My "DH" ---that is apparently "blog" language for "dear husband" has been bitten by the blog bug.
He has decided to start a new blog for the pursuit of discussing religious/philosophical questions. So far, so good!
You can check it out here.
Whether you agree or disagree, drop in, read and leave a few comments. He has thick skin. He can take it!
You get to see what a great guy with a wonderful heart that I married. Of course, I knew that, but now, some of you get to find out for yourselves.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Tuesday Tempest in a Teapot
Well, it is Tuesday, and we are counting down to G-Day, graduation of my first born on Friday. O.k., it is getting scary now. I guess that for some people, these things are not very big deals. I think that for me, it is because he is the first to go.
Someone told me about 20 years ago that first babies are special, and she was so right. It is not that babies 2, 3 , 4 and 5 are NOT special. They are all special! It is just that with the first one, you get the maiden voyage on everything.
So, this week, everything is winding slowly down. We are full of half-days and holidays this week, just enough to keep an already-mentally-challenged-mother hopping to try and figure out who needs to be picked up when.
Last week and the weekend was a total washout in trying to get anything done. We have passed this cold around and just about worn the thing out. It has thoroughly spanked us---that is for sure. This weekend, both the adults in the house had to run for urgent care and get the obligatory Z-pack, superdy-dooper antihistamine/decongestant/expectorant pill, and cough syrup. Then, there is the run to the next city because your own stupid little town is not progressive enough to have a pharmacy that is open when you are sick. There, you get to pay full price for the drugs, because your insurance card does not cover drugs bought at THAT pharmacy. Arghhhhhh. I am so sick of being sick that I am just going to ignore the sickness, and maybe it will go away. Does that sound like a plan? Nothing else has worked, so why not......??????
I've sat in the floor (not recommended for long periods of time for people over 40) for the past two nights making Daniel's backdrop for his senior table. It is a board about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall just covered in memories. I had a great time pulling photos out of books and boxes and working on the thing. I will try to post a picture here soon, probably after graduation. I don't want to spoil the surprise!!!!
We have just a few more things to do. There are the framed pictures that have to be selected, medals and trophies to gather, and other odds and ends that will be part of his "senior table." He is busily polishing his speech, which I can't wait to hear, even though I will probably be blubbering all the way through it. Then, I have to load the video camera, the digital camera, and the regular camera, so that hopefully one of them will work and capture some precious images.
It just astounds me how much work there is to something as low-key as our graduation ceremonies at this little private school are!!! Hopefully, it will all come together, though, and be a night that Daniel can have fond memories of for a lifetime.
Birthday greetings and love go out today to great-grandmother Nina in Arkansas! She's a pretty young great-grandma, though, and she is a great family cheerleader!
A few more ticks of the clock....and it will be JUNE! Can you believe it? Better start getting out those Christmas decorations. It will be upon us sooner than we think!
Someone told me about 20 years ago that first babies are special, and she was so right. It is not that babies 2, 3 , 4 and 5 are NOT special. They are all special! It is just that with the first one, you get the maiden voyage on everything.
So, this week, everything is winding slowly down. We are full of half-days and holidays this week, just enough to keep an already-mentally-challenged-mother hopping to try and figure out who needs to be picked up when.
Last week and the weekend was a total washout in trying to get anything done. We have passed this cold around and just about worn the thing out. It has thoroughly spanked us---that is for sure. This weekend, both the adults in the house had to run for urgent care and get the obligatory Z-pack, superdy-dooper antihistamine/decongestant/expectorant pill, and cough syrup. Then, there is the run to the next city because your own stupid little town is not progressive enough to have a pharmacy that is open when you are sick. There, you get to pay full price for the drugs, because your insurance card does not cover drugs bought at THAT pharmacy. Arghhhhhh. I am so sick of being sick that I am just going to ignore the sickness, and maybe it will go away. Does that sound like a plan? Nothing else has worked, so why not......??????
I've sat in the floor (not recommended for long periods of time for people over 40) for the past two nights making Daniel's backdrop for his senior table. It is a board about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall just covered in memories. I had a great time pulling photos out of books and boxes and working on the thing. I will try to post a picture here soon, probably after graduation. I don't want to spoil the surprise!!!!
