3 Weeks

I'm already counting down the days unitl Christmas break.  Only 3 more weeks... 15 school days... I can make it.

December 25th

A 3rd grader just asked me for a book about Christmas because his birthday is December 25th.  He said, "My birthday is special because it's God's birthday, too."

Hymns

We rushed home to try to make it to the 5th Sunday Sing. I love requesting our favorite hymns. I love the memories of certain churches, people, and events that each hymn brings. I love praising God in song. What a nice way to start the season of advent.

Where To Start

Here are some of the random things I would have posted about had I had internet access over the past few days.

1. I love that there is no cell phone service at the cabin. School couldn't reach me on Tuesday morning.
2. Nate's family sure likes to pick at each other. I think you win when you make someone yell at the top of their lungs, cuss, or cry.
3. I'm reading Fluke by Christopher Moore. It's really funny.
4. I feel so fortunate that I get to spend Thanksgiving with both my family and Nate's.
5. My favorite Thanksgiving food is stuffing. I love that both my mom and my mother-in-law make great stuffing (not dressing!)
6. Beatles Rock Band makes you really, really want to sing harmony- even if you can't.
7. Speed Scrabble is my favorite board game. I like that I've been playing it long enough now that I don't totally suck at it.

When I Wake Up

I can't tell you how happy it makes me to know that when I wake up, I will be at the cabin.  The first thing I will see when I open my eyes is the sun rising over the mountians.  I love the cabin!

Christmas Tradition

Tonight I get to do our favorite (and really only) LaGrange Christmas tradition.  I get to eat a delicious dinner at Ms. Beth's and then help put up her Christmas decorations.  I can hardly wait!

Dehydrator

After eating yummy dehydrated pineapple and apple sauce (tastes like the best fruit roll up ever!) yesterday, I want one of these.

SOA

Nate and I spent the whole day (9AM- 10PM) at the School of the Americas Rally. It was a day full of interesting conversations, good food, and great people watching.

Clarity

Being away from school is good. It gives me time to process the situation and then to stop thinking about it.

Step Into My Office

Every few minutes, another teacher walks into my office and closes the door to hear the about last night's meeting.  I am a disseminator of information.  I have no idea what we are going to do.  This sucks big time.

Confused

I don't know what to say about the meeting except that I'm both planning my speech for the December meeting and researching the schools in Decatur.

Meetings

Going to the Board of Ed meeting and then to a SPRC training/meeting. Fun night for me.

Surrender

I woke up singing the hymn "I Surrender All."  Surely this is a sign from God.  I'm trying not to worry about the meeting tonight and trying to trust that God is in control.

That Man

I love Nate so much. Even when I am really upset or mad, he can always make me laugh. I don't know what I'd do without that man.

What Will I Do?

I don't know what to do.  I don't know what I will do.  I need God to intervene.

Not a Rumor

We recieved an email stating that a proposal to "restructure" the school will be made at tomorrow night's board meeting though no action will be taken... yet. 

Rumors

I just heard a rumor that they are going to vote on closing our school at the board meeting tomorrow night.  Surely it's not true.

Blah

I dread getting up every morning.  I'm fine once the day gets rolling, but those first few hours... I need to get out of this funk.

Better

I went to a meeting this afternoon. It inspired me to be a better media specialist. I have big plans.

Elmo

Today I taught a lesson on Encylopedias to a 3rd grade class.  It was extra fun because I got to use our new Elmo (the digital visual presentor- not the fuzzy red Sesame Street character).  I was able to project the encyclopedia on a screen so all the students could see!

My Dadima Wears a Sari

I just finished reading a book about saris to the 3rd grade.  A 4th grader who is from India brought in one of her mother's saris and we demonstrated how it is worn on the teacher.  So cool!

