After a busy but good break, school starts again tomorrow. It is actually my scheduled day off but I will go in and take a day later in the week. I'm eager to go back. I was thinking about my job a lot this vacation. I like it. I feel really blessed to be able to work with little kids all the time. I love them, their insights and their energy. I also really like finding the best way to help the students with needs - I've been trying to do initiate some enrichment classes for some students but I think my heart is really with the special needs kids and their parents. I think about doing other things but more and more I realize I am where I am supposed to be. Duh! About time for someone who is 51 and a grandmother!
I also really like the people I work with at school. I am the "boss" of the educational assistants we have - 11 of them on staff though I don't supervise them all. But what a great group of women. (We'd welcome some men but they don't apply!) I value and trust their judgment with the students we work with. They are the ones who see the student day in and day out so even though they don't have as much education as I do, they have a lot more knowledge of the students. We're colleagues and that just makes the days together great too.
So tomorrow will be OK. Time to go back and see my students and my friends.
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Friday, January 5, 2007
Migraine
My personal pain monster.
For two days it lurked behind my right eye - flitting in and out. Once in awhile, I thought it was gone but not really. The pressure of its presence lingered.
I took the amazing little tablets my doctors prescribes and it hid twice,
which was good because I could enjoy Scott's visit and
I almost believed it had gone away but this time it was very persistent.
So last night I literally crashed into bed at about nine o'clock.
I think I was asleep within 30 seconds of my head hitting the pillow
and I slept till ten this morning.
Then I slept again from about 12:30 - 1:30.
I go regularly for massage therapy to try to tame this monster that haunts me and my massage guy once told me during a similar bout of pain, "The only way you are going to get rid of this is with a 14 hour crash." Once again he was right.
But there is a sweet calm that comes after the pain. Just being awake with out wanting to hold my head in my hands is wonderful. And the permission to go easy, drink tea, read quietly, cancel appointments, even ones you want to keep. I'd rather not have the pain and even more I'd rather not have the fear of the pain. But you take what blessing you can!
I'm just glad its gone. Now I'll live as though it doesn't exists until it comes back.
For two days it lurked behind my right eye - flitting in and out. Once in awhile, I thought it was gone but not really. The pressure of its presence lingered.
I took the amazing little tablets my doctors prescribes and it hid twice,
which was good because I could enjoy Scott's visit and
I almost believed it had gone away but this time it was very persistent.
So last night I literally crashed into bed at about nine o'clock.
I think I was asleep within 30 seconds of my head hitting the pillow
and I slept till ten this morning.
Then I slept again from about 12:30 - 1:30.
I go regularly for massage therapy to try to tame this monster that haunts me and my massage guy once told me during a similar bout of pain, "The only way you are going to get rid of this is with a 14 hour crash." Once again he was right.
But there is a sweet calm that comes after the pain. Just being awake with out wanting to hold my head in my hands is wonderful. And the permission to go easy, drink tea, read quietly, cancel appointments, even ones you want to keep. I'd rather not have the pain and even more I'd rather not have the fear of the pain. But you take what blessing you can!
I'm just glad its gone. Now I'll live as though it doesn't exists until it comes back.
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Remembering
It's Janary 2, 2007. Hank and I spent the morning drinking good coffee from the high tech coffee maker Kayla and Harley felt we really needed. (Our old one was Scott's old machine and painfully slow-especially when you NEED your AM coffee.) We are almost finished with our first puzzle of the Christmas break. This is our description of the perfect vacation day!
But it is also a day of reflection. Kevin died a year ago today. I remember clearly the moment James my brother-in-law knocked on the guest room door at his home in Minnesota and told us the unbelievable news. Life has been different since. I see the pain and struggles Sandy, her kids and my parents face daily. His absence is so glaringly obvious to them. But they go on. Its different for each of us, his siblings. Our lives haven't changed in the same way but there are still gaps and so many questions. He was such a lively man. He loved people, loved life, loved his calling as a farmer, loved to sing, the list could go on and on. I'm glad so many Psalmists cried, "why!" to God because I have used their tears to deal with my own. But in the end, I know that no matter what, God holds us and loves us and even if it doesn't seem to make sense, He is still our only comfort.
2006 was also the year Margaret entered Scott's life and our own. We loved her from the moment we met her and are so happy for the two of them. The wedding in July will be fun and joyful.
And November 8, 2006, was also a wonderful day. Oliver Henry was born. Ryan and Steph are and will be great parents. God has blessed them with wisdom and committment and I trust that they will continue to lean on him for help in this big task. Hank and I are going love and enjoy that little boy ( and any other grand kids that may follow!) So many blessings even in the shadow of sorrow.
God is gracious and good and faithful.
