Summer Reading

It has been several years since I have been able to participate in the library's summer reading club. I picked up some books a week ago today and here is what I have read so (I can't believe I have read this much in just a week. I have stopped watching tv though, so that helps) far, along with my very unprofessional opinions.

I Feel Bad About My Neck- Nora Ephron
The author was on an episode of Oprah. While the book had some very funny parts (Natalee, you must get this book and read Chapter 2. YOU MUST) Towards the end it just seems like she is rambling about aging. It is funny though, and a quick read.

The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts- Richard Peck
I loved his Year Down Yonder so I thought this one sounded just as great, and it was. I know it is classified as a children's book, but it is on the suggested reading list that the state department of ed. put out. It is very cute and someone in the 5th or 6th grade would enjoy it.

A Girl Named Zippy- Haven Kimmell
Also very totally cool! I really love it because it is a woman's true memories about growing up in Indiana. She refers to Muncie as "the big city." I like the setting and it is a cool story. It does have its spots where she backtracks a lot, but it is a really cute book.

Fade to Black- Alex Flinn
A really cool book. It is about a high school junior who has just moved to a new school, and though the school wasn't supposed to, they told all of the students that he is HIV positive. It is about his struggle to be accepted. He struggles with the truth through the book, and as they say, "the truth shall set you free." It is a very good book and even has a section in the back for a discussion about diversity and acceptance. I would like to use it in a freshman English class.

True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet- Lola Douglas
This book is in the young adult section and it is very much a teenage girl's book. Here is the cool part. The main character is a hollywood star going out of control. Her mother and manager send her to Ft. Wayne for a year to avoid the press. She is enrolled in Snider High School and Lola does a great job of actually incorporating true details about Ft. Wayne. Anyone wanna guess where she has her first meal? Yep, Casa's. She has breakfast at Cindy's diner. Binges on Munchie's Scobby Snacks. I was in love with this book because it was interesting to read about Ft. Wayne in a fictional book.
"Teen star Morgan Carter’s mom is trying to kill her. At least, that’s what Morgan thinks when she’s sent to Ft. Wayne, Indiana after a near overdose outside LA’s Viper Room.Morgan’s going to recover out of the spotlight. Way out. She’s given a major make-under, a new name, and a completely different identity. Morgan’s plan? To write a tell-all book about her experience and stage a comeback. But when this LA girl finds love and a new life in Middle America, will she abandon it for another shot at superstardom?"
I did some digging and found out that the author lived in Ft. Wayne for 5 months. No wonder she got everything right, down to the costumes at the Johnny Appleseed Festival!

The Every Boy- Dana Shapiro
I am in the middle of this book now. I hope to finish it by noon. A boy's body washes up on shore. His parents only begin to really learn about him when his journal mysteriously appears. They thought they new their child, but as they read through his life, they realize they didn't know him at all.

Paris "Who Cares" Hilton

I am sick of all the Paris Hilton publicity. I was watching the Sunday Morning Show on CBS and Ben Stein did an excellent editorial type monologue. I am going to search for it on the net today, but for now, here is what it boils down to.

Why do we care so much about Paris Hilton and her crazy antics and why is so much of our news time devoted to her when there are a million other people who need our time and attention?

That is one thing I really don't like about our country. Why do we idolize someone who obviously has addiction problems and struggles with obeying the most basic laws? These people are not good role models for our youth, yet me give them a ton of time on tv and space in our magazines. No wonder our youth has problems. They see people like Paris doing stupid stuff and getting away with it (I don't consider her jail sentence a harsh punishment) so they think they can. It just disgusts me.

Ever Wonder Why?

How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?


Why do you have to "put your two cents in".. but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to?


Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity?


Why does a round pizza come in a square box?


What disease did cured ham actually have?


How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?


Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby" when babies wake up like every two hours?


If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?


Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?


Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?


Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They're going to see you naked anyway.


Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?


Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?


If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?


Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?


If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?


Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!


If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?


If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?


If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?


Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?


Why did you just try singing the two songs above?


Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?


Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?


Do you ever wonder why you gave me your e-mail address in the first place

The Truth

They always say "the truth will set you free." I am going to hope that this theory is true. Some people know, others don't. We haven't been keeping it a secret, but we haven't been telling the whole world either.

Ayron and I are trying to conceive. I have some problems in that department (PCOS) and I have been on a specific medicine for about 4 months now. While the medicine is great at making you feel better, it does not help when there is only one pink line when you want two.

I know that my wants may not line up with God's plan. I understand that, deep down I do, but I also know how I feel. I feel beaten down. What if we never can? We can't afford adoption. I know it is very early in the stages of trying. I was on the pill for several years because of my PCOS and that can mess with things as well.

So why is it when I talk to people, they don't admit how crappy this whole process is. I am sick of hearing, "It will take time." I know it will, but you saying that doesn't help my present mood. Why can't people come out and say, "That sucks. I'm sorry." I have one friend who is great at that, and she is the first person I call or talk to after one pink line emerges.

I guess it comes down to my wants vs. God's plan for my life. I just wish that I firmly knew what His plan was. Is it in his plans for us to be parents? I hope so. I really don't know if I could handle being told that I couldn't have children. I would probably have a mental break down and they would have to lock me up in the hospital where mom works, and that wouldn't help my mental state any.

It is really frustrating to be almost 50 days late with only one freaking pink line. I have decided to take the afternoon off and spend some time reflecting and talking to Him. Maybe I am not hearing him right, I don't know. All I know is that it is really frustrating and mentally draining.

Nutting Much

I realized that I hadn't blogged lately. Well, I did yesterday, but that was just about my stats from work.

I guess there really isn't' much to report. Ayron is staying super busy with work and my work load is slowing down. I've been trying to keep myself entertained and busy at work, but at times, I find myself saying out loud, to no one, "I'm bored."

I have decided to read some books off of the summer reading list the Indiana Department of Education created. I am currently about half way through Richard Peck's The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts."

End of Year One

Today marks the end of the first academic school year of the Youth Improvement Day program. I did some calculations today and here is what I came up with.

This past academic year, the Youth Improvement Day Program (in its first year) helped a total of 22 students from the Steuben county schools.

Of those 22, 17 were successfully readmitted back into their base schools, which is a 77% success rate. We had 5 that were not successful due to various reasons. 3 were removed due to their actions while in YIDP. 2 were removed due to probation reasons.

I guess 77% isn't bad. I'd like it to be higher, but considering the students I work with, I guess anything above the failing percentage is good. I am going to make it my goal to have at least an 80% success rate next year. I know that is only a 3% jump, but in this field, with these kids, that is a lot. I should feel glad and proud of my accomplishments, but I will admit that I was a little let down when I did the math and it only came out to be a 77%.

Going Back In Time

I have decided to do something creative for my dad's birthday present. I never know what to get him, so I decided to make something. While I'm not going to reveal what it is, I can tell you that the process allowed me to talk about, and view the past.

