This date has been stuck in my mind for more than a month. I've based other dates on it because I knew that today, Tuesday, was Sept 16. And I'm nervous.
Our first Middle School volleyball game is today. AGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! I don't know what I'm doing! Score card? Roster? Lineup? Triangles and circles on the scorecard? Looks like Greek to me....or a Kindergarten worksheet. How many subs can I put in? Should I let ALL 19 girls play? What do I do with my captain who chipped 2 teeth at practice yesterday? Can she play today? And the other 8th grader who ran into her and has a sore back and front hip? Do I put her in? Is it really just about having a good time or is it okay to want to win? I want to win!!!
(deep breath) The good thing is is that the girls LOVED the socks. We found out that if turned inside out, they are a bright blue! Who knew?! The girls were so grateful and kept talking about them. I was a little happy. Ok, A TON happy. Hmmmmm.....the work was worth it. The PE teacher (a friend) laughed at the socks when I showed them to him. I told the vball girls that he did that and then I encouraged a mass "booing" chorus. It was music to my ears and a lot of fun. :-)
So, here I go...off to teach computers and spanish and 8th grade history. THEN---game time!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Result
494 rubber bands, 38 socks, at least 60 gallons of water, the removal of those 494 rubber bands and at least 16 hours of my time resulted in this.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Good Idea, Bad Idea
Good Idea: buy white socks to tie-dye for the vball girls instead of ordering them. It would have been $160 for 19 pairs of socks. This endeavor cost me only $35.
Bad Idea: putting on all of the rubber bands BY MYSELF! 13 rubber bands/1 sock * 38 socks= 494 rubber bands. You should see my fingers. I think my hands will permanently taste like rubber bands. I started the task at 4pm. I finished at midnight. Yep, 8 hours of rubber band wrapping. AND they still aren't dyed. That's tomorrow's project. But I did find out that you can put them in the washing machine and do them ALL at the same time. Yes, yes. I know. I need to bleach out my washing machine when I'm finished. I don't plan on looking like a smurf.
Lesson Learned: The girls should pay me the $125 difference for all of the time I put into those socks. Now I know why the socks cost that much.
I hope they turn out right. I didn't try one to see if the pattern I created will give me the result I want. Let's pray!!!!!
Another bad idea: doing this when I haven't done any school work AND when I have to get up @ 6 for church tomorrow (oh....today.....)
On that note... Goodnight!
Bad Idea: putting on all of the rubber bands BY MYSELF! 13 rubber bands/1 sock * 38 socks= 494 rubber bands. You should see my fingers. I think my hands will permanently taste like rubber bands. I started the task at 4pm. I finished at midnight. Yep, 8 hours of rubber band wrapping. AND they still aren't dyed. That's tomorrow's project. But I did find out that you can put them in the washing machine and do them ALL at the same time. Yes, yes. I know. I need to bleach out my washing machine when I'm finished. I don't plan on looking like a smurf.
Lesson Learned: The girls should pay me the $125 difference for all of the time I put into those socks. Now I know why the socks cost that much.
I hope they turn out right. I didn't try one to see if the pattern I created will give me the result I want. Let's pray!!!!!
Another bad idea: doing this when I haven't done any school work AND when I have to get up @ 6 for church tomorrow (oh....today.....)
On that note... Goodnight!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Laughs at school
Over the past 24 hours, I've been privileged to experience some pretty silly things. Laughable. Memorable. Reminds me why I like to teach. Enjoy!
- 1st grader, on the way into my Spanish room- "Mamasita!!! That means hot mama in Spanish." He didn't even think-oh, maybe I shouldn't say this to my teacher. He just said it like he was saying, HOLA!
- Kindergartner leaves the Spanish room to use the bathroom and returns rather quickly. Erin, fellow teacher, in the room across from mine asks, "Did you wash your hands?" He looks shocked, replies: "Oh! I forgot!" (run run run....water running...run run run back)
- Playing Alphabeto Bingo-1st grader asks, "Can you say the letters in English?? I don't know them this way".
