Did you know...

... that the 'Big Bad Wolf' (from the Three Little Pigs) lives in Tennessee? That's what I learned today! :)

It's hard for me to believe that another week has come and gone. Time is going by so quickly. I am ready for the weekend, however. I can't wait to sleep in tomorrow. As of now, I don't have plans during the day... it will be nice to read some of my book and get some things done for the classroom.

I'd write more, but I want to take a power nap before our first gathering at the school tonight. We are having a family reading night. It should be fun...

Things to smile about today:
:) Weather
:) Weekend

Today...

... was a good day to laugh. In short, work that Miss Tricia and I prepared to demonstrate this morning, was there at 8a.m. and missing by the time demonstrations started (8:45a.m.). Therefore, during demonstration, I had to go to the back hallway to get the little pieces of paper that I had already put on the shelf once. Come to find out, our Paraproffesional was doing her daily jobs and thought that she had forgotten to empty the bowl last night, so she emptied it this morning. We forgot to inform her that the work she has been putting away, is now the first step to a new work on the shelf. All that to say, the kids got a good chuckle when I went to the shelf and the work wasn't there. We had fun and they handled the rest of the demo great!

Then, during work time, I hear one of our little boys saying, "It's Tyler not Tiger!" In which the second little boy kept saying, "OK, Tiger." The cute part to this story is that the second little boy is Asian and was confident that he was saying Tyler's name correctly. (He hasn't figured out how to say the 'l' sound yet). So, he kept confirming... and Tyler kept repeating. "No! It's not Tiger, it's Tyler!" Too cute!


Things to smile about today:
:) 26 children giggling
:) Sunshine

I was working on some things for school, when I read this statement from The Montessori Method, by Maria Montessori. The context around it implies the materials within the classroom. However, I believe that this can be applied to life in a much greater way. Material or not.

"We wish the old things because we can not understand the new, and we are always seeking after that gorgeousness which belongs to things already on the decline, without recognising in the humble simplicity of new ideas that germ which shall develop in the future."





Things to smile about today:
:) Laughs at Subway
:) Music at Cosmos
:) Wedding photos - (I hope that they turn out!)
:) A restful weekend

126 Crisis Care Kits have been put together. I went through them tonight to make sure that everything was there. Believe it or not, I only had four that I had to pull out! I was amazed. Anywayz, it sounds like we will need to continue these care kits due to the weather development down south. I am in awe at how hard the coast has been hit this year.

I got a phone call from my best friend from high school. We haven't talked since our soph. year in college. I was so excited to hear from her. You couldn't separate us. I hope that we will be able to keep the lines of communication open. She now lives in Virginia... I think. :)

School is going well. The third week worries and wearies are over. The children are doing wonderfully in the morning. The afternoon is a little rough, though. We have one that breaks down at lunch and can't pull it back together at all for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, he breaks down in regards to behavior. His parents are trying to change medicines again. The one they tried this summer didn't work. This transition time is nuts! I don't know how he can continue. He knows he shouldn't do those things, but he continues anyway. The amazing thing is that when you are able to get him into the hallway where no one else is around, he completely changes. Attitude, behavior... even his spirit turns positive. He is a totally different child. Consequences do nothing, mean nothing. Most of the time he can't remember what he did wrong by the time you get his attention and ask him to talk to you and/or the child he hurt. It isn't ok that he is hurting other children, but it is even worse that he is hurting himself.

Enough on that. I could go on for a while and still come up with no answers.

Tomorrow should be fun. We are having a CSI night! Big screen at the church (really, really, really big screen). Woo hoo!!!


Things to smile about:
:) old friendships becoming new
:) my tattoo (random, but makes me smile nonetheless)

2nd post for the day...

I was reading through all of the notes in my Bible that I used in college... I found some things that I had forgotten. It was pretty cool. I wanted to share a couple of them with you.

The first is Psalm 23, but written with words that I chose to put in. It was a neat exersize that really helps make it more personal. It didn't change the meaning, and of course the words that God gave David will always be treasured, but so will these...

Erica's Psalm 23

The Lord is my Instructor, I shall not question. He makes me an atmosphere of peace, He allows me to listen to the music, He restors my soul. He guides me through an agenda to glorify Him. Even though I struggle and wrestle with temptations, I will not worry, for He is guiding me. His knowledge and wisdom, they comfort me. He gives me the answers in the presence of my interviewers. He blesses me in ways I can not see; I have everything I need and more. A train of goodness and love will follow me along the earth, and I will experience the presence of the Lord forever.


