My principal had to make a hard decision yesterday. This morning she had to inform the staff about it. He was expelled - he admitted to doing the graffiti on the bathroom wall, was found with gang insignia on his belt, and admitted to being part of a local gang. I understand the reasoning - even agree with the reasons behind the decision - but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t breaking my heart.
I’ve been rooting for this student all year.
Teaching keeps me on my knees.
Yup, that’s right. I’ve gone from four whites walls in my classroom to only ONE white wall. This is no small feat because of the sheer amount of white space, the lack of technology themed posters out there, and the laminating machine of DOOM that messed up my home-made decorations on Thursday. It looks much nicer in here if I do say so myself. One wall has internet terminology and website evaluation guideline posters, another has a banner with Colossians 3:23 on it, and another wall has my home-made Microsoft Word 2003 button images and descriptions. The wall for Microsoft Word isn’t finished yet, but I’m temporarily satisfied with it.
Also, the floor is swept, headphones and software are put away in nice plastic tubs, and my grading is down to 4 stacks of papers.
Yes, I think this qualifies for the “life is good” category.
Monday the lower grades (K-2) are doing Halloween pictures in Kid Pix Deluxe and the middle schoolers are doing typing excercise - well, that’s the plan for the middle schoolers I should say.
And also this weekend - I got my hair cut and colored for 15 dollars more than what I’m used to paying for just a cut (no style at all). Oh it is so nice to be able to pin my hair up and its a beautiful shade of dark reddish brown. Best of all - this didn’t break the bank. Thank you IHOPers who recommended the salon to me.
Yes, life is good.
me - J.J., is it just you and your little sister? Are there any more kids in your family?
J.J. - Just the one in my mommy’s tummy!
third grade girl - I like helping, it feels good to do the things that God tells us to do.
Tessa - Oh NO! what am I going to do? Mrs. Reynolds will kill me if I don’t turn this in today!
me - Don’t worry, I’ll go talk to her. I’ll let her know that You’ve done the work.
Tessa - Do you really think she will listen to you?
7th grade girl - This school is just too Christian.
Many middle schoolers - Can you just put our assignments on Bebo?
1. I am now - hopefully for a short time - computerless. I broke a key on my keyboard and can’t get it to go together again. Chelsea is letting me use her computer right now while she’s out and about.
2. I love my roommates - and I can’t say this enough. God put me with some amazing women.
3. I am eating sweets like there’s no tomorrow today. They are yummy.
4. I forget sometimes how nice it is to talk to the people who have walked beside you during some of your most difficult moments - until you sit and giggle with them again.
5. Saturday afternoon with Hayley at Loose Park was amazing. She came up with an exceptionally creative version of “Can’t Touch This” while we were swinging.
6. I love to read and this weekend was a great time to catch up on a few good books.
7. I miss the NightWatch here at the House of Prayer - and would love to go back to it. Thank goodness I have a summer break.
8. That being said - I’m thankful I stayed up late last night and spent some time with the NightWatch in the GPR.
9. My roommate Chelsea has been so sick this week - it’s so nice to see her back to herself today. Well, somewhat back to herself. She’s still a little weak, but her sense of humor is back.
10. I did my lesson planning in the prayer room last night - and it’s the fasted I’ve finished my lesson planning ever. I wonder if the fact I was praying over it made any difference.
11. I really enjoyed hanging out with Nathan this weekend. Coffee and chatting at Higher Grounds is a great way to start a weekend off.
12. That being said - I had a real weekend this week. I didn’t go up to school once AND I kept the time working on school stuff down to 3 hours TOTAL!
Well, goodnight y’all. I’m headed off to bed. 4:45 AM comes way too early to stay up too much later.
I had this moment today when I was all stressed out. (In my defense - middle schoolers are an odd bunch.) In that brief moment I was wanting to scream - to let my frustrations out on these impressionable adolescents - but I didn’t do that. Instead I took a deep breath and cracked a joke (ok, maybe it wasn’t really a joke) about how my favorite prayer is “God, help!” while talking about help windows in Microsoft Word. In that moment of cracking a joke I felt this peace overwhelm me - and I realized I wasn’t just stating my favorite prayer - I was praying it.
I was walking down the halls of the school Sunday and had this moment of realization of how much the Lord has blessed me this year. I am in a new city, working a dream job, living with wonderful people, doing a couple hours a day in the prayer room (on a good day), and making new friends while keeping old ones. Yes, I’m a blessed girl.
I was with a friend on Saturday and having a real heart to heart when something else hit me. I realized that even in my weakness God can use me. Even when I am full of fear and struggling to keep my head up - God can use me.
As I reach out to Him, I find myself reaching out to others. Despite my own personal pain I find myself wanting to reach out and share the love of the Lord with others. I realized I couldn’t have done that a year and a half ago. I was so needy a year and a half ago - I don’t think I really was able to talk to wake up and get going some days except for the help of such wonderful friends. Yes, suddenly I realize I am stronger than I was, but still a girl in need of a savior.
“Some times you need a human collator. I am that collator.” (Think of it being said in Veggie Tales “I am that hero” kind of way.)
That was the notice that I didn’t hear this morning while watching Julie’s class for her. What I hear was Lauren sticking her head on the room and telling the students to follow her outside. So out we go - bundled in sweatshirts and some kids still wearing their back packs.
I let Lauren take both of the classes and I took control of getting students who were still just walking in the building with their homeroom teachers. (It was 5 minutes before school started at this point.) At one point I was trying to get two middle schoolers, one first grader, and two fifth graders to their teachers.
This whole situation had the possibility of becoming mass chaos - and so many students were asking me what was going on. At that point, I didn’t know what was going on. After the fire alarm that went off yesterday and caused us to evacuate mid-morning, even the middle school students were a little scared and worried. Everyone stayed calm and reassured the students that we wouldn’t ask them to leave the building unless we felt it was needed. That seemed to calm the students down. We got the students in the sanctuary and they all prayed the rosary together while the fire department checked out the building. There were some worried parents dropping their kids off and standing outside the church until they knew their baby was safe. I stepped out with a smile on my face and told one mom “every thing’s ok, all’s clear” and she smiled back and left the school grounds.
Parents do have the right to know their children are safe - and they need to hear it from the people they entrust their children to every day.
Turns out there was a funny smell in the building this morning when everyone was coming in and the decision was made to evacuate for everyone’s safety. All is well, and - just like the fire alarm yesterday - it was a false alarm. But, I would rather evacuate without need than to stay in the building when there is real need.
That’s how Hayley described our hang out night tonight. After the conference we jetted over to State Line to catch some food and some serious laughs before her curfew for OTI.
It was nice to not have to be an IHOPer for a little while. As much as I love being here at IHOP-KC, I sometimes need to just get off the base. An hour of laughs with a friend while talking about living in the south (yeah, she’s from Dallas) is worth staying up late for me.
We plan on hanging out again soon.
