That’s What I’m Here For

I at times have a hard time with the love thy neighbor commandment and I have often wonder how to go about doing it even for those who cut you off in a line with no disregard at all for what they are doing.

I had my neice with me at the mall the other day and we were standing in line at the restrooms waiting for a stall. It was an obvious line with others behind me…well a stall door opens and my niece is up next and this lady comes out of the line and takes the stall from my 9 year old niece…how do you love that lady?  There are countless examples of people who I say have no upbringing so this concept of loving everyone has been a struggle of mine.

My husband did this blog which really helped me in this area and I thought I would share it with others..

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=277058730&blogID=457039363

Be Blessed,

Me

So I had to say bye to the kids last week after being with them for over three months and it was one of the harder things I have had to do. I have been sick and along with it came some hearing problems in both my ears. So my last few days was cut short to being really sick and put on bed rest by my doctor. I went for a follow up and she said it would take two weeks to a month to get the full range of hearing back in my ears. Well with that in mind I decided I had to go and say bye before they went off for the winter break.
Thursday morning I dropped off my munchkin and headed to my school. Dredging up the sidewalk of my school in pj’s and slippers as it was Polar Express day at school I reluctantly went in. I came right as announcements came on and waited before finding the 3rd grade hallways to go to the rooms. The halls were clear of any roaming children and my heart began to race. I didn’t know how they would respond to seeing me when I just suddenly didn’t return for a couple of weeks. I opened the door and they were all working away on coloring Charlie Brown Christmas coloring pages and when they looked up…

In a matter of seconds I was in a 22 children group hug. I wanted to cry. Inside I was crying but didn’t let them in on it. It took a few minutes to get them back at their seats and my heart was indeed the size of TEXAS. They all started getting after my mentor teacher for not telling them that I was coming. She giggled and told them it was a surprise!

They continued to tell me how much they missed me and if I was coming back for good. My heart broke as they really didn’t understand what student teaching meant.

It was Polar Express day so I had come in to read to them and block 2 which was the other half of my day classroom.

My mentor teacher handed me the book and off I went to Mr. M’s room to read to them. I was met with the same group size hug. God is great…because a child’s love is just so much like the Love I think He has for us.

I sat with them for a little and explained to them I was there to say bye and read to them before their winter break. They were sad but so happy to see me. I read to them and said my goodbyes and went back to my mentor’s room to do the same with them.

First I had to help them with their work and then I was able to read to them and have the same talk.

At 11:15 they all lined up to go to MAP (Music, Art, & PE) and when they lined up they all gave me a hug one at a time. They all asked me to come back and teach there. I so want to but there are no open positions. But I have been hired as a substitute teacher with the district and my mentor teacher mentioned they want me to come work with them Jan./Feb. for TAKS preparation.  So I should be able to see them again.

Before I left my mentor gave me a teacher bag full of goodies and many many notes from the kids.

When I got home I read them and the tears came free flowing this time as my heart was overjoyed and over FULL with their love. I had always heard that you can impact a child but to feel it is entirely different.

I truly wish I had been teaching earlier in my life but God called me at this time and maybe it is because at this time and age in my life I can truly appreciate the blessing that comes from teaching children.

Also, my mentor teacher took pictures with me and both classrooms so I can put the pictures on my bag (which has slots for pictures on it) and take it with me where ever I go. I think it will always have those two classroom pictures in it because the children have thought me so much and they will always be my “first” students!
Dear Lord, watch over them and lead them to the paths you have in store for them. I do love them and miss them so much. I also miss the “golden third grade team” You blessed me with during my student teaching time. They can never be replaced in my heart.

Be blessed,

Me

So hubby and I were eating dinner tonight and I don’t know how or why but I asked him this: “if you could select two superhero powers what would they be?”

I told him some of my ideas and his ideas and he said I had limited thinking…Here are the two I came up with:

• Invisibility and not like Harry Potter Cloak invisibility…the kind where I can just think it and poof I am invisible.
• My other is the ability that Johnny Smith of the show Dead Zone has. He is able to touch people and get visions past, present and future.

