocy? I'm afraid the only thing we can do is pray and move on. Usually these people don't change. They are often spiritual charletons who thrive on feelings of superiority, false superiority. Most of the time no one believes them but it doesn't make it any easier to hear that lies are being spread. Our integrity has value and I don't tolerate people who impune the character of others. Hopefully, they'll stay out of my line of sight. Help me Lord!

Sadness and Loss

It never seems to end. My husband and I spent eighteen years working in Haiti. We lived there for twelve of those years. Last night I learned that one of my former students was shot and killed over the weekend. There was a home invasion and kidnapping, and shots rang out. A life was lost, one I knew and cared about. I am just so saddened over this on-going situation. Haiti is a beautiful country but it's small and incredibly poor. When bad things happen, they affect a lot of people because the duck pond is little and all the ducks know each other. This young man, age 30-something, left behind a family who loved him and a ton of friends who really cared. He also left behind teachers who invested in his life, hoping he would make a difference. There is now one less voice to be heard.

Mondays - - -

I'm beginning to think Mondays should just be eliminated. Either that or I need a sub on Mondays. It seems my students need to relearn appropriate classroom behavior every single Monday. These students are quite bright but they just don't want to admit that there are things they are not supposed to do. I just saw one boy stomping on another's math book. Really? Why do I always have to show up when those things happen? I have to prepare Monday folders to go home and there's always something that gets dropped off just before the end of the day to add to that confusion. This week we're sending home progress reports so that means I need to verify and re-verify every document. It would not be good to send the wrong report with the wrong student. My two needy kids were especially needy today. I can do this... 22 minutes to dismissal, then pick-up duty, then I'm running away - to home! "Rainy days and Mondays always get me down" and today we have both!

Yay for Brenda!

I love Brenda George! She just brought me three huge bins full of books, good books, for my classroom library. She is amazingly wonderful.

Poetry Friday - As Summer into Autumn slips

We have just come through one of the coolest summers ever. And I don't mean that it was hip - it was cold and wet! But August brought welcome sunshine and warm temperatures. The weather man says we still have some nice weather ahead of us and I am hoping that's true because our Washington summer was just too short! I shared this poem with my 8th graders today and they agreed that we are not yet ready for autumn, even if it is one of the loveliest times of the year!

As Summer into Autumn slips by Emily Dickinson

As Summer into Autumn slips
And yet we sooner say
"The Summer" than "the Autumn," lest
We turn the sun away,

And almost count it an Affront
The presence to concede
Of one however lovely, not
The one that we have loved --

So we evade the charge of Years
On one attempting shy
The Circumvention of the Shaft
Of Life's Declivity.

Of course we also discussed the passage of time and the different stages of life. There was a fair bit of vocabulary analysis going on as well. But my students love Poetry Friday and I'm grateful to Ruth for her posts that have pushed me to include this in my already overcharged schedule!

Pursue Excellence, Not Excuses

Each year I read the book Do Hard Things to my 7th grade bible class. There are several things I like about this book but the phrase that has lived on my white board each year is Pursue Excellence, Not Excuses. Generally speaking, junior high students are masters at excuses. Most excuses are slight alterations of the truth; some are just big, fat lies. It always amazes me when students come off with huge, outlandish stories that I know are not true. I kind of enjoy the process of watching them revise their stories as I inform them that parents will be called or emailed. One boy pulled the "my nana's printer ran out of ink just as we were starting to print my paper" excuse. And when I said that I would call nana and talk to her about her printer, suddenly, maybe, J wasn't at nana's at all... "it was someone's... now where was I working?" To which I replied, "Let's start over with the truth. Where is your essay?" And J answered, "I didn't do it." Okay. Finally. Truth.

I fight excuses. Students will start to offer their rationale and I will often stop them cold and let them know that I simply don't want to hear it. And I don't. I believe my students can give me work that will thrill my literary heart; I want to see that! Life will not give them constant 'do-overs' with no consequences. If junior high students can learn to pursue excellence and not waste their breath with excuses, they will become successful high school students... who will become successful college students... who will make a difference in the world. I deeply desire to see my students making a difference in the world so I myself will continue to pursue excellence and just admit my mistakes when they happen. It helps them when they realize that I am willing to acknowlege the errors of my ways. And as I often tell them "Don't do it again!"

Overworked by A. Schiller

Two very good friends of mine lost their jobs today. They were fired, probably because they knew too much. To say it makes me ill is an understatement. They are quality and they've worked themselves like dogs. To them, I dedicate my Friday poem:


Overworked by A. Schiller

I worked hard for you!
Got back what was undue.
Me you used to praise,
Then you ended my days.

At first I loved my work,
Then you had to drive me berserk!
I thought you believed in me,
But it wasn't meant to be.

