Spring break

I don't know. Can you tell the Vegas pictures from the Glenwood pictures? We went down to Vegas for a couple of days. Stopped into St. George for the most wonderful, mood lifting, skin scorching 80 degree lay out at the pool and ended up in Glenwood for the annual easter egg hunt. Motorcycling was included for free. It was a whirlwind 5 day trip but I enjoyed it immensely. There were a few moments, of course but all in all, I actually wish that Spring Break could have lasted longer. Maybe I won't kill them this summer.

Not much happening except the usual drama

Today my one special ed student came with a note pinned to his shirt telling the teachers off. Never mind what the note said. The fact that an adult pinned it to an innocent little 5 year olds shirt and was unable to come and talk about the matter face to face says more about the conflict than the note. I started the year with a little uncertainty. Certainly I was aware that experience is priceless and I came to the table with almost none. I wanted to do the best job I could do. But this little situation that I am in is so irrational and so ridiculous it has no bearing on my self confidence as a teacher. It also helps that this little boy has also had issues with his special ed teacher and the principal, however, my brain is smart enough to know that this is not an issue with me as a teacher experienced or not. It is simply an issue with anybody that is speaking the truth of the matter. And it is an issue as old as time of denial and not wanting to have to address an obstacle. In no way is the obstacle insurmountable but it will always be if not addressed.

Can you tell I have been reading Atlas Shrugged ......again? I do love that book. It was a rebound book. I read The Other Boelyn Girl by Phillippa Gregory. After so much non production from the courtiers I had to go for a book with some direction. I still love how Ayn Rand's words fire me up. I still know there is so much good in trying to be your best. I was put off quite a bit though by the fact that Ayn Rand only writes about the one woman who manages to gain the love of all the men in the book. Francisco, Hank, and John. Even little Eddie loves her silently. I was aware of her childish little desire for that book to be autobiographical rather than make it a little more true to life. Oh well, it really is fiction.

Soccer has started and we have a soccer game tomorrow morning. Chase and Bart are off on a scout camping trip tonight. Neither one is excited about it. After all the rain we have had it will be nothing but a muddy mess. Hopefully at least one of them will come back pleasantly surprised with the experience. I am planning on going to the gym this weekend. Eating a few Reese's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs and maybe finding it within me to organize my office.

Another Day Another Dollar

I am sitting here waiting for for another parent teacher conference at 3:30. And I don't know what else to write. It just seems that I put myself in a holding pattern until there is no stress. I am definitely still trying to make it about the journey instead of the destination. Being a teacher makes it even worse because there is always a goal to achieve. It is not enough to just be.

One of my team kindergarten teacher members is going out for 6 weeks to have a hysterectomy. Apparently it is very hard to find substitutes here in Utah. Could it be the pay? Could it be the low unemployment rate? Could it be the class size filled with monster students? Who knows? However it has gotten down to the wire so I pulled my little darling sister Krissy out of my back pocket. She has been thinking about going into teacher as well. However she got a really good government job so put it on the back burner for a while. Now fresh out of that career path she feels a need to follow her heart through to teaching. It is likely that come Wednesday Krissy and I will be teaching kindergarten together. Well, technically not together because we will have two different classes. Really three different classes. She will be substituting full time while I will still be working away in my afternoon only class.

I find it very odd. My mother already comes in and volunteers in my class on Friday. I have already decided that Dad will come in and teach about gardening soon as spring is coming. I envision Dan, Krissy's husband coming in to help out in her class whether it be as a firefighter or as a "class helper." Should we be thinking of renaming the school?