Even when you were little...

You were a bad MO-FO!!!!



Yea and Hip Hip Hooray!!! BT is turning 42 today!!!!

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, there was a guy who spent the entire month of December working... almost 24/7 working, far away from me. It was rough I tell you, but I always knew he would be home on Christmas Eve. One night, we were talking on the phone about his job and what he had accomplished and he said, "yeah, baby, I am a bad mo-fo!"

And you know what? He is!!!
He isn't afraid of anything. I don't know of one thing that makes him nervous or scared, well other than going to the movies in a weekend evening. That freaks him out a bit.
He is good at most everything. I haven't noticed much, besides singing, that he doesn't do well. He is a natural at most things, but those he isn't perfect at, he works hard to learn and get good at.
He is the smartest guy I know. Need to know about the history of anything? He is your man! From all of the History Channel he sleeps through, there is no surprise.

So, you would think with all of this talent, he would be cocky, well he is, but he can be pretty great too.

He is a great cook. While I cook boring food, BT loves to make up the most delicious meals! I love it when he cooks dinner... a delicious adventure every time.
He has the biggest heart I know. He will do just about anything for anyone who needs it. He will lend a hand and appreciate, and love, and give of himself whenever he can.

I guess you might say I think he is pretty awesome! Even if he is a bad mo-fo!


The boy geniuses... two of my favorite men, hanging out together!


Happy Birthday BT! YOU ROCK MY WORLD!!!

for BT...

"When It Don't Come Easy"
Patty Griffin...

Red lights are flashing on the highway
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight
Everywhere the waters getting rough
Your best intentions may not be enough
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home tonight

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy

I don't know nothing except change will come
Year after year what we do is undone
Time keeps moving from a crawl to a run
I wonder if we're gonna ever get home

You're out there walking down a highway
And all of the signs got blown away
Sometimes you wonder if you're walking in the wrong direction

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy

So many things that I had before
That don't matter to me now
Tonight I cry for the love that I've lost
And the love I've never found
When the last bird falls
And the last siren sounds
Someone will say what's been said before
It is only love we were looking for

But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy


BT, no matter what, when it don't come easy, I will ALWAYS drive out and find you. I will love you forever and always.

Grateful

I have this darling little girl I teach reading to. She is the highlight of my day most days. In the boy filled world of reading instruction...(most struggling readers in first grade are boys) it is nice to have a girl in the group to change the pace a little bit. She is just darling and is doing better than I could have imagined.
Today, as we began to write, I asked her to tell me something about herself. Really, I wanted her to learn to spell the word "am" so I suggested she tell me some things she is..."I am a sister, I am a reader, I am smart," I gave her examples. Then, I asked her, so, what do you want to say you are?
She looked at me with her large brown eyes and said, "I want to write, I am grateful". That was it.
I am grateful.

Now, I realize that Thanksgiving came and went and the turkey sandwiches are still tasty and new, and the conversations about being thankful are far from a thing of the past, but I would never have expected to hear, "I am grateful" come out of a 6 year old mouth. Wow.

As I drove home, I thought about things that have been going on lately. My graduate class is almost over. Whew, I am SO thankful for that! Things are slowing down and I can actually relax a little bit. Really grateful. I got to eat some great food and hang out with friends and family this past week. thankful.
All of those things I could list pretty easily.

Then I got to thinking about my friend Spidey who went out in the cold with a hand full of Wendy's chili just to feed the man who happened to be invisible after all. I thought about the man who has been coming by the church for help, asking for candles and a nice place to shower because he has no electricity or water at his house. I thought about the man on the corner with the sign. As I handed him what little money I had, and he blessed me and thanked me, it hit me. My little 6-year-old friend was right. What we need now is to be grateful.
In this time when we get so busy rushing to find the perfect gift or the perfect things, the perfect decorations, we somehow forget to be grateful. We forget to be courteous and kind. We forget to be grateful.
I have been reading lots of advent books lately. I have been trying to get in the mood of the season. This year, I want to spend time waiting and anticipating Jesus. I want to spend my time really reflecting on Him and being grateful for what I do have. Being grateful for what I can do. I want to at the end of each day, be able to say the same thing my little friend said, above all else, "I am grateful".

That, Charlie Brown, is what Hula Boola is all about.

Yeah! EEEEK is right!!!

A teacher found this today on the floor in a first grade classroom! It is classic! The funny thing is, as soon as she showed it to me, I thought, THIS would be perfect on the blog!!!
Ah always thinking about blog potential.
:)

Who's to say????

I hadn't heard this song in forever and recent events brought me back to this song.