We have just a few more things to do. There are the framed pictures that have to be selected, medals and trophies to gather, and other odds and ends that will be part of his "senior table." He is busily polishing his speech, which I can't wait to hear, even though I will probably be blubbering all the way through it. Then, I have to load the video camera, the digital camera, and the regular camera, so that hopefully one of them will work and capture some precious images.
It just astounds me how much work there is to something as low-key as our graduation ceremonies at this little private school are!!! Hopefully, it will all come together, though, and be a night that Daniel can have fond memories of for a lifetime.
Birthday greetings and love go out today to great-grandmother Nina in Arkansas! She's a pretty young great-grandma, though, and she is a great family cheerleader!
A few more ticks of the clock....and it will be JUNE! Can you believe it? Better start getting out those Christmas decorations. It will be upon us sooner than we think!
Friday, May 27, 2005
Busy Bees with a Cold!
I cannot believe it has been 10 whole days since I blogged last! I told my sister-in-law in an email today that I just cannot believe how the days are flying by. It seems that I just get going good when it is time to go to bed again!
We have had a NASTY cold/sinus thingy again. I am so sick of being sick that I am not even going to dwell on the details in this blog. Suffice it to say that I could not get over it on my own, and I had to get some antibiotic help to get over the hump. I still only have about 50% hearing in my ears right now. If that does not clear up in a few days on its own, I guess I will see my wonderful ear/nose/throat guy who will fix it all. In the meantime, dear friend Jen, if you are reading this, I don't know how you do it (go without complete hearing.) It is such a challenge with kids. Mine have just been horrified this week that they tell me things (holler from their rooms as they always do, instead of coming to find me) and I never hear the first bellow. I have to get things up to my ear before I can hear them clearly.
We got a couple of pieces of not so good news this week. First, my father-in-law, Bill, has to have a pacemaker put in, because his heart rate is dropping way down to like 17 when he sleeps. That is not good. So they want to do what they can to regulate it. Surgery will be in the next few days. Secondly, we learned that Tim's brother Kevin is going to Iraq. Of course, we are not happy that he is having to go, but we are very proud of him for being brave and serving his country. He believes in the mission, and he is focused and ready to do what he has to do. I hope we can find some way to see him before he leaves in June or July.
Well, in other personal news, my "baby"---you know, the 18 year old, 240 pound baby has successfully completed all his coursework, oral exams, etc. and is officially through with school. However, the principal keeps finding reasons for him to have to come over for an hour or so. And every time he does, I have to get the girls in carseats and drive over and back and get them in and out. We did that 3 times Tuesday, and I was sooooo sick that day. I think that is why I am so slow at getting better. I can never truly rest. But that's a mom's life.
So now, we have to get his senior table prepared and refine the graduation speech. I am so excited that he gets to give one, and I hope it will go well. I think it is going to be a sweet speech! But for those of you that know my Daniel, that should not surprise you! He is genuinely a sweet,sweet boy. Some girl is going to be very lucky some day to have such a caring and sensitive husband. Ditto for Sam, but this Micah-child of mine....well, I just don't have him figured out yet. He is cut from different cloth, and I am waiting to see just what it is that he is going to become! Right now, I'd bet that he would be working with the circus, but hopefully, he will come around and get more serious about life!
Well, it won't be long before I will be jumping back in the car again and heading for school-land...something that it does not look like I will be doing past next week! Hooray!!!!! Home Schooling is still in the plans for next semester if all goes well. I think we are all pretty happy with the decision.
This weekend is going to be wild and crazy. There are several gatherings scheduled, and I have all this art work to do on the senior table project, so we will be busy.
And if I should find a dull moment, there is enough laundry to last me until I am 80.
Have a great holiday weekend all!
