I was reading the lovely Mir today. She was talking about an impending trip south with her adorable children and all of the anxiety it caused, even the anxiety unrelated to the trip. "I need to have the house clean because if the plane crashes I don’t want people thinking 'Such a tragedy, but would it have killed her to scrape the toothpaste out of the sink?'”
She reminded me of a talk we had at school last spring. After our friend Cindy's death from meningitis, we took some time to clean her room and prepare it for the summer. It was a good way for us to say goodbye to our friend and colleague, share some memories, and keep her stories alive a little longer.
Cindy was amazingly organized. As we took down the June calendar and the song posters around the room, we found that their storage was obvious. She had a place for everything, and everything in its place. Somehow, this wasn't an obsessive-compulsive thing. The time and space she saved by keeping her multitude of materials in order allowed her to spend more time where it counted: teaching the kindergarten children she loved.
The day she went home, not even knowing it was the last time she'd teach, Cindy had left sub plans (for one day) and her usual to-do list, with the ta-da part (finished goals) crossed off. When it became evident that she was more seriously ill than she'd thought and she was in no shape to write plans, the substitute was able to work from her to-do list and her planning book.
As we cleaned the room after school ended and just two weeks after her death, a few of us talked. We always leave emergency plans in or near our sub folders in case we get in an accident or the house is on fire or something happens to prevent us from writing sub plans for the day. But were our plans in order well enough that someone could come in and teach for us if we died suddenly?
I looked around my desk and thought about the tilt-a-whirl I've been on since having the flu, and thought yes, someone could teach for me. My plans are in order, my copies are made, and I'm organized enough that a substitute teacher could find everything he or she needed. My gradebook, however, is another story. I have stacks upon stacks of math papers that need to be entered in the gradebook and filed. I'm almost up to date on science and reading. But math -- oh, my, math. Somehow, the paperwork of math is the hardest to keep up. It's the daily grind of it, added to the number of kids out with flu and/or bronchitis and/or strep right now, and keeping their make-up work in order with the others.
Well, I guess that means I don't dare get sick before parent-teacher conferences in two weeks. Because really, who would finish my gradebook and calculate the grades?
And the sink would still be full of toothpaste!

Stumble It!

Seuss on the Loose

Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, made an amazing contribution to children's literature when he decided to write and illustrate books that were both readable and fun. His birthday was March 2nd, and many schools celebrate Read Across America in his honor. Just for fun, and Dr. Seuss was all about fun, here's a little Seuss Trivia. Answers will be posted later this week.

1. How many words did Dr. Seuss use in writing The Cat in the Hat?
2. Name one of Dr. Seuss' rare non-rhyming books.
3. The fox in Fox in Socks tries to interest what character in attempting several tongue-twisters?
4. What is the name of the little boy in To Think that I saw it on Mulberry Street?
5. (This one's a toughie) Dr. Seuss wrote a poem called "The Perfect Gift." What did he recommend as the perfect gift?
6. Name the con man who talks the Sneetches out of their money by removing and attaching stars (upon thars).
7. Dr. Seuss did not illustrate this colorful book, published posthumously.
8. Finish this phrase. "I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. An ____________'s faithful, one hundred percent."
9. In The Sneetches and other stories, you'll find a story about a woman who named all her children this.
10. How many hats did young Bartholomew Cubbins inadvertently wear?

I'm sure many of these are out there on the Internet somewhere. If you're up for some low-tech fun, dig into a stack of Dr. Seuss books instead.

Stumble It!

Snow business -- from the inside out

While the bunnies were napping (and so was I), Husband took the camera around the house for a few snow day pictures.

On the left: the view out the front window, looking across the street. Our neighbor is finishing up his snowblowing.

On the right: a closer look outside through the same window. Yes, the snow is very heavy and wet today.

We're supposed to get another 2-4 inches overnight. That'll be enough to make us get out the snowblowers again in the morning, but not enough to close schools. I guess I'd better remind Amigo to do his homework. We'll set the grown-ups' alarm clocks a little earlier than usual to make sure we shovel out and get to work on time.

Stumble It!