- Yesterday in the computer lab, I was watching the Kindergartners use KidPix, a program that is like paint but a TON more fun. Yes, I admit that I sit there and do things on it while they are working. :-) So, anyhow, yesterday, I thought that I'd have fun with them. At the teacher's computer, I can control each computer individually. So, I double-clicked on Maysa's computer and picked up the paint brush and wrote HI MAYSA! on her screen. Her reaction during the mysterious message writing was priceless. The hand that was on the mouse is now at her side, her jaw is almost on the keyboard and she isn't moving. She's just in AWE. Then she studders in astonishment: "Sen.... Senor...Senorita Peffer.... the computer wrote my name!!!!" I act just as astonished and move on to the next victim. The kid reacts the exact same way and then Maysa pipes in, "YAH! Me too!!!" "I got a smiley face!" Over and over again, I act like Ghost Writer (the greatest show on PBS) and just giggle myself into hysterics, enjoying their reactions. I then saw kids trying to duplicate what I did, so it ended up being a great teaching tool. My intent-no. My intent was to mess with their little minds. But, in the end, it was also educational. One of the kids kept saying in this woahhh voice: "The computer... it knows my name...... the computer...it knows my name....."
Monday, September 1, 2008
The First Week
Right now I should be at my aunt and uncle's, relaxing in their pool with my cousins, having great talks with my cousin Emmy, then playing a game (or 5) of croquet, eating amazing food, talking about boys with Katie, avoiding Tyson's loud bark and Lacy's toe-licking, playing Taboo, listening to Papa's stories and then a game of football and hide and seek. It's the 2nd year it hasn't happened. Last year was due to my cousin's memorial service and this year.......I don't even know. It's a mystery. No one will really say. It's really frustrating because I want to be there with everyone. It HAS to happen next year. HAS TO! Em and I will make it happen.
The first week of school is over and we've been blessed with Labor Day so we can recuperate! I always thought it annoying that we just get school started and then we have a day off-it really throws off the planning and the routines of the classroom. BUT---after the week of in-service and then the week of school, I'm super pumped about our day off!
Erwin and I are going to the pool for the LAST TIME of the summer. It's going to be packed because it's at a campground and it's a holiday, but we are going to take on the challenge. I've decided that my $65 pool pass was the best purchase of the summer. We just have to find something to do during the winter that will give us the same results as the pool-complete and utter relaxation---if you have any ideas, let me know! I think this dragging on of summer might cause a slight depression stage when we can't go to the pool.... :-(
The week was a lot of repetition for me-telling my 10 spanish classes (2 times) and my 6 computer classes the rules of my classroom and how my HUGE globe is NOT a soccer ball. We marched around my room singing the alphabeto song. It's to the tune of the military chant that they say when they are running. The had a BALL doing it! I'll be doing the same thing for the younger kids, the older kids I'm going to work on identifying the letters IN SPANISH-like spelling things in spanish letters, etc. It'll be fun.
The first day of History (after bawling my eyes out Sunday night at 10:30) went "God-Jammin" well! He totally told me what I needed to say and do. I told them they had 5 mins to write their history. They were puzzled (my goal was reached!) but wrote anyhow. We made the connections to what they wrote to what we read in history and why Biblical history is so important. Then we read outloud, talked, took notes. So, day one was great, and the other days just kinda "went". If you're a teacher, a day that just "went" does not make you feel accomplished or proud of your work. So, the next chapter WILL be different. I think I'll be working on that most of today. After the pool it's a trip to school to make this week better than last.
I think each week should only be 4 days long.........
Enjoy your Labor Day!
The first week of school is over and we've been blessed with Labor Day so we can recuperate! I always thought it annoying that we just get school started and then we have a day off-it really throws off the planning and the routines of the classroom. BUT---after the week of in-service and then the week of school, I'm super pumped about our day off!