Me and my hard work you betrayed,
Abused me and let happiness fade!
You didn't care how I felt inside.
You just pushed until I felt like I died.

Then you told a big lie,
Had to leave without a good-bye.
But at the end I felt relieved-
Never to return and be deceived,

Into thinking I was something to you.
Now I'm left to begin anew-
Get past the emptiness to a new day,
Where happiness will return and stay.

And the sin that so easily entangles...

Saturday my hubby and I worked in the yard - again. It has been a big summer for yard work. Last year we had our son and his family staying with us so we spent our time with our adorable granddaughter and didn't do a bit of yard work. That made it all the harder to do this year. Deferred maintenance means a lot more maintenance. While T mowed the lawn and all, I decided to prune some shrubs. One that really needed it was the quince. I tried to prune it but I just couldn't get the job done. T pruned it well... with the chain saw! Yep, we took it down. A quince does not appear to have a single trunk. From the ground springs up dozens and dozens of twisted branches that make quite a pretty shrub if it is kept in check. Ours wasn't. The individual branches were so entangled that we couldn't even separate them when it was time to haul them off! T had to use the chain saw again and cut them in half. Honestly, as we tried to pull them apart from each other, those words from scripture came to my mind. Hebrews 12 begins by telling us to get rid of everything that keeps us from completing our race successfully. It specifically refers to sin as that which entangles the runner. That's what sin does; it twists around us, tripping us up, causing us to fall. If I had only pruned that quince earlier, it would have been manageable. As it was, all twisted and tangled, it had to be cut down. Now I'm guessing that it will come back. I'm not sure I want it back but if I don't, I need to dig out the root. Again - great metaphor. It's not enough to deal with the surface symptoms, we have to get to the foundation of the issue and remove that which causes us to be defeated in our race. So don't put it off. Deferred maintenance in our spiritual lives leads to a lot of corrective work. Prune early, thoroughly, and let the Lord dig out that root of sin. It's much easier and a lot more fun to maintain a clean landscape than to revive one that has been neglected.

Poetry Friday - The Road Not Taken

Today is the first Friday at school and I shared my favorite poem with my 7th and 8th grade students. I love this poem! The inevitability of choice. And all choices have consequences, make a difference, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. I'm hoping my students will see that and look down the road a bit before they choose.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

One Last Day

Yesterday was busy. I mailed a package to my kids in France, had lunch with a longtime friend who moved to my town from Seattle, met my mother at the doctor's office so I could be clear about what was happening in her life, and ran foodie errands for my husband who had Parent's Night last night at his high school. Since hubby wasn't coming home for dinner, I decided to work on my seating charts for school. AND I found a mistake in my gradebook lists, totally my fault, that required time and photocopying to fix. So much for being ready for school!

Today is that last day before the kids show up and I'm not planning to spend much, if any, time at school. I need to return some things to one store because I found the exact same stuff at another for less than half the price and then I need to pick up a couple grandkids so we can enjoy lunch out today. They go to a local public school and relish the fact that they have an entire week of vacation to enjoy while their grandpa and I are working. And it's raining. So much for my park idea with the kids.

Friday and My Attitude!

The Meet and Greet Friday was a success at school. I tried to count how many showed up but gave up early on. I was distressed to hear that two students would almost immediately miss extended days of school. One of the boys, an 8th grader, will do fine. He could probably miss a month and come back with every assignment finished and not skip a beat re-entering the rhythm of the classroom. The other boy, a 7th grader, is new. His mother was quick to tell me that he suffers from ADD and she is more than willing to help him with his work. That probably means she'll do his work for him. He's going to miss a few days the first week of school. I just looked at her and wanted to ask her what in the world she was smokin' but I resisted and told her to be sure to check in at the office because they would need to excuse the absence. Of course she wants his work. He'll be there the first day but nothing after that for a while.

My husband and I talked about this kind of mentality at length today. We never missed school for fun. Well, I never did. Hubby was allowed one day a year to go hunting with his family. I won't mention what I think of that kind of outing. I have decided that this year I'm not going to ruin my day by getting upset when less than average students get pulled out for days of fun in the sun, or whatever they're doing. People don't get it. They just do not understand that struggling students need to be in school every single solitary day! Routine matters, consistency matters, getting every opportunity to learn matters. But I'm tired of getting upset about this. I'm sure my blood pressure flies to the moon when I get the message a few days before the departure, even though the policy is clearly written that we must have two weeks notice.... right.

I want this to be a good school year. The potential is there but starting with this kind of stuff does not make me a happy camper. So... hummmm, hummmm, I'll just chill out and let come what may. I'll focus on the student who came to me all upset because the 56 spaces on her book list weren't enough to record all the books she read over the summer and she used notebook paper for the rest but could she please, please, please have another book list sheet (or two) so she could make it right! I'll think about the four students who brought in their summer projects ahead of time so they didn't have to carry them on the first day of school. I'll remember the boy who did his required project but then did an extra one because he liked the idea of it. I'll think about the girl who did all four possible projects, because she could. It will be a good year; I am claiming that right now!