"Remember that a gentle spirit does not cause disturbances, and a quiet spirit does not react to the disturbances caused by others." Elizabeth George, Putting on a Gentle and Quiet Spirit

Today was interesting...

One of our 5's couldn't do work because she is "already the smartest student in the school." I informed her that even the smartest person in the world still didn't know everything and that there is always something new to learn and explore. She didn't appreciate my answer. :)

So anywayz, I'm tired. I had hoped that I wouldn't be tired by now, but it I am. I know I"ll slowly build up my energy, but I would like to to come faster. :) On that note, our children are building up thier energy. We only had one that cried today... and even then it wasn't for long. A day of very little crying was music to my ears!

Well, I'm off. I need to go to the store. I am baking a special something for group tomorrow night. I also have a ton of stuff I want to get done around the house... and a game has to be coming on soon. :)


Things to smile about today:
:) Compliments
:) Inventory done!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Post #166

No, I didn't count my posts. I'm not that weird. It just told me how many I have posted prior to this one and I didn't know what else to title tonight, so I listed the number.

Anywayz...

A more appropriate title could possibly be "My brother, Wesley's miracle"
(I started typing the whole story and it got way to long. Here is a very short but detailed version.)

Tuesday night, 11:35 p - sound asleep
Phone call from mom
Wes has been in a serious car accident, being life flighted to OSU (note, no medical insurance)
Prayer
Phone call from Sherry (step-mom)
Wes knew who Dad and Sherry were at the scene but didn't recall the accident. Complaining about shoulder pain.
I called grandparents.
Grandparents call back asking questions I don't have answers to and confirming that they can't sleep either.
Prayer
Peace
1:00 a - Phone call from Mike (step-dad)
Wes is ok. Broken collar bone, bumps, bruses, frustrated he isn't allowed to go home. Doctor said it was a miracle and that his chances of coming out the way he did = 1 in 100,000
Call gparents again.
Sleep
8:00 a - Wes still at hospital with neck brace on. Surgeon hasn't been able to look at x-rays yet. Mom, Mike and Sherry at respective homes, Dad at hospital.
3:00 p - Wes released
8:00 p - Details. At a turn in the road, the truck's passenger front wheel went off road. Wes corrected. When he did, the tire either popped or was ripped apart. Sent the truck screeching sideways. Hit the ditch parallel and sent the truck in the air. Flipped 3 times from side over to other side. Both sides of the truck (F250 King Ranch) caved in, approx. 150 feet into the bean field. Wes was found only 20 feet from truck and most likely feel out at the first or second flip. (Details known because Mike use to be a police man and investigated these things.) Truck totaled. Wes in a lot of pain, but in his own house with several people looking out for him.

Almost 24 hours later and it still feels like a dream. I haven't seen pictures and I was aleep when mom called...


Things to smile about today:
:) Wesley's life
:) God's peace
:) Auto-Insurance

I need to find a new balance in my life.

Right now that balance feels like it leans towards moving back to Logan county. It's getting harder to leave every time I go there. Today, I went down there to visit with my cousin because he is home for two weeks from Afganastan (sp?). Before I went to my aunt and uncle's house, however, I stopped by the Ben Logan School campus to watch my sister cheer during the game. It was actually good to be able to sit there with dad and sherry and talk. It was also good to see Mickayla having fun. The football team didn't do so well, but the cheerleaders looked cute! :) (It was the 5th/6th grade league.) So anywayz, I drove from there over to my uncle's where several people where there. I didn't know most of them. I knew it was a party for David... I guess I just didn't expect it to be so big. It was nice to see how many people wanted to welcome him home. Needless to say, my mother's entire family was there. I just don't get to see them that much. Most of which is my fualt. I have created a world up here and haven't expanded it enough down home. This is where the balance comes into play. Then add in how my family is constantly saying that I am moving back home and how they are working out all of the arrangments for me... I laugh along with them and pretend that I"ll never leave BG, but the reality is... it's getting harder to laugh and play this game. There is a part of me that really really really wants to move back. Something I thought would never happen.

Anywayz, enough on that. I might cry... to late.