I think I have a well rounded superhero….Here are hubby’s:

• Reading people’s minds
• Seeing the future

I think men just think too much…LOL. What do you think? What superhero qualities would you like?

As you can see without school work I am thinking of other things again…:)

Be blessed,
Me

I am so happy and thrilled I have walked across that stage and am now officially a graduate. What an awesome feeling!

Enough said, my picture says it all.

Be blessed,

Me-A graduate!

I have had a considerably off week heading towards my graduation night. I have been sick off and on for over a month now as some of you know. The many teachers I have spoken with have all mentioned how as a first year teacher you will get sick often. I say all of them are prophetic because I can’t seem to stop getting sick. My theory is I never got well. On Sunday night I felt a pressure headache every time I coughed…yup you know what that feels like. My brain really wanted to come out of my eye sockets every time I coughed. Thankfully they didn’t but they sure wanted to. Hubby gave me some medicine and off to bed I went hopeful that it would pass soon.

I woke up early Monday morning to head to court with hubby and in about 15 mintues after waking up I felt fluids move into my left ear and soon I was hearing my self amplified as I mentioned in my previous journal entry. Tuesday my mentor teacher told me to go home and I headed to my doctor’s office that same day. I quote her when she was looking in my ears “These are some ugly ears you have”. I felt relieved that I wasn’t losing my mind as to the degree of pain I was in but also knew that I was in need of some heavy duty medicine. She told me I couldn’t return to work till tomorrow (Thursday) and was to stay in bed.
(Note on Court, it went great. The judge signed the order that would put the balls rolling for our munchkin to get adopted…we are still looking at over a year to wait but without that decision we would still be in limbo. Definitely a blessing and I cried when he made the judgement in our favor.)

So I popped into Walgreens and $185 and one hour and a half later I was headed home with drugs and a mission to lay my head down before it exploded all on its own.  So here it is Wednesday night and I still can barely hear but can move more often without the Earth moving under me. I can only hope that the night will bring a more profound progress as I go back to work and tomorrow night I graduate. I am so worried that on the night I have been waiting for I won’t hear much of it and will want a walking cane to ensure I make it across the stage. What am I 99? No I am a first year teacher with germs that are waiting behind my bushes to get me!

But I press on and hope for the best. Soon I will have to say bye to the kids I have fallen in love with that will be such a hard part of this journey and one I will go kicking and screaming. I will miss them and remember always…as long as the age of my mind doesn’t take them from me.

So bring on tomorrow!

Be Blessed,

Me-a graduate

So I have never really been 100% well so it seems. I woke up this morning feeling okay. Last night I was feeling some tremendous sinus pressure every time I coughed. This morning I was okay for like 15 minutes and then poof….my ears were clogged and I couldn’t hear anything but my amplified voice in my head. At one point, I had one ear drained and I could hear but now they are both under water so to speak and I am so miserable. I can’t hear very well…almost fell because my balance is off and I would have been all alone when that happend.

Hubby is out of town training…today is our 17 year anniversary. Seventeen years ago I met my husband and it has been quite a ride that I am glad I am still on.

Today we also went to Family court for our munchkin and received great news from the judge. He granted our request to terminate any rights of any family out there for our munchkin and now we can move on to getting her citzenship which will lead to her being adopted by us.

When the judge said he would sign the order from the attorneys, I wanted to fall to the ground and just cry. As soon as I got out the huge gold double doors to his courtroom, I turned and embraced my husband and cried. This is the biggest step the attorneys needed to be able to get her to an adoptable status. We are so overjoyed and excited. There is still more than a year to go with the rest of the formal proceedings but it is downhill from here on.

Thursday I also graduate from my university. There is so much going on that my head is spinning or is that from the fluid in my ears…well who knows.

I am so blessed and know that the Lord has been with me thru this all and I can’t wait to finish this chapter and see what He has in store for me.

So that is the latest and greatest I think.
Be blessed,

Me