Six Word Saturday

Good morning everyone!  If you are looking for Friday’s Giveaway, it’s on Friday’s post, but  giveaway lasts through the weekend.  Just scroll to Friday’s post and leave a comment about hating to get rid of “stuff” to enter!  I love your comments!

Now, for Saturday’s post.  I love this meme.  The people participating have to leave a post telling about what they are doing or what is going on with them, or something like that.  The “kicker” is you can only use six words.  I love it!  This meme was started by Cate over at http://www.showmyface.com.  I love her blog.  She’s quite funny sometimes.  Anyway, if you’d like to read some more six word posts, or participate in it, just hop over to Cate’s blog.

My six words are:   Busy decorating for costume party tonight!

That’s right, my husband and I are hosting a family costume party.  We are decorating for it right now–he is, I’ve slipped away to write this…he’s making a man to sit on our porch, as I write.  I’ve been busy scattering roaches and rats around the house. LOL  Most people pay to get rid of them, I’m adding them!  They are all plastic of course, but look so real…

The interesting thing about this party is my youngest son is bringing his new girlfriend with him.  We’ve never met her, and we will be dressed as bottles of mustard and ketchup when we do meet her.  Talk about a lasting first impression!  If she hangs around after tonight, she’ll be a “keeper”. LOL  Happy SWS everybody…my comments may be late.  Thanks for stopping by…Kathy

Old Clothes Are Like Old Friends…I Love Keeping Them Around!

This weekend's giveaway...just comment for a chance to win!

Do you have any clothing that is worn out, but you can’t bring yourself to throw it away–either because it’s so comfy to wear, or you are just a “pack rat”? 

My husband, Ed, absolutely hates to get rid of anything!  He still has shoes from 1970!  Seriously, it’s a pair of Dingo boots that he had custom-made in Okinawa when he was in the army.  I threw them out ages ago, but he retrieved them and put them in his storage house.  They are the same boots that he threatened to wear to our wedding–37 years ago!

I have two night gowns that I’ve had for years.  They are made out of some kind of cotton/polyester material that is very comfortable!  I’ve slept in them so much that they are thread bare and falling apart.  I had on one of them last night and noticed that it’s now missing a button.  Before long I am sure a hole will be coming in the back of it where it has worn so thin.  If they weren’t so comfy, I’d have thrown them away ages ago!  I’ve looked everywhere and haven’t been able to find anything even close to the same material.  I will be very sad to say goodbye to my old nighties–one of these days…

Crocs anyone? Old or new!

The other thing that Ed and I both have an abundance of is Crocs.  About two years ago, I bought us both a pair of Crocs.  Ed scoffed at his pair–then he tried them on!  He and I wear Crocs nearly all of the time now.  About the only place that we don’t wear them is to church–and Ed has considered that!  We both have chronic foot problems–and Crocs are the only shoes that we can wear and be comfortable.  The problem with Crocs is, they never wear out!  They get a little rough-looking, but they last forever.  Ed and I have about six pairs of Crocs each–and neither of us is willing to part with any of the old ones!  If you haven’t tried Crocs, I highly recommend them!

Ed has two underwear drawers–one for good t-shirts and one for worn out t-shirts.  When they get a few holes, he saves them for work around the house t-shirts.  He will literally wear them until they get torn off his back!  This usually happens when he mows the grass, and a low tree limb catches him.

My daughter’s thing is shoes.  She just loves shoes!  She will “weed out” her clothing out fairly often– and even other household items, but she holds on to her shoes!  I think she gets her love of shoes from Ed’s mother.

Years ago, Ed inherited this ugly pair of velcro tennis shoes from my daddy, which wouldn’t have been so bad, but they were so big on his feet that they looked like “clown shoes”.  That is precisely why Ed loved them so much.  They didn’t touch his feet, therefore, they didn’t hurt his feet!  He wore those shoes completely out–they had giant holes in them and the velcro came apart before he agreed to throw them out.  Oh, how I hated those ugly shoes!