Poetry Friday - Back To School

Today is Meet Your Teacher Day at my school. So here we go!!!



Back To School

When the summer smells like apples

and shadows feel cool

and falling leaves make dapples

of color on the pool

and wind is in the maples

and sweaters are the rule

and hazy days spell lazy ways,

it's hard to go to school.

But, I go!

~Aileen Fischer

Counting Down....

Today is my last day of freedom! Well, somewhat. Tomorrow should be no school but I have two parent meetings in the afternoon. Wednesday is sit through boring staff meeting time and Thursday is work in the classroom. My classroom is ready so I have no intention of staying on campus during work days. I've found that too many people drop by so no one gets much done anyway. Several of the teachers last year worked until well after midnight getting their rooms ready for the meet and greet day on Friday. That is something I've never been able to understand. The following Monday and Tuesday are work days and kids arrive on Wednesday the first. So I do have time; it just won't be the same after today.

I have a new bookcase again this year! Last year my hubby found a big, old, solid-oak bookcase for sale on a gov't auction site. Sometimes it's a good thing to live in the state capital. This year my brother and his wife gave me a really tall bookcase that came out of her mother's house. There are doors for the lower section but I think I'm just going to leave it open and put in art supplies that the kids can access easily. I'm still filling it up but I have no doubt that will happen quickly. Who ever has enough storage? If the bottom section gets messy then I'll add the doors but for now, I like it.

The other thing that has occupied my time is our backyard renovation. We bought our house four years ago from my husband's mother. His dad died in 2005 and after a year, she knew she needed something else and moved into a condo with a gorgeous view of Mount Rainier. We moved to WA a month before she decided to sell, bought the house, and spent the first six months renovating the inside. It took us a long time to find the courage to tackle the yard but we have worked all summer to change this overgrown hillside...


...into something I am really proud of, a beautiful hillside with trails that small grandchildren love to run. We still have some grass to plant on the west side of our house but that's it; all our yardwork is finished! Next we need to paint the house. I've chosen the color (SW-Svelte Sage) but we haven't done anything more than that. I'm even thinking about asking my unemployed neighbor, who just did a beautiful job of painting his house, if he would like another project! I wouldn't mind observing rather than working this time!

So since this is my last truly free day. I'd better get busy!

Poetry Friday a bit early

In the year 2000 a beautiful baby girl was born and she was named Kayla Rose. She is joy personified and in honor of her birthday (which is Saturday) I am posting this poem for Poetry Friday:

"Happy Birthday My Friend" by Raymond A. Foss

Today you are ten.
But, with that
Sly smile and
Those knowing eyes,
You are
Going on twenty.

That sparkle in
Your blue eyes,
That false pout,
That mischievous
Laugh and
Kind spirit
Make me glad
You are
My friend.

Dead Computer

Don't you hate it when that happens? My school computer has been acting up since last spring. The tech took it last week and supposedly fixed it. I asked for a tutorial because I didn't think it was really fixed and guess what? I was right! Augh!!! So I drag my laptop back and forth... which works fine but I hate using my personal computer like this. I like the separation of school and life! Also, I keep forgetting to take my camera to school. Actually I have plenty of time for that. Meetings and class set up begin on the 25th but I'm nearly done. I have even finished most of my photocopies. I still need to copy my book list form and journal question list, as well as other things that I'm sure I will think of eventually but most of what I need is finished. I would LOVE to get my hands on my new planbook so I can get that started. Yeah, I'm ready to go back, something that surprised even me!

Glorious summer heat

I know that people in the eastern part of the US don't feel the same about 90* weather as we do out in the Pacific Northwest. For the past three days we have hit new records. Both Saturday and Sunday were 97* and yesterday it got up to 92* - all new highs. We don't have a/c but we do have tall Douglas Fir, Spruce, and Cedar trees surrounding our property. It's like natural a/c. This picture is taken from the back of our patio toward the hillside that we worked on all summer. The umbrella hides the waterfall and pond but it gives you a good idea of how much shade we have. Of course that changes throughout the day but it is generally a cool, tranquil space... unless we have three little children running the hillside. That's fun too. Our summer heat will be short-lived. In fact, it's supposed to rain on Saturday. My water bill will appreciate that. And my flowers, some seriously burned by the hot sun, will enjoy the relief as well. As for me, I just wish it had come sooner. School officially starts in two weeks - I go back next week for meetings and classroom set-up. I would have enjoyed this part of summer more if it had come sooner!

