Little Things

Over the years I've realized that it's the little things of life that I find most satisfying--a clean refrigerator, a mopped floor, a straightened closet, clean sheets....the accomplishment of almost any task, regardless of how small or seemingly insignificant. I've been known to open a straightened knife drawer a number of times just to enjoy another moment of satisfaction! Well, during the last of the winter months, I became aware of how faded our shutters had become. What had been a nice country blue 10 years ago had become a very faded, washed out water-at-the-shore blue. Yes, I know, you can barely see the color--that's what I thought, too. As a matter of fact, while I was approaching the house about a week ago, I was thinking about how faded the shutters were and that I really had to get them painted. Boy, were they ever faded! Then I realized that the shutters weren't on the house--Mike had taken them down. Sadly, there was very little difference between the appearance of the house with or without the shutters. Since I had already purchased the new paint ("celestial blue") , I made it a point to get the shutters painted week before last. Those at HGTV might say that the new coat of color has given our house something called "POP"; personally, I think the new color is rather "heavenly."

The Best Day!

Today I've had to remind myself of (one) of my mottos: "Today is the best day of my life!" I try to remind myself of this each day because I realize that today is all that I have. Yesterday is gone, and I don't know if I'll be allowed to see tomorrow, and since I don't have control over either of those two days, there's no point in my worrying too much about either one. (I may make this sound easy, but applying this attitude to my life isn't always as easy as it may sounds.) I must admit that I don't feel that I have many "bad" days at my job. I enjoy my job, the work that I do. I like the people with whom I work. I even like the kids that I deal with on a regular basis (most, most of the time, anyway). Today was apparently an aberation! First off...well, I'd better not give details, but suffice it to say, politics abound in the workplace! I was so upset by something that happened that I was almost in tears. Since I knew that I would probably cry if I talked to the person that I believed could take care of the problem, I did the most logical thing I could think of--I sent an e-mail to that person along with a copy to my immediate superior. I was satisfied to see that both individuals opened their e-mails right away, but not so satisfied when I heard very quickly from my superior and was informed that I had committed an apparent faux pas by involving a higher-up in a domain over which she was not to be involved. Apologies abounded--mine, of course! I guess I've been having it too easy, because the first upsetting event was soon followed by a second. Last week I asked for guidance in dealing with a particular situation involving students. I was told (adamantly) what could and could not be done. Today I found out that what we are saying and what we are doing are two different things. This really goes against my grain! Finally, to top off the day, when I encouraged a student to get busy, he came back with an extremely vulgar, disrespectful comment. In 30 years of teaching, it was the first time anyone had said something like this to me! Oh, well. Today, the best day of my life, is almost over, and if I'm blessed, I'll wake up tomorrow morning to face the best day of my life!

Spring Break...and the EB

Spring break started for me this past Thursday. Yes, I'm actually getting a head start on everyone else in our county. Since I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday (used a sick day) and took my last personal day on Friday, I was able to leave early to visit with Meredith at school. After arriving, Meredith and I had dinner together, went shopping at Walmart (of course), hung out in the dorm, etc. Meredith "casually" mentioned that Easter was coming up next weekend and also "casually" mentioned her Easter basket. Yes, the Easter Bunny has continued to visit my children (ages 28, 26+, and 21) into their adulthood. I told Meredith that the EB ceases to visit individuals who have reached the age of 21. She was shocked and in total disagreement with that concept. After a bit of discussion regarding her age, obligations of the Easter Bunny to younger children, the subject was dropped.
I convinced Meredith to get up early the next morning so we could have breakfast together before her 8:30 class. After Mere. left for class, I made my required visit to the school bookstore and then on to the Dollar Store. After deciding to help out the EB, I managed to find an FHU t-shirt Meredith had described to me, some sugar-free candy, and two-small stuffed animals (a baa-ing lamb and a piglet for her collection) for her Easter basket (really a gift bag). It's no wonder my children still expect visits from the EB (and SC), but I just can't help myself...I guess I'm an enabler. When I delivered the "bag-sket" I let my youngest know that the Easter Bunny had extended his contract with her for one year...this year...but that after this year she, and her siblings, were off the list so he could devote his efforts to younger "kids." Although she wasn't too thrilled about her name being taken off the list, she was very excited about this year's Easter gifts. We had a great visit; I really enjoyed our time together. After I left Meredith, I drove about three and one half hours to see Rachel, my oldest child, and my son-in-law, Ben, with whom I'm looking forward to spending several relaxing days during my break. I called along the way to update Rachel on where I was on my journey and that everything was going fine--much like I did with my parents when I was growing up! During one of my calls to Rachel (who is 28), she mentioned that her Easter basked was on the dining room table waiting for the Easter Bunny's arrival! All I've got to say at this point is that this bunny is tired and looking forward to a rest....and that I'm really looking forward to helping out the EB when I have grandchildren!

Wedding Bells

This weekend was a particularly special one since our girls came home to attend the wedding of a dear friend of our family. She's a wonderful young woman, and although I don't know her new husband very well, I feel sure that he's a fine young man--otherwise I know she wouldn't have chosen him to be her husband! I'm so pleased for them both and for their families. A wedding is such a special time but particularly when both the bride and groom are Christians and seem quite right for each other. In addition to the feeling of happiness I felt for the bridal couple, I also experienced feelings of nostalgia as I listened to them while they exchanged their vows--and remembered a similar time in my own life over 32 years ago. I know their marriage will be a happy one as long as they keep God at the center of their life together. I wish them well.