My Dad never talked about his dad. Grandpa was killed in a car accident at the intersection where the Wal-Mart distribution center is now (a long time ago). I knew that he was in the service, but didn't know what branch. I had never even seen a picture of him. If I brought up the subject in the past, the topic was quickly changed. Going to the cemetery this past weekend to plant flowers sparked this idea. I asked my dad to find some old pictures of his parents. I asked him about significant dates, etc. He managed to find a couple of old pictures. It is odd to see your grandpa for the first time in a photograph. To look at him, knowing he is/was your grandpa and be amazed by his dimples (that must be where my dad gets it). Turns out he was in the Navy. My favorite picture is him in his Navy hat. The back of the picture reads "Unfinished Proof: Property of Griffith Studio. Purchase Price 50 cents each."

I have fallen in love with these photos. My grandmother was gorgeous. My grandpa was handsome. These people are my grandparents. I grew up knowing my grandmother, but in a grandmother way. It is wonderful to see these photos of her when she was younger. I only wish I could have had the chance to see them together.

I had thought about scanning these photos in and making copies to use, but I think the slightly yellowed edges, and watermarks make them unique. I will make a copy for myself to keep though, but I'm going to use the originals for the project.

Leave It To Natalee

I got an interesting voicemail from my sister this morning. This is a voicemail I'd expect to get from Michael, not Natalee, but none the less, she decided to share her thoughts with me.

"Have you ever wondered where squirrels poop? Do they climb up into trees and aim at humans?"

Proof

This is proof that even Noble Prize winners have a sense of humor!

Trying Something New

I decided to try something new (gee, I wonder where I ever got the title for this post) when it came to planning dinner. Ayron and I had gotten into a rut about not planning dinner until we got home, and by that point, both of us were too tired to cook or clean up.

As I sat down yesterday after work to make the shopping list, I decided to plan the dinner meals like I do for my after school program. This made creating the shopping list and only buying what we needed easier. The handmade calendar is on our fridge and now every morning I can look at it, and pull anything out of the freezer that I'll need to make dinner. It seems very corny, even mother like (Natalee, go ahead and tsk and give me a mommy, not like I'm there to smack you when you do it).

As I was planning the meals, I looked through our cook books and decided to try some new dishes in the next couple of weeks. I am going to attempt to make some different casseroles, but I have a question about them. Ayron and I can't eat a whole 9 x 13 pan of casserole before it goes bad. So I figured I would freeze most of the left overs in single serving sizes. How do I freeze them? Ok Ok, all you smart donkeys out there, I know, but them in the freezer. What should I put them in? What type of containers? Do they make specific containers that I can buy without going broke? Anyone have experience doing this? I am assuming as soon as I hit "publish" I'll get an email from my aunt and I am hoping she has advice.

It Hit Me

Last night Ayron and I took Pastor Adam (that just sounds odd still) out to Phil and Nikki's to look at some furniture.

On the way to the house we passed the accident scene. There is really no good way to get there without going through that intersection. The skid marks are fading, but still partially there. The tracks that Nikki's car made through the grass are still noticeable. Not as bad as they had been, but you can still tell that something happened there. Going through that intersection always makes me grateful.

When we got the house, I began talking to Nikki and I noticed a deep scar on her left leg. Dumb me, not realizing what I was saying, asked her how she got it. She has two. They are puncture marks from the door when it was crushed into her side. She wears those scars with courage and pride. As we continued talking I was recalling some events that happened the first couple of days after the accident. On the drive home, the reality of what really happened that day happened.

The accident was back in December and it just now fully hit me. Nikki is doing great, but she will never be the same. Her speech is still off, and you are reminded of that when you call the house and get the answering machine. Yes, she is still Nikki, she always will be, but she was forever changed by the accident. What if she hadn't had the care that she did right after the accident? What if a passerby tried to help and only hurt? I know these are all "what ifs" that didn't happen, but it still gets me.

Last night when I saw her, it really hit me. She is truly lucky to be here. But then again, I don't think it was luck. She is meant to be here and God made sure of that. It is amazing to me his grace and love. He choose to save someone when statistics say she should have died instantly. He choose to send HER rescue squad. He choose to send his angels to save her that day, and for that I am truly grateful.

***

We did have a death in the family yesterday. Bailey, Phil and Nikki's yellow lab, passed away. It was probably for the better. She was over 12 human years old (84 dog years) and beginning to become ill. She will be missed.

Resume Rejects

I found this on msn today. It made me laugh. Reminds me of the people who want to apply to work in my program, yet have an arrest list as long as my arm.

"In a recent CareerBuilder.com survey, hiring managers and human resource professionals across the nation shared the most unusual résumé blunders they've come across in their careers. Top slip-ups from the survey included:

Applicant attached a letter from her mother.

Applicant specified that his availability was limited because Friday, Saturday and Sunday was "drinking time."

Applicant explained that he works well nude.

Applicant explained an arrest by stating, "We stole a pig, but it was a really small pig."

Applicant drew a picture of a car on the outside of the envelope and said it was the hiring manager's gift.

Applicant explained a gap in employment by saying it was because he was getting over the death of his cat for three months."

Summer Reading List (revisited)

I will admit that my summer reading list has been placed on the back burner as the month progressed. I did bring a book with me to work today to read this afternoon. I hope to get back into the swing of reading once my day students are finished with the program.

I decided to pull the Indiana Department of Education 2007 Summer Reading list off line this morning. I will admit that I like the variety of books they have on the list. But I did notice that secular entertainment has found its way on to the summer list. It seems that theme of pirates has become the "It" thing. On the list you can find, Pirates of the Caribbean Visual Guide as well as Pirateology. Not to be forgotten, Star Wars also found its way onto the list with Star Wars Complete Visual Dictionary and Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination.

I did find several books that I would like to read. I think that I will be making a trip to the library this week to see how many of them are on the shelves.

Weekend Part II

After Saturday's chaos, we decided to relax on Sunday. We spent the morning cleaning up around the house and napping. That afternoon we had our latest meal with our "party gang." We should come up with a name for what we are doing. Any suggestions from anyone? We had a lovely time eating and fellowshipping with our friends. Ayron played a lovely game of touch football, for which he payed the price the following morning. It was a great time of fun and fellowship.

Monday morning I decided to get up early (I don't know why) and do some shopping. I went to the cemetery and planted some flowers and then came home and attempted to do some gardening, but with our front yard in its current state, I quickly gave up. We ended up going up to Bennett's for a "family" lunch. It was fun to watch Jordon interact with Goliath (her pet name for Ayron) plus it allowed me time to get my baby fix with Kole.

While it was a long weekend away from work, it still wasn't long enough for me. It's back to the daily grind of work today for both of us. I am fortunate enough to only have two day time students, both of which have completed their school work for the year. I don't have to do any more Algebra teaching, but I do have to find things to occupy their time. I managed to remember some movies today, so hopefully that works.

Weekend Part I

Our weekend was so eventful that I've decided to break it up into two posts.



On Saturday I woke up with a huge migraine and was forced to stay flat on my back. I attempted to stand up a couple of times to get the phone only to reawaken and find myself laying on the living room floor. I manged to get some meds in me and was feeling ok by the time Ayron got home. That is when the fun began.