Poetry Friday - The Summer Day

I think I am mourning the passing of summer. My husband and I went for a short drive this evening and both of us noted that it was getting dark earlier. I have loved my summer again this year; I don't believe I'm ready for it to morph into autumn. Obviously it doesn't matter whether I'm ready or not. I do live in a part of the world that enjoys summer well into the month of September. In fact, most of us in the Pacific Northwest do not consider June to be a part of the summer months - rather summer comes in July, August, and September! To honor this time of thoughtful relaxation, I submit one of my favorite summer poems for Poetry Friday.

The Summer Day by Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

Music In The Park and Other Joys

Twenty-five years ago we finished our first four-year term as missionaries and returned to WA for a year of furlough. It was the only time we took a full year, way too disruptive on so many levels. One of the activities we really appreciated that year was Music In The Park. At that time there were two concerts, one at noon and the other in the evening. Our boys were eleven and seven so we chose to go to the park at noon with our picnic lunch and thoroughly enjoy whatever group happened to be playing. It was free (still is!) a really good thing on a missionary salary and all. We've been back home for four years and this year is the first summer we took the time to enjoy this lovely tradition. Last night was the Tacoma Concert Band. We sat in our lawn chairs on this breezy summer evening, eating strawberries and banana bread, watching people, reveling in the beautiful music.

There are so many good things to say about living here. Number one has to be our three grandchildren. We never imagined that we would have this opportunity. It is amazing! We also live in a forested community that is incredibly tranquil. This morning a doe and fawn bolted across my front yard, jumped the fence, and trotted into our vacationing neighbor's backyard for breakfast. I'm quite sure these animals know who's home and who isn't. I've learned which flowers to plant (daffodils, lilacs, black-eyed Susans) and which to avoid (tulips, bell-flowers, roses). Another joy is teaching. My husband and I work on the same campus, in two different schools. He is high school principal and I teach language arts in the junior high. This season of our career is about preparing the next generation for leadership and it is wonderful, challenging, stressful, and very fulfilling. We are so grateful for the opportunity we have to impact the lives of hundreds of students.

It is also wonderful to know that this mission "gene" lives on in our family. Our son and his family serve as missionaries in France. We have never lived in the same part of the country since he left home for college. Last year, we had the joy of having them with us for four months while they prepared to head overseas. Our little Gracie learned to love us almost as much as we love her. (Yes, this picture is a year old but I still love it!) Our parting was heart-wrenching but we knew that it was right.

We are so blessed and we know it - we are constantly surprised by these blessings, but we recognize them clearly as God's goodness to us. We did nothing to earn this; it is simply a gift. We learned long ago to appreciate the lovely things we receive in life and to endure the hardships - for God is in all of them. However, every now and then it's good to just purposefully pause, remember, and be thankful. Today, I am feeling very thankful.

A Dream Deferred

Whew! I'm tired tonight. I worked like crazy in my yard today, planting, pruning, cleaning up my garden bench. It was fatiguing but wonderful. I love fixing things up and making something pretty out of the ordinary or unsightly.

That was a hard part of life in Haiti for me. There was no way to clean it all, fix it all, make it all pretty. And now? Oh my word... I just shake my head in sorrowful amazement. And I think of all the people I know who live there, because they have to live there. They don't have a way out or they would probably take it. And I think of those who could leave and don't because they want to make a difference. I wonder if knowing they could leave makes it easier to stay?

I think of those who were just beginning to make it, had a little home, a job, tried to save a bit of money toward a real future and then... gone, in a heartbeat, forever gone. They pray and they sing and they hope and they work, work, work! I have never seen people work so hard for so little.

I was going through some poetry today, getting my mind ready for the school year and ran across Langston Hughes' poem:

"Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--
And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

I think it's all of the above, especially the explode part.

Teaching Experiences

I was reading through a blog tonight that dealt basically with first time experiences, including this teacher's first teaching experience. It was an amazing read. I have had an incredibly easy life in the classroom, especially by comparison. This just further confirms my belief that teaching is a calling because why else would The Science Goddess continue in this profession after experiencing such a horrific first year!

I remember knowing that I would be a teacher. It began in 5th grade with my irritation that the teacher didn't have a clue about managing a classroom and it came into extreme clarity in 6th grade when the teacher called my mother in for a conference because I was not doing well in math. My mother was in tears. I vividly remember working on a math assignment, taking it to the teacher's desk where she sat, grading our work, only to have her tell me that it was wrong--- do it again. So I did and it was still wrong so I did it over and over and over and it was always wrong. She never did show me how to do it correctly. I knew then that I would be a teacher and that I would treat my students with respect.