Erwin and I are going to the pool for the LAST TIME of the summer. It's going to be packed because it's at a campground and it's a holiday, but we are going to take on the challenge. I've decided that my $65 pool pass was the best purchase of the summer. We just have to find something to do during the winter that will give us the same results as the pool-complete and utter relaxation---if you have any ideas, let me know! I think this dragging on of summer might cause a slight depression stage when we can't go to the pool.... :-(
The week was a lot of repetition for me-telling my 10 spanish classes (2 times) and my 6 computer classes the rules of my classroom and how my HUGE globe is NOT a soccer ball. We marched around my room singing the alphabeto song. It's to the tune of the military chant that they say when they are running. The had a BALL doing it! I'll be doing the same thing for the younger kids, the older kids I'm going to work on identifying the letters IN SPANISH-like spelling things in spanish letters, etc. It'll be fun.
The first day of History (after bawling my eyes out Sunday night at 10:30) went "God-Jammin" well! He totally told me what I needed to say and do. I told them they had 5 mins to write their history. They were puzzled (my goal was reached!) but wrote anyhow. We made the connections to what they wrote to what we read in history and why Biblical history is so important. Then we read outloud, talked, took notes. So, day one was great, and the other days just kinda "went". If you're a teacher, a day that just "went" does not make you feel accomplished or proud of your work. So, the next chapter WILL be different. I think I'll be working on that most of today. After the pool it's a trip to school to make this week better than last.
I think each week should only be 4 days long.........
Enjoy your Labor Day!
Monday, August 25, 2008
7 minutes
7 minutes.
I just heard Erin say "7 minutes until our first special".
It's showtime! Bring on the Kindergarten!!!
I just heard Erin say "7 minutes until our first special".
It's showtime! Bring on the Kindergarten!!!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The compliment of my life
I might have forgotten to tell some of you this. I am also coaching 5-8th grade Volleyball. I am SOOO excited about this, yet I don't really know what I'm doing. Aunt Diane has been great at sending me things and telling me what books I need to read to get ready for this adventure. I've had all of the girls in PE or in class, so it'll be nice to go into a group of girls I'm familiar with. I can't wait to get to know them better and to have fun with them and to coach them. I'm sure I'll be on the phone a lot with her, running things past her to see if I'm doing it right. The season is REALLY short-Sept and October- so it'll be here and over before I know it. (At least that's what I'm told...I'll tell you later if it was true!)
We just had a week of inservice which included early mornings, sessions and LONG nights of preparing the classroom. On Thursday my friends and I were there from 8:30am to 11:45pm. Yep. This is why teachers get all summer off. Last night was Back to School Night, which is where all the kids and parents come and meet their teachers. They don't really care to meet the Elementary Spanish teacher, so I was in the middle school orientation for 8th grade history. After it was over, the elementary coordinator tells me that the principal was looking for me. She tells me, "Mr. Jones said that the Spanish room has never looked better than it does now with the and 3 or 4 spanish teachers we've had and the 20+ years that he's been at the school." This is coming from a man who notices NOTHING and if he does notice something, he doesn't really tell you. He is a man of VERY FEW compliments. Maybe one every five years. My jaw would have hit the FLOOR if it was possible. I got the compliment of my life. I was so elated I didn't know what to say back.
Today Erin and I decided we needed on last "Hoorah for Summer" so we went to the pool and read a "fun book". We needed one last relaxing day before our year begins. School starts on Monday. I have no clue what I'm going to say or what I'm going to teach, or what I'm going to wear (ALWAYS important :-). I'm heading in to school now to write lesson plans for the week of History and probably the next month of computer and Spanish.