We have had a NASTY cold/sinus thingy again. I am so sick of being sick that I am not even going to dwell on the details in this blog. Suffice it to say that I could not get over it on my own, and I had to get some antibiotic help to get over the hump. I still only have about 50% hearing in my ears right now. If that does not clear up in a few days on its own, I guess I will see my wonderful ear/nose/throat guy who will fix it all. In the meantime, dear friend Jen, if you are reading this, I don't know how you do it (go without complete hearing.) It is such a challenge with kids. Mine have just been horrified this week that they tell me things (holler from their rooms as they always do, instead of coming to find me) and I never hear the first bellow. I have to get things up to my ear before I can hear them clearly.
We got a couple of pieces of not so good news this week. First, my father-in-law, Bill, has to have a pacemaker put in, because his heart rate is dropping way down to like 17 when he sleeps. That is not good. So they want to do what they can to regulate it. Surgery will be in the next few days. Secondly, we learned that Tim's brother Kevin is going to Iraq. Of course, we are not happy that he is having to go, but we are very proud of him for being brave and serving his country. He believes in the mission, and he is focused and ready to do what he has to do. I hope we can find some way to see him before he leaves in June or July.
Well, in other personal news, my "baby"---you know, the 18 year old, 240 pound baby has successfully completed all his coursework, oral exams, etc. and is officially through with school. However, the principal keeps finding reasons for him to have to come over for an hour or so. And every time he does, I have to get the girls in carseats and drive over and back and get them in and out. We did that 3 times Tuesday, and I was sooooo sick that day. I think that is why I am so slow at getting better. I can never truly rest. But that's a mom's life.
So now, we have to get his senior table prepared and refine the graduation speech. I am so excited that he gets to give one, and I hope it will go well. I think it is going to be a sweet speech! But for those of you that know my Daniel, that should not surprise you! He is genuinely a sweet,sweet boy. Some girl is going to be very lucky some day to have such a caring and sensitive husband. Ditto for Sam, but this Micah-child of mine....well, I just don't have him figured out yet. He is cut from different cloth, and I am waiting to see just what it is that he is going to become! Right now, I'd bet that he would be working with the circus, but hopefully, he will come around and get more serious about life!
Well, it won't be long before I will be jumping back in the car again and heading for school-land...something that it does not look like I will be doing past next week! Hooray!!!!! Home Schooling is still in the plans for next semester if all goes well. I think we are all pretty happy with the decision.
This weekend is going to be wild and crazy. There are several gatherings scheduled, and I have all this art work to do on the senior table project, so we will be busy.
And if I should find a dull moment, there is enough laundry to last me until I am 80.
Have a great holiday weekend all!
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Clear Sailing....????
Well, I can see blue sky again! That is always a good thing. But I am not talking about the weather, here, although the weather has been pretty great lately. I have enjoyed the mild days, because it seems like here in Tennessee we have been doing this thing of going from one extreme to the other for years now with not a lot of middle ground. I can remember when we used to have four seasons here. For the longest, it seems to me that it has been more like two seasons yearly---hot and cold. Last spring, as I recall, we did not have a lot of time between winter and when the summer hit with a vengeance. And when it gets hot here, it is pretty miserable. Then, fall would come, and I would think, "Ahhh, here come some nice cool nights that I can go to some local football game and drink hot chocolate and watch the game..." But NOOOOOOOO! It would turn soooooo cold so fast that I could not stand to sit out in the extreme temperatures. There was just no pleasure in it.
So I am rather enjoying the warm days and kind of cool nights. Sometimes it gets so cool in the house that we still have to turn on the heat for a few minutes to break the chill. I just hope we have a little more of this before it turns, hot, hot, hot.
We had a pretty pleasant weekend. Saturday was the first day that we have not had somewhere to be in a while, so we spent the day cleaning the "junk room." It is that one room in the house where everything gets stowed. We got it lots better, but now the rest is suffering because we did not devote the weekend to it.