We had decided to replace our sewer line. We have had some problems in the past and we finally had the time and money available to fix it. Tom and Phil (my dad and brother) were nice enough to lend their time to our cause. The spent Saturday morning digging a trench in my front yard. We were told by a company that our sewer line was old clay tile and all of it should be replaced when we fixed the broken connection to the city sewer. So, they started digging up by the house and made a large trench out to the street. After the trench was dug and the sewer line was exposed, they discovered that the whole sewer line was in fact the new pipe and that they only really needed to dig a hole big enough to fix the broken connection.



We had asked that Josh come over to assist in the matter. Being an employee of another company in the area, I had confidence, as did Ayron, in his ability. After a couple of attempts to cut the broken connection away, the guys gave up and Ayron decided to go get a concrete saw from work. I was feeling good enough to be outside and the dog and I were watching the boys play in dirty. Ayron is holding the concrete saw and very carefully cutting off the broken end of the connection when all of the sudden, water starts spraying EVERYWHERE!!! It turns out that when the city ran all of the lines for our house they had decided to lay the water line just underneath the sewer line. Ayron didn't even know it was there and he nicked it with the concrete saw. We had water everywhere. They eventually were able to dig out the shut off valve (which meant more digging in my yard) and shut it off. This took some time. By the time it got shut off, the front yard is a mud pit. Ayron and Josh are down in the whole, up to their elbows in mud. Insert funny mental picture here. Ayron and Josh are both in the hole. For Ayron the hole was about waist deep, for Josh, it was more like chest deep. By the time they were done digging up the shut off valve it looked like I had one giant mud monster and his little sidekick playing in my front yard. They were finally able to get everything fixed and started to refill the unnecessary trench. Keep in mind that the front yard is now ready for a mud wrestling tournament. Josh is in the excavator filling the whole when the right track of the excavator finds its way into the muddy trench. With some persuasion, they were able to get it unstuck.

So now my front yard is all torn up. I don't know how many people have stopped by, pointed at the yard and said, "Looks like that was fun!" The sheriff even came over and had a laugh about cutting the water line. Thank God that it is now done and thank God for Josh and his knowledge and work connections.

Thank You to Kelly

THANK YOU KELLY!!!!! I just wanted to say thank you for letting me borrow your husband on Saturday. If he hadn't been there, I would still have a fountain in the front yard! We owe you a dinner sometime!!

School Delay

When I woke up this morning I saw that East Noble had a two hour delay. I thought that they were having power problems again, since they already did once this week. Then Ayron calls me and says, "The delay was for a bomb!" I panic. I know some teachers there and one of the administrators. So I search the local news websites and this is what I found.

Suspicious Package Causes Two Hour Delay at Area High School
May 25, 2007 09:26 AM EDT


"(Noble County-WANE-KPC News) Indiana State Police bomb technicians were called to East Noble High School after a suspicious looking package was found leaning against the front doors of the school. School officials instituted a two-hour delay while police assessed the situation. They decided to call in the ISP technicians as a precaution.

The package had Fed-Ex markings and was addressed to a business, not the school, however there was some writing done with a red marker that indicated the package was intended for the East Noble softball coach. The ISP technicians detonated the package at about 7:15, and that's when they learned it contained flyers advertising an East Noble softball team fundraiser. The explosion did not cause any damage to the building. Several field trips were canceled because of the delay. "

I can just picture the bomb squad in their gear and when they detonate the box, its like a confetti rain. It's not supposed to be funny. It could have been a bomb. I don't think they would have been so surprised had it been a bomb. I wish I could know what was said as the newly exploded flyers were finding their way back to the ground.

What's The Big Deal

First, read this article.

What's the big deal. I've never seen Star Wars and no one wrote an article about me. As I think about it, there are a lot of things I've never seen that a lot of other people have, heck there are things I've never done too.

I have never seen Star Wars.

I have never seen "The Sound of Music" (movie) all the way through. I've seen bits and pieces but never watched the whole thing in one setting. I have been to places in Europe where the scenes were filmed. I've visited the monastery, which is at the top of a very steep hill. I've belted my heart out by the cement lions, but I've never seen the movie.

I have never been to a real concert. I have seen Josh Gracin at the Dekalb County Fair, but never bought a real concert ticket. I've seen the Newsboys at a convention, but never a real ticket.

I am sure there are more, but I also know that I have done a lot of things people haven't.

I have had the privilege of going overseas twice. I have seen castles, towers, oceans, monkeys, the tip of Africa, the filming of James Bond all while being overseas.

I have been to the world's largest McDonald's. Not once, oh no, TWICE! It's actually really cool.

I have attended a Big Ten university and failed to see the appeal.

I have gotten married to wonderful man.

I have done a lot of cool things, so many that they outweigh the things I haven't done. What things have you done or not done?

Lately

Let me start this blog by clearly stating: THIS BLOG DOES NOT PERTAIN TO ONE CERTAIN CHURCH OR SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. I am not trying to attack anyone or anything. I am merely hoping to gain clarity by writing. This post may be a little disjointed because I can't even completely wrap my mind around the issue, let alone figure out how to express myself with words.

Ever since I moved back from Purdue, church hasn't been the same for me. While I was at Purdue, I'll admit, I didn't attend a church. I did attend bi-weekly Bible studies that were organized by a local church. I got more out of those meetings and gatherings than I had ever gotten out of church. Maybe it was the people, the topics, or just where I was at in my life, but it worked for me.

When I moved home, I didn't feel the same way while I was in church. It became something I had to do because of my family upbringing and the fact that at the time, Ayron was a youth pastor. I wasn't being fed. It's not that the pastors at the churches I attended weren't trying, it just wasn't what my body needed at the moment.

I've come to realize that I haven't been fed by a church in a long time. I changed churches in an attempt to be fed, and while that worked temporarily, lately, it hasn't. I'll admit, I haven't been to a church service in several weeks for several reasons. I love the church we currently attend. I love the people. But I think that what really motivates me to go is the socialization and that should not be my primary reason. I haven't been getting anything out of church for a long time. I get fed more in my daily moments and talks with God than I do in weekly services.

I think the fact that church (I mean to use it as a group) has become to secular gets to me. Churches base sermons off of popular themes in the world. That is great for connecting with the secular world, but I think that some churches take it too far. They spoon feed their attenders already created messages. What may work for one church will not help another. Have people become too lazy to create their own stuff from scratch. I know that seems harsh. I know that pastors/preachers/clergy/etc. lead busy lives. I know all that they do, and I appreciate it. To me using a mass marketed sermon series is like plagiarism. Maybe that is the English teacher in me. Take their ideas, add your own, reorganize, build on the ideas, etc. and site it. Don't just rip the whole thing off. I think in order for me to really get fed, it needs to be something that the pastor has really worked on to create. Not just decided to follow the trend in hopes of bringing in the outside world to increase numbers.

I am going to spend some time wrestling with God this weekend. I spent the entire second semester at Purdue wrestling with my faith and making it my own. Now I need to fight to get it back. I have faith, I believe. I just haven't been fed lately. I will admit that I haven't put for the the effort to get fed in the traditional sense. I take time every afternoon to just quietly close the door and connect with God. I tend to connect by talking and with music. I tend to hear Him better if I am laying on the floor starring at the ceiling and really listening to music.

