A game I wish my daughter didn't have to play.

We live in a tiny Southwest Kansas town of 900 where it seems everyone knows everyone. DR and I have lived in 5 states and a variety of different communities and the one we live in now is by far my favorite! I've never lived in a community that looked out for one another like this one and where I've felt so very welcome. 

To top off living in just a wonderful community we just happen to live right across the street from Yip and Yap's school and two blocks from Yahoo's preschool. Any activity going on at the school, well, we have a front row seat for. Any game night Rebel fans cars are parked all around our house. On prom night DR and I throw open the windows and enjoy all the oldie music the kids dance to. 

This school started off with no exceptions. A week before school started the parking lot was regularly full of teachers cars as they congregated for training and meetings. 

However, a few days before school though there was some activity that raised my eyebrows. The school parking lot was full of a dozen county police officers at 8:00 am. The officers, many that I knew, didn't seem distressed as they drove in, chatted and mingled together as they went inside. They spent the entire day in the school. What on earth could they be doing in the school ALL DAY? 

Later I found out from a friend, who works at the school, that (duh) the police officers were spending the day at the school doing what I guess you would call a training procedure with the teachers. A couple of the officers were the "bad guys" and the others went through the school, room by room, in formation just as they would if an intruder were to come into the school. Then they showed the teachers if such an event occurs where students should go within each classroom. Our school is teeny tiny and logically I know that a school shooting here is extremely unlikely but I also understand that school administrators, understandably, feel the need to take precautions. (We have a GREAT superintendent by the way!) 

I didn't think much of the safety training and procedures being put in place at the school though. My boys are old enough, almost 9, to understand about why such procedures need to be in place. Sometimes dangerous people show up in schools. I haven't discussed with them in any detail the deaths of Sandy Hook or Columbine students. We've routinely discussed what to do if a stranger tries to take you and things along those lines of course, so they have a healthy level of, I don't know if I'd call it fear, but preparedness.

What really hit me in the heart this week was Yahoo coming home from preschool, which is right next to the boys' elementary school, and she was telling me about the "Intruder Game" they played at school. My heart skipped a beat.

"What's the Intruder Game?" I asked with my heart in my throat. 

Yahoo happily skipped down the sidewalk and innocently answered, "My teacher says "Intruder" and then we all go hide in the bathroom." What really hit me was that there was no fear whatsoever in her voice. Yahoo is more scared of ants biting her feet than she is of an intruder in school. She doesn't understand what it is they are preparing for.

I don't know how I feel about this Intruder Game honestly. Oh, I think the teacher is doing a great job and preparing them for a highly unlikely event with as little drama as possible and that's fantastic. 

But I'm conflicted. Should I be thankful and relieved that this class of four year old's are so very innocent that preparing for a school shooting is something they have to do by playing a game? Or should I take all of this school preparedness as a sign I need to speak to my kids more about preparing for violence against them? In my heart I feel that they need to stay innocent as long as possible. I don't want to scare them. I don't want to put those images in their head they they'll worry about. I don't want them fearful where ever they go. But I also want them prepared. Or maybe I shouldn't worry about them being prepared for violence but lovingly provide them with the social and emotional support so that if they are affected by violence they'll have a network to fall back on. 

What is your school doing different this year? Any thoughts? Concerns? 

Last Day of School!

Oh my, today is the last day of school for my munchkins! Well, really just a half day, so saying the last day of school is kind of a technicality. I wonder if all those teachers will be hitting the bar this afternoon? HA! I subbed last week and all the kids were getting just a bit nuts. I know I'd need a beer if I were a teacher these last few weeks. 

One teacher told me she thought that schools shouldn't tell the kids when the last day of school is...or lie about it. The last couple weeks the students are all checked out and it's tough to get them working because they know it's almost over, If they didn't know the end was coming they may be not so squirrely. I don't know if they'd be less squirrely. 

My crew seems to be squirrely all the time. 

Oh my, I knew all my kids had grown taller this year but I didn't realize just how much their faces have changed. My boys are losing the softness in their faces and are getting to be big boys! 

First Day of School 

August 2012

Before I know we'll be back to the first day of school again. 

How many more days do your kids have of school? Are they nuts too? 

The Big Reveal.

Remember the mural I'd been working on? 