Joy in the Little Things

I'm having trouble finding joy at school these past few weeks.  Here are the things I should find joy in today:

• a scoop of apple crisp in my oatmeal
• getting to read to the 3rd grade
• pretty weather
• no meetings after school
• a swiss cake roll in my lunch

So Proud

My sister just got a HUGE scholarship! Wanna know how she found out? Not a letter, not a phone call, not even an email... she noticed a very large deposit in her checking account from the organization! Congratulations, Laura!

Prank Wars

We just watched these and you should too. Start with the first- the get progressively more elaborate and humiliating. I was totally enthralled.

Tulips and Daffodils

I am enjoying this beautiful day by building a little flower garden in the front yard and planting some bulbs.

Pajamas til Noon!

It's almost 12:00 and I'm still in my PJs!

Reading

I am thoroughly enjoying spending most of this evening reading.

Rock Star Day

Today is dress like a rock star day. Only about 30 students and one teacher dressed up. That one teacher is me. I have an awesome faux-hawk.

Gone with the Wind

As a teacher or librarian, I have shown Gone with the Wind 4 times (including once today) but I've never seen the whole thing- only pieces. 

Substitute

No one told me that I am the substitute teacher for 8th grade today until 11:00 but apparently I am.  Very, very frustrated.

Nonstop

My day has just kept going and going. Straight from a full day of middle schoolers, I went to Home Depot, Kroger, DFCS, the recycling center, and the library. Just now sat down for the first time since lunch. Whew!

Disrespectful

Today, all of the 6th and 8th graders will come to the library where they will return, renew, and check out books, read, roll their eyes, huff, and mutter under their breath.

Just Like Real Homeowners

We noticed a wet spot on the living room ceiling yesterday. So today, we went into the attic for the first time. Yes, we've lived here for 2.5 years and never went into the attic until today. After a little snooping around, it looks it's only something we'll have to worry about if it keeps raining like it did yesterday. This whole experience makes me wonder when I'll become good at being an adult.

Little Organ Annie

I got the most amazing surprise package today. It came from the Georgia Department of Nutrition. Her name is Little Organ Annie. Her abdomen opens to reveal her Organ Pals that live inside her. If that wasn't cool enough, her head opens too to show off her brain!

Free to a Good Home

One male, bobtail, black cat who will wake you up at 5 AM, dig in your plants, poop on the carpet, eat your food if you look away for one second, attack your feet, climb on the counter, bite through all your cables and chew on your friends' purses.

Any takers?  No?  I don't blame you.  I don't really want him either.

Homemade Dinner- And I'm Not Cooking!

Margaret volunteered to come to my house and cook dinner for me, Noelle, and Megs. Hurray! Girls' Night!

Disappointing

Only 2 kids answered the trivia question today.  I need to find a way to get the kids more excited about Teen Read Week or I should just stop doing it.

Trivia Question #2

 Teen Read Week Trivia Question #2

 

This solo artist is a real loner.  He says the greatest influences on his music are nature and a plane crash he was involoved in.

 

Yesterday's Winner- JULIA! (she was the only one who answered, but she answered correctly!)

Worry

I worry about Nate every day when he drives up to Atlanta and back.  I worry about him extra today as he makes the drive in the pouring rain.  Please pray for his safety.

PJs

I came home at 4:15 and immediately put my pajamas. A nap, some Ben and Jerry's, and a movie later, I feel wonderful.

Read Like A Rock Star

This week we are celebrating Teen Read Week.  Our theme is "Read Like a Rock Star."  Here is the trivia question for the day- see if you can get it right.

 

Imagine that some of the characters from your favorite books formed a band.  I'm going to describe what that band might look and sound like.  See if you can guess the book or series these characters come from.

 

These 3 siblings rose to fame despite the tragic and untimely death of their parents and the constant attempts of their uncle to steal what is rightfully theirs. 

Sleep, Please

All I want to do is lay in bed.

Sunday Night Blues

I've got the "I Don't Want to Go To School Tomorrow, Why Was the Weekend So Short" blues.

Alone at Last

After a people-filled weekend, Nate and I are alone. So what do we do? Invite Noelle and Chuck over for dinner, of course. I guess in the end, we just like having people in our house.