Sundays, we never get much more done than get to church two services---morning and evening. Mom and Dad and some of my other relatives took off for Florida, so since we usually spend the day with them on Sun. afternoon, we had nothing to do except come back home and grab a quick nap before turning around and making the hour drive again for evening services. I like Sunday evening services a lot, because it seems like the preacher knows that the real faithful folks will come back on Sunday night and he preaches on topics that are a little deeper than he does on Sunday mornings, in my opinion. I guess you would call the Sunday evening sermons "Apologetics" a lot of times---or why we believe what we believe. I am one of the few folks left in the whole wide world, I think, that believes that we can actually understand the Bible and do what it says the way it says to do. Most of my aquaintances don't think we can understand the Bible---that it is some big mystery. I don't think it is always easy to understand everything, but if you keep digging and working on it, the puzzle pieces start falling into place.
Well, in other news, my big 18 year old baby is winding down with his schoolwork, ahead of his brothers who are jealous because they have about 2 more weeks. One of the things they do at this school is a lot of rewards for good behavior, and they are going to East Tennessee this Friday to see Rock City (remember all the barns with "See Rock City" on them? and some other local attractions. My senior has a lot of preparation to do for his own graduation---we have to make a senior board for him, among other things. It is a display of all his accomplishments over the last 12 years. He has been asked to sing for kindergarten graduation over there, so I jokingly told him that he needs to use that as leverege to get some things he has been asking for for a long time, such as a tape from last year's graduation where he and another boy sang. We are also vying for a tape of that now infamous night that Red Bull met Mr. Shaq. For all those of you who joined the reading of my blog a little late, go to that link, go down a little and read that story. It was a great night. I am going to find a way to get a tape! I am determined!
Well, the Bee is ready to be fed yet again, so I must buzz on off and do that. Then, it is clean, clean, clean! My friend Jennifer knows my pain! Have a day full of sunshine and blue skies!
So I am rather enjoying the warm days and kind of cool nights. Sometimes it gets so cool in the house that we still have to turn on the heat for a few minutes to break the chill. I just hope we have a little more of this before it turns, hot, hot, hot.
We had a pretty pleasant weekend. Saturday was the first day that we have not had somewhere to be in a while, so we spent the day cleaning the "junk room." It is that one room in the house where everything gets stowed. We got it lots better, but now the rest is suffering because we did not devote the weekend to it.
Sundays, we never get much more done than get to church two services---morning and evening. Mom and Dad and some of my other relatives took off for Florida, so since we usually spend the day with them on Sun. afternoon, we had nothing to do except come back home and grab a quick nap before turning around and making the hour drive again for evening services. I like Sunday evening services a lot, because it seems like the preacher knows that the real faithful folks will come back on Sunday night and he preaches on topics that are a little deeper than he does on Sunday mornings, in my opinion. I guess you would call the Sunday evening sermons "Apologetics" a lot of times---or why we believe what we believe. I am one of the few folks left in the whole wide world, I think, that believes that we can actually understand the Bible and do what it says the way it says to do. Most of my aquaintances don't think we can understand the Bible---that it is some big mystery. I don't think it is always easy to understand everything, but if you keep digging and working on it, the puzzle pieces start falling into place.
Well, in other news, my big 18 year old baby is winding down with his schoolwork, ahead of his brothers who are jealous because they have about 2 more weeks. One of the things they do at this school is a lot of rewards for good behavior, and they are going to East Tennessee this Friday to see Rock City (remember all the barns with "See Rock City" on them? and some other local attractions. My senior has a lot of preparation to do for his own graduation---we have to make a senior board for him, among other things. It is a display of all his accomplishments over the last 12 years. He has been asked to sing for kindergarten graduation over there, so I jokingly told him that he needs to use that as leverege to get some things he has been asking for for a long time, such as a tape from last year's graduation where he and another boy sang. We are also vying for a tape of that now infamous night that Red Bull met Mr. Shaq. For all those of you who joined the reading of my blog a little late, go to that link, go down a little and read that story. It was a great night. I am going to find a way to get a tape! I am determined!
Well, the Bee is ready to be fed yet again, so I must buzz on off and do that. Then, it is clean, clean, clean! My friend Jennifer knows my pain! Have a day full of sunshine and blue skies!
Friday, May 13, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Back in the Saddle Again....