I finally finished it before spring break. This past week the kids were back in school and I just happened to be substitute teaching on Thursday so that was the day the faculty decided to unveil the mural for the kids. 

I. Was. Nervous! 

They herded all the kids, 120, into the foyer of the school where the mural would be hung and I tried to hide in the back hoping everyone would forget about me. I know, silly, since I painted the thing but really...I didn't like the idea of having to get up in front of the crowd...even if they were "just kids". I'm my worst critic and I could have picked out half a dozen things about the mural that I maybe should have changed and I was afraid everyone else would see them too. 

Hiding? No such luck. 

The teachers called me out and had me unveil my mural. 

(They hung it between the two benches.) 

The kids clapped and cheered; I was so relieved. You may think that's silly but kids have a funny way of being totally honest. And this mural was for them! If they didn't like it I think I would have been devastated that I had let them down. Adults on the other hand have a funny way of politely clapping even for something awful. Adults and kids are just funny aren't they?

I sure wasn't expecting anything but the faculty had bought me a present and it was the COOLEST thing! I never would have thought of this but they had my mural put on a throw blanket. How awesome is that? So now, where ever we live, I'll always have my mural! Lovely!!! 

This was so much fun and I was so very happy that I could paint something that, hopefully, will inspire kids. I love to paint and would paint all day if I could but I only have so much wall space (or closet space) to put my artwork. So having the opportunity to give my artwork away is a wonderful feeling. 

Art is medicine for the soul but only if we share it. 

Mural is almost done.

Almost done!! 

School Mural Painting; making progress

I've only been able to work on the school mural once last week and once this week for a few hours. Slowly but surely though it's coming along. 

January 7

January 11

January 22

I worked for about an hour and a half on just the mountain. I'm starting to feel a bit anxious about it. It's such a big painting that anything odd, or out of place isn't going to be something easy to hide. Also I haven't found a good reference photo to use for the foreground mountain so I'm pretty much making it up. After last night I'm pretty sure I'm doing a lousy job of it too. Considering there will be black letters over most of the painting I'm also struggling with how much detail I need to put into that foreground mountain. Too much and then I'm afraid it will visually take away from the words. I think every artist struggles with problems in the midst of their work that they may not have anticipated, unless of course they did a whole butt load of research and planning ahead of time. I'm too ADD for that. 

There you go, there's the progress so far. Spring Break begins March 8th which is my self imposed deadline. I'm still optimistic that I'll be done by then. Cross your fingers. 

P.S. - Do you find it as ironic as I do that I'm painting a mountain range for a school in the Kansas plains? 

I am painting a School Mural!

In my boy's elementary school there was a large painting that measured 57"x 75". It hung right inside the entrance so it was on e of the first things you noticed when you walked in. I Hated IT!!! Everytime I looked at this painting I would just shudder. The objects were too small, so was the lettering and there was too much empty space with nothing big enough or bright enough to be a strong focal point. No offense to the artist who first painted it. Painting on an extra large space is intimidating and takes a different point of view. 

So imagine my excitement when one of my teacher friends asked if I'd be interested in re-painting it. I literally jumped up and down (in front of a class of 4th graders). Talk about making my day! I just love painting BIG!! 

(I had started to prime it before I thought to take a picture. The only thing you really don't see are some word's at the top.) 

I don't think there are too many more inviting things than a large blank surface just calling to me. 

It was decided that I'd choose a few different quotes or inspirational sayings and the teachers would narrow them down to a couple of their favorites. They chose; "You are Braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem, and Smarter than you think." and "Reading is Dreaming with your eyes wide open."

Then I came up with a quick sketch for each quote. I think these were about 2' x 3'. 

It was decided that I'd bring both drawings into the school and show them to the students and answer any questions they might have. Then the sketches were hung up in the hallway for a week for the studetns to look over. As a school they voted on teh one they would like for me to paint as the final mural. 

Can you guess which one they chose? 

I was anticipating that they would choose the girl reading the book.

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

But they didn't. They chose the cliff diver by an overwhelming majority! 

I was able to get started just a little before Christmas vacation. The school is nice enough to let me paint in an older unused school building. Thank goodness because I don't know where I'd put a painting this big to work on in my house. 

I'm so excited and I'm having a ball with it! So far I'm fairly pleased too. 