Those memories have really helped me relate to my students each year. I remember what it felt like to be in a room that was completely out of control. I did not like it, even though I am certain that I was a big part of the problem. And I remember what it felt like to know that a teacher did not believe that I was capable of being taught. That was humiliating and disrespectful. But it's okay; because of this, my own expectations for my students have no limit. I know they can learn. I remember a parent-teacher conference I had three years ago, with the student present due to parental request. This kid really struggled; I remember asking L. if he believed he was capable of doing the work. He told me no. I asked him if he believed in me as a teacher and he told me yes. So I told him that I totally believed that he was capable and that he could just trust me, believe in me, and let me be the one to believe in him and pretty soon he would know success. It worked.

I am insanely optimistic and I like that. I have a feeling this character trait is going to be put to the test this year. But that's okay... I'm a true believer in the untapped capabilities of junior high kids. Success will come, again.

Poetry Friday - Phenomenal Woman

In honor of women who have not graced the covers of fashion magazines but have lived confident lives, making a difference in a world of confusion and uncertainty.

Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Sacred Space

It is difficult for me to stay focused on the things of God, even when I am trying really hard to do so. Plus, I get a bit tired of the folksy devotionals with sweet little stories attached to them. For several years I read Oswald Chambers each morning. There is nothing folksy about Chambers and I read his work year after year but then was ready for a change. Last year I read Neil Anderson's online devotional. For a couple of months I tried out Max Lucado's. Anderson's was a good one for me, for the year, but then it repeated itself so I needed to move on. Lucado's? Not so much.

Several years ago, my daughter-in-law's sister posted a link to an Irish Jesuit devotional site called Sacred Space. This is a very simple site that is a prayer guide. The scripture reference changes weekly and there is a different emphasis for each day but otherwise, it's quite the same, yet it doesn't bore me at all. It is deeply personal, if I take the time to focus on what it is guiding me to do. Ahem... my difficulty - distractions! I was ready to go this morning, totally committed, when a doe and her fawn stepped into the yard, headed for my garden. Out the door I went! Oh but they were beautiful! I love living with the forest creatures and towering evergreens and tranquil lake. This setting and prayer guidance from the Irish Jesuits gave me a true sense of the presence of God today. I'm am grateful.

Classroom Time

I'm getting that itch again. Yesterday I went to the school to drop off some stuff that I had collected over the summer, was just going to set it in a closet and leave but that's not what happened. I made the mistake of sitting down at my desk and one thing led to another and suddenly, it was six o'clock! I actually planned my first (3-day) week of school and began to think of how I want to structure things in my classroom. I need more beanbag chairs for one thing. I hate going to WalMart but I may have to go there to pick up a few of these essential reading tools! I should also drop by School Daze to see if I can pick up a new poster or two or three. I really want to begin preparing all my lesson plans on the computer rather than in my plan book. But I love my plan book! I love looking at that whole week, touching the pages, making random notes where necessary. Plus what would I do during the boring parts of staff meetings if I don't have my plan book to fill out!?! Last year I computerized my Bible class and this year I want to do the same for Language Arts. I know it will undergo tons of tweaking but my lesson plan notebooks are getting too numerous and bulky. I don't know... maybe I'll do both! This may require more thought.

Home... again!

We had a wonderful vacation in the Cascade Mountains. We stayed in a beautiful alpine-style timber home for eight sunny, warm days. The guys went fishing, we all enjoyed the river (every day!), and we spent time playing, talking, and reading together. I finished the book The Book Whisperer and LOVED every page! Donalyn Miller put voice to what I believe about children/teens and teaching reading by allowing them to just read! I've done this for years and years. I really refined it in Haiti while teaching 7th and 8th grade students for several years. The beauty of teaching there was that I had two class periods to teach these students, one for reading and the other for English/writing. Now... 42 minutes to do it all. It simply is not the same.

When I first took this assignment, I had five different sets of curriculum to implement: Bob Jones basal series (not a fan at all!), Write Source (I like it a lot as a resource for myself and for the students), Wordly Wise (love it - great independent homework), Houghton Mifflin Grammar book (a good one but really...), and four sets of class novels for each grade. I always start my class with silent reading. They come in, check the board to be sure they have everything they need for the class, put their stuff down, take out their books and read. Most bring books from home. Our library doesn't always have what they want, especially when we're talking about Harry Potter or the Twilight series. I don't really care about that. Kids will find a way to get those books anyway. One of the teachers spoke up at a staff meeting; she wanted to make it a rule that kids couldn't read some of these books at our school. I let everyone talk and then reminded one and all of the school's philosophy (that I don't always agree with but it worked well for me at that moment) that we are simply assisting the parents as they educate their children and that the decision was actually theirs. It worked. Later, when I grumped about all the material I was supposed to teach, it was suggested by the principal that I cut out the silent reading. That wasn't going to happen! So... I took it upon myself to send the grammar books to the library for storage, to put the Write Source books in the cupboards for use when we needed them, and to keep my reading time going! Everything is still a work in progress but I see myself simplifying as I go. My students must read and they must write. That's it. Along the way I want to make sure they understand the elements of literature (not just the definition of the terms) and know how to express themselves properly when writing about literature. Students must read outside of class as well as the time I give them in our classroom. They must do a lesson every week or so in their Wordly Wise (did I mention that it is the perfect independent homework assignment?). They must write about their reading in their comp books at least once a week. That's what we do in our 42 minute class period.