Prayer requests
Flexibility for teaching the lower grades
Ability to teach 7 different grades
Excitement for American History class
Volleyball
Desiring and keeping a constant walk with Christ
We just had a week of inservice which included early mornings, sessions and LONG nights of preparing the classroom. On Thursday my friends and I were there from 8:30am to 11:45pm. Yep. This is why teachers get all summer off. Last night was Back to School Night, which is where all the kids and parents come and meet their teachers. They don't really care to meet the Elementary Spanish teacher, so I was in the middle school orientation for 8th grade history. After it was over, the elementary coordinator tells me that the principal was looking for me. She tells me, "Mr. Jones said that the Spanish room has never looked better than it does now with the and 3 or 4 spanish teachers we've had and the 20+ years that he's been at the school." This is coming from a man who notices NOTHING and if he does notice something, he doesn't really tell you. He is a man of VERY FEW compliments. Maybe one every five years. My jaw would have hit the FLOOR if it was possible. I got the compliment of my life. I was so elated I didn't know what to say back.
Today Erin and I decided we needed on last "Hoorah for Summer" so we went to the pool and read a "fun book". We needed one last relaxing day before our year begins. School starts on Monday. I have no clue what I'm going to say or what I'm going to teach, or what I'm going to wear (ALWAYS important :-). I'm heading in to school now to write lesson plans for the week of History and probably the next month of computer and Spanish.
Prayer requests
Flexibility for teaching the lower grades
Ability to teach 7 different grades
Excitement for American History class
Volleyball
Desiring and keeping a constant walk with Christ
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Hyperventilating.....
It hit me.
Today, it hit me hard.
School is starting soon and I'm doing 4 BRAND new things...it's my 3rd first year....there is this sudden urge to go hide under a rock and breathe really really fast.
I feel a panic attack coming on....literally....
Today was full of whirlwind things. I had to move things to my other classroom, where I realized (and was told) that I need to figure out what I'm going to do with all of my "normal" classroom things so I will make room for the Spanish stuff. I have no clue what I'm going to be using during the school year. I might need my left over lion's mane and my Hawaiian hat. At the same time. Who knows! Then I asked when Volleyball started and she told me. The second day of school. I got this panicky look on my face and then was told, don't worry, the season will be over so fast that you won't have time to realize you're overwhelmed.
What a comfort.
It's too late! I'm overwhelmed already. 10 classes of Spanish (2 times a week), 6 classes of computer, and 8th grade History. Where do I even begin??
Tomorrow Erin and I have decided to put the idea of school off ANOTHER day and go for our last fling at the pool. Then a trip to IKEA with the new roommate Wendy and her parents, for some needed furniture and some therapy for Erin and I.
It's so easy to say, Oh yah, I trust that God will give me the strength to do this, sure! It's NOT so easy to actually TRUST and remember that you have chosen to TRUST.
Please Lord. Calm my anxious heart. Help me to breathe.
Today, it hit me hard.
School is starting soon and I'm doing 4 BRAND new things...it's my 3rd first year....there is this sudden urge to go hide under a rock and breathe really really fast.
I feel a panic attack coming on....literally....
Today was full of whirlwind things. I had to move things to my other classroom, where I realized (and was told) that I need to figure out what I'm going to do with all of my "normal" classroom things so I will make room for the Spanish stuff. I have no clue what I'm going to be using during the school year. I might need my left over lion's mane and my Hawaiian hat. At the same time. Who knows! Then I asked when Volleyball started and she told me. The second day of school. I got this panicky look on my face and then was told, don't worry, the season will be over so fast that you won't have time to realize you're overwhelmed.
What a comfort.
It's too late! I'm overwhelmed already. 10 classes of Spanish (2 times a week), 6 classes of computer, and 8th grade History. Where do I even begin??
Tomorrow Erin and I have decided to put the idea of school off ANOTHER day and go for our last fling at the pool. Then a trip to IKEA with the new roommate Wendy and her parents, for some needed furniture and some therapy for Erin and I.
It's so easy to say, Oh yah, I trust that God will give me the strength to do this, sure! It's NOT so easy to actually TRUST and remember that you have chosen to TRUST.