I think the students are excited too. One fourth grader asked just last week if I was finished yet..such optimism! The fourth grade teacher is also going to drop in on the room occasionally, with her class, so they can see the progress of the painting.  

I'll keep you updated on how it's going. My goal is to have it finished by spring break. Cross your fingers! 

Guns are a symptom.

For the last couple weeks I've been pretty silent here on my blog. I could probably chalk it up to a couple reasons; substitute teaching, our window project, preparing for Christmas. These were all things that kept have kept me busy the last couple weeks. But really, I don't think it's any of them. I think the biggest deterrent to my blogging was the Sandy Hook shooting. 

It was certainly a tragedy, of course, however the sensationalist media who swooped down into Connecticut sickened me. I don't need to see a crying child on television to know that this was an awful incident. I don't need to see cameras at the funerals. After a couple days I couldn't bring myself to read one more blog/news story about the shooting. 

Then came the gun debate. "Ban all guns!" Please...that would create a huge backlash by gun owners and seriously, isn't even a realistic option. Then the NRA comes out and states, "every school in America should have an armed guard in their school at all times." At this point I was so livid I couldn't bring myself to blog about anything. Now I've grown up with guns all my life. My parents are 4-H shooting sports instructors so I was raised to be safe and responsible with firearms. I enjoy shooting guns and I think that we should have the freedom to own guns and carry guns if we are deemed fit. 

But I honestly believe that in the case of the Sandy Hook shooting guns was not the problem. Guns are a symptom of a deeper problem that won't be solved by the banning of guns, more gun laws or putting guns in every school. Three of the deadliest massacres in the United States were caused without any type of firearm; 9/11, Oklahoma City Bombing and the Bath Massacre. Violence isn't caused by access to firearms. 

I've heard all the arguments saying that if we, as a society, truly cared about our children then we would do everything possible to protect their well being by putting guns and armed guards in schools. There are more children's deaths caused by drowning every year than by guns but I'm not constantly hovering over my kids while they bathe. If we really cared about the well being of our children, ALL OF OUR CHILDREN, then as a society we would spend more resources and time with kids like Adam Lanza, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. Let's put our resources into more counselors in schools and a school psychologist in ever school rather than having one psychologist serve numerous schools. More teachers in schools so there is more one on one time between teacher and student. 

We need to put our resources, not into armed guards, but into creating a caring community within schools where numerous adults and role models have formed caring relationships with students of all ages. A community where a teacher doesn't have the fear of losing their job simply by hugging a child. We need to create a community where all students feel cared about rather than being shuffled between teachers and parents as an object rather than a person. 

Let's create a mental health system that supports our kids rather than punishes them. A system where a parent can actual afford the services their children so desperately need. In some cases an ADHD screening for a family without insurance is close to $2000. A screening. That doesn't include any services! 

If we truly cared about the well being of our children we would start WITH our children and learn about them individually as people rather than treating them as though they only merit our full attention when they become adults. 

Guns are a symptom. Sometimes guns are a symptom of being ignored and not cared for. Sometimes guns are ways to gain attention, any attention. Sometimes guns are a symptom that a child is loved. A symptom that a child has adults that care enough to spend time with them, teach and listen. Guns are a symptom, not a problem. 

The Great School Lunch Debate.

I've been hearing a lot this past week about the changes in school's lunch menus. (Check out Sarah's post at This Farm Family's Life or Katie's at Pinke Post and a SUPER FABULOUS post by Annie at Morning Joy Farm) In case you don't have kids in school the lowdown is that FDA is revamping public school lunch regulations. You can read the USDA School Lunch Guidelines and suggested before and after menu suggestions by clicking on these links. I also found a very good on Fox News about the monetary strain some schools are facing due to the new regulations. Basically school lunches will be forced to have less sodium, more whole grains and more fresh fruits and vegetables if they want to receive federal money. Our school has a new salad bar this year that the kids can go back to as often as they wish but no more seconds of the main meal. Yes, last year our kids could go back for seconds. I NEVER got the chance for school lunch seconds when I was growing up! 

