Media.

Well, my school made the news. And not in a good way. Why is it that the media loves to hound on teachers and celebrities. Has anyone else notice that? If a teacher does anything, and I mean anything, the media is right on it. When another civilian is arrested, they never say, oh yeah and he worked for Wal-Mart (and take their cameras out there to view his register). This is mind bogling to me, that if a teacher does something, they react the complete opposite way. I understand, we as teachers are held to a high standard. But we are not paid at a high standard, we are stressful jobs, and we make sure that 19 children learn and survive everyday. We have to be mom, janitor, conselor, doctor, mediator, police, judge, and teacher everyday. I just wish that teachers did not get such a bad rap.

I am just going to praying for the teacher at my school. Not really sure what went on, but I know that she must be going through a hard time. Also, the child involved. Unfortunately his name was on the news, and this puts spotlight on him. I will be praying for him and his family to figure something out in all of this.

As a teacher, it kind of slapped me in the face. Be careful. As careful as I may think I am being, be even more careful.

Why are the bad one's so cute!?

I have been trying to figure out why some of the kids who can't behave are some of the cutest ones! There is a sweet little six year old boy in my room who would send a saint over the edge some days. However, I absolutely love him.

These are a few of his antics:

-He spent today crawling under tables and all over the floor on my room pretending to be the class alligator and almost attacking other children in the room.
- He sometimes uses completely inappropriate language- words I didn't know until high school probably
- One day he yelled out in distress to me that another kid was antagonizing him
- He has started this new game, he sits his coat in his chair- arms on the table- and pencil box for the head- it seriously looks like a person. He hides under the table and I am often confused by it
- His favorite channel is Discovery Channel/Animal Planet and he knows more
than I do

These are just some of the things that describe a day in his life at school. However, he makes more noise while I am teaching than any other child, and he is always running around crazy. He easily finds himself in trouble, but he is just so cute! I fear I will have this trouble with my own children, they will be too darn cute to get in real serious trouble. Maybe I should teach older children, when they aren't so cute anymore...but then again, I do love those sweet little babies!

Saying goodbye.

On Tuesday night February 9th, Leigh Allyn lost her battle with Cystic Fibrosis. Leigh Allyn was a girl that I went to high school with and roomed with my freshmen year of college. If you want to read her full story you can check it out at leighallynsbreathingroom.blogspot.com. Over the past four years, since our time together, our friendship has faded. In about the past 4 months we have talked some and I got to see her for lunch over Christmas. I am so glad of that!

It takes true faith to know that people who go before you, you will see them again one day. Yesterday at her funeral, it was said best- you will miss her for the time that she is there and you are here, but think, you get to spend eternity together! It was so comforting at her funeral to know that she is healthy, happy, and we will meet again one day. This time when our paths cross, it will be in the presence of our Lord, worshiping for eternity. That is WAY better than anything on this Earth. Don't you think?!

I am so glad that I got to spend some time with Leigh Allyn a few weeks ago, and we could put our pasts behind us. I knew that things could never be the same, but I am so at peace to know that we were ok. Even though we were not best of friends any longer, we still had a love for each other that would go on for eternity. I hope that I can continue to mend old friendships.

Just pray for her family and close friends at this time. It will be a long healing process, but they are strong in their faith and they will see her again one day. It is always comforting to know that papa t and leigh allyn, and all others that have gone are doing what they loved to do on Earth- worship God.

In other news: More snow on the way! Will my children ever come to school five days in a row! Maybe in March?!

Work...ouch.

Well it has been a week since I was last up at 5:30am and working with my precious ones all day. To say the least, my head is pounding. Before Christmas, the children were right where I wanted them. I have totally lost all control. I fear how bad it could be by May.

Aside from the headache, today was pretty uneventful. Lots and lots of stories about how great the snow was. I thought to myself, this is probably the only snow (like that) their short little lives have ever seen. They were so excited.

In our Masters class, we are talking a lot about how to live God's purpose here on Earth. As most of you know, in the public school system religion is an off limits topic. This is very difficult because I have never been in a setting where you were not allowed to discuss it. I have been struggling all year to find ways to show God to my kids just by my actions. This week or month or school year is just simply listening to my students. They talk to me alllll day, and tell me soooo many stories. I tend to allow them to continue to talk and move on with my hectic day. I fear this probably happens at home, so I wont to avoid that. I have made it a "goal" to just listen to them as much as I can, and of course still get things done. Maybe small things can show them something.