Please Lord. Calm my anxious heart. Help me to breathe.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Another Joy of Living Here
Remember how I told you one of the perks of living in DC were the men in uniform??? Well, I found another one! Last night Nate, Laura, Erin and I headed into the district for "Screen on the Green." During the summer they show movies on the lawn of the Capitol. All I could think of while I was there was the scene in The Wedding Planner, with Jennifer Lopez sitting on the reserved tree branch with Matthew McConaughey, talking about brown M&Ms and how they are best for you because they don't have any food coloring-because chocolate's already brown. The only thing that was missing was the reserved tree, Matthew McConaughey and the brown M&Ms. :-) (By the middle of the movie, Erin and I were really wishing we had that reserved tree....laying on the ground is rough!) Even with those things missing, it was still an amazing time.
So, with the Capitol building shining brightly and standing majestically behind the movie screen, the Washington Monument standing even taller behind us, a Merry Melody cartoon began playing, with that slobbery Sylvester interrupting someone's sleep. After that was over, the most bizarre thing happened....the HBO symbol showed up on the screen, a little song began to play, and people sparatically stood up and started jumping up and down while waving their arms and heads side to side. It was SOOOOO odd!! We didn't know what to do! We looked around at people, making eye contact, and they kept going as if this was a normal thing to do! I still don't understand, but all the regulars seemed to have great ol' time doing the movie dance.
Rachael is in VA!!!!!!!!! I'm going to enjoy some time at her Dad's house, ski-dooing, hanging out etc and then she's coming up here Monday-Wed and then we are going to Baltimore to enjoy that city and take Rach to the airport. I'm going to take Rach to the Screen on the Green so she can enjoy the whole experience.
I might even join in on the movie dance..........
So, with the Capitol building shining brightly and standing majestically behind the movie screen, the Washington Monument standing even taller behind us, a Merry Melody cartoon began playing, with that slobbery Sylvester interrupting someone's sleep. After that was over, the most bizarre thing happened....the HBO symbol showed up on the screen, a little song began to play, and people sparatically stood up and started jumping up and down while waving their arms and heads side to side. It was SOOOOO odd!! We didn't know what to do! We looked around at people, making eye contact, and they kept going as if this was a normal thing to do! I still don't understand, but all the regulars seemed to have great ol' time doing the movie dance.
Rachael is in VA!!!!!!!!! I'm going to enjoy some time at her Dad's house, ski-dooing, hanging out etc and then she's coming up here Monday-Wed and then we are going to Baltimore to enjoy that city and take Rach to the airport. I'm going to take Rach to the Screen on the Green so she can enjoy the whole experience.
I might even join in on the movie dance..........
Monday, July 28, 2008
Desire and Discipline
I feel like I'm all mixed up. I feel like the world is spinning, yet I'm standing still...and I'm getting quite dizzy. Nauseous. Confused. Anxious. Unsettled. Restless. Empty. Lonely.
Every summer since I can remember, I've always started to long for structure around the beginning of August. I would talk to myself, saying---Abby, are you dumb? It's summer! Who wants to go to school, come home, do homework, eat, study more, shower and go to bed everyday, in that order! Be free! Enjoy the laziness of summer! Don't worry!
Well, I'm a creature of habit. I'm longing for it. As I'm typing this, I'm yelling at myself. I've had one AMAZING summer and I shouldn't want it to end. I feel so mixed up. I was home in PA for a month and then I was back in VA for 5 days and then I left for church camp where I was a counselor for the Older girls (rising 6th and 7th graders). I got home on Saturday and didn't know what to do with myself. Today was church and spending time with friends. Again, I felt so out of the loop about things that I didn't want to hear one more thing that I missed. I'm leaving for Richmond on Thursday morning to visit Rach at her dad's, where we'll veg, spend time with her family, ride sea doos, and have great conversations--ones that have been on the back burner because we haven't seen each other for a long time. I'm so excited to see her! But it's another addition to my craziness feeling.
Desire without Discipline always results in Disappointment.
Tonight at Frontline, this hit my soul. I feel so mixed up because I have all of these desires, yet no discipline.
