If you are not a teacher I am convinced that you cannot come close to understanding what it means to be the day before Open House!
Here's an overview:
You wake up wondering what you did with those stories the students wrote that you so carefully saved last September for Open House in April!
You begin stressing over whether you have enough stuff hanging from the ceiling for the parents to bump their heads on!
You start questioning whether two jumbo Costco-sized anti-bacterial wipes could possibly clean a room that 17 Kindergartners have been in for 7 months!
You re-analyze you lesson plans for the day - maybe this is the day to break out a new DVD!
You are concerned that there is not enough tape and sticky tabs in the world to affix all the projects your class has done to the already tape marked walls and doors!
Lastly, how in the world will you ever be ready for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other interested visitors to come through your immaculately clean, beautifully decorated classroom displaying the wonderful accomplishments of 17 great Kindergartners by 6:30 tomorrow night?
Well, I'm not sure how it happens, but for the past twenty years I've been doing this and each year on Open House Night the room is ready, the parents ooh and ahh, and I actually run home between the end of school and the beginning of Open House to shower, shampoo, and shine!
So it is that this may well be the last Open House I ever do, but I look forward to going to my own children's Open House Night next year, where I will truly appreciate all the teacher did to make that classroom perfect!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
The Office
Now, for those you avid TV watchers that watch something other than news, politics, history or science documentaries, with a little sports and HGTV thrown in, you may have seen a program called "The Office".
We primarily watch the aforementioned!
Kayleigh got me to watch my first time ever episode of "The Office" during my spring break. It was hilarious - in a dry humor sort of way! Anyway, it is her favorite show!
Now, I always get a little nervous when someone tells me that I remind them of a character on a TV show, so when my house guest mentioned that, my first reaction was - Ohhhh Noooo!
Fortunately the character that she thought reminded her of me turned out to be ok! Whew!
Anyway . . . our adoption social worker told us we needed to have the kid's rooms ready by June - so it is that we have spent part of this last week looking for The Office! (We need to turn our home office back into a bedroom!)
It may not be quite like the TV version, but it will be "Our Office"! We are pretty excited about it. We finally settled on a very nice, professional office, which will be modified to suit us.
We may never make it to the big screen or even the small screen, but maybe after we have moved in and are settled I can post a picture of "Our Office".
Then for those of you like us who primarily watch news and documentaries you can peer at a little reality as well!
Maybe by then I will have a tranformation and look like the girl in "The Office" that I remind Kayleigh of!
We primarily watch the aforementioned!
Kayleigh got me to watch my first time ever episode of "The Office" during my spring break. It was hilarious - in a dry humor sort of way! Anyway, it is her favorite show!
Now, I always get a little nervous when someone tells me that I remind them of a character on a TV show, so when my house guest mentioned that, my first reaction was - Ohhhh Noooo!
Fortunately the character that she thought reminded her of me turned out to be ok! Whew!
Anyway . . . our adoption social worker told us we needed to have the kid's rooms ready by June - so it is that we have spent part of this last week looking for The Office! (We need to turn our home office back into a bedroom!)
It may not be quite like the TV version, but it will be "Our Office"! We are pretty excited about it. We finally settled on a very nice, professional office, which will be modified to suit us.
We may never make it to the big screen or even the small screen, but maybe after we have moved in and are settled I can post a picture of "Our Office".
Then for those of you like us who primarily watch news and documentaries you can peer at a little reality as well!
Maybe by then I will have a tranformation and look like the girl in "The Office" that I remind Kayleigh of!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Our House Guest
This week I have "Spring Break"! Now, I know most of you would think that working at a Christian school I might have had the week before or after Easter off - but no, this year we stayed with the public school schedule - so this is it!
We invited a former student of mine over for a few days. She is a doll! Kayleigh is 14 and finishing her freshman year of high school with a 4.5 gradepoint average. Unbelievable! Back in the "olden days" when I was in high school there was nothing higher than a 4.0 - and I don't think anyone in my circle of friends had anything close to that!