I  have a large assortment of  t-shirts.  I used to work at school, and they were always selling t-shirts.  Every year I usually buy a t-shirt when our little town has the Onion Festival.  If I go on a trip somewhere, I always buy a t-shirt.  Now that I don’t work outside of the home, I wear t-shirts all of the time.  Not the most flattering attire, but they sure do wear good!  The problem is–I hate to get rid of any.  They wear the best when they are about worn out!

How about you?  Do your or your spouse have a favorite “something” that you can’t bear to part with?  Please share about it in the form of a comment.  I am giving away a Thanksgiving dish towel and two Pilgrim shelf sitters this weekend to some lucky commenter.  It’s time do decorate for Thanksgiving!  I will be accepting comments until midnight on Sunday night.  I will announce the winner on Monday morning.   Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.  I appreciate your visits very much…

Click here to see the entire Giveaway Blog Hop List….

Christian Experiences…part 2

Easter 1988 on the way to church--Ed took the picture

Ed and I were members of Faith Baptist for nearly a year when things took a turn.  When people are on the move for Christ, Satan will eventually try to get in the way.  That is what happened at Faith.  It all started out with the carpeting for the church.  I don’t even remember all of the details now, but the bottom line was that the preacher was deceitful.  When I found this out, I was devastated.   The thought that the preacher would purposefully deceive people was not acceptable to me.  Things went downhill quickly after that.

While things were going downhill for us at Faith, a guest preacher came to speak one night.  He was an old man, probably in his 70’s.  His ministry was to start new churches.  I was intrigued by this.  After the service I asked him if he’d ever considered starting a church in our town.  One thing led to another, and Brother Gus decided he would start a church in our town.  I was one of the first people to say count me in, and once again,  Ed followed along.

Brother Gus rented a building in our town that was a former fast food restaurant.  Oh my goodness!  I never wanted to eat fast food again after cleaning that building.  Grease was caked on the walls at least a half an inch thick where the kitchen was.  There were several of us who cleaned and scrubbed until we got the building presentable.  We got an old piano, some old pews, and we opened for church.  Several families were involved. 

Ed and I were charter members of Trinity Baptist Church.  That was quite an experience.  There were probably only about 25 of us, but we had some a good services.  Brother Gus and his wife were some of the most devoted christians that I’ve ever met.  He lived what he preached.  He lived very modestly and gave most of his income to the churches that he began.  Ed and I were at Trinity Baptist for about 2 years when slowly I began to realize that we were not in the right place.

While I was raised a missionary Baptist, Ed was raised a primitive Baptist.  A lot of the beliefs are the same, but the doctrine is very different.  Ed and I had argued for years about whose doctrine was correct.  I just couldn’t fathom his way of believing.  Then one night I was reading my Bible when God revealed it to me as plain as the nose on my face.  I knew that Ed’s belief was the correct one.  I don’t know how to explain it, other than to tell you that it was a Divine revelation. 

Ed thought I had absolutely lost my mind when I told him that we were in the wrong church.  I told him that I felt burdened.    I also told him that I finally understood about predestination.  He was speechless, but he took me at my word.

Telling Brother Gus that we were leaving Trinity Baptist was the hardest thing that we’ve ever had to do.  I know he didn’t understand and was hurt by our decision.  None the less, we followed our hearts and went to Ed’s old church.  We didn’t join right away.  We went regularly, but took our time about making another decision to join the church.

After a while, I began to “know” that it was time to commit to the church and get busy again.  I shared those feelings with Ed, and once again, we went before the church and asked for a church home.  We were baptized together once again, because primitive Baptists don’t recognize other baptisms.  It took us two churches, two baptisms(3 for me), and about 3 years to find our rightful place.  Once we figured it out, it wasn’t long before we were busy at work in the church.