It is officially still Wednesday night, though there is not very much left of Wednesday! I am tarrrrrrrrd tonite, as we say down here in the South! Just got back from church and then made a Wal-Mart run, and now 4 out of 5 babies are in bed. I need to get there, as I could count the hours of sleep I have had since Sunday on my fingers. No one has been sleeping soundly at the same time, and when I get one down to sleep, another wakes up with issues and needs Mommy. Even the 18 year old and the 11 year old have been needing Mommy at the weirdest hours this week.
Well, my Mother's Day was very pleasant, despite a slight change in plans when Sarah and Hannah had wicked nights Saturday night. Sarah has had some kind of intestinal thing going, and while she is not in too much distress, she is "loose" and it is hard to take her places right now. I may have to end up breaking down and taking her to the Dr. in the next couple of days if she is not better. I am just growing weary. We did not make it out for Sunday morning services, but we had recooped enough to drag out Sunday night for services, even though I was not the most energetic that I have ever been.
Afterwards, we made a very brief but lovely stop at my Mom's house and dropped off her presents. While there, the kids and hubby gave me mine. They had gotten Sarah to grill me on what would make me happy and I said that jewelry was always nice! Except Sarah pronounces it jewrrrrrryyyyy with about 50 syllables instead of 2 or 3, and her daddy was not sure for a while what she was trying to say! The boys all went and each picked out something. They did not dare take Sarah, as she cannot keep a secret for anything yet. Sam picked out a watch, Dan and Micah each got me a bracelet with lots of the sparkley stuff I like, and Tim got me some gorgeous earrings. I only wish that someone had thought of a necklace, as I need a few more of them in choker length to cover my "nasty" thyroid scar. It is really not all that bad, but I am just sensitive to it, as it is in such a prominent place. All my other miles of scars are in places no one ever sees, but this one is like Rudolph's nose.
At any rate, Mom seemed to like her goodies. I fixed both of the mothers a "brag bag" this year---one of those totes with pictures of the kids and grandkids on it, and I got them each a pretty windchime. I got myself a chime too. I love them, and I love to hear them going out on the porch before a storm. I have got to get out there and fix it on the hook better, because it won't stay up through some of the storms we have around here. I also got Mom two crossword puzzle books, as she is off to Florida Friday with some of the family to see the grandparents and get a little R & R! She will enjoy sitting on the beach working crosswords.
But back to the main story...Anyway, Daniel came out of school today with the same loose problem. They don't have any other symptoms...no fever, no tummy ache, nothing. We surely have had some mystery illnesses this year. Someone even suggested that we have had such pitiful luck every since we moved in this house in 2000 that maybe we are located atop an Indian burial ground or something...??? I don't know, but I feel like if it were something environmental, we would all be sick. My South Carolina friend Donna found out recently that their water is polluted, and it has been for years. Her whole family is sick. When they grew up and moved out, they got better. Now, they are having to use bottled water or purified water for all cooking and consumption. It is a big hassle, but they cannot move right now.
I've wondered about this place, but none of us ever have the same symptoms at the same time. Sarah and Dan have the runs, and Sam has a sore throat. Go figure. Micah has been passed out every since he got in from school. I could not even wake him for church tonight. That is way unusual for him, first to take a nap at all, and secondly, to be that out of it. Maybe he is sick, too. There was that kid who came to school with 103 fever and throwing up last week!
So, it was just me and the Bee (Hannah Bee) on the road tonight headed north to our Wednesday night church. (We met DH there!) I am teaching this quarter (back in the saddle again) and loving it. It has been some time since I have tackled a class due to all my surgeries and getting over them! I have a neat little group of pre-school through 2nd grade or so. These kids are great, because lots of them bring their friends and their cousins, and I just never know who is going to show up. One mother brought her daughter and her daughter's friend in tonight, and she mouthed the words to me that the little visitor loved the class last week and really liked "the new teacher!" That made me feel good, as I really couldn't tell if they liked me last week or not. I am still in the name-learning mode, and it is hard these days, because parents can think up some doozies! To top it all off, I have a set of boys who are twins, and they look as much alike as twins can. They are darling, and I have a bit of an edge right now because one has a cast on his arm. Put the name with the cast, and you are o.k. What WILL I do when he gets the cast off? I should be an old pro at it after having identical twin brothers, but I still have problems.
