A secret

Have you ever had a secret that you REALLY wanted to share, but couldn't. I have. I do. Got me thinking about the things we keep secret from others. Our little personal habits and such that no one knows about. No foul and no harm if no one knows I secretly love to drink milk from the jug. I don't, but I would like to do just that much more often than I do.

Some secrets need to be kept. Confidential thoughts that have been shared or what I'm getting for a gift. Really. I think those secrets are perfectly safe.

Some secrets are dangerous. The knowledge you keep that tears you up inside or that hurts someone else because they just don't know what to do about it. Maybe it's a self destructive habit or event that needs to be known by others. Secrets that exert power over others are bad, too. Some secrets are just flat evil.

Personally, I don't like many secrets. I'm kind of an "all out there" kind of girl. You get what you get. No surprises. Well, I like to think of myself like that. In reality, I keep just as much confidential as most people. But I do so wishing I could just lay it all out there and say "come what may!"

So, if you've got a secret you are bursting to share, come my way. I can keep the secret, and you'll feel much better.

The Weekend

Ah, the long awaited long weekend. In the midst of the hurricane of the end of school, we get one last day to rest before the 2 week push to the end. And I have nothing planned. What a miracle of provision!

Time for some personal contemplation and reflection before I get buried in paperwork again.

Hmmm, possible jobs for Chris looming on the horizon..... I want to be excited, but can't bring myself to hope. It just hurt too much last time when it never worked out. So, how to move past the hurt to have hope and faith again? Sheesh, people make lots of money writing books and counseling on this topic. I know that I have to allow God to heal that. But how does that happen? In His good time I guess.

Big moves in my career. I'm leaving 2nd grade after 12 years and moving up to 3rd. I will be shedding my Team Leader responsibilities and probably becoming the campus website coordinator. Good move I think. But it will be hard to leave what I'm good at and try something new with a whole new crew of ladies with lots of personality. I know it'll be fine, but the grieving process of leaving "home" should be interesting since I can't even think about that move while I'm wrapping up our year end stuff. Scary stuff.

Yeah, that's enough contemplation for a while. I'd much rather go watch my boys play Monopoly while I read a good book for a while.

Optimism Exercise #2

Let me just brag on God for a minute.. What a glorious day He has made! Perfect temp... green grass.. low humidity... curious, active children. Really, does it get any better this side of heaven?? I think not.

Oh yeah, and I don't have my team leader meeting after school. And my husband sent me a really sweet e-mail this morning after a rather "frantic" morning. I've got a way to keep the school kids busy this afternoon and I expect to be home by 4:00.

Yep, it's a good day.

Fleas, junk, and the end of school

blazer has fleas. my house has fleas. i can't get rid of the fleas. baths and carpet spray aren't working. Time to move on to the "bomb".

Maybe the bomb will take care of problem number 2. My house is a mess. I hate to clean house. I don't live with neat people. They don't help. Not on a regular basis that'll keep things picked up, anyway. I've tried to assign jobs. I've offered money. Nothing has worked. Then I quit trying and gave in to the mess. See, I'm a cleaning "chameleon". I will maintain what those around me will maintain. Always have. Unfortunately, when left on my own, I descend into messiness. I am not the catalyst of change that can overcome entropy. Maybe the "bomb" will blow the mess away.. wishful thinking, right?

And then it's the end of school... three weeks left. We're going to make it! Just fairly long days when no one wants to be there and I don't have much left to teach. And Lots of paperwork and keeping teachers from bugging each other. At least my time as a team leader is coming to an end.

Yeah, I'm changing grades after 12 years of teaching second grade. Moving up to 3rd, the big TAKS year. Crazy, I know. I just got tired of the little kid issues. Tired of the tattling and fussing that is that grade level.

So, 2 Mondays left. fleas to kill. house to clean. dinner to make.. I should probably get on that.

Quote of the day

(Ryan, playing with toys in the front seat of the car... only to himself... not aware I'm listening)
"I'm not a Sith... I just have a bad light saber."

:)

Faculty Pictures

Would someone please tell my why we have faculty pictures? I probably won't be going down memory lane reliving the best times of my life by staring a picture of 60 + faces the size of a pencil end. The year book is already to the printer. They have our mugshots from the fall.

Now, I get to stay after school while we try to line up a gazillon people from tallest to shortest. And if you've spent any time around groups of teachers, you know that nothing happens quickly and no one listens to any directions. So, a 5 minute project will take about an hour.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.. quit complaining, get over it, go with the flow.. And I will, but It's just a little ridiculous to me today. If only teachers weren't rule followers.. That would be a blast!

Why I love Mondays

In an effort to increase my optimism potential, I am choosing to give that part of my personality a workout (since it seems to be atrophied something fierce these days). So, looking on the bright side.....

I love Mondays because...

They only come once a week

Sometimes I don't have my usual Monday after school meeting, and that makes it a perk!

There is nothing like a rainy Monday afternoon to be the cherry on top of the sundae of the day

The copy machine likes to express it's personality. And who doesn't like a copy machine with personality??

That means I'm only 4 days away from Friday

Sometimes I find out cool stuff that happened on someone else's weekend

Children are notoriously more sleepy on Monday mornings

Monday = laundry day = clean underwear!

I get to apply the message I heard on Sunday at church in real life ways

Mondays set the tone for the rest of the work week, so it's a chance to have a fresh start

Those are just some of the reasons I am choosing to love Monday.

For the Moms in my life

A great big hug to all the mom's in my life... and there are quite a few.

First and foremost, to my own Mom. I love you. I love that you taught me how to cook and love doing it. I love that you showed me how to be practical and helpful. I love that you showed me it's OK to cry at Hallmark commercials. I love that you let me read all I wanted and never made me go out for group sports. I love that you have remained steadfast and true through all the years of your marriage and have given me a glimpse of how to keep that relationship right. I love that you are funny and like crafty things that I don't remotely understand. I love that you and I are so different so that I can appreciate and notice all the really nice things about you. You are my model, my mentor, my inspiration, and my friend. I love you!

For my mothers in law.. Faith , thank you for raising a boy into a man that is a wonderful husband, father, and friend. I love that you are a part of my life in so many ways. I love that you are creative and can sew on my buttons, even though you mock the "thought" of me doing it myself. I love that you love my kids like they were your own. And I love that you put up with our crazy household day in and day out. You are more than a mother in law, you area a friend and for that, I am thankful.

For Cheryl, though not Chris's birth mom, you are his mother in every other sense. I love you for your patience and your wit. I love you for your compassion and your willingness to serve. I love that you spoil my kids rotten and do so unashamedly. I love you for loving Chris without reservation and making him into the man he is today. He is a wonderful husband, father, and friend and you helped him get there in every visit, phone call, and rough moment of that childhood. Thank you for being his rock and guide and limit setter. And I love that we have a deep friendship that truly understands the Willingham male mind. It's a scary place, but at least I am not alone!

Thanks Moms! You are deeply loved and appreciated!