The school lunch changes probably won't be making much of an impact on my kids. I've been packing the boys lunch for the past two years, most days. They sure don't want to miss school pizza day though! When they were in kindergarten I did push the idea for a couple reasons. First, I NEVER liked school lunches growing. I thought they tasted awful. But I ate them, every last bite. I was an athlete in high school and was starving by the time lunch came around...and was usually starving after I'd eaten...and starving till I got home after practice. And I came from a home where food was never an issue. I always had plenty of food to eat at home and there were leftovers but as an active teenage athlete I needed a LOT of calories! I don't ever want my kids to feel hungry after lunch so I'll pack as much as they'll eat. 

Second, I've worked hard getting my kids to eat more fruits, vegetables and less processed food and if I pack their lunches I know what they are and aren't eating. I know my kids probably aren't going to eat green peppers but I have no problems feeding them carrots and cucumbers five days in a row if that's what they WILL eat. 

Here's my boys' lunches for the first two days of school which are pretty standard. As they grow though I'm sure what we pack will change. 

First day of school. Milk, homemade whole wheat cinnamon rolls, frozen pineapple juice popsicle, cucumbers and carrots, roast beef on toothpicks and string cheese. 

They picked the platter clean. Except for the milk, for some reason they don't like drinking the milk I send but they'll drink school milk. 

Day Two, Salad, string cheese, boiled eggs, pretzels, whole grain mini banana muffins, apple and water. They opted for cheese and water instead of milk. 

When they were in kindergarten I tried to send hot lunches in thermoses and wrapped in aluminum foil to keep it hot. Those tricks never work! A warm lunch was always cold by the time my boys unpacked it. Considering there isn't going to be a microwave available for my kids to heat their lunches we've just stuck with cold lunches. Some other favorite foods for lunch are kiwi, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, banana smoothies, almonds, broccoli and more. 

I don't have any problem with the new lunch changes considering we've always packed a lunch. But I do agree with Katie over at Pinke Post and Annie at Morning Joy Farm; these lunch guidelines are not going to provide for the needs of all kids. Some kids, especially high school athletes, are going to need more calories and protein and fat. Remember, I starved in high school...I know those teenagers are probably hungry! 

I have heard quite a bit of grumbling around our town about the changes, especially from the high school kids and their parents. Lunch will only be 850 calories and there's a lot who believe that just isn't enough. (I don't know why considering an average adult daily caloric intake is 2000 calories. If the kids eat breakfast and dinner it shouldn't be a problem for the average kid!) But here's the thing. I don't think that it's our school's responsibility to fill up our kids. Yeah, they are required to provide a nutritionally balanced meal but our schools are SCHOOLS not restaurants. If a parent doesn't agree with the food their child is being served, pack them a lunch. Or better yet, help your child pack their own. 

I also have a big problem with the idea that these FDA regulations are going to solve the obesity problem...or even make much of a dent in it. Our children eat 730 meals a year (365 x 3) and they only eat about 180 meals at school. What kids eat at school is less than a quarter of the meals they eat in a year. Providing kids with healthy, fruit and vegetable school meals is wonderful BUT (in my opinion) it isn't going to solve the problem of childhood obesity. What we do need to do is change the buying and eating patterns of PARENTS. Monkey see, monkey do. Kids are not going to be eating healthier at home if the only thing they find in the cupboards are highly processed, high sodium foods. I believe that the biggest influence on a child to eat healthier (or do anything for that matter) will be at home. 

To really get kids to change their eating habits, we adults are going to have to explain why lowering sodium and increasing whole grains, fruits and veggies (AND healthy FATS and proteins) are better for them than processed foods. And we adults are going to have to eat that way too. It doesn't have to be a big long lecture but the conversation does have to repeated every once in a while. No, kids aren't going to turn down every sugar filled dessert they ever come across but if you provide them with the knowledge of why eating healthy is important they will respond. I have one son who refuses to drink sodas (insert my cheering face here) and another that picks apples as his snack over anything else. That doesn't mean we don't have the occasional cookie and cupcake but my boys have learned that those are the sometimes snacks and they feel a lot better when they fill up on fruits and veggies. 

I think the FDA regulations changes are great, because there are those kids in this country who's only meal of the day does come from school and it should be a healthy one. That's a sad, sad fact and I wish I had a solution for it but unfortunately, feeding children shouldn't be a school's responsibility. Teachers have already had to add the role of Parent to their loooooong list of duties, Cook shouldn't have to be added as well. 

