I should have known something was going on this morning when the majority of the 8th grade girls were wearing pink. I noticed it right away, but then again, there was another day when they all wore pink for breast cancer awareness and I hadn't been told so that I could participate.
They had a surprise baby shower for me during 5th period today. It was really sweet how much work the girls put into it. We played silly games and ate good food (although I had eaten a huge lunch). And they were so sweet and generous in the gifts that they brought. I cried. I think that embarrassed them a little bit, but I was okay. They had me wear a silly hat, so when I get the pictures, they should be good! Red eyes, puffy face, ridiculous headgear, already non-photogenic woman. :)
Overall, it was a good last day. I only brought home 2 computer paper-sized boxes and 2 totebags. That's it. My last day at TMS had me bringing home over 20 boxes and various other items that wouldn't fit in the boxes. But, I guess I had three years of accumulation there. I have a little lesson planning to do, but overall, I'm done! I have this next week to chill.
And a little update: Mr. B, the varsity girls' basketball coach who happens to teach at my school, came to see me today and wanted to know if I would coach the middle school girls next year if I end up returning. I told him about being fired from cheerleading, and he said he had heard and that he would handle Mrs. High School Principal. He said, she just likes to let people know she's in charge and that he's willing to fight it out with her--he's not afraid. In fact, he said that he could have already gotten into a physical altercation with her in her office had he not had any sense. He just wanted there to be someone who wanted to coach the girls, since this program feeds the high school. I told him that I was very interested, should I return.
Who knows what will happen next year? Eli should be hearing from the Army, any day now. Please continue to pray for our next adventure.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
April Showers
Okay, this post is only about one of my showers, but I like the idea of bringing May flowers. (On that note, I woke up this morning thinking about the name Lilly, but that was the name of my first Cabbage Patch Kid--and Eli doesn't like the name--oh, well.)
There was a joint shower for me and the nurse after school today. I'm going to include some pictures...so here we go. This first one is a picture of the gift spread. Very nice.
This next one is a picture of the nurse and me before we opened our gifts. She's cute..it's sickening.
My handsome husband was able to make it to the shower. Consequently it was the first time he's ever been to my school or the town where it is located. He got lost. I found him. He had plenty to eat.
This is me trying to juggle everything and pose for the camera. Notice Eli stuffing his face in the background. Haha.
And who knew I was a facial contortionist? I'm posting this one because I think it's funny. I hate cameras when they catch a person off guard. Geez, I seem to remember something about not being photogenic. :) And I hope I didn't offend the giver--if so, I'm sorry. I'm not sure what the face was for, but the dress was darling.
And finally, I got an umbrella stroller--my new baby! It's green, and I LOVE that. Here's me cradling my new bundle of joy. Eli, as you can see, is greatly amused.
Fun, right?
On a separate school-related note, I got myself fired as cheerleading sponsor next year! As you can tell, I'm all torn up about it and I don't think I'll be able to sleep as a result.
Uh-huh. You believe me, right? No, really.
The high school principal is evidently also the athletic director, so she gets the right to hire and fire. She sent me a note today about how I haven't been at the cheerleading clinic/tryouts this week and that I was expected to be there. I basically told her that if I was expected to be there, then I should have been consulted in the planning of the tryouts rather than informed of the dates two weeks in advance. Sorry, lady. I have other commitments that supercede your last-minute tryouts. Evidently, I should just know that cheerleading tryouts are "always" the week before spring break. I told her that since this is my first year in the county, I wouldn't know what "always" happens if it's not in writing. Anyway, I filtered these e-mails and responses through Mr. Principal, and he wanted to claim me as an adopted daughter, he was so proud. Evidently he doesn't like the principal at the high school.
The double-edged side of this is that if I were to return to this school next year, the only bright spot in my year would be coaching the girls' basketball team. In the last line of her last note, Mrs. Principal made it quite clear that I would not be coaching anything for her next year. And she wished me well in the birth of my baby and hopes I have a happy spring break. All in the same breath. So, now there is no impetus for me to return or to feel guilty about not being there to coach basketball, because that is now out of my hands. In the end, it all works out.
I would just like to add that the woman can't form a proper sentence if she tried. I'm going to quote a couple sentences from her e-mail. Please remember that this woman is a PRINCIPAL at an institution whose purpose (purportedly) is to EDUCATE, and that to be in a such a role, she must have a MASTER'S DEGREE in administration, which means that she's been back to school and is somehow deemed "qualified" to lead educators, and should be, at some level, an effective COMMUNICATOR. Okay, okay. That last bit may be pushing the envelope. Now for the good stuff.
