I'm reminded to just stop and pray about it.
We know prayer works, some of us might have strong prayer lives, we enjoy prayer. But if you're like me, you go in and out of these phases. Sometimes it's so easy and sometimes you don't know where to start. Sometimes you have all the right words and sometimes you say the same monotonous thing you did yesterday. Sometimes you feel like He hears you and sometime you feel like it falls on deaf ears (even though we know better).
Well I have been going through one of the prayer-is-hard-and-takes-a-conscious-effort-phase. After a bad day of school yesterday (put it on the Top 10 Worst list) I was in a foul mood, to say the least. And before I went to bed I did two things.
1. I thought positive thoughts. Sometimes you just have to talk yourself into a good mood. I said, "I will make tomorrow a great day! I can't wait to see the kids. I'm going to be so prepared. Tomorrow will be fun in Kindergarten!"
2. I prayed. At a time where I felt guilty I haven't spent enough time in prayer or meditation, I just made it quick and simple and knew that I needed help.
Quick and simple. Just do it.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
That is the sound of me squealing!
This picture does not do my lil house justice...but Scuba and I put up Christmas lights on Sunday. Oh my heavens...it was so much fun! The buying, moving the ladder, falling off said ladder, him hoisting me up cheerleader-style, and the final Clark Griswald tribute of plugging the lights in! (And like Sparky, I blew the fuse. Twice. The company seems to believe that only two strands can be joined -as directed on the box- and I tried to string together 5. They were right.) Anyway, Scuba didn't fight at all! He even let me boss him around and get all OCD with the direction of the lightbulbs and the twisting of the strands. He was a trooper! I don't know what those people are talking about that get in a Grinchy-Bah-Humbug mood when it comes to lights. It was quite the adventure!
When we were finished, I stood back and smiled so big. I had an overwhelming feeling of pride, Christmas spirit, and nesting. MY HOUSE IS LIT!
This picture does not do my lil house justice...but Scuba and I put up Christmas lights on Sunday. Oh my heavens...it was so much fun! The buying, moving the ladder, falling off said ladder, him hoisting me up cheerleader-style, and the final Clark Griswald tribute of plugging the lights in! (And like Sparky, I blew the fuse. Twice. The company seems to believe that only two strands can be joined -as directed on the box- and I tried to string together 5. They were right.) Anyway, Scuba didn't fight at all! He even let me boss him around and get all OCD with the direction of the lightbulbs and the twisting of the strands. He was a trooper! I don't know what those people are talking about that get in a Grinchy-Bah-Humbug mood when it comes to lights. It was quite the adventure!
When we were finished, I stood back and smiled so big. I had an overwhelming feeling of pride, Christmas spirit, and nesting. MY HOUSE IS LIT!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
3 Ring Circus
My classroom is the equivalent of Barnum & Bailey without superhuman feats and animal dung. Instead, it's human dung. J came up to me yesterday and said, "Miss Rose, I pooped my pants." Such honesty.
Today, my classroom was a 3 ring circus because I had an autistic child and his one-on-one teacher, a mentally retarded boy along with his one-on-one assistant, and a high school student observing me. There were so many eyes on me (all but the two special ed boys) to see what I'd say or how I'd handle the screaming, roaming, and complete ignorance. I think it went pretty well because everyone was on task for at least 2 minutes.
My vice principal came to observe our 3 ring circus for a short time yesterday. Later, she commended my classroom -the students and my teaching and management. The mentally retarded boy has been removed from his classroom and teacher that ignore him, and placed with me. The VP commented that the mentally retarded student should remain in my classroom because, "...I've never seen him so engaged!"
Tricky how they compliment you just so you can do the harder, more time-consuming work, huh?
I laughed several times today and had a smile on my face through most of it. They are special...but in a very good way to me. They are all cute kids and it's difficult to describe to you the gong show that I call kindergarten. Not only is there pooping in pants and a broken arm and pink eye and lice (not lying about any of those), we have autism and mental retardation...and a teacher with enough problems to blend it all together into one, big, happy family!
Today, my classroom was a 3 ring circus because I had an autistic child and his one-on-one teacher, a mentally retarded boy along with his one-on-one assistant, and a high school student observing me. There were so many eyes on me (all but the two special ed boys) to see what I'd say or how I'd handle the screaming, roaming, and complete ignorance. I think it went pretty well because everyone was on task for at least 2 minutes.
My vice principal came to observe our 3 ring circus for a short time yesterday. Later, she commended my classroom -the students and my teaching and management. The mentally retarded boy has been removed from his classroom and teacher that ignore him, and placed with me. The VP commented that the mentally retarded student should remain in my classroom because, "...I've never seen him so engaged!"
Tricky how they compliment you just so you can do the harder, more time-consuming work, huh?
I laughed several times today and had a smile on my face through most of it. They are special...but in a very good way to me. They are all cute kids and it's difficult to describe to you the gong show that I call kindergarten. Not only is there pooping in pants and a broken arm and pink eye and lice (not lying about any of those), we have autism and mental retardation...and a teacher with enough problems to blend it all together into one, big, happy family!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Marlboro Lights, Budweiser, and Turkey
I missed my little kindergarteners over the 9 day Thanksgiving holiday. And when I say "missed," what I really mean is, "was so glad I didn't have to tie shoes, listen to whining/crying/tattling, or deal with pee." But I think that is just understood, isn't it?
It is my firm belief that one of the best decisions my school district ever made was to grant teachers a week-long holiday for Thanksgiving. Many districts in Texas do this and it is just pure genius. I fear that the break was granted by superintendents across the state of Texas to avoid newspaper headlines such as, "Teacher Gouges Eyes out with Turkey Wishbone in Tragic Suicide."
I'm here to tell you that it could happen. I once considered sharpening my pinky in the electric pencil sharpener just so an ambulance could pick me up, I could go to the emergency room, and enjoy and afternoon of adult conversation. The wishbone-suicide fiasco is not far-fetched, my friends.
But let me tell you about a little conversation I had this morning with a student. I was so happy to see and hear the kids at 7:40am this morning. We got to the classroom, unpacked and completed our morning duties, and then had share time. We told all about our week-long, blessed, food-and-family-filled holiday.
Miss Rose: "What did you do for Thanksgiving, K?"
K: "Momma and dad made the turkey. Then dad went to get some cigarettes and beer. That's it."
That is why I missed my kindergarteners.
It is my firm belief that one of the best decisions my school district ever made was to grant teachers a week-long holiday for Thanksgiving. Many districts in Texas do this and it is just pure genius. I fear that the break was granted by superintendents across the state of Texas to avoid newspaper headlines such as, "Teacher Gouges Eyes out with Turkey Wishbone in Tragic Suicide."
I'm here to tell you that it could happen. I once considered sharpening my pinky in the electric pencil sharpener just so an ambulance could pick me up, I could go to the emergency room, and enjoy and afternoon of adult conversation. The wishbone-suicide fiasco is not far-fetched, my friends.
But let me tell you about a little conversation I had this morning with a student. I was so happy to see and hear the kids at 7:40am this morning. We got to the classroom, unpacked and completed our morning duties, and then had share time. We told all about our week-long, blessed, food-and-family-filled holiday.
Miss Rose: "What did you do for Thanksgiving, K?"
K: "Momma and dad made the turkey. Then dad went to get some cigarettes and beer. That's it."
That is why I missed my kindergarteners.
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