My Christian Experiences…part 1

 

I was brought up attending church sporadically.  I went to church enough to know that there was a God and that He loved me.  My parents and I were  Baptists.  I joined the church and was baptized at age 16.  I went to church pretty regular until I married Ed,  when I was almost 18.  Then we did like so many young couples and didn’t go to church regularly.  We’d go, but not on a regular basis.

Brandy was about 5 years old and Brett was almost 2, when I began to feel the need to get back in church.  I didn’t want to be guilty of raising my children outside of the church.  I wanted them to have what I never had–the chance to go to Sunday School and worship regularly at church. 

On Super Bowl Sunday of that year, Ed, the children, and I went to church with the aunt and uncle that we have in common.(remember…Ed’s aunt married my uncle)  When we sat down in that church, I felt immediately at home.  It was a small church, still under construction.  There was no carpeting on the floors, and the pews were very old–and I do mean old, more like wooden benches, but God’s spirit was definitely in that little church!  Such singing I’ve never heard from such a small group.  The piano player couldn’t read a note of music, but she played fabulously “by ear”.  The pastor was the best speaker I’ve ever heard–bar none!  Members stood and gave testimony at every service–something I’d never seen much of.  I was sold on that little church that first day, and I told Ed that I was going to join the following Sunday!

Now Ed probably thought I was crazy, but he agreed to follow along, and we both were baptized together.  Ed had never been baptized before, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to get re-baptized now that I was older and understood the meaning of everything better.  Our baptism was a beautiful service and we settled in our new church home quickly. 

I saw so many good things those months that we were there.  That church was on the move for Christ.  They were not trying to work their way to heaven or anything, they just loved the Lord!  I quickly felt the same way.  I’m normally a quiet, shy person, but I wasn’t that way when it came to doing the Lord’s work.  Once we had Friendship Sunday, where the person who brought the most people to church was awarded a Bible.  I ended up with that  Bible, and here is how it happened… 

A young boy had accidentally gotten shot in the head while  in the yard with his dad.  The dad was target practicing with a rifle.  The bullet ricocheted off  of a tree and struck the boy who was standing behind his dad.  The dad didn’t even realize what had happened until he heard the boy fall to the ground.  The boy’s name was Jason.

  Ed was “on call” that weekend, and he  met Jason’s  family at the hospital when the boy was brought in.  He also did the x-rays on Jason.  Jason was later transferred to a larger hospital, where he not only survived the wound, but recovered fairly well.  When Ed told me about Jason’s accident, I couldn’t get him off my mind.  Later, when I heard that Jason was finally home from the hospital, I made him a gift basket, and Ed and I went to visit the family.  We had a nice visit, and as we were leaving, I invited the whole family to come to church, which they eventually did–on Friendship Sunday.  God works in mysterious ways.  To be continued…

Tuesday’s Blog Hop–Fall Family Fun

Fall has become my favorite time of the year.  I enjoy the beautiful colors of the changing leaves– even if they are dying.  I welcome the coolness of the mornings and evenings.  Our family enjoys the usual autumn traditions, such as football, fall festivals, county fairs, pumpkin carving or painting, baking, outdoor fires, and trick-or-treating.

My daughter, Brandy, and I enjoy decorating our yards for fall/Halloween.  Our houses are next-door to each other, so we enjoy each other’s decorations.   We also enjoy getting together and baking goodies.  We like to decorate  cakes, cookies or cupcakes.

Most of the men in our family enjoy building a fire outside at night and sitting around it talking.  The women don’t enjoy this and usually end up staying inside of the house.  There is nothing my husband likes any better than building a large fire and watching it burn!  Clint has a small fire pit in his yard, close to their porch.  The men sometimes sit on the edge of the porch and watch the fire burn.  

Madison’s family usually carves a jack-o-lantern, but this year they did pumpkin painting.  Madison enjoyed that because she got to participate.  I enjoy seeing what creations that her family comes up with.  Their pumpkins are always cute.