The opening line:
"You were to have been informed weeks ago of the dates when you were given information in regards* to garnering interest for the girls to express their interest in the trying out for cheerleader."
Huh? Welcome to the infinitives and prepositional phrase disco! Love that passive and extremely confusing, noncommittal verb construction. So, if you didn't inform me, then who was to have been informing me of the dates "weeks ago"? And how about all that garnering interest for the girls to express their interest? Classic.
Here's another good one. This is "in regards to" her policy that if you have a question, you should ask: "I have yet to be asked about when tryouts or any other questions about not attending camp or clinic."
Again, huh? Aside from the omitted thoughts, I'm the not the one with the questions, if she hadn't noticed. I have no questions about not attending camp or clinic, since, again, I was not included in the planning phase. And since I'm THE cheerleading sponsor at the middle school and there's only one at the high school, you would think that my 50% involvement would somehow be important enough to include me. Nope. No questions from me. Their actions were all the answers to the questions I never needed to ask.
So those of you who are bothering me about leaving the classroom and becoming an administrator, please note that even with my master's degree I am not so well "qualified."
And finally, a praise. After the shower, we came home, changed clothes, and went back out to remove the battery from the Saturn to take to AutoZone to be replaced. Eli decided to try to start the car one more time...and VOILA! It started.
Praise the Lord!
*I just looked this up to confirm my suspicions, because it didn't seem correct: “In regard to” “and “with regard to” are...correct. But “in regards to” is nonstandard [emphasis mine]. You can also convey the same idea with “in respect to” or “with respect to,” or—simplest of all—just plain “regarding.”
There was a joint shower for me and the nurse after school today. I'm going to include some pictures...so here we go. This first one is a picture of the gift spread. Very nice.
This next one is a picture of the nurse and me before we opened our gifts. She's cute..it's sickening.
My handsome husband was able to make it to the shower. Consequently it was the first time he's ever been to my school or the town where it is located. He got lost. I found him. He had plenty to eat.
This is me trying to juggle everything and pose for the camera. Notice Eli stuffing his face in the background. Haha.
And who knew I was a facial contortionist? I'm posting this one because I think it's funny. I hate cameras when they catch a person off guard. Geez, I seem to remember something about not being photogenic. :) And I hope I didn't offend the giver--if so, I'm sorry. I'm not sure what the face was for, but the dress was darling.
And finally, I got an umbrella stroller--my new baby! It's green, and I LOVE that. Here's me cradling my new bundle of joy. Eli, as you can see, is greatly amused.
Fun, right?
On a separate school-related note, I got myself fired as cheerleading sponsor next year! As you can tell, I'm all torn up about it and I don't think I'll be able to sleep as a result.
Uh-huh. You believe me, right? No, really.
The high school principal is evidently also the athletic director, so she gets the right to hire and fire. She sent me a note today about how I haven't been at the cheerleading clinic/tryouts this week and that I was expected to be there. I basically told her that if I was expected to be there, then I should have been consulted in the planning of the tryouts rather than informed of the dates two weeks in advance. Sorry, lady. I have other commitments that supercede your last-minute tryouts. Evidently, I should just know that cheerleading tryouts are "always" the week before spring break. I told her that since this is my first year in the county, I wouldn't know what "always" happens if it's not in writing. Anyway, I filtered these e-mails and responses through Mr. Principal, and he wanted to claim me as an adopted daughter, he was so proud. Evidently he doesn't like the principal at the high school.
The double-edged side of this is that if I were to return to this school next year, the only bright spot in my year would be coaching the girls' basketball team. In the last line of her last note, Mrs. Principal made it quite clear that I would not be coaching anything for her next year. And she wished me well in the birth of my baby and hopes I have a happy spring break. All in the same breath. So, now there is no impetus for me to return or to feel guilty about not being there to coach basketball, because that is now out of my hands. In the end, it all works out.
I would just like to add that the woman can't form a proper sentence if she tried. I'm going to quote a couple sentences from her e-mail. Please remember that this woman is a PRINCIPAL at an institution whose purpose (purportedly) is to EDUCATE, and that to be in a such a role, she must have a MASTER'S DEGREE in administration, which means that she's been back to school and is somehow deemed "qualified" to lead educators, and should be, at some level, an effective COMMUNICATOR. Okay, okay. That last bit may be pushing the envelope. Now for the good stuff.
The opening line:
"You were to have been informed weeks ago of the dates when you were given information in regards* to garnering interest for the girls to express their interest in the trying out for cheerleader."