What's your opinion? Are there any major changes at your school? Where do you stand on the FDA's changes? Do you know of a good article that addresses this issue? If so, please drop a link in the comments! 

First day of School!!! Second grade?? Already?!

It's the first day of school and I'm doing a happy dance!!!

Not that I won't miss my kids, of course I will, but dang have the three of them been getting on my nerves lately!! Bickering and fighting and generally just not getting along has been the mood in our house the last couple of weeks. 

Yip, right there in front, has just revealed to me that he's a bit nervous for the first day of school so I had a tough time getting him to smile. 

Yap on the other hand has been looking forward to school starting. I'm saying some special prayers for Yap this week. Last year he and his classroom teacher didn't get along very well and I'm hoping he and the 2nd grade teacher have a better chemistry! 

2nd grade!!! Where does the time go? 

These boys turn 8 on Saturday and I can't believe how big they are. Yap is wearing a Pike's Peak shirt we bought a couple weeks ago...it's an adult size small!! Pretty soon he and I will be wearing the same size clothes!!! 

After a little pep talk Yip did get calmed down a bit and I reassured him that he'll be fine in school especially after he sees all his friends again. I don't know what he's worried about, he's such a hard worker that he won't have a problem. 

And what about little Yahoo? Well, everyone has been asking all summer if she's going to start preschool this year. I sure wish she was. She's only 3 1/2 but a 3 year old who could use the hustle and bustle of preschool. Yahoo will have to be 4 before she can attend the preschool here in town, just one more year. But she's already told me that when she starts school she wants a butterfly backpack and a butterfly lunchbox!! 

Have a great year kids! 

Special prayers to all the teachers this year too!! 

Magic Math Machine

A while ago my sister introduced me to the book Mr. Base Ten Invents Mathematics.  My boys loved it because it was a very concrete method of introducing the concepts of multiplication, division and subtraction that even younger kids could understand. The boys and I have been slowly learning the multiplication table. I made a Magic Math Machine to make doing flashcards a lot more fun. 

 

Start with a box and cut some slits. Mine are about 3 inches by 1/2 inch. 

Then I cut a piece of card stock....

...so that it fit in the box like this.

Then I creased the ends and taped them to the outside. 

On the inside it should look like this, a "rainbow". 

For a little extra support I added a card stock "wall" around my "rainbow". 

Then decorate!!! 

I made some flashcards that were long, about the same length, but skinnier, as the card stock I used for the "rainbow". If the flashcard is the same width as the hole (like the one above) you'll have problems getting it to come out the bottom. 

3x1

...and the card goes in the top...

...and the answer comes out the bottom! 

Voila, the Magic Math Machine!! 

Last day of school!!

Friday was the last day of school for my kids!! 

Woo Hoo!! 

Sorry, I'm not meaning to brag, Indiana friends, that we are done with school so much earlier than you are. Kansas is different after all. However, I did hear from a little birdie that we'll be the school year will be a week longer next year...I haven't told my boys yet though! I didn't think they'd make it through that last week! 

So Friday was the last day of school and like any last day of school Yip and Yap came home with backpacks full of broken crayons, gym shoes that are in mint condition and pencils. 

These were Yap's pencils. 

What's with that? Is he a beaver or something??

Providing Educational Experiences

It's no secret that I love rural life and our little rural school is no exception. Yip and Yap are two of only 20 1st graders. Their teahcers and principal konws everyone. My boys routinely give hugs to the varsity football players when they see them right after school. And there is ample opportunity for students to have one on one attention from their teachers. 

Recently, however, I was talking to a mother of a high school senior in our district. She did have some complaints about the school; it doesn't prepare students for college and it doesn't provide enough experiences and opportunities for students. 

I have to disagree with her 1st point. The school DOES prepare students for college. Last year's seniors included a pre-med major and an student who is in the engineering program at Purdue this year. A state senator can also boast of being a recent graduate of our little high school. I believe my friend's son's problem isn't that he isn't prepared for college but that he doesn't know what he wants to do when he gets there. 

But the fact that this particular senior boy doesn't know what he wants to major in could be from lack of experiences. Of course our high school, of 100 students, has sports, band and an academic team. But there is no FFA program, which I hold in hig regard for its ability to instill leadership qualities in high school students. Like any school our students go on field trips but honestly, destinations are limited. For our students to have the opportunity to visit a museum of the same caliber as those in Chicago or Indianapolis would require an overnight trip. 