Desires
Teach overseas
Spend time in God's word and reawaken and deepen my stagnant relationship with Him
Learn Spanish
Teach overseas
Destroy my debt
Casual, confident conversation and mingling with guys, leading to dating
Prepare for school
Teach overseas
Make my house a home
Destroy my debt
All these things I want, yet I'm doing NOTHING to make it happen. Nothing. How can God even take me serious about teaching overseas when I'm not trying? I need to make my relationship real with Him, I need to grow the desire for evangelism and I need to destroy my debt. I'm not even making one ounce of effort to save. I'm not spending like crazy, but I'm not budgeted.
Disappointment. I think that sums up all those feelings.
Every summer since I can remember, I've always started to long for structure around the beginning of August. I would talk to myself, saying---Abby, are you dumb? It's summer! Who wants to go to school, come home, do homework, eat, study more, shower and go to bed everyday, in that order! Be free! Enjoy the laziness of summer! Don't worry!
Well, I'm a creature of habit. I'm longing for it. As I'm typing this, I'm yelling at myself. I've had one AMAZING summer and I shouldn't want it to end. I feel so mixed up. I was home in PA for a month and then I was back in VA for 5 days and then I left for church camp where I was a counselor for the Older girls (rising 6th and 7th graders). I got home on Saturday and didn't know what to do with myself. Today was church and spending time with friends. Again, I felt so out of the loop about things that I didn't want to hear one more thing that I missed. I'm leaving for Richmond on Thursday morning to visit Rach at her dad's, where we'll veg, spend time with her family, ride sea doos, and have great conversations--ones that have been on the back burner because we haven't seen each other for a long time. I'm so excited to see her! But it's another addition to my craziness feeling.
Desire without Discipline always results in Disappointment.
Tonight at Frontline, this hit my soul. I feel so mixed up because I have all of these desires, yet no discipline.
Desires
Teach overseas
Spend time in God's word and reawaken and deepen my stagnant relationship with Him
Learn Spanish
Teach overseas
Destroy my debt
Casual, confident conversation and mingling with guys, leading to dating
Prepare for school
Teach overseas
Make my house a home
Destroy my debt
All these things I want, yet I'm doing NOTHING to make it happen. Nothing. How can God even take me serious about teaching overseas when I'm not trying? I need to make my relationship real with Him, I need to grow the desire for evangelism and I need to destroy my debt. I'm not even making one ounce of effort to save. I'm not spending like crazy, but I'm not budgeted.
Disappointment. I think that sums up all those feelings.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Count down to family vacation: 22 hours!!!
Just wanted to let you know that things have gotten better since my last blog. I've enjoyed being LAZY, trying to get back my time that I gave to work all school year. I think I worked 60 hour weeks. Literally. I think I'm entitled to some R & R., don't you??
I traveled with Laurie (AND Tomtom, the most amazing present ever, and to prevent the last entry from happening again----THANKS DAD AND JAY!!!!!) to Naomi and Louis's wedding. It was so amazing. I loved it. Pictures will be coming soon.
So, tomorrow we are leaving (Mom, Dad, Jay, Abby (the sister-in-law, to clear up the confusion), Me, Craig and Ty) to go camping at Ohiopyle State park. We hope to go to Falling Water, white water rafting, canoeing, biking, paintballing, natural water sliding, play some tennis, volleyball, hillbilly golf, boardgames, and MAYBE get some sleep and some fire watching in. Dad is exhausted just listening to the list of things we want to do. We just want to play together. It's been so long since us siblings and parents played. AND we get to smell like campfire. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
Until July 7....Adios!
Just wanted to let you know that things have gotten better since my last blog. I've enjoyed being LAZY, trying to get back my time that I gave to work all school year. I think I worked 60 hour weeks. Literally. I think I'm entitled to some R & R., don't you??
I traveled with Laurie (AND Tomtom, the most amazing present ever, and to prevent the last entry from happening again----THANKS DAD AND JAY!!!!!) to Naomi and Louis's wedding. It was so amazing. I loved it. Pictures will be coming soon.
