not enough words...

(This post was originally written Thursday, October 21 but I just couldn't hit "post" right away...)

As a parent, we know that time can pass so quickly! Most children think that everything takes "forever". If only they knew...

3 years ago today, I had a student in my class, A. She loved to talk to me in homeroom and tell me all about her life, her friends, and choir... she loved to sing! I tried not to let her see but as much as I liked hearing about A's life, I had other things I needed to get done and she always wanted to talk!

2 years ago today, A had moved on to 7th grade. She was moving on, growing up, doing all those 7th grade things. I had a new group of students but anytime I saw A in the hall, she was so excited to see her "old" teacher.

1 year ago today, A had started 8th grade. I never saw her anymore... the schedules just don't work out that way. I do know she was still singing in the choir and telling her current teachers all about her life! She just loved talking to the teachers!

Today, A was unrecognizable in her coffin. Leukemia and all it's nasty effects had changed her face, her body, her hands. If I had walked by her in the halls of school, I would never have known it was the gregarious young lady of 3 years before. But I wasn't walking by her in the halls at school. I was walking through the line at her wake. It was a devastating day.

Early this year, A's parents noticed that she'd been weak, tired, and was bruising easily. She was quickly diagnosed with a form of Childhood Leukemia. From that point forward, I don't know much. I do know that when she passed away last week, it was too soon. 8 short months of fighting the cancer in her body. I had no words when I tried to speak to her mother and father. I had no words to explain how my short time with their daughter had been memorable or special. I hope they knew.

I have been crying, a lot. I am a mom first and a teacher second. The teacher part of me just watched another mom say good bye to her only child. I can't help but be SO sad for her and at the same time, I feel SOOO lucky to be able to come home, hug my kids, be annoyed by them, know that they are safe, and healthy. So many parents are out there now, their children aren't healthy or safe. So many parents whose children right this minute are battling Leukemia and other forms of cancer. They don't know where they will be a year from now.

Hug your children. Be kind to those you don't know. Tell the people around you that you love or appreciate them. Today is a gift, tomorrow is a wish. Cherish the NOW in all it's ups and downs.

If you are able, help support a stranger who might not have until tomorrow.

Babies should just talk already!

I had a very scary moment a little while ago. The daycare called, and when I didn't pick up my cell phone, they called the school secretary to come find me. THAT, is never good.

I called right back and they told me that Chase had been crying for the better part of an hour. He didn't want his pacifier, wouldn't drink his milk, and only picked at his foods. AND, the clincher, he was pulling on his ears. SO, I found someone to cover my last class of the day and raced over to pick him up.

In the 30-35 minutes that took me, they had taken him on a buggy ride, which calmed him a little, and taken him outside to play, which he loves. Now we are at home together and he is eating, drinking, and happy.

We are still going to the 1:00 doctors appt. since I made hem squeeze him in based only on what the daycare center reported. They will think I am some kind of crazy but we're off....

Grrrr....

It is late, and I am tired, so I will give the short version...

I composed several posts this week and when I tried to post them, I found that Blogger is now blocked at work! Our new filter labels it "social networking"!

UGH! I'm not re-writing them from home!

Good night!

Ugh! and Wow!

I am pretty careful not to discuss work on here too much. Lately, I can't think about much else... Work just seems to be over powering my life right now!

I have been back at school for a mere 2 weeks and I have never felt like this before....

In more important news....

Chase had the most wonderful birthday! I can't believe my final baby is one, walking, eating, using sippy cups, working on words.... He doesn't really cuddle any more. He does give vampire kisses! (He goes in for a big sloppy baby kiss but then bites down with his newly found teeth!) He thinks this is VERY funny! Such an amazing little boy... so different than his brother and sister. He's bigger than they were, blond instead of red headed, prone to ear infections, and FAR more curious. We never had to secure the cabinets and drawers for the big kids, one or two warnings and they just left things alone. Chase heads straight for the pantry or the pots and pans and just looks at us with this little face that says.... are you going to come and get me! HA! I'm opening the cabinets now!!!!!! He's a challenge, and an adventure, and a treasure!

Don't blink!

Or things will change! Since last post;

- Chase walks EVERY minute he can... loves it! (FYI- he also climbs stairs faster than anyone else in the family!)

