Challenges and Opportunities

So many things have happened this school year, I'm not even sure where to begin. One of the biggest challenges was overcoming WHOOPING COUGH. Now who in the world still gets whooping cough? Apparently a LOT of people in Cobb County. Apparently CDC decided a few years ago that we no longer needed the booster in our tetnus shots anymore so they took them out. So when I had my shot 3 years ago I didn't get the booster. Now when you work with 9 year olds you pick up every little cootie bug they bring in the classroom. So from mid-September to the end of October my doctor kept treating me for bronchitis (which is the common mis-diagnosis in adults). So after 2 antibiotics and a steroid they decided to test for whooping cough and try one of the TWO antibiotics that whooping cough responds to. I got the news at school and was told that I had to stay home for 10 days. When I started crying on the phone with the nurse, she got the doctor to change it to 7 days. I was SO bored, but I was so glad to start feeling better. Do you know that the cough stuck around until nearly Christmas? Check with your doctor to make sure you have this booster. You do NOT want to get this. Think about bronchitis and multiply it by 10 and you will have an idea what this was like.

During this time I started working with a child at home who had a brain tumor removed this past summer with the plan of having her join my class in December. What a little spark of joy she is. My whooping cough is nothing compared to what she and her family have been going through. Having her in my class has made my children more aware of and caring toward others. I had a new student start on a day I was out. The sub didn't greet the parents or the child. The students got up and greeted her, found her a desk and chair, gave her a name tag and took care of her all day. Mom told me about it the next day and about how impressed she was with the students. I was too!

Also in this time period that I was dealing with whooping cough I was selected as the 11 Alive Class Act Teacher Award. Luckily this happened on a week when I was finishing up a round of antibiotics so the cough was hiding under the medication. They came in and filmed for 2 hours. The children where so excited to perform a puppet show for the news. They have great shots of my students doing their thing, but out of all the things I said, the only segment I spoke through has me stating some cliche about teaching keeping me young. I cringe every time the clip is shown, which it was in November.

In November I was selected as the MCS Employee of the Month. Hooray. I got a great award and CASH. But of course, I had to watch the clip again. Yuck. Haha.

And my newest challenge now is going to be cyber teaching. Hopefully this week I will begin recording lessons for C to watch at home in the afternoons or evenings. This ought to be fun. Cross your fingers.

All for now.

Father's Day Thoughts

This poem always reminds me of my dad-U.S. Navy, retired. Growing up as a Navy brat was a wonderful adventure. Love you, Daddy - you will always be the Captain of our family!

I Must Go Down to the Sea

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea's face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.


by John Masefield

Surgery Sillies

Being late for preop was about the only thing I was nervous about Wednesday morning. Since I told my mom I had to be at surgery 15 minutes earlier than the hospital had instructed, I didn't even panic when she showed up 15 minutes late so I was very calm going in. I think my mother was more nervous than I was, though my blood pressure showed I had a little apprehension. However, when I met Paul, the anesthesiologist, even that seemed to dissipate. As soon as he entered the room and introduced himself things got very silly. Right away I could tell he was not from the South, so I questioned where he was from...New York. He sounded just like Barry Manilow when he spoke which of course I had to mention. Paul then offered to sing me one of Barry's songs if I would tell him which one. I chose the first one to come to my mind "I Write the Songs." Paul, a.k.a. Barry, went about his business and came in a few minutes later saying he couldn't find the words but would sing it if I would help him with the words. However, I thought of Copacobana which the Barry-impersonating anesthesiologist did seem to know since he started right in singing "Her name was Lola. She was a showgirl. With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there...At the Copa, Copacabana music and passion were always the fashion. At the Copa....they fell in l-oooo-vvv--e!" By then I had tears in my eyes from laughing, and this was BEFORE the medicine began. We decided that medical show, E.R., needed a new character - one singing anesthesiologist who loves Barry Manilow songs. A few minutes later Paul started the sedations and as I was going down for the count I heard him singing "Can't Smile Without You." I went under with a song in my heart and a smile on my face. I doubt anyone in the world will ever experience a surgical procedure the way I did that morning.