Brandy's family of pumpkins

This year I am throwing a costume party for our family.  There will be about twelve or thirteen of us.  Everyone is supposed to dress up in some way.  We did this about 25 years ago and had the best time.  We will have sandwiches or hotdogs,  and decorative fall finger foods. Then we will play some games that I have planned.  Of course, we will have a prize for the best costume, too.  It is so much fun to see what kind of outfit everyone comes in, then take pictures. 

Some of the games that I have planned are “pass the pumpkin”…where I play music while the pumpkin is passed from person to person.  If you are holding the pumpkin when the music stops, you are out.  Last one out wins.  We will also have a “mummy making contest” with toilet paper.  We will divide into two teams, then each team will race to see who can wrap a person in toilet paper and make them into the best looking mummy.  I’m still planning the rest of the games…so I guess I’d better stop blogging and get busy!  Thanks so much for “hopping ” by.  Happy Fall Ya’ll!

Click here to enter your link in the blog hop and view the entire list of entered links…

Not Me, Monday!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  The winner of Friday’s Giveaway is…”justanarmywifejustamommy”  I hope that you enjoy your prize. I will get it  in the mail as soon as I get your mailing address.  Thanks to all who participated, and especially for the advice that you all gave me about seeing the surgeon…it was unanimous…  One comment , in particular , told me everything I needed to hear to make my decision final.  I’ll be seeing a surgeon on Nov. 2.   I’ll let you know what happens.

I also appreciate the nice notes of thanks that I have been receiving from those readers who have received their prizes.  I always enjoy hearing that they arrived and that you like them.  I sent some socks to Malaysia a couple of weeks ago,  and they arrived safely!  Now, here’s today’s post:

Hello, readers!  It’s that time again…Monday!  Time for the weekly session of being brutally honest..this fun blog carnival was created by mckmama at http://www.mycharmingkids.net.

I feel stressed!

I can not be brutally honest about this past week because I can’t remember what happened!  Do you ever have weeks like that?  The whole week went by in one big blur…

I do remember that I did not get my house cleaned all week, and actually had to resort to asking my husband to clean the kitchen and living room on Saturday morning while I helped my daughter with party preparations…I did not feel terrible that he worked all week, then had to do my house cleaning for me.

I did not go and pick up my new prescription eyeglasses last week.  They are my first “real glasses”, although I have been wearing over the counter readers for years.  Boy!  I can see everything now as long as I wear those glasses, but I am blind as a bat when I take them off!   I can actually see the eye of a sewing needle again–as long as I keep those glasses on.  Unfortunately, the glasses give me a headache–someone please tell me this will get better…

My daughter did not take Madison for a wellness checkup, only to find out that Madison isn’t well after all.  She discovered that Madison has low hemoglobin.  My daughter has not been trying since last Wednesday to get a prescription for an iron supplement filled…the first prescription was for liquid, which Madison will not take.  The second prescription was for a supplement that is no longer available, the third prescription is available, but the pharmacy had to order it…Hopefully, Madison will get to start taking her iron supplement tomorrow night!

My daughter did not take me for my annual GYN checkup the following day, after Madison’s checkup.  I did not learn at this visit that I was not “home free” after my recent suspicious mammogram, and have been referred to a surgeon for a consultation.  I was not caught totally by surprise at this news…it will be another week before my consultation…now you know why the week is a blur…(for any new readers-my mammogram showed what was referred to as a probable benign calcification)

I did not dream last night that I was pregnant(I’m 55) AND dying of breast cancer!  I have been having some weird dreams this month.  I did not tell my husband that I thought that the pharmacy had “slipped ” a little something extra in my compounded hormone capsules…perhaps a little too much progesterone.

Speaking of hormone capsules–those are what make me a happy and pleasant person to live with since my hysterectomy 9 years ago… My doctor is not cutting my dosage nearly in half due to that suspicious mammogram…Lord, please be with my husband!  It’s going to be a rocky road around here for a couple of months until I get adjusted…did I mention how much I hate hot flashes and night sweats???  Then there’s those mood swings–crying spells…I only lasted a week with no hormones after my hysterectomy!