- Our computer crashed! Dead... something, something, motherboard, blah, blah... but the hard drive "appears" fine and 5 years of documents/pictures can be restored to new computer for a mere $100!

- Bought new computer... LOVE IT! Apple MacBook Pro... more expensive but we use these at school too so we know people who can fix it or help us when we screw it up!

- Been having a great summer... I can't believe July is half over and the new school year is actually closer than the old one. Ick... and OK too.

Still kickin...

After nearly a month, I feel obliged to tell you that I am in fact- still alive!

For a couple of you who have had the misfortune to know me in real life and/or have been following for a while realize that when summer hits, I don't blog much. It's not that I am more or less busy.... or have less to say, merely that I am lazy and that this doesn't provide the relief it seems to give me during the school year.

During the June hiatus:
- Brianna turned 7 and finished 1st grade. Be still my heart, my baby is not a baby!
- Chase has decided his favorite thing in the world is to stand up. Not quite walk yet but we are helping him in that direction.
- Grant has not taken to the "relaxed pace" of summer very well. We're learning that he does best with a schedule and the free-style of some of our summer days results in tantrums, pouting, and hitting. He's 4.... what can you do when he's tantruming one minute and ridiculously adorable the next. I love him like crazy, that's what!
- I have taken on working out as my summer "job". I have set goals, am actively working toward them, and seeing progress. I am even consulting with a personal trainer/friend who is helping me out.

In less happy news I feel at a loss some days. Perhaps if I were 4 I could have a tantrum and get over it quickly. Sadly, I am more than 8x4 and the tantrum can be thrown but it just doesn't seem to work anymore. I love summer and relaxing but find that I am missing my schedule and my social contacts at work. Other days I want nothing more than to be alone and suddenly find that I can't seem to get away from the 3 children and husband who is also home all summer!

My balance is gone. Some days it seems to have taken my sanity with it. Other days I think I was never sane but was too busy to notice. Now I notice.

I am old!

Last week at school, I showed the kids a movie called, "A Kid in King Arthur's Court". It is a great Disney flick and goes VERY well with our last topic of the year, the Middle Ages. I love that it is an entertaining fiction film but also close to historically accurate in the areas of clothing, homes, foods, customs, entertainment.

It is a little cheesy as it gets older, it was released in 1995. While I associate with so many of the jokes and background props, it is starting to get dated for my students.

• Some of them had never seen a personal CD player/Walkman and REALLY didn't understand why it has a little red laser/light inside it.
  
• These kids didn't recognize a Swiss-army knife.
• They didn't laugh at the "valley-speak" language when the main character tries to explain that "bad" and "cool"mean good.
• They kids have no idea why the main character explains something as a "Kill you for your Reebok's street life".

I wasn't a little kid when this movie was new, I was in college for Pete's sake! But I get it, and apparently that makes me old!

Surprising but True!

The voices in cartoons are sometimes so familiar to me! So I looked a few up...

- The lead sheep in "Jakers, The Adventures of Piggly Winks!".... Mel Brooks!
- Bob, in "Bob the Builder"... Greg Proops (also of "Whose Line?")
- Handy Manny.... Wilmer Valderrama
- Mermaid Man in "Sponge Bob"... Ernest Borgnine!
- Barnacle Boy in "Sponge Bob"... Tim Conway!
- Thomas the Tank Engine has been narrated by the likes of... Alec Baldwin, Ringo Star, and George Carlin

Anyone know of any more????
and is it strange that I think this is cool?

The bell of truth...

You know your a mom, and it's not funny anymore, if....

- You've sat in the bathroom to read/snack/rest/think not because you have to "go" but just because you can be alone!

- You hide the expensive or best tasting snacks at the back of the cabinet where the little eyes can't see them and ask for them.

- You say, "Yes, we're there." even though your not... just to get 2 minutes of stunned silence from the back seat.

- You can sing every episode/song of one of these: Dora, The Wiggles, Blues Clues, The Backyardigans, The Wonder Pets.

- You know the complete line-up and schedule of either Sprout, Nick Jr, or your local On Demand options.

- You have wasted precious alone minutes looking up the actor who does the voices on a cartoon because, Darn, that voice is SO familiar! (more on this tomorrow!)