I haven't given up on being fed at church. I want to be fed at church. I like the socialization that church can bring into a persons life. I don't know if what I am feeling was even expressed well here, but I tend to use writing to sort things out in my mind. Hopefully, this will help me in the long run.

*****************

I came in today to find an email from one of the pastor's at my church. I appreciate the way he approached the issue with me. I realize, through his assumptions, that I need to clarify something.

When I mentioned the prepackaged sermons, I was hinting at the recently done MythBuster's series my church did. They created that on their own and loosely based it on the concepts of the television show (which I love!).

Everything To Me

I grew up in Sunday school, I memorized the golden rule,
and how Jesus came to set the sinner free.
I know the story inside out, and I can tell you all about the path that led Him up to Calvary.
But ask me why He loves me, and I don't know what to say.
But I'll never be the same because He changed my life when He became...

(CHORUS)Everything to me, He's more than a story, more than words on a page, of history,
He is the air that I breath, the water I thirst for,
and the ground beneath my feet,
Oh, He's everything, everything to me.

We're living in uncertain times, and more and more I find that I'm aware of just how fragile life can be.
I wanna tell the world I've found, a love to turn my life around.
They need to know that they can taste and see.
Now everyday I'm prayin, just to give my heart away.
I wanna live for Jesus, so that someone else might see that He is...

(CHORUS)

And lookin back over my life at the end, I wanna meet you, sayin you've been..

(CHORUS) 2x

Glad I'm Not Her Parent

I found this on yahoo news.

Girl calls for police help over messy room

BERLIN (Reuters) - A nine-year-old German girl was so upset about having to tidy her room she put up a sign in her window urging passers-by to call police for help.

Pedestrians in the central city of Braunschweig saw the girl crying in the window, holding up a sign up saying "Help! Please call the police!" Next to her sat a small boy. Quickly alerted, officers rushed to the scene to discover the girl had argued with her mother about tidying her room and enlisted her two-year-old brother's aid to attract attention.
"The room looked like a battlefield," said a spokesman for local police on Monday. "Officers told the girl to tidy her room. When they came back two hours later to check, it was all cleaned up. And the mother and daughter had made up too."

Is It Friday Yet?

Being out of the house (I run my program out of a house) on Monday has really messed up my week. Yesterday I thought it was Monday and today I'm already wishing it was Friday. Although it's not like we'll have a very relaxing weekend. At least it is a long one though. Ayron actually has Monday off!!

Friday we are getting ready for all of Saturday's projects. We need to go pick up a ton of #8 gravel and then a ton of river rock. Saturday we are replacing our sewer line. Which means ripping out the front flower bed, the three shrubs, large Hosta plant, and several other small plants. I am going to try to save as many of the plants as possible, but the shrubs I don't really care about.

Sunday will be spent relandscaping and seeding the front yard. We do have our traveling meal cook out in the afternoon so that is a ray of light at the end of a tunnel. Hopefully Monday we can spend some time relaxing together and enjoying a day off.

Anyone have cool plans for the long weekend?

We Made CNN

Ayron's Relay for Life made CNN.com!!

Conflict

I am not one to enter into conflict. I don't like it. Heck, I avoid it if I can. I now have to create a conflict. I have to deal with a very stressed out family and inform them that their child is no longer allowed in my program. I am sure that I will be yelled at, at the very least. I know that most of the anger is not at me, but it gets directed at me. I just hate taking the blame for others actions. This should not be a fun phone call or report to write.

Evolution of Scooter

This was Scooter at Christmas time.
Another Christmas shot, although I probably should add a black bar across his manly region.
Scooter stealing a ball from Nina and Stella.
Scooter eating snow.
Scooter watering the snow. I like this shot because it shows his length. You can thank mom for her timing!
This was Scooter at puppy class. Another cool shot by mom!

My First Mocha

I am not a coffee drinker. Everyone I know is, I am not. I decided that I needed a pick me up today so I stopped by Brew Daily this morning and saw Sara and Leah for a fix.

I decided to get a peppermint white chocolate mocha, but with only a 1/2 a shot of espresso. It was yummy. While I didn't get a big buzz (why should I have? I only had 1/2 a shot) it was yummy.

I think I found my new Friday morning drink.

Disappointment

Growing up we usually have at least one person we look up to. We not only look up to them and make them our role model, but some people might even idolize them. So what happens when you grow up and realize that person you've admired all your life is just that, a person? Growing up we know they are people (in the biological way) but we tend to idolize them. We put them on a pedestal and think they can do no wrong.

But then we grow up and we realize that they are just humans and they falter like everyone else. So why am I so disappointed at my person. I know she is a human, I know she makes mistakes. So am I upset because she made a mistake or at the fact of what the mistake entailed? Or am I simply upset because I realize that I am now and adult who is capable of realizing the faults in people? Maybe I secretly long for my childhood when my person was my "idol."

Changes

My uncle and I were chatting yesterday and the idea that change, for some people, can be extremely difficult. I don't consider myself one of those people. However, I do know that I can get stuck in ruts and I allow those ruts to swallow me. I tend to not ask for help. I know that i am not Wonder Woman, but I like to think of myself as being fairly independent.

After thinking about our chat all night, something kept ringing in my head (no, I didn't lose my hearing at STOMP). T, my uncle, said something about how even just changing the furniture arrangement can be a frightful change. I have been feeling the grasps of a major rut at work. I try not to ruffle feathers because my programs are tied to many other programs and individuals. I needed a change but not a big change. I didn't want the ripples of my stone to affect too many people.

So I decided to rearrange my office. It needed to be cleaned and have the floor swept, so as I had the couch pulled out, I thought, what the heck. I realized half way through my effort that I would need help making sure all of the cords were plugged into the right places. My boss to the rescue. My quick 5 minute change turned into a 30 minute straightening wire/cord fest. It is done now and I like it. I feel like I have more room and it's more relaxing. Although now that I look around the room, I realize that my cork board is crooked and that bug me until I fix it.

Where did I put my level?

Theater Etiquette

Last night we went and saw STOMP and it was fantastic. There were so many things that I had forgotten about. It was just as fun to watch Ayrons face as it was to watch the performers.

I did come to a realization though. People lack basic theater etiquette. TURN OFF YOUR FREAKIN CELL PHONE. The performers literally stopped the show and glared at the owner of the ringing phone. If nothing else, VIBRATE people.

Also, to the extremely drunk lady who sat 3 seats to my left. I'm glad you enjoyed the performance, but your constant screaming and "yeah baby" "mohawk" "woah" did get annoying. I'm glad you had a good time, but give it a rest. She was like that annoying person on a live CD who at the slightest hint of a pause will start yelling "YEAH" in hopes of hearing themselves on the CD when it is released. Oh yeah, while I do agree that the performer with a mohawk was not hard on the eyes, I'm pretty sure calling him (well yelling at him) "MOHAWK HOTTIE!" is not the applause he would like.

To the couple that walked into the performance with only 20 minutes of the show left. GET A WATCH. If you only show up for the last twenty minutes and do decide to find your seat. Don't tell everyone that you are shimmying past why you are late.