That’s it for my “Not Me, Monday”.  I hope that you have a great week–and I hope that I have a great week also! LOL  Thanks for stopping by, do come again…

Six Word Saturday (Night)

I always say, better late than never…I am very late with my SWS post because I have been busy all day helping with my grandaughter’s 3rd birthday party.  I felt bad not doing a post, so here I am at 10:16 writing a post.  My six words are…

Enjoyed a great birthday with grandaughter!

Thanks for hopping by.  If you enjoyed this Six Word Saturday post, check out Cate’s place at http://www.showmyface.com She is the hostess of this meme….Have a great weekend…Kathy

To Do Or Not To Do…That Is the Question

Happy Friday, everyone!  This is not the post that I planned to write for my Friday’s giveaway, but life has a way of throwing us a few curve balls every now and then.  I’ve just received my second curve ball in a month.  Let me share my curve balls, and get your opinions.

It all began at the end of September with my routine yearly mammogram.  I went to the hospital where my husband works and had it done.  Two days later my husband called me at home and explained that there was a new calcification on my left breast that hadn’t been there before.  I have some old calcification already there, but this was a new one.  The radiologist,  the doctor who reads the films, suggested that I return to the hospital and have more views done. The tech would magnify the calcification to give the doctor a better look.  Curve ball # one!

 I returned to the hospital on Friday and had more films taken.  The doctor read the new films and stated in the report that “it was probably a benign calcification” and the recommended a repeat mammogram in six months for a follow-up.  My husband had explained to me ahead of time that this would be the “best case scenario”.  I was pleased to get this news, but tucked the thought of that “probably benign calcification” in the back of my mind.

Today I went to my GYN for my yearly visit.  When I told him of my mammogram experience, he asked if anyone had referred me for a biopsy. I told him no.  His assistant  called me and explained what the radiologist report said, and asked if I was okay with that.  I said yes and we hung up.  No biopsy was mentioned by her or the radiologist.

So the GYN, who is a really great guy–one of the most caring people I’ve ever met, starts telling me that it may not be a bad idea to get a biopsy done.  He said it’s probably nothing, but if it is something, that 6 months will make a good bit of difference.  He says he likes to be aggressive in things like this. I told him that I really didn’t want to go through any unnecessary pain or suffering, but that I trusted him and would do what he thought was best.  He reviewed my reports and pondered a bit… He’s referring me to a surgeon.  He said that the surgeon may not even want to do anything, but he thinks I need to get his opinion.  Not at all what I  expected.  Curve ball # two.

My dilemma is this, do I go and get a biopsy done or wait 5 months and have a mammogram?  My husband, who has worked in hospitals for 40 years says it’s all “legal medicine”.  Everyone has to be cautious because of potential law suits.  He says that there is only a 3 to 5% chance that the calcification could be something to worry about.  He’s not worried about it.  He is an x-ray tech and he saw the films, when I had them done.  What would you do, if you were in my shoes?  Have you ever known of anyone in my situation?  Those are my questions for this “Not So Fun Friday”.  Send me your thoughts…and a few prayers.

Now for Friday’s giveaway…

If your comment number is chosen by Random.org, you will win this Autumn Gift set consisting of a dish towel, pumpkin salt and pepper shakers, and a small pumpkin scented candle.  Thanksgiving is coming–spruce up your kitchen.  This set is really pretty–I have a set of the salt and pepper shakers on my table. (the white speck on one of the pumpkins is part of the price sticker-not a chip)LOL 

All that you have to do to be entered in the drawing is leave a comment!  How simple is that?  Well, sometimes it’s not so simple for me!  I have trouble getting approved. LOL

I value my visitors and my regular readers very much.  This give away is just a tiny way of letting you know that.  I will enter all comments that I receive on this post,  through Monday morning into the drawing, then I will select the winning number.  If you wish to leave more than one comment over the weekend, feel free to do so, just leave them on this post.