Huh? Welcome to the infinitives and prepositional phrase disco! Love that passive and extremely confusing, noncommittal verb construction. So, if you didn't inform me, then who was to have been informing me of the dates "weeks ago"? And how about all that garnering interest for the girls to express their interest? Classic.
Here's another good one. This is "in regards to" her policy that if you have a question, you should ask: "I have yet to be asked about when tryouts or any other questions about not attending camp or clinic."
Again, huh? Aside from the omitted thoughts, I'm the not the one with the questions, if she hadn't noticed. I have no questions about not attending camp or clinic, since, again, I was not included in the planning phase. And since I'm THE cheerleading sponsor at the middle school and there's only one at the high school, you would think that my 50% involvement would somehow be important enough to include me. Nope. No questions from me. Their actions were all the answers to the questions I never needed to ask.
So those of you who are bothering me about leaving the classroom and becoming an administrator, please note that even with my master's degree I am not so well "qualified."
And finally, a praise. After the shower, we came home, changed clothes, and went back out to remove the battery from the Saturn to take to AutoZone to be replaced. Eli decided to try to start the car one more time...and VOILA! It started.
Praise the Lord!
*I just looked this up to confirm my suspicions, because it didn't seem correct: “In regard to” “and “with regard to” are...correct. But “in regards to” is nonstandard [emphasis mine]. You can also convey the same idea with “in respect to” or “with respect to,” or—simplest of all—just plain “regarding.”
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Oops, I did it again...
No, no. This is the first time I've used a Britney song title as my post title. Not that.
I left my headlights on while I was at Sylvan.
And then the car wouldn't start. I tried to jump it off on one of the other teacher's cars, but it still wouldn't start. As a result, I had to do what I wanted to do least--call Eli. I was hoping that I could get it going again and not have to tell him that, yes, I left the lights on, and yes, I know that I shouldn't even turn them on in the daylight, and yes, I shouldn't leave them on if I do turn them on for whatever insane reason I feel I have to. To make matter worse, tonight was the first new episode of NCIS in a long time, and it was already on by the time I called Eli. I was supposed to be home watching it with him, but I instead made him miss half the episode to come rescue me...in the cold. Because it's almost freezing...in April.
The car still wouldn't start, even after Eli used his magic touch. So, it's still up in the Sylvan Learning Center parking lot. I have to bum a ride to school tomorrow. And my baby shower at work is tomorrow, so if Eli can't make it, I have to bum a ride home, too, with gifts in tow.
I feel ridiculous.
And stupid.
The irony of the situation is that one of the dads owns a car detailing business, and they have awesome rates for teachers on Tuesdays. I want to get the Saturn cleaned inside and out before I install a carseat (as this may be the last time that it is clean for a long time), so today, for Teacher's Day, had everything ready for them to come pick up my car from school and clean it and bring it back by the end of the day (they're awesome, right?)...except that their hoses froze last night, so they couldn't wash the cars. They apologetically told me they would honor the price tomorrow.
Except now I won't have my car with me, and this is my last week in LaFayette.
Again, I feel ridiculous.
And stupid.
I left my headlights on while I was at Sylvan.
And then the car wouldn't start. I tried to jump it off on one of the other teacher's cars, but it still wouldn't start. As a result, I had to do what I wanted to do least--call Eli. I was hoping that I could get it going again and not have to tell him that, yes, I left the lights on, and yes, I know that I shouldn't even turn them on in the daylight, and yes, I shouldn't leave them on if I do turn them on for whatever insane reason I feel I have to. To make matter worse, tonight was the first new episode of NCIS in a long time, and it was already on by the time I called Eli. I was supposed to be home watching it with him, but I instead made him miss half the episode to come rescue me...in the cold. Because it's almost freezing...in April.
The car still wouldn't start, even after Eli used his magic touch. So, it's still up in the Sylvan Learning Center parking lot. I have to bum a ride to school tomorrow. And my baby shower at work is tomorrow, so if Eli can't make it, I have to bum a ride home, too, with gifts in tow.
I feel ridiculous.
And stupid.
The irony of the situation is that one of the dads owns a car detailing business, and they have awesome rates for teachers on Tuesdays. I want to get the Saturn cleaned inside and out before I install a carseat (as this may be the last time that it is clean for a long time), so today, for Teacher's Day, had everything ready for them to come pick up my car from school and clean it and bring it back by the end of the day (they're awesome, right?)...except that their hoses froze last night, so they couldn't wash the cars. They apologetically told me they would honor the price tomorrow.
Except now I won't have my car with me, and this is my last week in LaFayette.
Again, I feel ridiculous.