Kayleigh was in my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classes when I taught the Multi-Age class. She was quite a student then as well. It is so much fun to see the great young lady she is growing up to be.
Best of all, James and I see a potential babysitter in Kayleigh. We have even talked to her about going on trips with us, if we should need her.
What a joy she is as a house guest - plus she was a great playmate for me as James is over his head in work! We were able to fit in a long walk through Seal Beach, on the beach, down the pier, a shake at Ruby's at the end of the pier, pedicures, watching two funny movies, playing a game of Sorry, making a great Salmon dinner and the "Perfect Apple Pie", taking a trip out to Beaumont to check on our house out there, going out to two lunches and one nice dinner at the Olive Garden (we stole James away for that one), two dips in the jacuzzi, and lots of girl chit-chat time!
Did I mention she was only here about 48 hours?
Whew, but FUN!
We invited a former student of mine over for a few days. She is a doll! Kayleigh is 14 and finishing her freshman year of high school with a 4.5 gradepoint average. Unbelievable! Back in the "olden days" when I was in high school there was nothing higher than a 4.0 - and I don't think anyone in my circle of friends had anything close to that!
Kayleigh was in my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classes when I taught the Multi-Age class. She was quite a student then as well. It is so much fun to see the great young lady she is growing up to be.
Best of all, James and I see a potential babysitter in Kayleigh. We have even talked to her about going on trips with us, if we should need her.
What a joy she is as a house guest - plus she was a great playmate for me as James is over his head in work! We were able to fit in a long walk through Seal Beach, on the beach, down the pier, a shake at Ruby's at the end of the pier, pedicures, watching two funny movies, playing a game of Sorry, making a great Salmon dinner and the "Perfect Apple Pie", taking a trip out to Beaumont to check on our house out there, going out to two lunches and one nice dinner at the Olive Garden (we stole James away for that one), two dips in the jacuzzi, and lots of girl chit-chat time!
Did I mention she was only here about 48 hours?
Whew, but FUN!
Friday, March 28, 2008
All About Blogs!
Well, my sister, Linda has discovered the blogging world now, too! Since she has two of the world's cutest kids, hers will be lots of fun when she really gets going with it!
My cousin, Erin and her husband Bret have had me hooked for a couple of years now - especially since their baby Grant was born over a year ago. Erin's blogs are sweet and usually involve something to do with their precious Grant. Bret, however deserves the "Writer of the Year" award. His writing is clever along with a comedic quality that will make you laugh until your sides split! I can hardly stand it if there are too many days between his entries!
Then, as a result of their link I started reading a blog of a cousin who barely (if at all) knew I existed. I have so enjoyed getting to know him and his family through their blog, getting connected with his sister's blog now, and seeing relatives I haven't seen for many years. I got so involved in their blog that I even startled them with a comment - especially since they didn't know who I was!
My dear friend at work has a wonderful blog, about her love story with her hubby and her dog, her teaching, friends, and her side business selling adorable little girl's bows and vintage "stuff"! She is the one who most encouraged me to start a blog - especially since we are in the process of adopting our children.
And so it is now that my sister has a blog! Can't wait to see pics, sis!
Happy Birthday,too!
My cousin, Erin and her husband Bret have had me hooked for a couple of years now - especially since their baby Grant was born over a year ago. Erin's blogs are sweet and usually involve something to do with their precious Grant. Bret, however deserves the "Writer of the Year" award. His writing is clever along with a comedic quality that will make you laugh until your sides split! I can hardly stand it if there are too many days between his entries!
Then, as a result of their link I started reading a blog of a cousin who barely (if at all) knew I existed. I have so enjoyed getting to know him and his family through their blog, getting connected with his sister's blog now, and seeing relatives I haven't seen for many years. I got so involved in their blog that I even startled them with a comment - especially since they didn't know who I was!
My dear friend at work has a wonderful blog, about her love story with her hubby and her dog, her teaching, friends, and her side business selling adorable little girl's bows and vintage "stuff"! She is the one who most encouraged me to start a blog - especially since we are in the process of adopting our children.