I also re-read Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms and Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie. I had never gotten around to reading that. It was a quick, sweet read about life and loss as opposed to Hemingway's darker version. Most important of all, I read with my granddaughter every day. I brought Roald Dahl's gift set with me and Kayla read seven of the eight books in the boxed set.(This link is a bigger set but I couldn't find the one I bought at Costco.) She loves the insane sense of humor and magic that Dahl uses in all his books. Plus, she wrote about every book in her journal... so now I owe her seven lunches out! That's fun for me too!

Well, laundry is calling. There's nothing like a vacation in the mountains by a river to make mountains of laundry! That's fine; it was totally worth it!

Choices

One of the most amazing things about life in the states is the choices we have; it's also one of the most tiring things - having to make choices. I still remember when we returned to the states after our first four years out as missionaries, coming from Martinique. The boys really wanted to go to McDonalds. Makes sense to most parents of small kids, I know. We went for breakfast and T asked for a cup of coffee and a danish. He was then faced with the choices: cream and sugar? Apple, cherry, cheese? He just looked at the girl, so I told her cherry. He likes cherry anything. T still stresses over choices. A few minutes ago, I had him stop at Spooner Farms for blackberries and blueberries. When my cell rang, I knew he must be facing a choice. Sure enough, did I want blackberries or marion berries? I told him to taste one of each and buy the sweeter berry. (I think it's too early for the marion berries.) So he did, with me on the phone because he might need help defining his version of sweet! ha!

It is the abundance that becomes our weakness, that can lead to a spirit of entitlement, a life of conspicuous consumption. We have lived in (the country of) Miami and now WA state for ten years already! We still debate every purchase, every want versus need. Twenty-five years of life overseas on a missionary salary will breed that into a person. I think I'm glad. I want to remember that there are those who struggle to find sustenance, let alone abundance. Personally, I like having choices. I just want to be faithful, to not forget others, to do my part to lift those who have little or no hope. I want to remember what it was like not having choices and I want to be thankful.

Vacation packet

I went to Costco today to shop for meals for our mountain cabin vacation. Before I picked up any food, I was looking at the books... what could I read aloud that would interest a 10 year-old girl, a 6 year-old boy, and a 3 year-old girl? And then I saw his name... Roald Dahl - some of the funniest quick reads ever. Now it's quite likely that Kayla has already read them, but maybe not all of them. I bought the gift box; why not? Finished food shopping and got everything home then off to the dirt store. No, I'm not kidding. I needed top soil for this famous hill in the back yard. The very top of it is too rocky so we're going to add dirt, then bark, and it will be perfect. Picked up a half-flat of fresh, huge, perfect raspberries at Spooner Farms (ate a pint by the time I got home-it was lunch!) and then napped on the couch for an hour. Oh how I love vacation!

The Bench

The Bench is located at the top of the hill in our backyard. It really is a hill... it's a bit above the roof-line of our house. Tuesday the grands and their mommy came over for dinner. It was their first encounter with the switchback trails that their g'pa and our friend, Steve, had built. They ran to the top and ran to the bottom and then did it all over again, giggling like crazy. That was the moment we had waited for, the reason we built trails not just terraces! Each of the three spent a moment or two sitting on The Bench at the top but after dinner, Colton walked to the top of the hill, sat on The Bench, and asked his grandpa to sit with him. And they talked. They talked about problems that six-year-old boys face in a house filled with girls. They talked about race cars and rocks, dirt-bikes and dump trucks and dreams for the future. It was beyond precious. We originally wanted a bridge at the top of the hill but the $$ were too much for our depleted budget. One day I decided to hit the antique/junk stores to see what I could find and asked my mom to go with me. She is always ready to go anywhere and asked what I would be looking to buy. When I told her a bench, she replied that she had one under a tarp in the carport that I could have for nothing. Free was exactly the right price! The silly thing is soooooooo heavy!!! But I lugged it to the top of the hill, then sat there for about five minutes trying to breathe. I really wanted to surprise my husband. The Bench is now the destination, the reason to take to the trails. It is the place to tell secrets, to dream, to review crazy ideas. I will forever hold in my heart the sight of Colton and Grandpa sharing their thoughts and dreams, snuggled together on The Bench. It may have been free but it is absolutely priceless to us!