And stupid.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Weekend Fun
This was the weekend when Eli and I drove down to Mobile to see Cirque du Soleil! What fun! We went with the in-laws and saw the show Saltimbanco. It was amazing. Next time I go to one of their arena shows, I'm totally paying the money to get a floor seat--so much audience interaction. We had nosebleed seats, but it was still amazing. Such an artistic endeavor. They have six resident shows in Las Vegas--I'm going to have to plan a trip out there to see a couple of them. I especially want to see the water show, O.
And today was my baby shower at church. We are so blessed with this church family. They are so loving and thoughtful. It makes this whole having a baby experience that much more wonderful and exciting. I will post a couple of pictures once I have them.
This is my last week at school! Woohoo! (Pray that I make it through!)
And today was my baby shower at church. We are so blessed with this church family. They are so loving and thoughtful. It makes this whole having a baby experience that much more wonderful and exciting. I will post a couple of pictures once I have them.
This is my last week at school! Woohoo! (Pray that I make it through!)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Home Early
Schools let out today at 2 o'clock due to impending inclement weather. It was overcast, yes, but didn't look so bad. So, I took my cue from the cows--most of them were laying down in the pasture, which is not ordinary. That's a sign, right? I've decided to stay in instead of running to Hobby Lobby to get some fabric with my 40% off coupon in the sale paper this week.
And Sylvan called to tell me that so many students were calling off due to the weather that they don't need me tonight. I am relieved. Mostly I just want to go to sleep.
I have Bible study tonight, but I'm secretly hoping that gets called off, too. But not because I'm sleepy. The Baylor Bears play against Penn State in the NIT final tonight in Madison Square Garden @ 6 CST. I will watch the beginning of the game, but would feel terribly conflicted if I had to miss the end (I would have to leave for my study by 7:15).
I honestly thought about taking the day off tomorrow (call it a "mental health day") but cheerleader applications are due and I have to be present to collect them. Maybe I can finagle it so that I'm ready to take the day off on Monday? That would be a trick. The kids are just crazy since it's testing week. They don't want to do anything in the afternoons, so it takes more energy to entertain/engage them, energy that I just don't have. It's right about now that I wish I didn't have a "no movie" policy. That would make my life so much easier. As it is, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the kids for the last weeks of school, since I will have a sub who may or may not be able/willing to teach something new. Ugh.
And on an unrelated note, I had two students at my table at Sylvan last night -- a 4th grader (doing math) and an 11th grader (doing study skills). I said something exclamatory to the 4th grader, and started with "By George!" The 11th grader decided that he was going to correct me, starting on some diatribe about the decline of the English language, about how, as a teacher of English, I should know that it's "by jove" and not "by George." I wanted to slap him. But instead, I told him he needed to go home and look up the origin of both phrases and that we would discuss it when I have him at my table next week. Jerk. It was one of those situations where I knew that, yes, "by jove" would be appropriate, but that I wasn't wrong in using "by George" either. That just made me mad.
By George, I think I'm ready for maternity leave!!
And Sylvan called to tell me that so many students were calling off due to the weather that they don't need me tonight. I am relieved. Mostly I just want to go to sleep.
I have Bible study tonight, but I'm secretly hoping that gets called off, too. But not because I'm sleepy. The Baylor Bears play against Penn State in the NIT final tonight in Madison Square Garden @ 6 CST. I will watch the beginning of the game, but would feel terribly conflicted if I had to miss the end (I would have to leave for my study by 7:15).
I honestly thought about taking the day off tomorrow (call it a "mental health day") but cheerleader applications are due and I have to be present to collect them. Maybe I can finagle it so that I'm ready to take the day off on Monday? That would be a trick. The kids are just crazy since it's testing week. They don't want to do anything in the afternoons, so it takes more energy to entertain/engage them, energy that I just don't have. It's right about now that I wish I didn't have a "no movie" policy. That would make my life so much easier. As it is, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the kids for the last weeks of school, since I will have a sub who may or may not be able/willing to teach something new. Ugh.
And on an unrelated note, I had two students at my table at Sylvan last night -- a 4th grader (doing math) and an 11th grader (doing study skills). I said something exclamatory to the 4th grader, and started with "By George!" The 11th grader decided that he was going to correct me, starting on some diatribe about the decline of the English language, about how, as a teacher of English, I should know that it's "by jove" and not "by George." I wanted to slap him. But instead, I told him he needed to go home and look up the origin of both phrases and that we would discuss it when I have him at my table next week. Jerk. It was one of those situations where I knew that, yes, "by jove" would be appropriate, but that I wasn't wrong in using "by George" either. That just made me mad.
By George, I think I'm ready for maternity leave!!
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