My, my, my, I have not updated in a few days, and my thoughts are skipping around. Well, Daniel got back off his senior trip, and it was tolerable, but that was about all. The sights of Washington D.C. are interesting enough, and he got some good pictures, but the places they ate and sometimes the company itself left something to be desired. Everyone was on a shoestring budget, which I can relate to, but he would have preferred to eat at the Olive Garden on his last night there instead of Taco Bell. They really did not do anything too exotic the whole week. So much for glamourous senior trips!
Remember I told you all about the "Dara" thing---the Jewish waitress who supposedly was going out with Daniel to bowl on their last night there? Well, that turned out to be a big hoax perpetrated by the other seniors and chaperones upon Daniel. He was not all too pleased when he found out. In fact, it hurt his feelings a little, because they went to such lengths to build it all up. Turns out that the female senior on the trip disguised her voice and called him and pretended to be the waitress. Everyone but Dan got a big laugh out of it all.
Then, if that wasn't bad enough, they proceeded to jump him on the way back about his religious beliefs. The other four in the van were of one faith, and Daniel was all alone in his faith. For four hours on the way back, they browbeat him about how he wasn't "saved" and needed to do something about it. It just would not have done for me to be along on that trip. I've got news for them. For every verse they can pull out of the Bible and throw at him, I can counter with a position just as based on scripture, if not more so. I don't mind mature people discussing their faith, and I even believe it is commendable to do so, but to condemn another person so flagrantly seems rather self-righteous to me. When I am teaching others from the Bible, I prefer to let the Bible speak and let the Spirit do His work! He is much more worthy to convict sinners than I! I find it presumptious of them that they can so boldly state that my son is most definitely lost and they are saved. Even if they are so sure, they don't have to be pompous and arrogant about it. What if it is the other way around? Do they want Daniel to tell them they are all lost and he is saved? I doubt it!
Oh, well, it looks like we are back to home schooling next year! (Did I just hear a big whoop out of Will?) Right now, unless there are some huge drastic changes at our school, and a few broad, sweeping apologies, we won't be going back. Things have changed this year so much from last year. I don't know what the difference is. I have my suspicions on a few things, but I hesitate to speculate.
For example, we got a letter yesterday that was sent to all the parents of the combined 5th and 6th grade class who have one new teacher in her first year. Let's just say she has made few allies this year, especially among parents. I have mostly stayed out of the wars, because my child was happy enough, and as long as he could take it, I figured I could. Besides, I have to get better at letting go of my children so that they can fight a few of their own battles so that they will not be totally lost when they hit the real world. Anyway, a group of parents marched on the school Monday to speak to the principal, and he refused to see them that day. A letter came out the next day that basically said there would be no group meeting of the parents, but concerned parents could come in "one on one" so to speak. The letter also said, in effect, that two men mainly make the policy for the school, and if we as parents do not like it, we can find another place to send our kids.
Well, you know me! I am a big sucker for getting involved in the injustices of the world...in fighting for the underdog.... I cannot just sit back and be all neutral and let people tell me to sit down and shut up because my opinions as a parent on how my child's education should be handled do not matter in the least. I don't think that I am the activist type. I don't go looking for trouble, but when it finds me, I don't tend to let misguided people tell me what to do. The Bible does say to answer a fool according to his folly (right in the verse after it says not to answer a fool according to his folly. I think the point is that there is a time and a place to deal with fools.)
Pardon me, but when a teacher yells at kids all day and even goes so far as to hit one in the head with something, that teacher might need a little guidance in the proper classroom demeanor. If I cannot be a voice for my child, who is taught to respect authority and leave the challenging of it to the big folks, then perhaps it IS time to go.
Well, that is about the extent of my random ramblings for today. I am going into panic mode now, because I just found out that graduation is 6 days earlier (June 3, 7:00 p.m. for all the local people) than I thought it was going to be! I have a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it!
