Time Flies!

It just seemed like yesterday I was bringing my youngest home.  Today, he is getting ready for  the prom.  My daughter came home for the event.  She said she felt old.  She doesn't know anything yet about being old.   He woke up early which he never does.  He washed his car inside and outside!!!  I wish he could be that motivated every day like that.  We took pictures and more pictures.  Then they left to go eat.  I got a call to come take pictures there from one of my friends.  She said there were parents there.  So off we went!  He was not happy with my friend for calling.  He made the best of it.  They grow up so fast.  I guess that is what our parents said about us.  Treasure each moment you have because before you know it  will be gone!!

God's Glory Showing Up Everywhere!

What a beautiful day!! Spring is here and God's amazing glory is showing up everywhere.  I went for a walk today and got some great pictures.

Such vibrant colors

Even the birds are enjoying the weather.

Amazing to see all this beauty!!

We Have Forgotten Sabbath, by Wayne Muller

We Have Forgotten Sabbath, by Wayne Muller

It has nothing to do with the bunny!

I read a sign today it said:  It has nothing to do with the bunny but it does the Lamb!!! How true that is!
           
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” – Mark 15:37-39 (NIV)

How thankful I am that Jesus died on the cross for me and everyone else.  How awesome is it that he rose again on the third day.  I can't imagine as a Mother watching my son die in the way that Mary did.  However, I can only imagine her rejoicing when she knew he was alive!  That is a story in the bible that I always loved hearing as a child and I still love it as an adult.

A New Approach

What a beautiful day it was today!!!  The air was crisp and the sun was shining!  Perfect weather for the end of the week.  What a week it was!!! Spring has sprung in the classroom.  I had someone cut a hold in my tablecloth.  I was not happy to say the least.  My principal told the parent  they should give me $5.00 towards it.  This is much less than what I paid for it.  Boy, let me tell you that parent came right up the next day to say her child said they did not do it.  This is after her child told me and the principal they did it.  So finally the child admitted the truth to Mom.  I tried all year to get this parent in for a conference.  They are told they have to pay $5.00 for replacement of something their child did and boy do they come flying in.  Maybe, I can work this to my advantage so I can get some  more parents in.:)!!

The child did not have a side when I went to school.  What the teacher said was gold. In my house we didn't think about messing up because we knew the consequence would far out way any pleasure we would have in doing the deed.  Wow, have we changed.  I am reminded of a story a co-worker told me.  She got in trouble once in school.  Her Dad took away her bike.  He just didnt take it away from her.  He took it apart, piece by piece.  When she got a good report she would get a pedal back, then a wheel and so on.  I have to admit I had never heard anything like that before.   I thought my Dad was tough!  I thank God for my Mom and Dad.

A Somber Day

It was a somber day today.  I had half my class out.  The reality of my friend not being with me next year hit her hard today.  I feel so bad but there is nothing I can do.  Trust in the Lord with all your heart !! That's all we can do.  His ways are not our ways.  Someone who has just lost a job really doesn't want to hear that.  I have a feeling it is going to be a long 3 months.  She got our Christmas cookie exchange started two years ago.  I actually made cookies for the last two years something I never really did.  She said "I guess somebody will keep it going."  I smiled and said "I'm sure somebody will." My favorite spot to look for cookies is http://www.bettycrocker.com/ .  My Dad sold cookies for a living so baking cookies at my house never really happened.  We would just go to the garage and open up a box.   So when I had to come up with homemade cookies it was really stretching me!!  This year I did the Fiesta fudge cookies!! MMM Good!!!

Sad times in Education

You know you hear how bad the economy is but when it strikes home then you really realize how bad it is.  I was on my way outside with my children to play.  It was nearly the end of the day.  I came back in to find my assistant clearly upset.  While I was outside with the children she got a call to come to the office.  As she entered the room, there was our principal and personnel director.  Now, you know your heart skips a beat when you see them sitting together.  They proceeded to tell her that she would not have a job next year.  This being done because of the budget.  Then they gave her an official letter.  We were both devasted.  I had to rush off to a class I am taking so all I could do was give her hug and cry with her.  They cut several assistants but not all.  Kindergarten has always had an assistant per teacher.  She's only been with me for 2 years.  She's wonderful!  As I went to my class which was at Central Office I had to walk right by the superintendents office.  A part of me felt like walking in and telling him how I was feeling.  There was this little voice that showed up and said "Don't do that Vicki".  The 24 years I have taught I have never been in his office but I so wanted to go!!!  I couldn't hardly concentrate in my class.  I went to dinner with some fellow teachers afterwards.  There was another one at dinner that had lost hers too.  The other two had not lost theirs.  Questions were flying..."What are we going to do"?"How are we going to do the reading program?""Who is going to get our babies of the bus and bring them to our room the first week of school? "Who else are they cutting?' I guess we will get the answers sooner or later.  Some of the ones they kept are the ones who need to be leaving.  I am guessing they are going by the years they have in.  Unfortunately, mine only had 3 years in.  I don't quite have enough in to retire!! So my prayers are with my good friend and the others who were told they would not be back for the 2010/2011 school year.