There's No Business like Snow Business

It all depends on where you live and who you ask.
--an email from La Petite, about 120 miles south of us:
"Last night Jimmy John's wouldn't even deliver to me. You know you're in Wisconsin when the most hard core places won't deliver because of the weather. Thing is, I didn't even think it was that bad. "
--from one of our local newscasts:
"In Wisconsin a severe storm bore down that meteorologists warned would last through the weekend, bringing howling winds and up to 27 inches of snow or more in parts of the state."
--from weather.com:
"Heavy snow and gusty winds will impact areas from eastern Colorado, through west-central Nebraska and southeastern South Dakota, to much of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Lower Michigan. Areas including North Platte, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis and Madison could see a foot or more of snow. "
--from a conversation while supper was being prepared:
me: "I should take before, during, and after pictures for my blog."
Husband: "You're making too big a deal out of this."
me: "Aren't we supposed to get a lot of snow?"
H: "It's not going to be the storm of the century."
me:"Well, it's going to be dark soon, so if I'm going to take a picture, I should do it now."
H: "It'll be a very boring series. We're not going to get that much."
me: "Darn. I was hoping for a snow day Monday."
H: "Don't count on it."

Unfortunately, I think he's right. The radar shows a cookie-bite shaped cut-out over our neck of the woods. I think the rest of the state, including La Petite's campus, is getting pummeled. We're going to get just enough to shovel. I guess I'll go play with the barometer instead of the camera.

Stumble It!

Shoulds are STILL bogus

The new updated version, again comparing the "should" with the reality

I should feel relieved that it's Friday.
Reality: I am judging a music festival tomorrow, which means an intense (but exciting) day of work from 7:30 until at least 4:00.
End result: I'll enjoy the day. I'll collapse Saturday night and sleep in on Sunday.

I should be resting, storing up energy to fully recover from last week's illness.
Reality: I have a long day tomorrow, so I'm starting laundry tonight.
End result: the last load is in the washer, I'm in mid-fold cycle, I'm coughing, and I'm tired.

I should wear flat shoes to minimize the pressure on the little Mort dude that hides in the ball of my foot.
Reality: My only flat dress shoes are brown, and my only clean dressy pants are black.
End result: I'll take off my shoes under the table and hope no one notices.

I should have planned next week's science lessons thoroughly.
Reality: I missed my main prep periods today due to a field trip, so I didn't have time to get everything ready.
End result: I'll be making copies and cueing the introductory video before school on Monday.

I should be more worried about Monday's science lessons because I'm introducing a new unit.
Reality: I'm hoping for a snow day.
End result: Who knows? It would be fitting, since the new unit is Weather and Water. No matter what, I'll get to play with the barometer and windmeter this weekend and call it research. Teaching science is fun!

Stumble It!

Love Thursday

Charlie Brown said, "Happiness is a warm puppy." In my home, happiness is a warm bunny, a cup of coffee, and a good book.

I love to reread good literature. I read a book the first time for the plot, the second time for the details, and the third time (and on beyond, if it's worthy) for the writer's craft. Lately, I've been re-reading the Harry Potter series. When the newest (and last) comes out in July, I'll be ready.

Stumble It!

When metaphors go bad(ly)