Thanks for listening to my problems.  Let me know what you think!  Thanks for stopping by…

Click here to see the entire Giveaway Blog Hop List….

Sadly, I Had to Leave the Love of My Life…Teaching

 

Para/teacher our last year together

 The teacher that I worked for excelled at her job.  She was voted “teacher of the year” for our school, and for the county.  She met all of the requirements and became” board certified” which is a huge accomplishment.  Then she began working toward her doctorate degree.  During the 2004-05 school year, she was offered a job for the following year working as a curriculum coach/part-time teacher.  She accepted the offer, and  sadly, our working relationship was coming to an end.

The teacher and I packed up all of her things in the classroom so she could take some of them home.  She would be teaching fourth grade math, so she didn’t need any of her first grade stuff.  Every box that I packed made my heart ache.  I labeled my personal things, and the books and things that I taught with and left them in the classroom for the summer.  I felt as if a part of me had just died.

I had been close with the principal of the school for several years because I’d worked there so long.  I don’t think either of us ever had a clue as to the way things were about to play out.  Just before school started, the principal emailed me and told me who I would be working with for the following year.  I knew the teacher, went to church with her, and didn’t think there would be any problems at all…wrong! 

From day one, things were bad–and I don’t think either the new teacher or I intended for it to be that way.  We were just as different as the former teacher and I had been alike.  The new teacher was young enough to be my daughter.  She felt intimated by me,  I felt older and much wiser than her.

If that wasn’t enough, she was not a disciplinarian at all.  She allowed her students to do whatever–until she’d had enough–then she got mad and fussed, which didn’t do a lot of good.  I could hardly work in that atmosphere, I don’t know how children could be expected to learn!  It was so bad that sometimes I took the students into the hall to read so I could hear them.

  My former teacher and I were “hoarders of supplies”.  We had a well-stocked cabinet.  The first thing the new teacher did was to throw out nearly all of the supplies–into the hall!  She didn’t like clutter!  The other teachers were like vultures descending on our supplies!  I cried.  Years of collecting for hard times–gone–because the teacher didn’t like clutter! 

The new teacher arrived late nearly every morning, and left early nearly every day.  I arrived first, and left last.  I couldn’t believe it…what ever happened to work ethic?   

 You know from my previous posts how I love reading!  I was getting concerned about what was not going on.  Our class was not reading like they should’ve been.  One day,  I dared to mention the fact that I was concerned to the teacher.  We had words, we both ending up talking with the principal.  I don’t know what the teacher said to the principal, but I expressed my concern about what was and was not going on in that classroom.     

I was so miserable, I was a nervous wreck.  Sometimes the teacher would go all day and never speak to me at all.  Sometimes I’d sit in the lunch room and eat my lunch with tears in my eyes.  I knew in my heart what I had to do.  I told my husband that I’d worked too hard for too long to become a part of what was going on in that classroom.  I’d always taken pride in my job, but I found no pride in anything going on in there. I made my decision to resign. 

After the first nine weeks, I turned in my letter of resignation.  I gave it that long to see if things got any better and to get my affairs in order.  When I turned in my letter of resignation, I stated the reasons that  I was leaving, in other words–what was going on–and not going on in that classroom–and that I wasn’t willing to be a part of it. 

The principal refused to accept my letter of resignation and demanded that I just sign a form letter.  The principal threatened to fire me if I didn’t change the letter.  I called my husband for advice.  I was advised not to do anything until I met with the school superintendent.  I told the principal this, and she told me that she had been given the authority to fire me that very day if I refused to change my letter.  I went to my classroom and packed up 15 years worth of work and love and with the help of a friend, loaded it in my car, but  I also, made an appointment with a lawyer and the school superintendent. 

I met with an attorney to discuss the matter, then I met with the superintendent.  He began to bully me immediately and had all intentions of firing me on the spot for refusing to do what the principal asked.  I’m normally a meek person, but this time I stood my ground–just as I had with the  principal.