I'm an advocate of the importance of a well rounded education, not just in school but at home as well. If the school can't provide the experiences that my kids need then I see it's DR and my job to provide them. 

If you've read my blog routinely you know DR and I take road trips...a lot. Amarillo, Taos, Ft. Larned, Colorado. It's not just about our family seeing new places but experiencing new things and learning about people and places outside their community. DR and I have been discussing visiting a military base because Yap wants to be a soldier. I'm not pushing Yap to be a soldier if he changes his mind in the future but this is his interest now and I feel it's important to provide support and experiences for my kids' interests at any age. 

We also read....a LOT in our home. Books, magazines, newspapers....it's not uncommon for my kids to be on the floor surrounded by books before they go to school. DR and I both are constantly on the lookout for new and interesting reading material for our kids. 

Rural living is wonderful but it does have drawbacks. Isolation and lack of broad educational experiences is one of those obstacles we face out here in SW Kansas. For some the solution would be homeschooling. NOT ME! Overall, the school does a MUCH better job that I ever could on my own. Right now my job is to supplement my kids' educations with road trips, reading or whatever...but I know I could do better. 

So, my question to those of you living in very rural America, how do you provide educational experiences  for your children outside of those offered in your rural school? 

Back to School - I Heart Faces

My twin 7 year old boys first day of first grade. 

iheartfaces

Our school is soooo SMALL that.....

Our school district is VERY small. The school enrollments were published in our town newspaper last week and even boasted that enrollments were up!!

Here's the breakdown between two elementary schools, a middle school and a high school

MES 

PrK - 18

K - 16

1st grade - 19 (my boys are in this class with two new students this year!)

2nd grade - 14

3rd grade - 17

4th grade - 13

5th grade - 13

Total - 110

CES

PrK - 7 

K - 10

1st grade - 8 

2nd grade- 6 (!!)

3rd grade- 6 (!!!!) 

4th grade- 7

5th grade- 9

Total - 53....(in the whole elementary school)

Junior High

6th grade - 24

7th grade - 22

8th grade - 33

Total - 79

and finally...

High School

9th grade - 25

10th grade - 24

11th grade - 27

12th grade - 16

Total - 92

There are only 92 kids in the entire high school...only 16 seniors. I had 130 kids in my graduating class (1994) back in Indiana! 

Wow! The numbers here just blow me away. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that we live in such a small town. DR and I were saying just the other day that if we ever move back to Indiana we would be in for some culture shock!

So...how big was your high school graduating class? 

The Preschool Lament

School has started! 

What didn't you get the memo from all your Facebook mom friends flooding their status's with pics of their kids on the first day of school? (Okay, I'm guilty of that one.) Or those moms' confessions of how much they cried when their preschooler/kindergartner stepped on the bus for the first time? 

Yep, school has started and we are in full swing of the Preschool Lament. You know, the lament from the mom who has a child starting preschool and can't bear the thought of being without their little one for a few hours a day. The mom who rather than putting their child in the preschool in their hometown drags the poor kid to a preschool in the town where they work because they can't stand to be that many miles away from them. The mom who is in the beginnings of a deep dark spiral of depression because they have to face the fact their child is growing up and off to full day kindergarten. 

The Preschool Lament. You've heard it. I've heard it. But I just don't get it. 

I don't get why moms are so sad about their kids starting school. Yes, I miss my kids when they are gone (I do enjoy the silence though) but more than anything I am really excited for my kids and the opportunities school holds for them. School means learning and new experiences, friends and sports, meeting new people and the chance to grow into their personality and the person they are meant to be. 

Yes, I do miss my kids when they were babies but how cool it has been to watch them grow! Just this summer all of my kids went off a diving board for the first time and the boys learned to swim. Yahoo has matured by leaps and bounds in her coordination, speech and cognition in just the last few months. All of my kids have physically grown out of clothes...and shoes...and shoes....and more shoes. 

But for all their growing I'm not sad for the first day of preschool or kindergarten and you won't hear a Lament from me. Growing up is great! I'm looking forward to every phase and age of my kids because every season of their lives holds new experiences we can share and I can open up to them. Last weekend we hiked the Palo Duro Canyon in Amarillo, TX. With three young kids we could only hike for a couple of hours for two mornings. But I can't wait until they get to be teenagers and I can take them to the Grand Canyon and backpack and camp at the bottom of the Colorado River. Very, very cool! 