Hopefully, I will be back soon, if I don't have to "wrassle" me some religious people.... :)
Well, my Mother's Day was very pleasant, despite a slight change in plans when Sarah and Hannah had wicked nights Saturday night. Sarah has had some kind of intestinal thing going, and while she is not in too much distress, she is "loose" and it is hard to take her places right now. I may have to end up breaking down and taking her to the Dr. in the next couple of days if she is not better. I am just growing weary. We did not make it out for Sunday morning services, but we had recooped enough to drag out Sunday night for services, even though I was not the most energetic that I have ever been.
Afterwards, we made a very brief but lovely stop at my Mom's house and dropped off her presents. While there, the kids and hubby gave me mine. They had gotten Sarah to grill me on what would make me happy and I said that jewelry was always nice! Except Sarah pronounces it jewrrrrrryyyyy with about 50 syllables instead of 2 or 3, and her daddy was not sure for a while what she was trying to say! The boys all went and each picked out something. They did not dare take Sarah, as she cannot keep a secret for anything yet. Sam picked out a watch, Dan and Micah each got me a bracelet with lots of the sparkley stuff I like, and Tim got me some gorgeous earrings. I only wish that someone had thought of a necklace, as I need a few more of them in choker length to cover my "nasty" thyroid scar. It is really not all that bad, but I am just sensitive to it, as it is in such a prominent place. All my other miles of scars are in places no one ever sees, but this one is like Rudolph's nose.
At any rate, Mom seemed to like her goodies. I fixed both of the mothers a "brag bag" this year---one of those totes with pictures of the kids and grandkids on it, and I got them each a pretty windchime. I got myself a chime too. I love them, and I love to hear them going out on the porch before a storm. I have got to get out there and fix it on the hook better, because it won't stay up through some of the storms we have around here. I also got Mom two crossword puzzle books, as she is off to Florida Friday with some of the family to see the grandparents and get a little R & R! She will enjoy sitting on the beach working crosswords.
But back to the main story...Anyway, Daniel came out of school today with the same loose problem. They don't have any other symptoms...no fever, no tummy ache, nothing. We surely have had some mystery illnesses this year. Someone even suggested that we have had such pitiful luck every since we moved in this house in 2000 that maybe we are located atop an Indian burial ground or something...??? I don't know, but I feel like if it were something environmental, we would all be sick. My South Carolina friend Donna found out recently that their water is polluted, and it has been for years. Her whole family is sick. When they grew up and moved out, they got better. Now, they are having to use bottled water or purified water for all cooking and consumption. It is a big hassle, but they cannot move right now.
I've wondered about this place, but none of us ever have the same symptoms at the same time. Sarah and Dan have the runs, and Sam has a sore throat. Go figure. Micah has been passed out every since he got in from school. I could not even wake him for church tonight. That is way unusual for him, first to take a nap at all, and secondly, to be that out of it. Maybe he is sick, too. There was that kid who came to school with 103 fever and throwing up last week!
So, it was just me and the Bee (Hannah Bee) on the road tonight headed north to our Wednesday night church. (We met DH there!) I am teaching this quarter (back in the saddle again) and loving it. It has been some time since I have tackled a class due to all my surgeries and getting over them! I have a neat little group of pre-school through 2nd grade or so. These kids are great, because lots of them bring their friends and their cousins, and I just never know who is going to show up. One mother brought her daughter and her daughter's friend in tonight, and she mouthed the words to me that the little visitor loved the class last week and really liked "the new teacher!" That made me feel good, as I really couldn't tell if they liked me last week or not. I am still in the name-learning mode, and it is hard these days, because parents can think up some doozies! To top it all off, I have a set of boys who are twins, and they look as much alike as twins can. They are darling, and I have a bit of an edge right now because one has a cast on his arm. Put the name with the cast, and you are o.k. What WILL I do when he gets the cast off? I should be an old pro at it after having identical twin brothers, but I still have problems.
My, my, my, I have not updated in a few days, and my thoughts are skipping around. Well, Daniel got back off his senior trip, and it was tolerable, but that was about all. The sights of Washington D.C. are interesting enough, and he got some good pictures, but the places they ate and sometimes the company itself left something to be desired. Everyone was on a shoestring budget, which I can relate to, but he would have preferred to eat at the Olive Garden on his last night there instead of Taco Bell. They really did not do anything too exotic the whole week. So much for glamourous senior trips!