Excuses and More

Obviously, it's been too long since my last blog....Rachel told me (at least 3-4 times) that I needed to update, Meredith told me (at least twice) to update; even Paul said that I needed to update. When I heard that Daniel, the blog police, was giving out citations (and fines!) I knew that I needed to get with it because I can't afford a fine! And I do realize that November 16 was quite some time ago. It is, however, one of the busiest times of the year. Thanksgiving dinner for several members of our family at our house, the day-after-Thanksgiving-Christmas shopping, my family at our house for the Powers' family Christmas, the end of the first school semester, nursing Rachel during her tooth extraction, Christmas at Ben and Rachel's, Christmas at our house, Christmas with my parents in Tennessee, a huge New Year's celebration--oh, wait a minute. . . .we didn't receive an invitation to that one! Sorry. . .I got carried away. At any rate, we were busy enough without another holiday event.
Even though it's a hectic time, I have always loved the holidays (as I mentioned in an earlier blog) and the time with family and friends. When I was growing up, Christmas was always a special time in our home. I don't know that it was any different than Christmas in anyone else's home, and to be quite honest, there were probably many families who were involved in many more activities during the holidays than ours was. My father's job kept us on the move and away from our extended family during most holiday seasons, so our immediate family (Dad, Mom, my twin sisters, and myself) were usually the only participants in our celebrations. That was always enough for us, however. We always had a tree. . . tabletop, live (green or flocked), plastic, or aluminum--we've had them all. And oh, the presents! There were so many! We always had all that we needed plus much more, but my parents didn't buy us something every time we went to the store or just because we asked. Christmas was a different story. I don't remember being asked what I wanted, but whether it was Santa Claus or Mom and Dad, the perfect gifts always seemed to make their way under the tree. I knew that it really wasn't the presents that were important, but the time we spent together. There was such a magical quality to the time and the traditions of each and every holiday season.
When I married and had children, I tried to instill in them my appreciation for the holidays. I think they all know how much the holidays mean to me, and I hope they'll share those feelings with their own families. It has always meant so much to me for us to be together as often as possible and especially some time during the holiday season. When our children marry, however, we have to show that we've learned another lesson--that of sharing. We don't just share gifts and food, but we also have to share our time--time with those we love. Although I've never thought of myself as a particularly selfish person, I must say that there's a part of me that would like for my children to be at our home all the way from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Now that Rachel is married, I realize the importance of her spending time with her husband's family as well as with ours. I also know, however, that as our children grow up, move away, and as way leads to way, there's always the possibility that we won't all be together. I do hope my children will carry with them many joyous Christmas memories that will bring a smile to their hearts and that will create in them the desire to return to their first home.

Homecoming

This past weekend Rachel, Meredith, and I went to Freed-Hardeman's homecoming. Rachel and Meredith saw quite a few people they knew, but none of my former classmates were there. If they were, we failed to see (or recognize) eachother--it has been 35 years! It's difficult to believe that so much time has passed. I remember fondly the school, the people, and the good times we shared.
Rachel's friend Kelda, a former classmate, hosted a breakfast at her home in Henderson on Saturday morning where Rachel, Kelda, and three other classmates were able to renew their friendship--and enjoy the delicious breakfast that Kelda had prepared for us. The girls met up later in the day for their five-year reunion luncheon where they saw other of their classmates. I enjoyed listening to them as they reminisced together.
Meredith stayed in the dorm so she could be with her friends as much as possible. . . . literally, as much as possible. They stayed up until 4:30 on Friday night (Saturday morning), but went to bed earlier (3:30 a.m.) the next. Talk about burning your candle at both ends! Had I stayed up that late two nights in a row, I'm afraid my candle (wick and wax) would be totally extinguished. Rachel and I met up with Meredith periodically over the weekend-- she and some of her friends met us for meals a couple of times.
The best part of the trip for me was my being able to spend time with my girls. Now that Rachel is married and living in Alabama, there never seems to be enough time to do what we want, or for me, to say everything that I'd like to say. Even though Meredith is currently living at home, events like this give us "together" time and new shared experiences. It's also fun to tell eachother about our individual experiences at FHU. I'm so thankful that I'm able to spend times like this with the girls.

This is why.....

A special needs student has been coming to the library for the past several weeks guided by her teacher who tells her each time to bring her books to the checkout desk to check them in and then again to check out one or two more. Although I thank her each time for bringing me her books, and even though her teacher has instructed her each time to say something specifically appropriate such as "Thank you," she doesn't appear to respond to anything that I say to her. After she had visited the library a couple of times, I asked her teacher something about her disabilities in the hope that I might help her in some way and was told that her disabilities include visual, social skill, and communication problems. He also told me that she loves books, so I asked about her interests in the hope that I could help her find something she would enjoy.

When she has arrived in the library each week, I have had a specific book ready for her on a variety of topics--dogs, planets, rabbits, etc. Each time, she takes the book, and holds it tightly to her chest. Her teacher instructs her to thank me, and sometimes, if I listen very carefully, I may hear a slight sound that I assume is her thanks.

Today when this young girl returned to the library to exchange her last week's selections for something new, I showed her my most recent choice for her, a book about hamsters. I also went on to tell her about Joe Dirt, the hamster that our son, Joey, rescued from abuse and then brought home to live with us. As she stood next to me, her instructed "thanks" was, again, barely audible, but when I looked at her, I saw that she was moving her lips as though she was blowing me two kisses and then repeated the action. As I kissed her on the cheek, I was so moved by her own personal expression of thanks.

Although I don't recall the exact moment that I decided to become a teacher, I do know that my decision was made sometime between my sophomore and junior years of college. I also believe that certain of my own teachers influenced that decision. In the course of the past 30 years, I have found that teaching is seldom easy, is often frustrating, but is also very rewarding. On a few, rare occasions, I have even wondered if I had made the right choice. Today, however, I have no doubts about my decision to become an educator--I know it was absolutely the right decision!