I spent the day catching up. No, I spent part of the day catching up. I still had to teach, and to do that I had to plan for today. Since I missed all of my prep time last Wednesday and Thursday, and Friday was a staff development day (which I missed due to flu), I had nothing in my plan book. Blank page.
So...I was juggling at least four balls. I caught up a little on the stacks of paper at my desk (one ball) while the kids took a math test and watched a science video. I got a little ahead on tomorrow's plans (the second ball) while eating lunch at my desk. By my first regular prep period this afternoon at 2:15, I was ready to fall over and nap at the computer. Instead, I ran the latest test scores and placement procedures for math and analyzed them (a third ball). Tomorrow I'll have the names ready for acceleration testing.
Actually teaching my class was the fourth item juggled. The students were as antsy as a group can be after a four day weekend. It reminded me of yet another metaphor: having 29 corks in a sinkful of water and trying to keep them all underwater at the same time. My friend Lu used to describe the scene as trying to keep 29 frogs in a bucket. Either way, the teacher attempting to subdue the masses gets rather wet or slimy in the process.
Just like juggling on the home front, sometimes on-the-job juggling throws in something fresh, flaming, or fragile. The unexpected juggling item today wasn't flaming, but it was fragile and unforgiving. The egg I juggled (along with the four balls) was providing work for a rather edgy student on a long term in-school suspension. In between planning, teaching, grading, and analyzing, I set aside work for this one and emailed the specialist with ideas for using this time productively so this particular frog wouldn't hop out of her bucket or start eating bugs. No chance of a prince here, I'm afraid.
Yesterday I predicted I'd start my workweek by joining a roller coaster in midride. It was really more like a tilt-a-whirl. I was going so many different directions at once that I'm still not sure I got everywhere I needed to be. But I kept most of my corks underwater. Just hand me a towel -- I'm not ready to throw mine in quite yet.

Stumble It!

Post-storm recovery

The flu has flown. In its wake, it left a very messy house, lots of dirty laundry, a pile of unfinished homework, side effects in our ears, and a couple of exhausted people.
Doctors cleared both me and Amigo to go back to school tomorrow. We are no longer contagious I'm relieved -- I think. I'm a bit nervous because there's so much happening in my school that it's going to feel like jumping onto a roller coaster mid-ride.
Amigo will be tired. He still needs a lot of sleep. I expect him to come home from school, crash on the couch, and only get up for supper and homework. Oh, yes, and to take his Zithromax. That's right, the kid has another ear infection. Double or single infection, you wonder? Neither. And both. The lovely doc called it "one and a half". One ear is firmly infected, and the other is just starting. So yes, at age 15, he is treating his second ear infection in four months. Isn't he supposed to outgrow these? Amigo depends on his hearing more than most because he has so little vision. We'll monitor this, and monitor it closely. If he needs ear tubes again, even though he's a teen, we'll say, "do it." Hearing loss is not to be taken lightly.
Which leads to -- in my trip to the doctor, I came out not with ear infections, but with moderate wax build up. Too Much Information, you say? People with hearing aids often get this. Where most people's earwax works its way out of the ear canals naturally, my hearing aids/ earmolds get in the way. Anything that could block my hearing is a bad thing, so the nurse flushed out both ears today. Begone, you waxy substances!!
We've coped with the whole flu visit by resting a lot, drinking liquids, and prioritizing. I did a minimum of laundry -- underwear and socks. If anyone needs more, they'll have to wash it themselves. I cleaned the smallest bunny-litter box, and the other one will have to wait. Or Husband will have to do it.
I slept better last night. So did Amigo. Our coughing jags are less frequent, so we're not waking up at night hacking and barking. We only do that by day. Um, that's good, I think.
I'm doing too much thinking. Time to make lunch and take a nap while I still can. Tomorrow we rejoin the world.

Stumble It!

resting, refreshing beverages, and reading -- news, that is

I am a bit of a news junkie. I won't give up my daily paper, provincial though it is. I surf the online headlines when I can. When we travel (which isn't often, I confess) one of my chief pleasures is picking up a major paper wherever we are and reading it, cover to cover.
Why? Perspective. Keeping informed is important, but keeping perspective is essential. Knowing what's happening is good, but without background and detail, that knowledge doesn't get beyond the first level of Bloom's Taxonomy.
Yes, I'm talking like a teacher. Teaching is a great field. My progressive state senator has called it a noble profession. I love my work. I need to repeat that; I love my work.
There are times when I dread my job.
I dread the nasty phone calls and meetings with parents who claim intimate knowledge of what I "should" be teaching, but barely handled high school themselves.
I dread the harassment of special needs students. Yes, it happens, at school and in the neighborhood, and I will continue to fight this through education, not bullying or verbal harassment.
I dread writing up yet another discipline referral and knowing that the only good it might do is to create a paper trail.
I dread the reactions of parents who claim their innocent angels couldn't possibly have misbehaved. It must have been another Student/Teacher/Someonelse's fault.
I dread reading yet another headline saying that scores on yet another bubble test will result in judging the quality of my instruction.
Hello?!! Is anyone listening? There are so many good families, good students, no, great families and great students, that the negativity shouldn't take over. But 'shoulds' are bogus, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the positive (and analytical) people are much quieter than the others.
If Greenpeace and a Japanese whaling ship can co-exist and one offer assistance to the other, but elementary school parents can not, what does that say about our neighborhood? Our town? Not much, people, not much.
Of course, I'm sure that's my fault, too.