Sara D. I met someone from your dad's church at my uncle's tonight. During one of the "your coming home" conversations, I mentioned how finding a new church might be something I"ll be doing anyway within the next year and told my grandmother the shortest version of what had happened. There was this couple sitting at the table that looked at me and said something along the lines of "Do you know Sara.... Rucker. I can't remember her new last name." Granted, these words are not acurate because I didn't know that they were talking to me. However, when I realized that it was indeed me that they were talking to, I said Dilbone and they got a big smile on there face and confirmed. They then proceeded to tell me that they go to your father's church and had gone to the same church as you when you were little. Forgive me for not remembering their name correctly, but I believe their first names were Roy and Becki. I'll have to call my aunt to find out there last names. During this conversation, we realized that Tonia had worked for his brother on the berry farm and that she worked for his sister in law during the school year at a special needs school. Crazy, huh?

Well, I'm off. It's late. I've spent way to many hours in the car today and I want to chill out a little before going to bed.


Things to smile about today:
:) Family
:) Time in the car to pray

Things to smile about today:
:) God's love
:) God's timing
:) God's protection
:) God's wisdom
:) God's grace
:) God's guidance
:) God's mercy
:) God's discipline
:) God's strength
:) God

Today was interesting. I'm hesitant to go into all of the details, as some I'm sure you are not interested in, but will share just a few of my favorites. (Keep in mind that favorites isn't necessarily used with a positive spin.)

1. A child pooped his pants today while he was in the quiet corner. I thought he was on a way to a breakdown. So when I went over there, I thought he was hurt or that another child had made him really angry. When I asked him what was wrong he was nearly yelling that he pooped in his pants. I calmly got him into the bathroom, got a change of cloths and proceeded to help him as he insisted that he could not do it himself and showed signs of having a true breakdown.

2. After throughly washing my hands from the event above, I sat on line to help the kids get ready to go outside. One of our little girls started crying and I had her come sit in my lap. Within minutes she was asleep. I let her continue to sleep as the kids got ready. The next thing I feel is a warm, wet drool running down my arm. I then sat her up and put her head on my other arm so that her face was pointing up. This stopped the drooling, but proved to be difficult as I was tying shoes for the other children. She never woke up!

3. After school and a very hot day with all of those little bodies and being up and down, my co-teacher had a minor seizure during the staff meeting. No one noticed as it was at the beginning and it was truely minor, but still. She says that she gets them when she is fatigued... and it was so hot in our room that it wore her out. She isn't alarmed at all, but I didn't even know that she did this. She made it sound normal and proceeded to assure me that she has had enough to know when they are small and when she won't be able to control how long they last. I don't know exactly how they work, but I don't like the sound of it. The whole thing scares me really.

Well, I could go into more but I just started feeling the effects of the ambien I took 15 min. ago. :) Hopefully I will sleep tonight. Only getting 4 hours of sleep, even though I'm in bed for 8, is not helping my body and I am well on the way of getting mono again.


Things to smile about:
:) God's protection
:) Friends and laughter
:) Corn hole
:) ambien

The Honeymoon weekend is over and tomorrow starts the first day of school, full time. There are a couple of kids that we had to tag team last week. We'll see how that goes this week when we can't tag team as often. I don't think anything bad will happen. In fact, I think this is going to be a great year. Unless one of our kids takes a wild turn, we should have a "normalized" classroom within a few weeks. (Note that normalized is being used as a Montessori term in this context. I'll have to explain it later...)

My apple pie is delicious. I was impressed with how it turned out. It was my first time making the crust from scratch. I'm going to have to do things a little different next time, but I can't complain...

Oh, what else... not a whole lot, really. I should probably get to bed soon. 6:30 is going to come earlier than I want it to. :)


Things to smile about today:
:) a clean bedroom
:) a good movie (Monster-in-Law)
:) apple pie!! :)

Sunday evening

It's now Sunday evening and I have had a mix of emotions today. I'm not going to go into it right now. It's just a new phase of life and I need to learn how to work through it. (Thanks roomie for words of encouragement...)

So... It's 7:20 and I have a homemade apple pie in the oven. I've guessed at the temp. and will have to watch for the time. It has been a long time since I have baked from scratch. It was fun. I even squeezed the lemon for the lemon juice instead of using some out of a bottle. I also added some extras. I hope it turns out good! I decided I had to eat dinner before I had the pie, though.

Anywayz, I'm getting ready to watch the race. I hope it's a good one. :)


Things to smile about today:
:) Apple pie
:) racing
:) Did I mention apple pie?