Maybe these are rules that I learned because I was lucky enough to grow up in theater. My dad acts in local plays and we were season ticket holders for The Embassy. I guess I just thought those things were common knowledge. Don't annoy those around you. Apparently I was wrong.

Don't get me wrong. I had a wonderful time. I would go see it again tonight if I could.

TONIGHT!!!!

I am so excited about tonight. It's been a long time since I've seen STOMP and Ayron never has.

Weekend Randomness

"Are you sure?" - Said to Ayron when he looked at me and said, "Will you buzz my hair?" I did.

"D.O.N.S." - Joe will understand this one.

"Uhh. You dropped this."- Said by some freaky guy who tried to pass his number to L as we
were walking out of the store. It was his name and number written on
a chunk of cardboard.

"No I didn't." - Said by L in response to freaky guy's comment.

"I feel like making love." - Said by lead guitarist in a band we watched Saturday night.

"Dude, looks like you've done enough of that already." - Said by a singer in the band as he
pointed to guitarist VERY pregnant wife.

"They are doing what?" - Said by me when I realized that motorcycles were being driven
through the bar. If you've never experienced Cricket's during CycleFest
I suggest you try it. I had never been to Crickets before and Ayron had
to go to fix a tent that was falling down. They literally drive motorcycles
from the backdoor of the bar, through the bar (which is VERY narrow)
and out the front door onto 7th street.

"Guys, we have to be quiet. The sheriff just lives across the street." - Said by me to J and K as
we jumped in the moon walk in our backyard at midnight. Yes, we set up
a moon walk and had 4 people over to jump in it. It was pretty fun.

"One Uncle + One Aunt + 3 hyper active nieces + 1 moon walk = 1 Aunt with twisted knee." -
That one pretty much explains itself right there.

"I'm going to pretty school." - Said by my youngest niece. She is going to preschool, but she
thinks it's called "pretty school."

Summer Reading

So I started my summer reading list a little early. I realized today, when trying to decide which book to bring to work, that I have started 3 books. I am almost done with Power Source: Taking Charge of Your Life. I started reading this one for work. The book is actually geared towards juveniles in the "system." I am hoping to adapt it and use it in the after school program. I am also reading The Four Seasons of Marriage. I am finding this book very predictable. I am really only a quarter of the way through the book and I am hoping that his thoughts become more profound. I also started That Crazy Little Thing Called Love. This book I like. I'm only a chapter into it, but so far I like it. It mixes the lyrics of "modern" love songs with Biblical stories to make it's point. Did you know that Eric Clapton wrote "Wonderful Tonight" while waiting for his wife to settle on an outfit?

I will admit that when I opened my amazon.com box and had all of the books out on the table Ayron panicked. He asked me, "What's with all the marriage books?" I assured him that nothing was wrong, I just wanted to read all of them. Heck, he's even started reading All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten.

Chap Stick

This was forwared to me, and while I am not a mother (yet) I did find it funny.


Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.

We have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 yearsold and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but he needed to put it rightback in the drawer when he was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.

We finally have the older one and and the baby loaded in the car and I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack, the cat's, . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right---their little bottoms do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind. And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures,there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.

Summer...Is it here yet?

About two weeks, I realized that my usually spring antsy feeling hadn't kicked in yet. Yesterday, it did. I can't wait for summer to get here. I don't want to leave my day students. We have finally started to gel together as a group. It is really fantastic to watch one ask the other one, "Would you mind if I read your story?" Not only did he read the story, he helped the student edit and proof read the work. He wanted to make sure that his friend turned in a perfect piece of work. They, wait, correction, WE play hackie at lunch. I give up my lunch break to sit with them during theirs. It's amazing what they will tell you when you meet them on their level. As much as I get stressed, it's moments like those that make it worth it. I know that once the end of May hits, the students will go their separate ways. One will head off to a detention center for a couple of weeks. One will get a job. I'm sure a couple of them will get back into trouble.

As much as I am antsy, I don't want them to go.

Ticked Off Parent Day

Today must be "Ticked Off Parent Day" and no one informed the teacher. It's only 9am and if I smoked (which I never have and never will) I would have gone through a pack by now!

I have one family that is mad because I informed them that their son has been removed from my program for 4 rule violations. 3 of those violations being MAJOR violations and one being a minor one. They, meaning the dad, decided the best way to deal with me is through force and intimidation, lets just say that his method didn't work!

Another family is mad at me because their 12 year old tested positive for THC at a very high level. It was a random drug screen of everyone in the program. I did not single their child out, and when you enroll your child in my program, you give your permission (it is in the handbook and paperwork) for me to do random drug screens. They also decided to let me know that they are not happy with me. I wouldn't be happy with the child, but hey, that's just my thinking.

Just pray that this week will not be as bad as last week. I can see summer break, and while the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer, it still seems so far away.

I'm Sorry

I want to make a "public" apology to a friend of mine that I know I have offended this week. This friend happened to catch me at the wrong time and I snapped. I had no reason to snap at this friend, they were there, and unfortunately, I took my problems out on them. For that I am sorry.

R U Kidding Me?

"Sumo baby : University student sumo wrestlers attempt to make babies cry during the "Baby-cry Sumo," an annual contest which is supposed to bring good health, at Tokyo's Sensoji temple in Tokyo.(AFP/Toshifumi Kitamura) "

Stronger Than You Think

I decided to start working on my summer reading list this weekend. I was reading the review of books in Today's Christian Woman and I came across an excerpt from Stronger Than You Think by Kim Gaines. Here is the excerpt.

"Our hope is that, despite our messy lives and our inability to live perfectly, we have a Savior who has already made us whole. In Christ, we are being restored and healed. And even though we may not feel whole, wholeness is ultimately not about our feelings. Isn't that a relief? If I rely on my feelings to tell me whether or not I am whole, then my 'wholeness' is likely to change with each success and failure. But wholeness is not based on subjective feelings. Rather, wholeness begins and ends with our hope in Christ and who we are in him. The reality is that, even if our feelings lead us to believe otherwise, Christ has already restored and healed us in relationship to himself - so at the root of our very being he has already made us whole."

That passage struck me. I had been talking to friend about my walk with God and how I wasn't feeling very whole. I thought that if I spent more time in the Word and more quiet time with God, the wholeness would come back. Then I realized the truth of the idea that the feeling of wholeness will change based on the point in my walk. Needless to say, Stronger Than You Think is now on my summer reading list. Any other suggestions for my list? I would like to finish Blue Like Jazz as well. I have a horrible habit of starting several books and only finishing a couple of them.

Great Weekend

We had a great weekend! Friday night we layed low and just relaxed.

Saturday night we went to Fort Wayne with Kianne and Jake. Kianne is an old friend of mine that I have recently reconnected with and Jake is her significant other. It was great that Jake and Ayron decided to ride together in one car and let Kianne and I ride together in the other car. Kianne and I are hoping that our "boys" will become as close as we are. We went to a nice dinner at Triangle Park and laughed at all of the prom people eating dinner. I actually saw some of my former students from my student teaching days. We then went to the mall and started ring shopping for Kianne. It was really cool that Jake, a normally private and shy guy, wanted Ayron and I around for this. I think he just used me as a go between for him and Kianne. One of those middle school situation, "When you went to the bathroom what did she say about ring #1, etc." It was fun though and great to hang out with them again.