Stumble It!

The flu has landed...

Husband took off for the weekend, with my encouragement. Amigo and I are both sick, coughing and weak and feeling generally lousy. Husband wanted to know if he should stay home and take care of us. I said no, go. He did, but we could tell he was a little worried.
He did the right thing. He'll come home late Sunday night to a messy house, with wastebaskets overflowing with tissue and no laundry done, but he will also keep himself away from the worst of the contagion. By the time he gets here, mom and teen will be a bit more rested and no longer actively spreading our germs to anyone within breathing distance. And since Amigo and I are starting to get better (slowly, but surely), it would be a lousy weekend to be here "caring" for us. Basically, Amigo rests on the couch, I doze off in the recliner, and we wake up now and then to watch TV or read a book or eat a bowl of soup or jello. Neither of us have a fever today (thank goodness!), so I feel like we're on the road to recovery. We are cranky, but we are cranky at each other, so it's all equitable, right?
Amigo was sicker than I was, poor kid. I feel lousy because my asthmatic lungs won't expel the thick ugly stuff that wants to live there, but Amigo's temp was much higher and he is having a much harder time regaining his energy. He didn't touch the computer for almost three straight days. For him, this was a clearer indication of illness than the 102.4 temp.
La Petite did not come home this weekend, either. Staying at school was safer for her.
I'm not looking forward to going back to work. If I feel better, I'll take advantage of our day off on Monday and go in to work at my desk. If not, I'll rest all day. Either way, I have a huge amount of work piled on my desk and very little energy with which to approach it. Sigh. I need to stop thinking about what I'm missing. It keeps me from relaxing enough to sleep. In fact, I had a nightmare last night about falling even further behind in my work and then ending up in the hospital for pneumonia and a poor unknowing substitute having to wade through my papers to teach Growth and Development, a.k.a. Sex Ed. (That thought is actually rather humorous)
Dreams may come true -- but I didn't wish on a star, so hopefully this one will fly away instead.

Stumble It!

Love Thursday

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear!!

Love is: having a pet in your dorm room, even though your bunnies can't be with you.

La Petite calls him Lenny Briscoe.

Stumble It!

The Flu Flew Through

Today's timeline:
5:30 -- alarm, I wake up,
shower, feed rabbits, get breakfast on the table
6:05 -- Amigo gets up, gets dressed, comes down for breakfast as is routine.
6:20 -- Amigo hugs me.
Mom: "Hey, kiddo, you feel warm."
Teen: "I feel achy all over."
Mom: "Hmm. Let me take your temperature. 101.5 -- you're staying home today."
After a brief discussion, it was determined that I would stay home with the sick boy. I zoomed off to school, left sub plans, checked in with a couple of key co-workers, and came home.
Since then, Amigo has only left the couch briefly to use the bathroom. He has sipped copious amounts of water and other refreshing beverages, but has wanted nothing to do with food. Ibuprofen is not bringing the fever down. He has a hacking cough. He is exhausted. The only effort he makes is to reach for his drink and occasionally wake up and change the TV channel. In fact, he slept all morning and on and off all afternoon.
Everything points to influenza.
I have homemade chicken noodle soup in the crockpot. He won't want to eat tonight, but he might eat the leftovers tomorrow or Friday.
Poor guy.
I'm feeling a little under the weather myself. I hope my annual flu shot keeps the worst at bay. Meanwhile, I'll keep drinking liquids and washing my hands and resting.
Pandemic? No. It's just the family. We've coped with this before, and we can cope again. but all things considered, I might add a few stock-up items to the grocery list in case things get worse. I mean, we did miss the blizzard this time. We might not be that lucky the next time Mother Nature unleashes her power.