Anticipation

I've always heard that 90% of the enjoyment found in a vacation is the anticipation. No doubt there is some truth to that. The last school year was difficult and anticipating summer was part of what got me through it with a decent attitude. But there is the actual experience which is so wonderful! I am loving my summer break. I feel so rested and reconnected with my home and family. It's just a joyful time for me.

We are also going to the mountains for a week and yes, I am anticipating a fabulous time! We'll have our older son and his family with us and we are just going to relax! My husband needs it more than I do but it will be good for me to have a change of venue too. But it's more about the uninterrupted time with family than the place, although I love the mountains. My dream home is a good-sized cabin, on a lake in the mountains. I'll never be able to afford it but that would be my ideal and our vacation next week meets all that criteria, except it's on a river rather than a lake.

For me, anticipation is more than just next week's fun. I am a future dweller. I tend to look ahead, make plans, and live in that future moment. I know that means I don't get as much out of the present by doing this mental exercise. In fact, sometimes it robs me of the joy of the now. I've made a concerted effort to live presently this summer and it is great! But now, I find myself reverting to old habits. Summer break is half over so my mind is journeying ahead to school. I have a meeting tomorrow with the principal to try to convince him to simplify the report cards for junior high. They are the same as the elementary and there is just too much stuff on them. Parents are distracted by the periphery grades rather than the overall grade for an individual subject. Making the change in junior high would be another way to prepare students and parents for high school. I'm not convinced he'll agree but I can also change my own categories and get them down to one or two and that will automatically simplify things. Anyway... I'm distracted...

I am also anticipating the month of October as well as Christmas vacation. Yeah... I know, I'm really out there, but for good reason. I have a new grandson cookin' and he'll arrive around the first of October. Plus my husband and I will join our younger son and his family (including the new little boy) in Israel for Christmas! Our daughter-in-law is also an MK and was born and raised in the Middle East. It's really fun to listen to Arabic coming from this blond, blue-eyed, young woman! It certainly takes people by surprise! We have tried to go to Israel with the kids about three or four times before this. Each time, we book our flight with miles, pay the taxes and fees on our credit card, and something then happens to make it impossible (usually over there) and the trip is canceled. My daughter-in-law hasn't been back home for seven or eight years. Her parents still serve in this region and she longs to go home for the holidays. I totally understand and am glad to support her in this. But I would have just as much fun spending Christmas in France with them. The place simply doesn't matter so much. May I be perfectly honest? My husband cannot wait to get to Israel and see all the biblical sites. I could care less... I can't wait to get to Israel to spend a week with my beloved Gracie and meet my new grandson. I would be happy to take short walks around the neighborhood with my little ones, read books, play with dolls and toys, and never see a thing. I'm sure that's blasphemous on some level but now ask me if I care. World travel lost is allure a long time ago. But my children? My grandchildren? I am totally overjoyed each and every time I get to be with them!

So back to the present, I have errands to run and grandchildren coming for dinner. They will see the renovated backyard for the first time and be able to run the trails. It's going to be a wonderful evening!

A Great Summer!

Summer 2010 is a good one! I have had some great times with my mother who is 82 years old and beginning to show some signs of slowing down. For the first time, she has had to have someone help her with yard work. I've done a lot of it but she has also hired Steve, someone who works for nearly every member of our family. Steve's a Viet Nam vet who earns his living doing hard labor. He has a work ethic like none other and can do almost anything. He has weeded a lot of my mother's garden (the parts I didn't do), removed stumps, and taken out plants (to his home) that my mom has wanted removed. She's putting a lot more of her yard into lawn as mowing grass is easier than weeding.

Steve has also worked for us. He removed six huge stumps from our yard, helped my husband build a switchback trail up our backyard hillside, lined it with really big rock, built a retaining wall on the side of our house, and in a few days, will take out a spruce tree in our front yard that is soon to conflict with our pink dogwood. There's no question, the dogwood is staying! It's the talk of the development. It has been gorgeous this year and the blossoms stayed on for a really long time. I think our cool weather has helped. Our backyard is amazing! With just a bit more planting, we will be finished.... other than buying a bench for the hilltop.

Next week is our vacation. Of course I'm off all summer but principals aren't so fortunate. My husband works all summer other than a week or two off, usually end of July and first of August. There are a ton of new student interviews to get finished. He has also redesigned the school's website (not launched yet, still getting final approvals), rewritten the very outdated student handbook, and dealt with several course changes for teachers. He does a lot of work and I am so proud of him. Hopefully someday I'll be able to teach in his school. I think I'm ready to go back to high school after several years in junior high.

I am grateful for my K-8 teaching certificate with the K-12 English endorsement! It's so nice to not only be ready to do the job but to have all the certification that makes me legal. Many private school teachers don't work to maintain their certification since it isn't mandatory for most private schools. I spent the past two summers finishing classes for my next certificate renewal. I'm done! I like having no questions about my qualifications!