So, tomorrow we are leaving (Mom, Dad, Jay, Abby (the sister-in-law, to clear up the confusion), Me, Craig and Ty) to go camping at Ohiopyle State park. We hope to go to Falling Water, white water rafting, canoeing, biking, paintballing, natural water sliding, play some tennis, volleyball, hillbilly golf, boardgames, and MAYBE get some sleep and some fire watching in. Dad is exhausted just listening to the list of things we want to do. We just want to play together. It's been so long since us siblings and parents played. AND we get to smell like campfire. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
Until July 7....Adios!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Abby and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
On Saturday, I had one of the worst days possible. The image above (created by Ty and me) really sums up my day.
I left Rachel Delp's house at 10:20, which is plenty of time to get to the wedding at 1:00 in Williamsport, 2 hours away. I was doing fine until I missed my exit and had to turn around. No problem. As I was going back south, I saw a sign for a road that I was going to need. So, instead of going back to the exit I was supposed to get off of, I decided that it would be better to get off here, saving time. I kept driving, trying to find 22W. I found S. Carlton street which was supposed to take me to 22W. But, it turned into 320E. I thought that maybe it was a different name for it, until I realized that they are opposite directions and couldn't POSSIBLY be the same thing. That's when I started to panic. Harrisburg is so confusing! I called dad, starting to tear up, asking him for help. I had to call mom because dad wasn't near a computer. I got back on the highway and took the wrong road. Called dad again and Jay and him were on speaker phone, trying to find me on googlemaps. Then I heard Jay say...uh...too far up... it was going to take me 1 hour and 45 mins to get to the wedding. Time: 12:15. AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started bawling. How in the world could this happen??? I was having second thoughts about going to this wedding but decided I needed to go, and now this! Jay and Dad were doing their best to make me feel better, but all I wanted to do was cry and drive home. After hanging up with them, I cried my heart out to God, pleading for direction and speed. I was so mad.
I was coming up to the church and saw the bridal party standing outside on the deck. Yep..... I missed the wedding. The ceremony just ended and I walked into the basement and up the back stairs. No one would know that I missed it! People didn't see me at the ceremony and were asking if I was there. I had to tell them the drama, so my secret was out.
I got to see Nomes, which was GREAT. She's so excited for her wedding in two weeks. I also saw a lot of other people from BBC, but it wasn't as great as I anticipated. I was expecting to be attacked with hugs and compliments on my dress, necklace, etc., but I wasn't. It was a "hey" from most of them. I know that after college, things change and everyone gets into different stages of life, but I hoped that friendships could have endured through that. Yeah, so most of my friends are married. It doesn't mean we can't talk on the phone or have a great time when we are together. It was just a big let down. The newlyweds were BEAUTIFUL, the reception was great and yummy, and their dance was amazing, but the reuniting with old friends wasn't so great. Even though I wished it to be different, I almost half expected it.
I left for home around 5:30, found Rt 80 just fine, and thought I was golden. I could drive Rt 80 home with my eyes closed! BUT, there were 2 torrential downpours while I was driving, causing me to hydroplane a couple of times and fear for my life. THEN, I get a message on the AM station that a section of 80 was closed and I needed to follow a detour. A DETOUR!!! At this point, I thought, what next? A speeding ticket? An accident? A flat tire? Come on, I'm ready for it! It couldn't get worse!
Getting on 79 was priceless, and then seeing the outlets was amazing. I stopped off at MCDs for a McFlurry, something to make me feel better. I got home at 10 and was greeted with big hugs, 6 roses, new carpet and bed in my room and cable on my TV!
So, that's the saga of Saturday. I'm so glad it's over.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Can you hear it?
Listen......can you hear that?? Can you hear it???
It's the sound of summer vacation.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........................
It's the sound of summer vacation.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..........................
Monday, June 2, 2008
The home stretch!