Stumble It!

Chocolate is the cure

There's a Nestle's Crunch bar in my schoolbag. It's been there for at least a month. I haven't eaten it (yet). My co-worker handed it to me one day in return for a favor. I reminded her that she didn't have to bribe me, and I really did try to give it back, but she insisted. Just twisted my arm. Ouch. Uh-huh. I was totally forced to accept this chocolate bar.
Segue to the current day. My period is starting, I had a challenging day at school teaching sex ed to sixth graders, and now I sit with a cup of sugar free Cafe Vienna in front of me. I plan to read the newspaper or pick up a book and slowly sip this delectable beverage. I just haven't decided what my after-school snack will be.
I've been rereading the Harry Potter series in preparation for the summer debut of the seventh and last in the series. I just pulled the third, Prisoner of Azkaban, off my shelf last night. I really enjoy observing the writer's craft, the way JK Rowling develops her plots. I hadn't realized that she uses the term "Azkaban guards" for several chapters before actually introducing the Dementors by name.
Come to think of it, the newspaper and the real world can wait. I think I'll combat this PMS with a cozy blanket, a cup of Cafe Vienna, and a Harry Potter book. And if I encounter any of those nasty dementors --
I might have to open my school bag for the cure.

Stumble It!

Spell this: Autism in the News

I was all set to write one last "Funday Sunday" post about the Pro Bowl. For a change, the game last night was fun and exciting to watch. We bonded as a family as we ate quesadillas and talked about football one last time.
Then I woke up this morning and read the Sunday paper. Ouch.
This headline "Chilton student overcomes autism to win spelling bee, advance to state contest" caught our attention. Overcomes autism? Did he leave his autism offstage as the spelling bee began? Did some magical cure turn up just before the competition?
How about "Student with autism wins spelling bee" or "Student demonstrates excellent memory and spelling skills despite disability" instead? The student in question is an excellent speller and strong student in many ways, according to the article. Autism could have been an factor in the stress of the competition, but this is a factor for neurotypical students as well.
I am always happy to read of children with autism succeeding in school. The misleading headline, however, may be all some readers see. This is a successful student with autism who shows a talent for spelling. He did not "overcome" his autism in order to be successful.
Editors need to be more thoughtful and insightful when putting these banners in print.

Stumble It!

Earth Mother is hibernating

Or maybe I'm just taking a nap. It's so much easier to be "green" in the summer when the weather is warm and I'm not working full time. The sun comes up earlier and stays out later, so I can be outside instead of using up energy with lights and television and computer. Laundry gets done at off-peak hours so the washer and dryer don't heat the house when it's already hot outside. I can compost my coffee grounds and kitchen waste. The bunnies graze on grass and chow down on the garden leftovers.
It's not easy being green in the winter, but I still minimize my impact a little bit whenever I can. The sweatshirts and sweatpants are hanging over drying racks at the moment, and the load of jeans will hang up, too, when the washer is done. I'll put all of these heavy items in the dryer on low for a few minutes at the very end of Laundry Detail.
One of my "cabin fever" projects this winter is the gradual purging of our old file cabinets. I stand next to one cabinet with a paper grocery bag and a box. Junk goes in the bag; anything that might need shredding goes in the box. Both eventually get recycled. I work until I finish a file drawer or fill the bag. The file cabinet will either get reorganized and used more efficiently or we'll sell it at a rummage sale this summer.
The Christmas cards await the fun craft scissors. I'll turn them into tags for next year in another "cabin fever" project.
I won't compost my coffee grounds today (they don't decompose much in the bitter cold, anyway), but I'm acting locally and thinking globally, in my own small way.

Stumble It!

Love Thursday

Love is -- having a good crib, pegging high, and --

--beating your dad at cribbage.

The loser took out the garbage.

Amigo keeps his own score on an abacus (on floor, near his knee). He plays with a deck of Braille cards. They have Braille labels on the corners, and they're printed normally for us non-Braille-reading folk.

Stumble It!

How cold was it?