There are all kinds of things I want to share and do with my kids. But I won't ever get to do any of them if I'm still wishing they were three years old instead of thirteen. By the way, I love thirteen year old kids. THAT is a cool age to be! 

The Sub Job

School started here on Thursday. On Friday I had my first substitute teaching job of the year. Since the school is right across the street and Yahoo's babysitter is right across the alley, substitute teaching is a pretty easy way to make a little extra money. 


This sub job was so easy it was boring. I only had to watch about two and half hours worth of high school Spanish classes.I've subbed for many years. I was a substitute teacher my last couple years of college. I subbed right after I married DR and moved from Indiana to Kentucky. The largest and most intimidating high school I ever subbed in, in Kentucky, had 4 separate principals, over 1000 students and had uniformed police officers walking the halls. I didn't like heading to that huge school and often turned down subbing jobs there. It wasn't just because of the cops that I didn't feel comfortable there...just walking through the halls was extremely uncomfortable. There were many kids who let off a creepy vibe. 


Our little town's high school is most definitely the smallest I have ever subbed in. There are only about 100 high school students in all four grades, the high school is attached to the elementary, everyone knows EVERYONE and every kid has a laptop assigned by the school. My half day sub job was cake. First of all because it was the second day and I don't know a lick of Spanish there wasn't anything for these kids to do. Back when I was in high school (man, that phrase makes me feel old) we'd sit around and chit chat the whole class while periodically being told to quiet down by the sub. All 13 of the kids in my class last week had a laptop and were on it and were completely quiet for over an hour. I even asked them once to make some noise...please! The silence was driving me insane! 


It wasn't just the fact they all had laptops that spurred the silence. I know a lot of the high schoolers and overall they are pretty conservative and respectful group of teenagers.  You don't see any over the top clothes or hairstyles or piercings on these kids like I've witnessed in other states and bigger schools. Not many teachers get to experience the spectrum of teaching environments that substitutes do...especially one that has subbed in different states.


This school district is awfully small and sure, there are some things that the students in this high school don't have offered to them like FFA or more specialized classes. But I think being small is a good trade off for a positive and conducive environment for learning. 


Anyway, small is great when it comes to being a substitute teacher and having a safe feeling when I go to work. 

Sunday Devotions - Let's Pray for our Teachers

^___ for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—

Proverbs 1:3-5

First day of school - August 18, 2011

This summer has just flown by! And school started this past week. I even had my first substitute teaching job on the second day of school..ha! Boy was I happy school started; Yip and Yap's daily arguments have been grating on my nerves. Yep, let those teachers handle em' for a few months. HA! 

Joking aside though I will miss my boys daily presence but I'm sure Yahoo and I will find plenty of things to keep us busy. I was a teacher and many of my friends and family are teachers. It's a tough job that not anyone can do. Teachers don't teach just because they can't make it in the real world. Teachers teach because they have a passion for learning and truly care about the education of the younger generations. 

Yes, teachers only teach ten months out of the year (what do they have to complain about) but most of their summers are spent continuing their education, working summer school or organizing for the upcoming school year. And teachers don't stop working at 3 pm when the bell rings. Teachers work late nights and weekends grading papers and planning for the upcoming days' lessons and are always trying to improve their methods of teaching and finding better resources within the budget, small as it always is. 

Millions of teachers have started the school year this week. Some are novice teachers while others have years of experience behind them but they are all teachers because they care about my and your children. 

Take a minute today and pray for your children's teachers. Pray that the teachers are blessed this year with patience, wisdom, support and resources. Ask God to bless each and every adult that will touch your children's lives this year. 

Teaching is a fabulous profession, I miss it a lot. Those teachers will impact our child's life more than we may ever know. And there will be some teachers our children will never forget. I still have former students that I keep in contact with. How can we not be willing to support these teachers in every way, especially with our prayers? 

Dear Father in Heaven, Watch over all the children returning to school this week. Bless them with open minds and willing hearts to gain knowledge and wisdom. Bless the teachers with health and wisdom. Although teachers are overloaded in their responsibilities across the countries help us as parents to be supportive in any way possible. Amen.