Sunday we slept in. For me sleeping in is staying in bed till 7:30. I remember Ayron getting up around 8 to take care of Scooter. Next time I looked at the alarm clock with was 11:30! I still can't believe I slept that long! We managed to mow mom's yard as well as ours, play some catch, and take Scooter for a walk.

It may not seem like a very productive weekend, but it was just what I needed. The end of the school year is in sight and sometimes I think I am more antsy then they kids!

"Bring The Rain"

I had a rough day yesterday and was ready to pack it all up and just take off for awhile. Not to run away forever, just long enough to get some perspective on things. As I was driving the work van to go meet with a school for the millionth time, I had to wait because a transformer was on fire. Everything was going wrong. I changed the radio station to WBCL and heard the following song. It hit me. Then again this morning, as I was grumbling about my tasks for the day, the same song came across my yahoo music. I get it God, you can stop beating me over the head through song.

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You
Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain

So I pray
Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Coming to an end

This academic year has flown by. There were times when it felt like it was dragging on. But two of the schools I work will will be done the 24th in May and the other school a couple of days after that.

I know that a lot of kids have come and gone through the program and I'd like to think that we were able to positively impact all of them, but I am a realist. I wonder how many of this kids I'll see next school year or in the after school program?

I sometimes wonder if I could make more of an educational impact if I did work in a traditional classroom in a traditional school with traditional students. Don't get me wrong, even though I moan and groan a lot, I really do like my job. I just want to be one of those "great" teachers that students remember and I don't know if I can do that here.

Maybe it's just the stress of the day talking. I had one student not show. We think we know where he is, but no one from his family will return our calls. I also had to go to court this morning to pick up a new student. I think I'll just go home and take a nap and pretend that today went ok and that everyone learned and had a good day.

Congrats

Congrats goes out to my sister, "Sister Natalee." She was accepted into the convent today. I'm not Catholic so I don't know if I'm even using the politically correct terms, but as my friend put it, "So she's in the nunnery?!"

* I can't find the picture of us doing the "Charlie's Angel's" Nuns, so this one will have to do.

What the heck?

I am a big fan of music, all types. I always have music playing in my office. Lately I've been using yahoo music to fulfill my need for musical noise in the background of my work day. I started the player this morning and next to the song, is a picture of the album cover. I was appauled.

The current song is being sung by Ashley Tisdale. For those of you who do not have children, nieces, or do not watch Saturday morning cartoons, she is an actor on the Disney show "The Suite Life of Zach and Cody." On the album cover she looks like she is sending in her photo to Playboy. Since when did Disney let their "people" start acting and dress many years older than they actually are?

This seems to be an ongoing thing in our society. Heck, part of "Boston Legal" last night focused on the issue. Why are companies marketing mature toys to kids? Am I the only one that thinks that the Bratz dolls look like prostitutes?

Maybe I'm the only one bugged by this, but come on?! No wonder kids are growing up way to fast and doing things way to early in life. It's being pushed at them with their toys and Disney shows.

We Did It!!

Scooter officially graduated from "puppy class" last night. I'm going to give him the month off and then look into enrolling him into the "advanced puppy class." I don't expect him to be the best behaved dog in the world, but I would like him to be well mannered and not go psycho when we have people over.

Obituary

Obituary of the late Mr Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and Maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are incharge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6 year old boycharged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Tylenol, sun lotion or a band-aid to astudent; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 3 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and donothing.

Lets Go Fly A Kite...

...Up to the highest height. Let's go fly a kite And get sun burn, eh, err, opps.

Ayron and I met up with 4 of our friends yesterday to fly kites and play tennis. After several failed attempts at getting my stunt kite (it is a sphere) to fly, I decided to just lay on the hill and enjoy the beautiful weather. We ended up just laying around in the beautiful sunshine for some time. On the way home I realized, I got burnt! I now have a lovely set of lobster arms and a red face. My face calmed down over night and my usual make up routine (which isn't much) managed to cover it up.

Despite the sunburn, it was a glorious day to be with friends and enjoy the weather.

This One's For Nathan

This is bizarre - after you find the guy - it's so obvious. Once you find him - it's embarrassing, and you think, Why didn't I see him immediately?

Doctors have concluded that if you find the man in the coffee beans in 3 seconds, your right half of your brain is better developed than most people. If you find the man between 3 seconds and 1 minute, your right half of the brain is developed normally. If you find the man between 1 minute and 3 minutes, then the right half of your brain is functioning slowly and you need to eat more protein. If you have not found the man after 3 minutes, the advice is to look for more of this type of exercise to make that part of the brain stronger!!! And, yes, the man is really there!!!

Relay For Life

It is spring time, and you know what that means. RELAY FOR LIFE!! This year Ayron is the co-chair of Noble county's events. We are putting together a team to help us walk. If you're not familiar with the concept, the goal of each team is to have at least one member walking on the track at all times. The "race" begins Saturday morning (May 19th) (I'm not sure what time) and goes until Sunday morning. Ayron and I will be there the entire weekend making sure things run smoothly. We are going to set up a tent area for our "team" and we are currently trying to find people willing to walk with us.

If you would be willing to walk for us, please let Ayron or myself know. It is a great cause, and Noble county currently has more teams scheduled to walk than ever before. I ask that you seriously consider coming out, even if it is just for an hour, and walking. I will gladly walk with you. It is a great way for kids to expel energy. There will be tons of other event going on (Karaoke- Hint Hint Hint to Kym D.), games, inflatables, food, etc. We all know someone who has been effected by cancer. Please honor their life by walking with us.

Ayron and I thought it would be really cool if the "gang"(Quest) from New Hope would come out after church on Saturday and keep us company through the night. So if you're ready to pull an all nighter like we all have done in the past, just let me know.

I Got A Brand New Hair Do

So I decided to get a brand new 'do yesterday. Thanks to Sara at Shear Expressions, I look totally different. It is short, maybe not short by any other persons definition, but for me it is. It is all flippy and really cute. Oh yeah, and I dyed it a really dark auburn brown color.

I walked in the door at home last night and Ayron didn't recognize me. Sara dried, styled, and curled my hair before I left. It was nice to spend some time on me.

My students are totally gonna flip when they see it, but that it kind of what I was going for. I think it worked.


*****

So it's later in the day, and I realized that the only people who noticed my hair were males. Typically males are the less observant sex. My male student went, "Wow! Cool hair!" I went to my other office and my secretary and office assistant didn't notice. But my totally non observant boss (I'm not kidding. You could be dying on his desk and the odds of him noticing you are slim) went, "I think you look different. I don't know why, but I like it."

VT

Yesterday a gun man killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech campus, and wounded many others. The event has become a world wide news story. It got the whole world thinking about school security, but it really got those of us who work in schools thinking.

Granted, I don't teach in a traditional public school setting. I get the rough of the rough. I am their last hope. By the time they come to me, they are sick of "the system" because it has only ever failed them. They are discouraged and ready to give up. They often have anger issues and they are at the end of their rope. With the rise in school violence, why do people still go into education? Let alone, willingly work with the worst of the worst? I know why I do it.