Blooming Meadows, Cold Spring, Rapids, Edgewater, Clay, Rock, Maple, Oak, and Homestead are all roads I passed on the route home. Dark Acres and Spring Creek were both subdivisions-in-progress. Despite the seemingly contradictory names, they are only miles from each other. I keep wondering if "Spring Creek" isn't an example of the department of redundancy department.

Stumble It!

How cold was it?

It was so cold....
(Insert punch line here.)
On my road trip to take La Petite back to college today, the Transport Weather Report (a.k.a. the minivan's thermometer) ranged from -4 degrees to a positively balmy +2. Wow. I almost had to unzip my jacket at the sight of the number on the plus-side. The van's heating system kept up with the cold well enough, as did the defroster. The windshield washer could use some help. I'll be curious to find out whether the fluid simply remains frozen or if the reservoir is empty. Mythbusters, can you help? Just kidding. The van is down to half a tank of gas, so as soon as I think I can handle standing outside long enough to fill it, I'll go to the gas station and wash the windows at the same time. Brrrr.
I enjoy the drive to and from the school. It's mostly along secondary roads -- those two-lane highways with lots of farms and little towns and very few type A drivers. With that in mind, take a look at this list. Can you figure out what these have in common?

Dark Acres
Blooming Meadows
Cold Spring
Spring Creek
Rapids
Edgewater
Clay
Rock
Maple
Oak
Homestead

Stumble It!

Funday Monday

Yes, it's TOO COLD for school to be in session! So I am wide awake, having fed the bunnies and turned off Amigo's alarm. Husband is off for work already, and La Petite is sleeping until I wake her for her doctor's appointment.
Some of my favorite bloggers are reacting to the Super Bowl. Surprisingly (or not), very few are talking about the game itself.
Mocha Momma comments on Prince's halftime show, especially his, um, headpiece.
Mir wonders if she'll ever be credible again if she un-grounds her kids to watch the game (and its commercials) with her.
I think many of the others are sleeping in or drinking coffee while their kids snore.
I'll go on record saying that I enjoyed the game. The sheer number of miscues, odd for a game of this magnitude, made it exciting. When the Colts pulled ahead for good, the game excitement waned, but watching Tony Dungy get showered in Gatorade (as though he wasn't already soaked!) was pretty cool. He really deserved this win. What took Peyton Manning so long to finally smile? Didn't he realize he earned his Super Bowl ring at last?
Commercials? Bud Lite was disappointing. Budweiser itself was okay, with the dog wanting to be a Dalmation, but it didn't quite reach the level of the donkey wanting to be a Clydesdale. Oprah and Letterman? Yes, we laughed.
Doritos. Now Doritos had a couple of effective ads. These were the kind that held us to the screen wondering what was coming next. Sorry, Doritos, I still don't like your chips. Your sales won't change.
I liked Coke's classy spots, emphasizing the longevity of their product and its place in U.S. history.
Chevy? Hey, the college freshman who won with her car-wash design is a University of Wisconsin student. Amidst this cold and snow there are many creative minds!!
But my favorite, the one that made us laugh out loud and keep on laughing, was the NFL spot. If you didn't stay on the couch for the two minute warning, you missed a good one. As hard as it may be, I guess I'll have to put the cheesehead and the singing Packer in storage for the off-season. My fleece, however, is still warm and cozy for days like today.

Stumble It!

Funday Sunday -- of a different sort

Well, I can't cheer for my favorite team tonight, but I am wearing my socks.

It's too cold to go sledding, so I baked banana bread instead.

My cold is gradually getting better, so I'm drinking lots of liquids and hanging out by the vaporizer to keep fighting.

The temperature has reached a high of (gulp) 1 degree below zero so far today. I think we'll stay inside and huddle around the cozy blankets and the bunnies.

Everyone has cabin fever (Amigo is sitting beside me begging me to hurry up so that he can use the computer), and we're likely to get on each other's nerves, so I might have to bake cookies, too. Darn. Such a sacrifice.

And the truth about tonight's Super bowl: I'll watch the game and the commercials, but I'll really be cheering because Favre is going to give the Packers and their fans at least one more year.