God is Amazing

I'm always amazed at the "little" things God does for the ones He loves. Christmas day is always a difficult day for me since our family gets together and celebrates the night before. That way, the "married-with-children" in our family can have their mornings free to open gifts at home and spend the day with the in-laws. This Christmas was no easier. Mike and I were married December 28, 1994. This year would have marked our 13th Christmas together...if we had stayed together that long. And since I am the only one not "married-with-children," it makes for a lonely Christmas morning.
As I was sipping hot cocoa, surfing the internet and watching The Christmas Story on TBS, I wondered if Mike was going to call me and wish me a Merry Christmas. We had actually started talking together by phone in October, which in itself was a miracle. In the afternoon, as my mom and I were buying tickets to see the movie "Australia" guess who called. In my hear, I whispered a "thank you, Father." I never asked, but He knew what I wanted for Christmas. Of course, we couldn't speak then, but we set a time to talk later in the day.
Today, God showed His might and amazing love in a completely unexpected way. He was putting things in place way before I would even need to ask for help. After having breakfast with the Roberts at Chick-fil-a, I went to the car and it wouldn't start. We tried popping the clutch and jumper cables...nothing worked. It just so happened that my dad was with Jimmy Smith who is a mechanic. They were working on fixing my dad's truck, stopped what they were doing, bought a battery, installed it and I was on my way. I never even had time to ask God for help. He was already providing it by putting my dad where he needed to be to give me help when I was in need.

Many, many verses ran through my mind as I was reflecting on these two events:

Mathew 7: 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Mathew 6:7-8
7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

I John 3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Love so amazing! Blessed Redeemer. How truly marvelous it is to have complete hope, faith and trust in my heavenly Father!

He became sin

Who knew no sin

That we might become

His Righteousness

He humbled himself and carried the cross

Love so amazing

Love so amazing

Jesus Messiah

Name above all names

Blessed Redeemer

Emmanuel

The rescue for sinners

The ransom from Heaven

Jesus Messiah

Lord of all

His body the bread

His blood the wine

Broken and poured out all for love

The whole earth trembled

And the veil was torn

All our hope is in You

All our hope is in You

All the glory to You, God

The light of the world

Jesus Messiah

Name above all names

Blessed Redeemer

Emmanuel

The rescue for sinners

The ransom from Heaven

Jesus Messiah

Lord of all

Away in a Manger

From the manger to the cross - what an amazingly, extravagant Christmas gift to the world!

Away in a manger

No crib for His bed

The little Lord Jesus

Laid down His sweet head

The stars in the bright sky

Looked down where He lay

The little Lord Jesus

Asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing

The poor Baby wakes

But little Lord Jesus

No crying He makes

I love Thee, Lord Jesus

Look down from the sky

And stay by my side,

'Til morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus.

I ask Thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me I pray

Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care

And take us to heaven

To live with Thee there.

Away in a Manger was first published in 1885. Many people thought the author was Martin Luther because it was published in Lutheran Sunday School book. However, this is a misconception and the author is unknown. The music to Away in a Manger was composed and published by William J. Kirkpatrick in 1895.

For Tracy

This blog is for Tracy. She just complained that I did not have anything posted. She is absolutely right. I had all my email posted from our trip to Hungary this summer along with photos. After I worked for a couple of hours on setting up a beautiful blog site, I came back to it and it was all gone. Then I was mad and didn't post anything for a while, though that was mostly because things got rolling at the beginning of the school year. By the time I decided to blog again, I had forgotton my account information. After I went through a struggle to figure it all out again, I was exhausted, so you got the one and only post showing above this one...or it could be below it.

Now, Tracy, dear little sister of mine...notice I did not say baby sister. Have I posted enough for you to read while you sit at your desk bored to tears? I'm going to take a nap now so that I am fresh and ready for your nonsense tonight!

Field Trip Monday

I have sat here trying to think of everything that needs to be done tomorrow before we leave on our trip to the Atlanta History Museum. Hurricane Ike is going to be a major factor tomorrow. It has been down graded to tropical storm status but we are about to get beat with the rains and winds...of course...on Monday. Last year when we took our first field trip of the year, we had the same issue. Power lines were down all over the place. We had to cancel the trip. I hope the weather doesn't roll in until the afternoon. We will see.

This is a new trip for our school. We've never gone before. Hopefully our students will find the program about the Olympics engaging.