Someone has to care for these kids. They have been hurt by the system and have given up. I want them to know that I am not "the system." I am different. I will do whatever it takes to help them succeed.

I think we all need to pray for the victims and their families of the Virginia Tech shooting, but also for those who have been forgotten. The students that I work with on a daily basis. Let's not forget to pray for those who are on the edge and could break, they need our prayer too.

Old Mule

This was sent to me by my sister and I thought it was hilarious.

An old farmer had a wife who nagged him unmercifully. From morning till night (and sometimes later), she was always complaining about something. The only time he got any relief was when he was out plowing with his old mule. He tried to plow a lot.
One day, when he was out plowing, his wife brought him lunch in the field. He drove the old mule into the shade, sat down on a stump, and began to eat his lunch. Immediately, his wife began harrassing him again.

Complain, nag, nag; it just went on and on.

All of a sudden, the old mule lashed out with both hind feet; caught her smack in the back of the head. Killed her dead on the spot.

At the funeral several days later, the minister noticed something rather odd. When a woman mourner would approach the old farmer, he would listen for a minute, then nod his head in agreement; but when a man mourner approached him, he would listen for a minute, then shake his head in disagreement. This was so consistent, the minister decided to ask the old farmer about it.

So after the funeral, the minister spoke to the old farmer, and asked him why he nodded his head and agreed with the women, but always shook his head and disagreed with all the men.
The old farmer said: "Well, the women would come up and say something about how nice my wife looked, or how pretty her dress was, so I'd nod my head in agreement."
"And what about the men?" the minister asked.
"They wanted to know if the mule was for sale."

Nikki Update

Hey yall. I decided that it was time to do another Nikki update. For those of you who don't know the situation, here is a Readers Digest version of the story.

Nikki, my sister in law, was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When another driver (turns out to be a family friend) pulled out in front of an oncoming semi, the semi swerved, jack knifed, crossed the center line and struck Nikki's car. Nikki was in ICU for 2 1/2 weeks, and in the hospital just over a month. She has had several struggles, but through it all, her attitude has always been positive.

After consulting with the attorney about the nasty letter sent by the semi's insurance company, they think the letter was meant to go to L (the person who caused the accident). She continues to do physical therapy several times a week, and her posture and balance are always improving. She did pass her driving test (in downtown Ft. Wayne!) and the doctors cleared her to drive. She does minimal driving, but she can get herself to appointments and stuff like that. The odds of her being able to go back to driving her school bus are unknown at this point. The BMV may see her fit to drive, but the school district has the final say. Since she is not working she has spent a great deal of time creating the family's new hobby. The "Country Meadow Rabbitry." The whole family, including myself, has a bunny. Her vision is still not back to where it was before the accident. She still wears a prism lens in the right side of her glasses. She had lost about 40 pounds since the whole ordeal. On the bright side of the whole thing, it has brought us all closer together as a family. Oh, and she was awarded Spencerville's Volunteer Fire Fighter of the Year award. This officially makes it the "Shull" department. Her husband, Phil, won for the year of 2005 and now she is the 2006 winner.

Thanks for keeping her and us in your prayers. Your words of encouragement, prayers, cards, thoughts, food, etc have been a big help!

Disappointment

Recently I was talking with a close friend. This friend told me something they had done and I was disappointed. Not a big deal you're thinking. Well, here is why it is odd. I have several friends who have done this same thing, are still doing this same thing, and will probably continue to do this same thing. I don't get disappointed with those friends for that, so why did I feel my heart hit the floor when this friend told me that? Do I hold my friends to different standards?

Am I disappointed because I held this friend's standard high, and they failed (in my eyes)? It is because they should know better? Was is because they sounded proud of themselves for it? Is it because they did something we swore (several years ago) that we would NEVER do? I haven't had that sense of disappointment in a long time. I felt so let down, betrayed, whatever. I think they could tell by the sound of my voice. I'm afraid that if I vocalize my emotions to this friend, they will think that I am trying to mother them, which I am not. They have a mom, I don't need to be one. But how do I be a friend when I feel so betrayed.

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. JAMES THATCHER, BRAND MANAGER, PROCTER & GAMBLE

IF YOU ARE A MALE, IGNORE THIS BLOG POST NOW.

By continuing to read this blog you are acknowledging that you are a female. Guys, this is your last chance to leave. I'm warning you. Especially single guys. Really, I'm serious. Can't say I didn't warn you.

February 6, 2007

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your Always maxi pads for over 20 years, and appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core, orDri-Weave absorbency, I 'd probably never be able to go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I 'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can 't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing
there 's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from "the curse"? I 'm guessing you haven 't. Well, my "time of the month" is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I 'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call "an inbred hillbilly with knife skills." Isn't the human body amazing?

As brand manager in the feminine-hygiene division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers' monthly visits from Aunt Flo. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it 's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her husband's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey 's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy! The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in capri pants. Which brings me to the reason for my letter.

Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: "Have a Happy Period."

Are you kidding me?

What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness, actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you 're some kind of sick freak girl, there will never be anything "happy" about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlúa and lock yourself in your house just so you don 't march down to the local Wal-greens armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of all that is good, pull your head out, man. If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that 's actually pertinent, like "Put Down the Hammer" or "Vehicular Manslaughter Is Wrong"? Or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your accounting department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flexi-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending crap. And that 's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best regards,
Wendi Aarons

WARNING!!!

This is a warning for all of you that SCUBA dive.......

NEVER

NEVER

NEVER

NEVER

NEVER

Fart in your wet suit

Merry Christmas To Me!!

So I was out and about doing my normal Thursday morning errands. I had an extra stop and was trying to rush back to work with a student on her Algebra. When I walked into my office, my boss was sitting in my chair. Panic set in. Why was he here? He never comes over? What did I do wrong? Turns out he was bringing me a present!

About a month ago I had mentioned briefly that my copier had decided to stop printing on both sides and with all of the copies I have to make, a lot of paper was being wasted. I called a couple of places for a quote, but all of the quotes were way to outrageous. Keeping in mind that I work for a not for profit organization, I decided to just write a grant and hope to get the money for next school year. My boss managed to talk our copier tech guy down and I now have a new copier. It looks so out of place in my computer lab. All shiny and new, sitting next to older than dirt computers on warped tables.

Hopefully next Friday when I met with a grant committee they too will notice our pathetic computer lab and give me some money to buy some new equipment.

Here's Charlie

It Stinks!

As I was driving into work, thru the thick fog, something hit me. No, I didn't have a revelation or profound thought. A nasty smell hit me, and I did not create the smell. The closer I got to work, the worse the stench got. When I got out of my car and started walking into my office, I realized that the entire town of Angola stinks today. It smells like one big giant flatulent with a hint of greasy McDonalds fries.

I don't expect anyone to really care, because I'm pretty sure no one else from Angola reads this, but my goodness does the town stink today.