And so it is now that my sister has a blog! Can't wait to see pics, sis!
Happy Birthday,too!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
The Meeting
Yesterday was a meeting with our social worker.
She's a cute, sweet "girl" who looks like she graduated from high school last week. Actually we guess she's about 25, and I'm sure that is in the ballpark.
Now, we already feel old enough becoming first time parents and then we have a social worker (whom we have put our future in the hands of) who is young enough to be our daughter. You would think when they received our application and noted our advanced ages that they would have assigned us the "old" social worker. You know . . . the one that is in her thirties.
I think it is a test of our character. Maybe they are trying to see if we have those nuturing parental skills which will be noted by how we treat our social worker.
Oh well, she was nice. She seemed to want to move us along quickly in the process. Maybe she wanted to be sure she placed children in plenty of time before they will have to start the inevitable search for a nursing home for their parents.
She's a cute, sweet "girl" who looks like she graduated from high school last week. Actually we guess she's about 25, and I'm sure that is in the ballpark.
Now, we already feel old enough becoming first time parents and then we have a social worker (whom we have put our future in the hands of) who is young enough to be our daughter. You would think when they received our application and noted our advanced ages that they would have assigned us the "old" social worker. You know . . . the one that is in her thirties.
I think it is a test of our character. Maybe they are trying to see if we have those nuturing parental skills which will be noted by how we treat our social worker.
Oh well, she was nice. She seemed to want to move us along quickly in the process. Maybe she wanted to be sure she placed children in plenty of time before they will have to start the inevitable search for a nursing home for their parents.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
More Changes
There are good changes and not so good changes. Changes you get . . . and those that take a while to figure out!
That has been my week - thus no blog until I could think it through.
This week my school announced that we will be merging with another Christian School in the same area. Now, practically speaking it makes perfect sense. Take two rather small Christian schools and put them together and what have you got - a great big school! Lots more opportunity for the school to provide auxillary classes and other activities. A chance to build a "state of the art" campus in just 2 years!
It also means packing up 20 years worth of teaching materials, storing or moving it, interviewing for a job there, etc., etc. Some of you might think that because we changed campuses just four years ago that I wouldn't have that much "stuff"!
Well, I do!
But . . .after thinking, praying, talking, considering,and just generally working it through my pea brain I've decided . . .not to worry about it!
My wonderful husband put that thought into my mind, which greatly reduced my stress! He's a smart man, too. He knows that when I'm stressed too much I head to the expensive spa for a massage and or facial! Believe me I am sure that my stress reduction is high on his priority list! Just kidding. Honestly you couldn't pay someone to be as supportive as he is! What a guy!
Just when you think you have your direction all figured out - you gotta make another turn!
That has been my week - thus no blog until I could think it through.
This week my school announced that we will be merging with another Christian School in the same area. Now, practically speaking it makes perfect sense. Take two rather small Christian schools and put them together and what have you got - a great big school! Lots more opportunity for the school to provide auxillary classes and other activities. A chance to build a "state of the art" campus in just 2 years!
It also means packing up 20 years worth of teaching materials, storing or moving it, interviewing for a job there, etc., etc. Some of you might think that because we changed campuses just four years ago that I wouldn't have that much "stuff"!
Well, I do!
But . . .after thinking, praying, talking, considering,and just generally working it through my pea brain I've decided . . .not to worry about it!
My wonderful husband put that thought into my mind, which greatly reduced my stress! He's a smart man, too. He knows that when I'm stressed too much I head to the expensive spa for a massage and or facial! Believe me I am sure that my stress reduction is high on his priority list! Just kidding. Honestly you couldn't pay someone to be as supportive as he is! What a guy!
Just when you think you have your direction all figured out - you gotta make another turn!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Call
| James got a call from our social worker today! Was I excited! Just one more meeting to check off in the adoption process. Classes to take, forms to fill out, medical exams, meetings, references - we are checking them off. Someday . . . it will be THE CALL! |
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