Anyway... vacation... we are heading to a cabin in the Cascade Mountains, just an hour from Leavenworth, WA - a quaint Bavarian styled village. Our cabin is a gorgeous 2500 square foot log house with room to sleep twelve! There are seven of us going this time (we'll do this again!) since our younger son and his family are in France. It will be a week with three grandkids, their parents, and lots of fun outdoor recreation! We are ready!!! Speaking of which, I need to prepare menus for the week. It should be great fun! Time to make some plans that will help us create lots of great memories.

A Healthy Baby!

Today our niece gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Samuel. The healthy part is an absolute miracle. Our niece had Fifth's Disease while pregnant and this was passed on to her baby. He suffered so! This pregnancy was arduous for this young couple. From the very early days, they made difficult decisions. They chose not to abort, committed everything to the Lord, and really did their best to rest in Him. Month after month, intensive exams and continuous testing, bad news, worse news, the worst news, and then, suddenly... all the tests came back normal. All we can say is that God was at work in Samuel and today, we have a new member in our family. We are all so grateful!

Quilting

I have been hard at work on my new grandson's quilt. We'll call him E since mom and dad don't want to reveal his name as yet and he is 'Baby E' - as in ABCDE. I don't spend much of my time in domesticity but I have made a quilt for each of my grandchildren. This one, I think, will be one of the better ones. It just has a good feel to it. For each of my quilts, the center is occupied by a large embroidery prepared by Marie, our former housekeeper and friend from Haiti. Baby A has a unique center square, the repentant little angel with the skewed halo. The other four quilts are similar. Babies B and E have the same boyish trumpeter in the center and babies C and D have the same little girl in a garden scene. The fabric choices are different, in design and color, for each of the quilts. I love that my grandchildren will enjoy a tiny cuddle that represents my Haitian séjour of eighteen years.

Reading Material

Amazon.com just delivered my two books The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller and Nancie Atwell's The Reading Zone. I have lived by Atwell's In The Middle for Writer's Workshop since my teaching time in Haiti. I used her charting methods and other materials for my middle school students for five years, starting with the class of 1999 - an all-time favorite group of students. I typed everything up into a condensed curriculum form for those who came after me, never sure anyone would ever use it again. Then at some point this year, Cami left me a message on Facebook, thanking me for leaving that behind, saying that it was a big help to her! Yay! So, the temperature has risen this afternoon, finally, to 80* (I know, don't you wish you lived in the Pacific NW?!) so I'm going to quit gardening, stay inside, and read!

Granddaughters

I had one of those moments today when I realized that time rushes way too quickly (for me) in the lives of little children. Colton had to go to the dentist today, poor kid. His mom also needed a filling so I kept the girls. It was actually Sierra's turn to spend the day with grandma but when I realized that it meant that Kayla would simply sit in a waiting room all morning, I asked her if she wanted to come over too. She was delighted and informed me, rolling her eyes, that she would be 'soooooo booorrreeeddd' if she had to be in the waiting room. That was one of the moments. The 'so bored' comment is such a junior high thing, especially when accompanied by the eye roll technique. Oh dear, she will be ten in August - guess we should all brace ourselves. The other moment came while we were at the park. Our recently turned three granddaughter told me that the circle swing was just perfect for babies and girls! When I asked her why, she informed me that it was safe. Safe. Safe? What an interesting remark from a three-year-old. I pushed her for a good 20 minutes in the 88* heat with the little lady reveling in the fact that her hair was blowing around her head. The difference in my little ones each summer is remarkable. They certainly are growing up. I am so glad there are more coming! The new grandson arrives in October. I just get all tingly thinking about another new baby! What riches!

Summer Clothes

Do you put your summer things away each fall and dig out your winter clothes? I don't. I leave my fall/winter things hanging in my closet because it isn't worth my time to put them away. Here we are, at the end of the first week in July, and I have finally brought out my summer clothes. It hasn't reached 70* in this WA town for a long time. Today it is supposed to hit 81* - tomorrow 91* - the next day 92* - yippee!!! So my cotton slacks, shorts, and short-sleeved shirts are all in the dryer getting ready to be worn. (My ironing technique.)

A late start to summer weather isn't all bad. It means I can prepare my garden in the cool. I've pruned shrubs, planted perennials and annuals, weeded, mulched, and rarely broken a sweat! I also read the papers (more like the news on-line) and see people suffering with 100*+ temperatures yet I can still use a blanket at night. I don't have a/c and I don't need it; even if it does get super hot, I'm surrounded by Douglas Firs, Cedars, Spruces... my own natural coolant.

Time to get moving, errands to run, grandkids to play with, life to be lived with purpose.