Remember I told you all about the "Dara" thing---the Jewish waitress who supposedly was going out with Daniel to bowl on their last night there? Well, that turned out to be a big hoax perpetrated by the other seniors and chaperones upon Daniel. He was not all too pleased when he found out. In fact, it hurt his feelings a little, because they went to such lengths to build it all up. Turns out that the female senior on the trip disguised her voice and called him and pretended to be the waitress. Everyone but Dan got a big laugh out of it all.
Then, if that wasn't bad enough, they proceeded to jump him on the way back about his religious beliefs. The other four in the van were of one faith, and Daniel was all alone in his faith. For four hours on the way back, they browbeat him about how he wasn't "saved" and needed to do something about it. It just would not have done for me to be along on that trip. I've got news for them. For every verse they can pull out of the Bible and throw at him, I can counter with a position just as based on scripture, if not more so. I don't mind mature people discussing their faith, and I even believe it is commendable to do so, but to condemn another person so flagrantly seems rather self-righteous to me. When I am teaching others from the Bible, I prefer to let the Bible speak and let the Spirit do His work! He is much more worthy to convict sinners than I! I find it presumptious of them that they can so boldly state that my son is most definitely lost and they are saved. Even if they are so sure, they don't have to be pompous and arrogant about it. What if it is the other way around? Do they want Daniel to tell them they are all lost and he is saved? I doubt it!
Oh, well, it looks like we are back to home schooling next year! (Did I just hear a big whoop out of Will?) Right now, unless there are some huge drastic changes at our school, and a few broad, sweeping apologies, we won't be going back. Things have changed this year so much from last year. I don't know what the difference is. I have my suspicions on a few things, but I hesitate to speculate.
For example, we got a letter yesterday that was sent to all the parents of the combined 5th and 6th grade class who have one new teacher in her first year. Let's just say she has made few allies this year, especially among parents. I have mostly stayed out of the wars, because my child was happy enough, and as long as he could take it, I figured I could. Besides, I have to get better at letting go of my children so that they can fight a few of their own battles so that they will not be totally lost when they hit the real world. Anyway, a group of parents marched on the school Monday to speak to the principal, and he refused to see them that day. A letter came out the next day that basically said there would be no group meeting of the parents, but concerned parents could come in "one on one" so to speak. The letter also said, in effect, that two men mainly make the policy for the school, and if we as parents do not like it, we can find another place to send our kids.
Well, you know me! I am a big sucker for getting involved in the injustices of the world...in fighting for the underdog.... I cannot just sit back and be all neutral and let people tell me to sit down and shut up because my opinions as a parent on how my child's education should be handled do not matter in the least. I don't think that I am the activist type. I don't go looking for trouble, but when it finds me, I don't tend to let misguided people tell me what to do. The Bible does say to answer a fool according to his folly (right in the verse after it says not to answer a fool according to his folly. I think the point is that there is a time and a place to deal with fools.)
Pardon me, but when a teacher yells at kids all day and even goes so far as to hit one in the head with something, that teacher might need a little guidance in the proper classroom demeanor. If I cannot be a voice for my child, who is taught to respect authority and leave the challenging of it to the big folks, then perhaps it IS time to go.
Well, that is about the extent of my random ramblings for today. I am going into panic mode now, because I just found out that graduation is 6 days earlier (June 3, 7:00 p.m. for all the local people) than I thought it was going to be! I have a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it!
Hopefully, I will be back soon, if I don't have to "wrassle" me some religious people.... :)
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Cousins
Some friends and family have asked for more pictures....so here they are. I have been editing wedding pictures off and on as I have a few minutes, and these are from that. These are pictures of the cousins. Sarah is really close to her cousins that live here in the same state, and she misses her New Jersey and Minnesota cousins SO BADLY! Hopefully, Grandma will send me some email with some pics of the Northern cousins to post here! Meanwhile, here are a few of the kiddos at some recent events.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Monday, May 09, 2005
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