Red Ribbon Week

This has been a crazy week. My principal has been gone for 3 days...personal stuff. I have a high needs child in my class that has completely lost all self control and of course I have to take him to "Big Guy". "Big Guy" is my school daddy. He's one person that totally has my utmost respect. He's sarcastic to a fault...but truly has a heart for our tiny school. If he ever knew that I was writing about him...he'd probably flip out. Oh well....Here goes....Yesterday, since my principal was absent, I had to take this kid to see "BG". It's probably been 3 years since I've taken a behavior issue to him...so I was reminded quickly what I'd been missing. He's yelling, slamming his fist on the desk, etc...called the parent and told this kid "your mama wants to talk to you." This kiddo doesn't speak when he's handed the phone....and so I mouthed to him "Say Hello." This kid finally said "Beep....you may start talking now" to his mom. I thought "BG" was going to climb over the desk and get this kid....and all I could do was look away because I was laughing (on the inside of course).

Anyway...that is just one of many incidents that has happened this week...and it's only Wednesday. I found out that this one teacher that teaches Special Ed in the afternoons/ PK in the a.m. is dropping the Sped and only teaching half days now in the morning. It doesn't really affect me, except most of the kids she has in her p.m. class are in my class. That was "rocking my world" yesterday.

Always on Red Ribbon Week we get to have theme dress days. So...guess what?? That's our ticket to wear JEANS!!! It doesn't matter if it's cowboy day, twin day, inside out day...everyday is JEANS day. And guess what?? Nobody says anything!!! I think it's kinda funny that something as trivial as attire really puts a teacher in a fun mood!! Seriously....does it really matter if I wear Nikes or Mary Jane's?? Does it impact the learning of the child to any degree if I wear something comfy or something dressy? Sure, I like to dress up...but I'd really rather do it when I feel like it rather than only on Fridays!!!!

Well...tomorrow night is another Basketball game....so until later!!!

Working Out

In the last 3 years, I've grown very fond of working out. It's a little bit addictive, very hard to sometimes work into an already busy day, but very much a way to relieve some school stress!! I thought I was tough enough to do the Tulsa Run (which by the way is tomorrow). I began training right after my 40th birthday in June. I ran my heart out. But something very strange happened to me on my 17th wedding anniversary on August 2. It was a Saturday and unfortunately Kevin had to work all day long. My nephews were here from Illinois and it was stinking HOT!! So, being the awesome aunt and mom that I am, I loaded up all 6 kids and took them to a water park all day long!!! Man, we had loads of fun. But the fun kind of came to stand-still when I got home and received the mail. I had a mammogram done in July right after we got back from our vacation. And at that very moment when I opened up the envelope from the hospital I began crying like I had never cried before. The letter read that there was an abnormality and I needed to have further testing done. Of course I get this on a Saturday...no way of talking to a doctor til Monday. I was scared. In the midst of all of this, I crumbled. I thought I was a strong person. In some ways those feelings of being invincible came crashing in. I called the doctor's office first thing Monday morning...only to find out my doctor was on a 2 week vacation. However, there was someone availabe for me to talk to and assured me that whatever the abnormality was, it certainly didn't appear to be anything worth worrying about. That should have made me feel better, but I was still scared. So, at the end of that week, I went back to the hospital and I'm telling you...I got the boob smashing of a lifetime. I let them squeeze down hard until it was as flat as a pancake. And guess what?? It ended up being nothing. That "nothing" was something for me. I lost 4 pounds in 6 days....got about a few hours of sleep for a week's time....and spent much time in God's word looking for an answer, a Word from Him. He held me close to Him while I was being re-examined and that felt so good!! I guess it helped me to put some things in perspective that were kind of out of whack. The working out and running addiction that I had taken on so seriously suddenly didn't seem like a huge deal anymore. I kind of stopped the working out thing. I got back into it last month and it feels good again....If you are in your 30's, please get your first mammogram now!! Don't wait til you are 40. And take it from me....if you happen to get a nasty gram about the results....I learned through that whole process that apparently it happens quite a bit. But get the follow-up done quickly and being very diligent about those routine exams.

Rainy Day

It's a rainy day here!! I love rainy days...but I love them better when I'm at home in my jammies watching a fun movie on TV or reading a great magazine. I love to light my candles (best when lit in a clean house) and just stay home. I'm not a big fan of getting out on dark dreary days!! This is making me look forward to that very first snow day. My friend Tammy told me that we are going to have more snow than usual with colder temps than usual....know where she got her information?? Not from the squirrels gathering nuts like crazy...but from the farmer's almanac!!!

Random thoughts

Everyone is doing something...Kevin is in his library. Kaylyn is sound asleep almost upside down on the couch. Christen is cleaning...she loves those Clorox wipes!! Ryan is taking his 2nd shower for the day. So, I'm by myself. Now I can share....

We have a wonderful family that mostly lives in Claremore. I have a brother and Kevin's sister live out of town. My inlaws are awesome. So many girls talk about their in-laws in negative ways...but I truly love mine. I love that they've always been willing to drop anything to help us in moments of crises. I can't count how many times they've lovingly taken care of our kids when they were sick and both Kevin and I just couldn't miss work. My dad-in-law is a dr. so that has been awesome to have him counsel us concerning health concerns, prescribing meds when needed, and talking on our behalf to other doctors when Kevin was going through crap with his tummy, etc. But here's something truly exciting....when we got back from Florida in July...my dad-in-law hired a pool company to come in and build an inground pool....a fun gunite salt water pool. I've always wanted a pool. Now, I get the next best thing....I get to be the pool girl next summer for the Lane's!!! And it doesn't cost me a dime!!!! I'm hoping to get rock solid abs and a leaner core.

Thanks Mindy for coaxing me into doing this....it is very theraputic. (sp)

My First Post

I've never had a blog before...I've had a diary that only I read....but this is all new to me. First of all, let me just tell you that I'm the big 4-0. That sounds so daunting to me. Like maybe I should stop saying "one of these days I'm going to...." and just do it!! I've learned alot about myself these past few months....at the end of my "thirties".

My son is going to be 14 tomorrow. This day 14 years ago I had a very surprising conversation with my Grandpa. The only one I ever knew and the only great that my children never knew. He was at the beginning of alzheimer's when he called me 14 years ago. He told me I better have those bags packed and ready cause you never know when that baby will be born....I told him I had a good month left!!! How did he know that I was going to be in the hospital just a few hours from then?? My water broke at midnight....my wonderful husband thought I had wet the bed!!! Whatever!!! 18 hours and many drugs later, I gave birth to Ryan!! What an amazing joy to give birth....but how very special it is the first time around. Until next time.....

Ready. Set. Blog!

I know you have some great things to talk about...so start blogging! :) I can't wait to read it.