  When I told the superintendent that I’d met with an attorney, then he began to get a little nicer.  He listened as I  presented my case as to why I felt I had to resign.  I had documentation to back up everything that I told him.  He did something I did not expect, he offered me another job elsewhere in the school system.  I suppose he had to cover himself.  I declined, telling him that I had lost faith in the system, which I have.  He accepted my resignation. 

However, I did not get to work out my two weeks notice– at the request of the principal, but I was paid for it.  I would’ve liked to have had a chance to say good bye to everyone, but I didn’t get it.  I guess that’s the price I had to pay for standing my ground.  However, I did send an email telling everyone goodbye– right before the principal suspended my groupwise priviledges.

How could something that was so good for 15 years, turn so bad in 9 weeks?  Why didn’t the principal try to find a solution?  I hate it that things ended the way that they did.  I missed school for a long time,  but  I’ve put it behind me.  Of course,  I’ll always love teaching–especially reading!

The Second Love of My Life…part 2

still in first grade...

When I left off with part one of my story, I had been working as a first grade paraprofessional for a year and a half.  I had discovered that I loved teaching and working with children–and to this day I still consider it the second love of my life.

I was very fortunate for a very long time.  I was able to work in the same grade with the same teacher for 15 years.  We had an extraordinary relationship.  We were very much alike.  After we’d worked together for a while, I knew what she needed before she even asked me.  We worked together flawlessly and I think we made a great team.

She was a very dedicated teacher.  She never left at 3:30.  She worked late every day, getting things in order for the next day or the next week.  Many days I’d be right there with her, working late, even though she never asked me to.  We both believed in strict discipline.  We did have play time and fun time in the classroom, but it was controlled fun, and it was limited. 

Over the years, the teacher let me branch out and try my wings doing things with the children.  Each day we had reading groups and I worked with a group while she worked with a group.  It was then that I figured out that I should’ve been a teacher!  I absolutely loved teaching children to read!  I taught math groups, too, but reading was my true passion.  I loved watching the children build their reading skills.  I made up games in my spare time to help teach them sight words.  The children loved those games, and they learned sight words while we played. 

Every year brought a new group of students, and new challenges.  There were some difficult times, of course.  We had several memorable students with behavior problems–some of them caused trouble from day one, until they left school–and beyond!  Every now and then I will see a “mug shot” of a former student and remember how awful his behavior was in first grade.

I received a couple of “nasty notes” from parents during my years at school.  It’s amazing the things that parents put an emphasis on.  I got chewed out by one parent because I didn’t give her child a sticker for bringing back her report card!(because the card holder was all chewed up)  Another parent got mad because I’d taken her child’s hair bow(because she kept taking it out of her hair and playing with it during class).

The longer that I worked at school, the more responsibility they put on  paraprofessionals.  First we had to do lunch room duty(patrolling the cafeteria during lunch while teachers ate duty-free lunch), then it went from that to breakfast duty.  There was also selling ice cream duty and school store duty.  When the school budget got cut,  they started using us for substitute teachers.  Oh how I hated substitute teaching!  Everybody knows that children think that it’s “party time” when the substitute teacher comes.  I sent several “partiers” to the principal’s office in my day.

The last three or four years that I worked at school,  things were getting crazy.  There was the “no child left behind” law with too much emphasis  put on yearly test performance and attendance, in my opinion.  There was more and more paperwork for the teachers.  The government wanted less recess and more instruction.  By the time our students were in third grade, they didn’t get a recess–ust a quick bathroom/snack break.  I did not agree with that at all!  I don’t believe that an eight year old should be denied recess.  I had recess until I was eleven! 

 About the time we’d learn a new curriculum, it would be changed to something different.  I can’t tell you how many math programs that we went through while I worked there.  Reading was the same way.  We went from teaching health, science, social studies, spelling, and handwriting– to not teaching health, science, social studies, spelling, and handwriting!  I tell you it’s crazy!  You may be thinking, are you kidding?… No I am not! …to be concluded on Thursday!