Sleeping

Sleeping is the hardest part of doing respite care. Since we don't know the kids well, my mind concocts the worst things that could be happening while I am unconscious. Thankfully, the worst thing that happens is that I don't sleep well because I worry so much.

Cross Country, Walmart, and Rock Band

This morning we met Dad at the lake for the last cross country race of the season (beautiful weather and great company!).
This afternoon I took the boys to Walmart and we only had one melt down.
This evening Nate and Chris went out for dinner with some friends and Laura and I are being entertained by a Rock Band concert in our living room :)

Full House

15 or so people have come over for the bonfire (staggered through the past 3 hours)
2 kids, my sister, and my brother in law are staying in our house tonight.
It's been a very fun, people-filled night.

Bon Fire

I'm going home tp get things settled for the boys and then set up the backyard because we're having a little bon fire tonight.

Call Number

When I write my memoir and they make it into a book and that book is in a library, the call number will be 921 Bau.  Just so you know.

Routine

My morning routine is totally messed up.  I am just now eating breakfast.  It all started because I was stressing about having kids here today and then for some reason I brushed my teeth.  I did the last thing in my routine first.  didn't know what to do next.  I was completely thrown off.  I had no idea what a creature of habit I have become, but I was almost nonfuctional this morning because of this little break in proceedures.  Hopefully the rest of the day will go smoothly.

Selfish

I woke up panicking about keeping kids this weekend.  I feel horrible saying this, but what stresses me out the most is how much "me time" I'll have to give up. 

Respite

We just agreed to keep 11 and 13 year old brothers for the weekend.

Notting Hill

Nate is off to trivia for the 2nd night in a row and I am again watching movies and working on his Christmas present. Tonight's film- Notting Hill.

Speak

I'm really enjoying the book I am currently reading, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I think that librarians should be allowed to sit and read for a few hours during the day.  You know, to set a good example for the students.

"Borrowed"

Our Little Neighbor came over this afternoon. We got him a new bike tire and he helped us with yard work (because neighbors help each other, as I told him). Only when we went to pump up the new tire, the pump was gone. It usually stays in a box on the porch.
LN: Maybe it's been stolen.
Me: (keeping my cool) Maybe someone borrowed it and will bring it back.
LN: Oh yeah, I think I saw someone with it the other day. I bet if I ask them, they'll bring it back.
LN comes back with the pump and says the guys who borrowed it were sorry.
I feel good about this interaction. I think that by staying calm and assuming the best of people, I allowed LN an easy way to return the pump (it's pretty obvious he took it, right?)

Too Pretty

It's too pretty out to sit in a faculty meeting.  I hope it's a short one or I will be making excuses to leave early.

Computer Question

I think I'm getting headaches from looking at the computer screen too much.  Is there any way I can do my computer work and avoid the headaches?

So bored

Without any students to interrupt me, I've had no choice but to process books.  It's a tedious job.  Hopefully seeing the kids enjoy checking them out later will make it worth all of this boring work.

Vision and Hearing

Vision and hearing screenings will be held in the media center from 8-11.  I wish someone had told me ahead of time.

Much Better

Though my day at work felt unproductive because it was full of little things, my afternoon has felt much more productive. I raked leaves, spray painted some chairs, went out and bought deck cleaner, washed dishes, unloaded the dishwasher, baked bread, made dinner (chicken alfredo), made apple crisp for dessert AND had time to work on Nate's Christmas present. Goooo me!

Part of the Job

It's almost lunch time, half way through my day, and I can't really account for all of that time.  I think it's because I do a lot of little things- things that you wouldn't even mention if you were talking about your day.  Like stopping students in the hall to lecture them on sagging pants.  Or helping students find that perfect book.  Or restarting computers for teachers.  All those little things add up to a morning I can't remember.

Sunrise

It is so nice to have the sun rise before I leave for school.

Wontons!

Nate and I made Wontons for dinner and they are really good! Here's the recipe.