Who's To Say?
Pat Green


I don’t wear my shirt tucked in
I like a little bbq on Sunday
Well I hang out with a rougher crowd
Who drink too much, who talk too loud
Don’t you know that it’s all right with me
Yeah I don’t go to church too much, but I know that Jesus truly loves me
And if he was here I’d be drinking beer and
Hanging out and saving all of my friends, Amen

Who’s to say and who are you to judge me anyway
This is my road, I take the corner as fast as I can go
Who’s to say how I got so lucky anyway
I am my own at least until the Man comes to take me home

Well I got my mama’s features, and my daddy’s fixtures
All day long I been looking at pictures wondering
How in the hell they came up with me
Well, I’m crazy as a loon, I’m howling at the moon
My baby, she don’t know what to do
She’s wondering how in the hell she’s gonna stay with me
Well, she’s been to church more than Billy Graham
And she knows the Bible like the back of her hand
Yeah but she drinks Gin like it’s going out of style
Oh, it makes me smile

Yeah, who’s to say and who are you to judge her anyway
This whole world spins, never gonna take that chance again
Yeah who’s to say how we got so lucky anyway
We have a home, neither one of us will ever be alone

It’s a lesson of survival
To ride out every trial
It’s the secret of forgiveness
Way down deep inside

Who’s to say and who are you to judge me anyway
This is my road, I take the corner as fast as I can go
Yeah, who’s to say how I got so lucky anyway
I am my own at least until the angels come
Angels gonna come and take me home


This song is posted for Don and Sandra, who had the sense, the belief, and the guts to ask, "Who are you to judge?"
It is for Hugh, who knows Jesus truly loves him and he will never be alone.
For BT, who reminds me to take the corners of life as fast as I can go.

Five hundred, Twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes...

How Do you measure a year?

Wow. You know, I am OLD now, so I must reflect before I get so old I can't remember...

Here are a few things I have learned in the past five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes...

*I actually Do like all kinds of music... and itunes rocks.
*Songs from itunes are not really 99 cents if you include tax.
*No matter what you have experienced in life, someone can top it.
*Some people are just down-right mean. Sometimes it really isn't me, it is them.
*Switching checking accounts is just as fun as having a tooth pulled.
*New cars smell like new car for a long long time.
*BT looks HOT in medieval wear.
*Bangalore is in India and even though they have diseases, they still have computer emergencies.
*Little red headed boys grow up, like it or not.
*Teenagers are pretty funny and have a lot to say if only you will ask the RIGHT questions and listen, really listen.
*I am not as smart as I think I am.
*Hula Boola is alive and well in our house.
*Putting skirting on a trailer house is as hard as it looks.
*I actually do like to work out.
*Craps is fun when someone else does the math.
*Pirates are really important.
*RLP chat is addictive.
*The real way to say it is... EXTRAGAVANT... :)
*Shallow pockets and bathroom visits are no good for cell phones.
*Parties can come in a box and make a big difference.
*BT is an awesome writer...
*If God continues to ask you to serve, you have to start saying YES.
*I am beloved. I am a child of God. I have been called by name. I have been charged to do better, to grow, and to love.
*Everyone else is a child of God, beloved and called.... like them or not.

Wow! What a year! Thanks friends, not only for the awesome birthday wishes, but for being a part of my life. I may not have known you a whole year, I may have known you my whole life, it may just feel like I have known you forever. No matter what, I thank you for making me who I am. You challenge me, love me, laugh with me, and make me better. For that, I am thankful.

Zoom Song... Guest blogger... My MOM!!!

My birthday isn't until Thursday, but Mom is going to be out of town on my birthday and I wanted her to see her blog entry before she left!
Thanks to my mom for this dedication. :) I love it!




I was invited by “Suz” to keep the birthday “ZOOMS” going.
She was almost born on Halloween but missed it a few days.
I should know, I was there. Recently someone (I didn’t
know at all) told me that because of something she saw me
do, I was her HERO. I’m afraid I told her she was hard up
for heroes.---Not a kind thing to say to someone.

I have a HERO. I’ve known her all her life.

A few of her HEROIC qualities I can take some slight credit
for but some are purely her own. She is her own person.

*She holds really strong beliefs. You can talk to her and
give her another side of an issue, but it is difficult to
shake the opinion that she has thought about and has made
her own.
*She is a gifted teacher. She has an innate ability to
know what to do for a student (child or adult) who needs
help. Her empathy draws children to her and she is
respected by students, parents and educators alike.
*She’s a computer geek. When her family has computer
trouble, she is the one we turn to. She didn’t read
manuals or take lessons she just “played” and learned on
her own. She even found her wonderful husband online. She
helps friends and co-workers when asked. She does
presentations to colleagues using the latest techniques.
But ............her most heroic quality is that
*She is a good friend. She knits scarves for friends
to take to Russia, she worries about her friends, she cries
with her friends, she helps, she encourages, she bullies,
she buys (or makes) them gifts. She wants her friends to
be as happy as she is. When her friends disappoint her,
she continues to wish them well.

Now by this time you might think I’m talking about a saint.
As with all heroes, she has her Achilles heels.

------She doesn’t suffer fools. Stupidity can really
irritate her and she has trouble dealing with stupid rules
or those who apply them.
------She is a name caller. Most of her name calling is in
fun. Some names she makes up, but she has had her name
calling moments that might not be in fun.
------She gets her feelings hurt. She expects
professionalism and coutesy from those with whom she works.
At times her expectations are too high and she gets hurt.
She gets over it, but slowly.
-------She likes to be in control.. She would like to be
in charge of organizing and arranging everything. Not that
she has the time or energy to do it, but she “knows how
things should be done” and thinks people should do things
the right (her) way. I think she is working on this one.