.... Or is this just me?

It goes by so fast...

I was cleaning out some shelves at school, shelves I haven't used in about a year. I found a scrap of paper on which I'd written some of the important milestones of my children. It was written long before Chase was a glimmer of hope in my heart. I am amazed by some of the similarities and differences...

First Tooth:
Brianna- 10 mo.
Grant- 11 mo.
Chase 8 mo.

Out of the Infant/portable Car Seat:
B- 18 mo (such a tiny peanut!)
G- 9 mo
C- 9 mo

Forward Facing in the car:
B- 18 mo (still wasn't 20 lbs but I gave up!)
G- 12 mo
C- not yet- probably at 12 mo

Running:
B- 10 mo
G- 15 mo
C- we'll see!

First huge goose egg on head!:
B- 10 mo (see also running... in the driveway!)
G- 15 mo
C- a first I'm glad not to have seen yet!

Children are such an adventure!

It's all about Grant!

Many moons ago, another blogger I read did an "interview" with her kids. I wish I remembered who and I would give her credit! I found a similar list of questions and interviewed Grant... The responses are his verbatim! (I couldn't help but add some of my thoughts.)

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
G- No! (So true, so true.)

2. What makes Mommy happy?
G- A kiss (Always!)

3. What makes Mommy sad?
G- I don't know

4. How does Mommy make you laugh?
G- by making silly faces

5. What was Mommy like as a child?
G- I don't know (He's usually more creative...)

6. How old is Mommy?
G- 43 (for the record, he got one number right but not the important one!)

7. How tall is Mommy?
G- Huge! (Thanks G! I think you might be confusing tall and wide!)

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
G- I don't know... go on the computer? (What an observant little stinker!)

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?
G- Eat candy! (More than I should...)

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
G- Being cute (Awwww...)

11. What is Mommy really good at?
G- Cooking dinner... (funny, he never wants to eat it!)

12. What is Mommy not very good at?
G- playing a game (That's it little man! No more letting you win!)

13. What does Mommy do for her job?
G- be a school person

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?
G- Mac & Cheese (Geez Grant, I haven't had that in years! Where did you pull that from?)

15. What makes you proud of Mommy?
G- I love you so much! (Thanks honey-bunch!)

16. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
G- Sponge Bob! (Huh??????)

17. What do you and Mommy do together?
G- Go on trips (Does the grocery store count?)

18. How are you and Mommy the same?
G- We're both wearing blue clothes! (HA- to be 4 again!)

19. How are you and Mommy different?
G- I don't have white stuff on my feet! (Way to point out that Mom needs a pedicure, Thanks G!)

20. How do you know Mommy loves you?
G- I don't know (Sad mommy...)

21. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?
G- Kids club! (That one was WAY out of left field since this is what we call the daycare at the health club!!!!)

TOO Much! HA!
I will try this with Brianna soon and see what I get...

Endless cycle

Am I more emotional because I am having a bad day or is it a bad day because I'm feeling more emotional?

Am I "the responsible one" or the "stick-in-the-mud"?

When is the right time to force the issue and when is it time to let it be?

Does anyone know where I can buy a "Chill Pill" ?

Life Lesson# 45893

Always check your child's homework before it gets to school!
(What follows is a clever email I received this week.)

When asked to draw a picture of what they wanted to be when they grew up, second-grader "Sarah" turned in the lovely drawing shown below. Needless to say, the teacher was a bit surprised -- Mrs. Smith had always seemed like such a conservative woman. So she sent a note home to the girl's mother asking for clarification as to the picture's meaning. (read Mom's reply below the picture)
(Here's the reply the teacher received the following day)
Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I eve r been , an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it. Her picture doesn't show me dancing around a pole. It's supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember t o check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Smith

A 9 month old moose!

When Chase was born he was a tiny baby who needed so much. Somehow I blinked and now he's nine months old! He's 19.2 lbs and 28 inches long. In our family history, that's really big!

