Monday, December 31, 2007

Goals for '08

I don't make resolutions, I make goals.

2008 Goals
  • Journal daily - I know this is ambitious, but I have it figured out. Even if I only journal three sentences, I want to journal at least 1 thing I learned, 1 thing I am happy for and 1 question I have everyday. I think it will be an interesting summary of 2008, and a good way to chronicle my life.
  • Roadtrip with the bro - Grand Canyon and beyond.
  • Go on an overseas trip, maybe a coffee trip.
happy new year world

Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Most Wonderful Day of the Year

Today is the day when all the children went home to spend 2 quality weeks with their parents. While we teachers roamed the hall with smiles from ear to ear, we passed panic stricken parents, who now get the joy of their children 24/7 for two weeks.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A Wonderful Christmastime

You might not know this, all you out there in blogger-land, but for many people Christmas is not at all enjoyable. I think I always had this in the back of my mind, but I never really got it. I would see the toy drives, and hear the people ringing bells for the Salvation Army, but those gifts and money would go to the invisible needy people somewhere.

I got an email today from one of the social workers from our school saying she'd received a call from a parent who can't afford to buy her children Christmas gifts. I can't imagine that feeling, and my heart breaks thinking about the parents who think about this same thing, not being able to supply a joyful Christmas for their families.

Christmas is a wonderful holiday, I have been blessed to grow up with a family who always was able to give one another gifts, and who always made Christmas a very joyful time, but now that I have faces to put on the people who aren't as blessed, my heart breaks. Many of the students at our school don't look forward to Christmas break, and are excited to come back because school is the one thing that is consistent.

So, do I have $10 to spare to give to this family so they can have Christmas...sure. It's one dinner I don't get to eat out with a friend, or one less little luxury this month. So what? My Christmas will be spent surrounded by family, with tables laden with goodies and a tree that has gifts that overflow; I can afford to give.

On another note, pray for my Gramma J. tomorrow. She's having a procedure done on her heart, and I know the Great Physician will be guiding the doctors as they work. We love you Gramma!!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Glass Plates

I have glass plates, they are blue. I like them, I don't love them...they do the job. I will probably get some nicer dishes down the road, I used these ones in college, but for now they are fine. I had a full set, 8 of everything...that is, until today.

On Sundays I have time to cook, so I enjoy making a full meal so that I can take the leftovers for lunch during the week, or freeze them for later. I feel so crazy during the week, so my dinners are usually not thought out like they are on Sundays. Today I was going to have beef that I marinated overnight. The recipe said to simmer it for over an hour the marinade and water. When I got home from church I put the ingredients into a pot, put the pot on the stove, turned on the burner and walked into the other room. I had turned the burner on high to bring it to a boil, then I was going to turn it down to a low simmer.

I was in the other room when I heard glass shattering. I went back into the kitchen, only to discover that I had accidentally turned on the wrong burner...I had turned on the burner that had a plate sitting on it. There was blue glass all over my kitchen, seriously ALL OVER the kitchen. It was in the cornbread that I had made this morning, it was in coffee mugs, it was in the clean dishes in the sink. I even found some in the stove...how it got there I have no clue. I didn't even know where to start cleaning up. So, I gathered myself after panicking for a second (and being very thankful that I wasn't in the kitchen when the plate exploded...I value my eyesight), I began picking up big pieces, then smaller ones, then I vacuumed, then I swept, and finally I mopped. What a mess.

I think the moral of the story is that people with glass plates shouldn't put them on the stove, even if the burners are all off.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Just a subtle hint in case you were wondering what to get me for Christmas.

Monday, December 10, 2007

SNOW DAY!!!

An inch of ice is expected overnight. I just saw the news every teacher dreams about...a snow day in mid-December! The unexpected day off will be filled with coffee, the Today show, phone calls I've been meaning to make, comfy pants, running if it's not too yucky, and catching up on that long list of work things to do; maybe even a fire in the fireplace.

Yippee!!!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Best Quote Ever

Student (talking to me): "What smells so good? Oh, it's just your breath."

I am so glad he didn't say it smells bad.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Mental Lists

A teacher's work is never ending. As my sister said to me today "don't you have grading or something to do?" Of course...I just have so much to do I am putting it all off (and Christmas shopping online), I am not a list maker, that is my mom through and through, I have a mental list of all the stuff I have to get done for work, so here is a day in my life as a teacher.
  • Finish giving the DIBELS test
  • Finish giving the DCA's to the students who missed last week
  • Grade the DCA's
  • Fill in the bubble sheets for the DCA's
  • Hand in the bubble sheets for the DCA's
  • Grade the writing assessment I gave like a month ago
  • Get caught up in Math
  • Have the students make their Christmas gifts for their parents
  • Figure out what to make for the staff party on Friday
  • Finish figuring out what we are going to do for our skit at the staff party on Friday
  • Plan for, write out the plans and make all the copies for my sub on Thursday morning and Monday
  • Plan for after-school tutoring next week
  • Touch base with parents about several student concerns
  • Make powerpoints for our reading vocabulary for next week
  • Clean off my desk
  • Find a place to put my new file folder games I made
  • Have parent volunteers laminate and cut out materials for folder games
  • Make folder games for math centers
  • Make new centers for up until Christmas Break
  • Copy and assemble take home books for this week's reading series
  • Get caught up on my grading for math and reading assessments
  • Copy and assemble homework packets for over Christmas break
  • and the list goes on...
I need my hours to be lengthened, a little more light in my day.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Psalm 62

My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah

Lowborn men are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie;
if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.

Do not trust in extortion
or take pride in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.

One thing God has spoken,
two things have I heard:
that you, O God, are strong,

and that you, O Lord, are loving.
Surely you will reward each person
according to what he has done.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

So, Is This Genuine Muppet Fur?

It's been cold in Kansas, so the kids are proudly breaking out their jackets. A lot of the girls have fur on the collars or lined in the hoods of their jackets. One day this week we were standing in the hall and I asked on of my students if her jacket had genuine muppet fur. She replied "I think so." I then explained what muppets were, and she thought my joke was kind of funny. I like it when people get my jokes.