The Ron Clark Story

Ayron and I have a netflix subscription and we try to alternate movies according to our tastes. I added "The Ron Clark Story" to our list. We watched the movie yesterday and Ayron got into more than I thought he would. It was a wonderful and inspiring movie, and not just for teachers. Just thought I'd plug it!

Switchfoot Day

I have a couple of cd's that I play while I'm at work. This morning, I started my rotation with Switchfoot's "Beautiful Letdown" cd, and for some reason these two songs won't get out of my head. I guess it's time to hit my knees and figure out why.

"On Fire"
They tell you where you need to go
They tell you when you'll need to leave
They tell you what you need to know
They tell you who you need to be

But everything inside you knows
There's more than what you've heard
There's so much more than empty conversations
Filled with empty words

And you're on fire
When He's near you
You're on fire
When He speaks
You're on fire
Burning at these mysteries

Give me one more time around
Give me one more chance to see
Give me everything You are
Give me one more chance to be... (near You)

Cause everything inside me looks like
Everything I hateYou are the hope I have for change
You are the only chance I'll take
When I'm on fire
When You're near me I'm on fire
When You speak
And I'm on fire

Burning at these mysteries
These mysteries...I'm standing on the edge of me

I'm standing on the edge of everything
I've never been before
And i've been standing on the edge of me
Standing on the edge

And I'm on fire
When You're near me
I'm on fireWhen You speak(Yea)
I'm on fire
Burning at these mysteries... these mysteries... these mysteries
Ah you're the mystery
You're the mystery


"24"
Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs

At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

And I'm not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

Twenty four reasons to admit that I'm wrong
With all my excuses still twenty four strong
See I'm not copping out not copping out not copping out
When You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now

And You're raising these twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts
But I want to be one today
Centered and true

I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now
And You're raising the dead in me

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a causeI'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You're raising the dead in meTwenty four voicesWith twenty four heartsWith all of my symphonies In twenty four parts.I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.

Worry

I've always been a worrier. Maybe it comes from my need to have everyone happy or my need for everything to be perfect, either way, it can take its toll on me. A while back I had decided to try to worry less. I no longer wear a watch, which helps. But I still find myself worrying about little stupid stuff. What if I don't get the refreshments set up on time for my meeting tomorrow, that sort of thing. No one would notice if the food isn't ready to go by noon because half of the people don't show up till 12:15. So why do I worry about stupid things? What kind of things do you worry about?

Good for the community...

but bad for me. I no longer have any students in the after school program. While that is a good thing (it means the kids are staying out of trouble) it makes my program look bad because for the second time in less than one year we are temporarily closing the program. I still have my day program, and I have plenty to keep me busy, but it will be weird to not have the kids come in at 3:30 and spend 1/2 an hour chatting with them about their life.

Remembering Part II

This is a continuation of yesterday's blog. If you haven't read that, I'd read that first.

I talked to several friends about yesterdays blog and turns out, I'm not alone. Several people have felt the way I felt. While I was chatting with one friend in particular, I started to really think about why I felt the way I felt. It hit me, I never had the chance to voice my thoughts to "him." While I have no clue where he is at, and I don't ever care to see "him" again, I do have some things to say to "him." I was responded to a message that a friend sent me through VIRB (it's way better than myspace and a lot easier to use) and it hit me. I just need to write what I would say to "him" if I had the chance. So here goes nothing.

I don't know why you thought you could string me along for 4+ years and not hurt me. Do you not realize that your thoughtless actions effect others around you? You kept me hanging on to you for years, while in your mind I was merely a back up plan. You knew that I'd always be there for you when things fell through with who ever the heck you were chasing at the time. When you did give me the time of day and we "dated" I was ecstatic. I should have known better. I knew how you worked, yet I thought "this time will be different." I was wrong. I thought you realized who your true friends were when you left and I was the only one who wrote to you, and the only one who was still willing to hang out with you when you came back. I should have known better, I really should have, but I was caught up in the moment. That night you came over, I was in heaven, you were home and I thought you were mine. I thank God that K called that night. She didn't realize it till 5 years later, but she saved me from doing something I'd regret for the rest of my life. As much as I hated you, I realize now that I do need to thank you. I thank you for treating me like crap. May sound funny, but I thank you. You're crappy treatment made me appreciate Ayron all the more. I didn't know that guys could be nice without having a hidden agenda. You made me strong. When you left, I learned that I could stand on my own two feet. I learned how to have fun, and hang out with other friends. I learned how not to depend on a guy to make myself feel good. I learned to stand by my values and not let anyone compromise them. I also learned that Mrs. C's advice does work. "A nice knee jerk to the groin will help you get your point across." So thank you. You taught me a lot about myself. I will never let myself get into a situation like that again. I now know that I deserve to be appreciated and I have found someone who does that. So thank you. Without our crappy relationship behind me, I never would have accepted the date with Ayron and I wouldn't be where I am at right now. Just don't come crawling back to me when this relationship goes sour like your first marriage. I truly hope you are happy because I am.

Remembering

I found out two weeks ago that my first "boyfriend" got married. For some reason, I struggled with that concept. My thinking requires some prefacing, so stick with me. Keep in mind that I LOVE AYRON and I am TOTALLY happy with him and he is who I was meant to be with and I never want that to change, but with that in mind, here we go.

I meet "him" my 8th grade year and I thought we were going to be friends. When I hit high school and saw him every day (he was a year older than I was), I was in heaven. I thought he was the one. He strung me along, off and on for 4 years. Back then, I didn't know any better and I desperately wanted him to like me. We had our brief fling, but he quickly moved on when I refused to do more (if you get my drift). I still see him around, mostly during the fair, but I haven't spoken to him in over 4 years. I'm pretty sure he has some issues, either emotional or mental. Looking back now, he caused me so much unneeded pain and suffering.

If he hurt me so bad, why did I feel the way I felt when I found out? It's not like I want him back, heck no! But it was odd to think that he actually married someone else. I was talking to a friend of mine about it and he said, "You always think your first boyfriend is yours. Even after you break up. Weather or not you realize it, you always hold a piece of them." I don't know if I agree or disagree.

If I had those 4 years to do over, I wouldn't torture myself. I do always have a piece of him with me though, the lessons he taught me about myself. I realized that I am strong and that I will not let anyone manipulate me like he did, so I guess in that regard, he is always with me. I am wonderfully in love with Ayron, which is why it was weird to have the reaction I had when I found out that "he" was getting married. Am I alone in my feelings? Has anyone else felt like this?

Crazy Monday

Last week was Spring Break so I had a lazy week. I took two days off and then worked the rest of the time. I thought I had prepared myself for returning to work with students this week, but boy was I wrong. It's only 12:30, but the day has already been crazy!

One of my students was put on actual home detention over spring break, so he has a lovely anklet and box to carry around and I have daily forms to complete on him.

One student who we thought would leave (he turned 18) actually showed up.

One student managed to get himself locked up.

One teacher in the night program called in for tonight, so I had to cancel the night program.

My day trip for training was turned into an over nighter (cool by me, I don't have to pay for it).

I totally forgot I had a grant that is due this week and I just started it this morning.

I wish I could take a real vacation. Go to an island where no one can contact me (I can contact them, but only if I really want to) and just veg for a week.