But it is also a day of reflection. Kevin died a year ago today. I remember clearly the moment James my brother-in-law knocked on the guest room door at his home in Minnesota and told us the unbelievable news. Life has been different since. I see the pain and struggles Sandy, her kids and my parents face daily. His absence is so glaringly obvious to them. But they go on. Its different for each of us, his siblings. Our lives haven't changed in the same way but there are still gaps and so many questions. He was such a lively man. He loved people, loved life, loved his calling as a farmer, loved to sing, the list could go on and on. I'm glad so many Psalmists cried, "why!" to God because I have used their tears to deal with my own. But in the end, I know that no matter what, God holds us and loves us and even if it doesn't seem to make sense, He is still our only comfort.
2006 was also the year Margaret entered Scott's life and our own. We loved her from the moment we met her and are so happy for the two of them. The wedding in July will be fun and joyful.
And November 8, 2006, was also a wonderful day. Oliver Henry was born. Ryan and Steph are and will be great parents. God has blessed them with wisdom and committment and I trust that they will continue to lean on him for help in this big task. Hank and I are going love and enjoy that little boy ( and any other grand kids that may follow!) So many blessings even in the shadow of sorrow.
God is gracious and good and faithful.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Nativity 2006?
I am the "stage manager" for our school's Christmas program. While the 5/6 choir sings, Grade 4 students are acting out the Nativity. At our run through in the gym we weren't using the costumes or props but I grabbed a doll from the kindergarten room for the baby Jesus.
I handed it to 'Mary', who said, "What's this?"
"Aren't you Mary?, " I replied, "Wouldn't you hold the baby?"
"Why can't my husband do it?" she said, looking quite put out!
Thought I had to share that.
I handed it to 'Mary', who said, "What's this?"
"Aren't you Mary?, " I replied, "Wouldn't you hold the baby?"
"Why can't my husband do it?" she said, looking quite put out!
Thought I had to share that.
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Not in the Christmas mode yet.
Oliver is four weeks today. Time goes really fast when you are thinking about a new baby.
And it is only a little over two weeks till Christmas. I haven't done anything except hang up two wreaths and buy Oliver his present when we were in BC. He probably won't care! No baking, no shopping, no tree, no decorating. I don't think I am Scroogish - there have just been other things to do. Maybe this weekend I'll get a lot of this done.
And it is only a little over two weeks till Christmas. I haven't done anything except hang up two wreaths and buy Oliver his present when we were in BC. He probably won't care! No baking, no shopping, no tree, no decorating. I don't think I am Scroogish - there have just been other things to do. Maybe this weekend I'll get a lot of this done.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Day Off
Tomorrow is my day off. The day I have off varies from week to week so it doesn't fall into a regular pattern. I always really enjoy the night before a day off. It feels a bit like a holiday - I can stay up a little bit later, read an extra chapter in a book. I don't have to think about what to wear in the morning or what to pack for lunch. And I can look forward to a great morning - reading the paper cover to cover while drinking a good cup of coffee. Then I will have time to do the Daily New York Times Crossword. Wednesday and Thursday have really good puzzles, Friday is just too hard. I am in relaxation mode alreday.
Tomorrow I have to do several errands but the most fun one will be to go to Don's Photo and get prints of the pictures we took of Oliver. He is two weeks older already and changing I am sure but it will still be nice to put a picture of him on my desk at school. I want to make a nice print of one of Scott and Margaret - we don't have a good couple picture of them. The only one we took in BC has me in it too. But it will have to do for now.
I may even do some Christmas shopping...........
Tomorrow I have to do several errands but the most fun one will be to go to Don's Photo and get prints of the pictures we took of Oliver. He is two weeks older already and changing I am sure but it will still be nice to put a picture of him on my desk at school. I want to make a nice print of one of Scott and Margaret - we don't have a good couple picture of them. The only one we took in BC has me in it too. But it will have to do for now.
I may even do some Christmas shopping...........
Friday, December 1, 2006
It looks like Christmas
Its snowing again - that's the third slippery driving snowfall for me in one week - one scarey one in BC and two regular winter snowfalls for MB. It looks so beautiful, though. All the trees are covered in snow, outside Christmas lights are one and it looks like a Christmas card. I like it. At the grocery store, the people in line a few days ago were complaining about the snow and cold (This was MB, of course) and I couldn't get into the mood. I LOVE snow in December. Its the snow in April I complain about!
Its report card time at school right now and the photocopier/printer quit. No on could print their report cards and the repairman can't come until Monday - the day the reports are supposed to be handed out. Why is it that technology which makes things easier also seems to make things so difficult for us? If we had hand written reports, no one would mind that the printer didn't work - but they'd have really tired hands. Hmmm.
Its report card time at school right now and the photocopier/printer quit. No on could print their report cards and the repairman can't come until Monday - the day the reports are supposed to be handed out. Why is it that technology which makes things easier also seems to make things so difficult for us? If we had hand written reports, no one would mind that the printer didn't work - but they'd have really tired hands. Hmmm.
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