I think I'll fill my own Lombardi "trophy" with cappuccino and join the family "huddle" in the den.

Stumble It!

All the news that matters -- and doesn't

I spent most of the day huddled in a blanket on a recliner next to a vaporizer. I drank half-caff coffee, cranberry-apple tea, and eventually diet Pepsi. My goals were to rehydrate and rest. I achieved both while watching alternately CNN and The Weather Channel.
In my neck of the woods, the high tomorrow might hit 0. Maybe. That's without wind chill.
In Florida, buildings constructed to withstand hurricane force winds have been levelled by tornados.
But from a newspaper in Biloxi, Mississippi, there came a ray of sunshine. As far as hard news, it wasn't. But for an average Midwesterner, especially those too far North to cheer for Da Bears, the news put a smile on many a weary, cold face.

Brett Favre is coming back.

Stumble It!

Half empty or half full?

The pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The optimist says it's half full.
The engineer (according to Husband) says that the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
Kristina made a good comment on my last post: hope is an important philosophy. Mom-nos recently posted about dominant thought, and how keeping it positive is important. A few of my co-workers just planned a get-away weekend later this month so that we can be together as friends, not teachers.
All of these things reminded me to think positive thoughts, cope with what I can, and let go of the worry on that which I can't control. Isn't there a saying like that? With that in mind, here's a re-vision (seriously: a different point of view) of yesterday's worries.
School behavior: I work with an excellent team. We are all very well trained and understand child development. We have plans in place to teach behaviors and attitudes that can replace the inappropriateness, and consequences in place for those who choose not to learn.
Health: One of our association leaders recently reminded us that we can't control health care costs because that's a national problem, but we can control our own health. I just took steps in the right direction with the blood draw and the visit to the foot doc. I plugged in the humidifier a few minutes ago, and I'll sit next to and read the paper after I post. Blogging, too, is healthy. Simply by changing the way I put these dominant thoughts in writing, I change the direction of my thoughts. Life is still rough, at least this patch, but I can deal with it a little better now.
Family. Kids. We are bringing La Petite home to see the family doctor on Monday. We'll keep working with Amigo and his teachers and hope that ultimately he takes the bull by the horns himself.
Health: Parents: We'll hear from the Cataract-less mother today, we hope. We'll keep in touch with the other paternal unit, too, and share that responsibility with brother-in-law.
And I'll keep on blogging, blogging, blogging.

Stumble It!

worry is a mother's middle name

I am currently worrying about:
School. Behavior is looking worse and worse. Difficult and defiant acts look more like eighth grade than sixth. Do these kids understand what kind of a life they're creating for themselves and those around them?
Health. I fasted last night and went in for a wellness-sponsored blood draw to get some basic information. I need this information, but I didn't really like taking the time before school or having to skip breakfast this morning, both of which put me late to my desk. Late, that is, in my own terms; I'm never late by the bell.
Family. Health. Foot. This is less worry than last time, now that I have a picture in mind of the long-term treatment options.
Family. Health. Kids. La Petite has had a stomach ache for over a week. She hasn't eaten normally in that time. The nurse on call told her to "Take Tums." Duh. The kid knows that. She called the clinic because basic precautions aren't working. Take her concerns seriously, nursie.
Family. School. Kids. Amigo is having trouble keeping up with his school work, and we're still figuring out why. Teachers don't like it when we suggest strategies, but we have to do something to intervene. He has to do better or he'll end up with no future. No college. Sheltered workshop employment. Trust me, he's too intelligent for that.
Family. Health. Parents. Husband's dad isn't as alert as he used to be. My mom had cataract surgery today on one eye; the other is coming up in two weeks.
Health. Mine. My own cold is making me cough, bark, and hack. I'll use the nebulizer before bed and hope it doesn't make me too hyper to sleep.
Husband and I are wearing out. We're getting pulled in so many different directions that we can't juggle well at all. I know we'll make it through all of these issues, so thanks, blogreaders, for listening. I'm sure my usual humor will return after I get a few nights' sleep and a few good cups of coffee, and after a few items in my juggling act get lighter or go away.

Stumble It!