All the papers are checked. The grades are in. The room looks bare. SCHOOL IS ALMOST OUT!
Today was the last Monday of the school year, and the first day of the last week of school. I didn't really have a last week of school last year. We went on our class trip and then we had musical practice all week, then graduation and done! Today I had my kids turn in their science books. We are studying smoking and the affects it has on a person. It's been pretty cool to see their responses. A lot of kids have relatives that smoke and they are now really worried about them. I'm doing my best to gross them out to keep them away from it.
You know, the good ol' healthy lung/smoker lung comparison and the x ray of someone smoking and how it shows up on the picture. I also showed them pictures of mouth cancer and lung cancer and heart disease...all the things that you are at risk for. It was really interesting to listen to the questions of some of the kids. They were asking questions without saying, "I'm afraid my dad's going to die. What do I do". They were getting good at asking questions in third person.
Do any of you remember the 30 min after school special with all of the cartoon characters (Daffy, Bugs, Alf, Kermit and Miss Piggy, Teenage mutant ninja turtles, the chipmunks, etc) together, telling us not to do drugs? Well.....I found it on google video!!!! Its called Cartoon All stars http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-940551580328756105&hl=en. I warned them that it might be a little funny (seeing that the cartoon people were wearing 80s cartoon clothes) but that the subject was very serious and they needed to be mature and learn. I showed half of it to my kids today and they really want to see the rest. They are so curious about drugs and what things are that their attention is focused. I need to use that to teach them things they need to know. I think that Christian schools and churches in general do a bad job of informing kids with a biblical view of issues. They just hide from them. Kids brought up in strict Christian households grow up believing that sex is a BAD thing and that it is a sin to talk about it. Drugs are not to be talked about, but completely avoided. Forbiddence breeds curiosity and experimentation! (climbing down off of my soap box)
All that to say....just 3 and 1/2 more days of school with my favorite 5th graders. I keep looking forward to a break and a change, but I forget this is my last time with them as my class. It's my last time as a 5th grade teacher (for now!). Wow.
Today was the last Monday of the school year, and the first day of the last week of school. I didn't really have a last week of school last year. We went on our class trip and then we had musical practice all week, then graduation and done! Today I had my kids turn in their science books. We are studying smoking and the affects it has on a person. It's been pretty cool to see their responses. A lot of kids have relatives that smoke and they are now really worried about them. I'm doing my best to gross them out to keep them away from it.
You know, the good ol' healthy lung/smoker lung comparison and the x ray of someone smoking and how it shows up on the picture. I also showed them pictures of mouth cancer and lung cancer and heart disease...all the things that you are at risk for. It was really interesting to listen to the questions of some of the kids. They were asking questions without saying, "I'm afraid my dad's going to die. What do I do". They were getting good at asking questions in third person.
Do any of you remember the 30 min after school special with all of the cartoon characters (Daffy, Bugs, Alf, Kermit and Miss Piggy, Teenage mutant ninja turtles, the chipmunks, etc) together, telling us not to do drugs? Well.....I found it on google video!!!! Its called Cartoon All stars http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-940551580328756105&hl=en. I warned them that it might be a little funny (seeing that the cartoon people were wearing 80s cartoon clothes) but that the subject was very serious and they needed to be mature and learn. I showed half of it to my kids today and they really want to see the rest. They are so curious about drugs and what things are that their attention is focused. I need to use that to teach them things they need to know. I think that Christian schools and churches in general do a bad job of informing kids with a biblical view of issues. They just hide from them. Kids brought up in strict Christian households grow up believing that sex is a BAD thing and that it is a sin to talk about it. Drugs are not to be talked about, but completely avoided. Forbiddence breeds curiosity and experimentation! (climbing down off of my soap box)
All that to say....just 3 and 1/2 more days of school with my favorite 5th graders. I keep looking forward to a break and a change, but I forget this is my last time with them as my class. It's my last time as a 5th grade teacher (for now!). Wow.
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