He crawls, fast. He will shovel Cheerios in his mouth for hours if you let him. He tolerates baby food but prefers anything he can feed himself. He talks to himself often and likes to pull himself up on furniture to see what everyone else is doing. He LOVES snuggling into my neck and giving big open mouth kisses while pulling my hair to get as close as he can. He has figured out that mommy can't resist him if he puts his arms up, whine's a little, and gives me puppy dog eyes. Thank goodness he started sleeping through the night and now sleeps for 10-12 hours at night.


He is still my precious little baby even as I see him turning into a little boy right in front of my eyes!

Sometimes simply surviving is enough

Like when my son repeats "Mommy, I'm cold" over and over for 30 minutes in the grocery store.

Or when I don't sleep well because of all the things going on in my life but then still manage to forget the 2 things I stayed awake all night trying to remember.

Or when I take 90 12-year-olds outside for "field day" and play games for 4 hours on a hot, humid, 80 degree day.

Or when other people at work make my life more complicated by flat out refusing to go with the flow, even when they are the minority and are outvoted 28-4, and the administration supports them by demanding consensus instead of majority rule.

... and when all those things happen in less than 24 hours. You just breathe and know that it could be worse...

Summer- go away for just 10 more days please!

Typically, my school is air conditioned to the point of chill. I have the option to keep my classroom as low as 67 degrees. So- today I dressed in full length khaki's and a 3/4 sleeve summer cardigan with a cami underneath. It is well over 80 outside but I always dress for the "work weather" vs. the outside weather.

Today, the air broke and I am stuck in a classroom that is 81 degrees with 25 smelly 12 year olds and no ability to take off my cardigan since my cami is not acceptable with out it...

I'm MELTING! Send Ice Cubes!

It's for the best

We broke off our long term relationship. I just can't stand around anymore. It's not healthy for me... sure it's what I thought I wanted but I need to put better things first. I've done a good job staying away for nearly 2 weeks now. It's hard sometimes, I just want to go back to what I know, what's comfortable. I can't, I won't.

Vending Machine, we're through. Quit looking at me like that. I know your jealous of the water machine and sometimes it's hard to push his buttons with you standing so close. You'll find someone else... Good Bye.

6 going on 17

Brianna HATES talking on the phone! Even to mommy, daddy or Grandma...she will only talk if the phone is on speaker phone. We apparently found an exception to the rule!

Last week, Brianna got a phone call from A BOY! One of her little friends from school called to talk about a computer game/website he likes and she talked to him for a couple minutes. I of course listened to her side of the "conversation" but it was a lot of ... yes, uh huh, yes, mom, can I go on the computer, nah, yes, bye!

When I asked her about it later, she said she wanted him to be her boyfriend because he was funny. Considering sense of humor is one of the reasons I married the perfect man, I had some scary flash backs at that moment. At least she has good taste!

I thought we would have a few more years before I was thinking about boys calling!
Yikes! ;-)

I am here!

and alive, and all is fine... and things have just been busy y'all!

And I have work to do, but instead am going home to...
BE ALONE!

For the next hour there is no one at my house who will need things, expect things, interrupt things... Gotta go, must maximize whole hour!

BYE!

Happy Mothers Day!

I recieved this via email this week and it made me laugh!

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and take either music or dance classes.

There is no fast food

Each man must take care of his 3 kids;
keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework,
complete science projects,
cook,
do laundry,
and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time--no emailing.

Each man must also take each child
to a doctor's appointment,
a dentist appointment
and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside, and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

The men must shave their legs,
wear makeup daily,
adorn themselves with jewelry,
wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes,
keep fingernails polished,
and eyebrows groomed

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, headaches, have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

They must attend weekly school meetings and church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.


They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning,
feed them,
dress them,
brush their teeth and
comb their hair
by 7:00 am.


A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child's birthday,
height, weight,
shoe size, clothes size,
doctor's name,
the child's weight at birth,
length, time of birth,
and length of labor,
each child's favorite color,
middle name,
favorite snack,
favorite song,
favorite drink,
favorite toy,
biggest fear,
and what they want to be when they grow up

The kids vote them off the island based on performance.

The last man wins only if...
he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice..

If the last man does win,
he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years,
eventually earning the right to be called Mother!

After you get done laughing,
send this to as many females as you think will get a kick out of it and
as many men as you think can handle it.
Just don't send it back to me....
I'm going to bed