If I thought they would get into this blog, I’d put a
picture or two here of the girl I remember as a child, but
I’m sure they would be censored before you read it.
(Because I dressed her funny)
Needless to say I’m proud of this birhday girl and wish her
many, many more Happy Birthdays.
Captain Zoom says to you--- “ It’s your birthday --I’m in
charge of the stars and I’m here to say ,You’re the big
star --today.”
Love ya’ kid,
Mom

For Ginger...

Because Patty Griffin speaks to my heart.
Because I love you and that family of yours...
Because the little dreams we dream are all we can really do.


Kite
Patty Griffin

The Sunday after, there was laughter in the air
Everybody had a kite they were flying everywhere
And all the trouble went away and it wasn't just a dream
All the trouble went away, and it wasn't just a dream

In the middle of the night
We try and try with all our might
To light a little light down here
In the middle of the night
We dream of a million kites
Flying high above the sadness and the fear

Little sister, just remember as you wander through the blue
The little kite that you sent flying on a Sunday afternoon
Made of something light as nothing
Made of joy that matters too
How the little dreams we dream are all we can really do

In the middle of the night
The world turns with all its might
A little diamond, colored blue
In the middle of the night
We keep sending little kites
Until a little light gets through

Lessons from third graders

I am a reading specialist, a reading facilitator, no one is really sure my title... especially me.
I work with first graders mostly, but I get to go hang out with third graders during the day too. It is, aside from the paperwork and not really knowing how to use my time wisely, a great great job. I love it.
I have a small group of third graders at the moment that I work with every day. Every time I walk into their classrooms, their friends in the class beg and plead to come with me too. As soon as I walk in the rooms, you can see the other kids sit up straighter, look at me with a hopeful smile. "Me! I want to be picked next!!" I never do though, (again, we are talking a lack of time here) but it is always great to know that I am wanted and needed.

The biggest group of third graders I deal with consists of boys. No girls, just boys, so it is a challenge finding books that they can read and will want to read.
I used my handy dandy Bookbuilder CD and made books all about them... with their names in them the other day.
You would have thought I gave them gold! These kids were amazed, as they looked onto other books to check and see if their name was on their friend's book too. They read and read the book at least 5 times and were dissapointed when they had to stop to go back to class. This was THEIR book, no doubt. They had been made special. They had been made something important.
One of the third graders, as he was walking away with his book said, "I am goign to keep this book forever and ever. I am going to show this to my son when I am grown up!"
Wow.
It was that important.

Right now I am missing Cursillo. It is happening without me this time because I am WAY too busy. I didn't realize how much I would truly miss the activities, the friendships, the way God talks to you in the craziest ways. I am thinking alot about God recently. I haven't made enough time for God in my life. I haven't been one of those kids who, when God walks in, sits up straight and tall and says, "please pick me!" I have been the one still sitting at a desk, too involved in the work of the day to even notice that a visitor has entered the room. I have been caught up in me, my work, and my life and haven't let God in.

And I know God wants to talk to me. He calls me... Just like he called Zacheus and Samuel, long ago. He called them BY NAME to work with them, talk with them, and love them. Maybe God has taken the time to write my name in a book. Maybe God has taken the time to make things special for me. Do I cherish that enough? Do I appreciate that enough? Do I read that book over and over soaking up the fact that HE used MY name? Or do I just read through it, not noticing what a special gift it is?

I hope that I can take the time today to get past the reading and the research and the dirty house, and focus on God and His Love and I can notice when he walks in the door. I can hear when he calls MY name. And I can say, "Here I am Lord, Your servant is here."

I never said "I do".

I wouldn't really call it eloping. We had the whole thing planned. I wasn't really a girl who needed to have the big fluffy wedding. We didn't have a church at the time, and my 90 year old matron of honor wasn't alive anymore, so why not look for other options? It was pretty easy. My mom made my dress so after that, it was just one phone call... decide what date, what time, and what color flowers, and the wedding was all set! In the world of weddings, I would consider it a very very low key event.


On the way to get our marriage license the day before, we met an Elvis impersonator, and a hooker who had to have been in her 80s! "This is Vegas, Baby!"
The day of the wedding, BT and I spent time shopping and playing in the casinos. We played, laughed, and kissed in front of statues. We had the best time.

While my mom, my friends and I primped before the wedding, BT and my dad hung out in the bar close to the chapel and bonded. BT even got some marriage advice from a drunk woman who had been married three times.
I can remember walking through the casino being congratulated by anyone and everyone. Old ladies stopped playing video poker just to wish me luck. It was amazing!
And then I was there, sitting in a room about to throw up. I wasn't regretting anything, I was just nervous that I would mess up, or maybe BT would get scared and not show.

Since we were in a castle, it was of course fitting for Merlin to marry us. We didn't request that, it just was a perk of the wedding package.
He looked rather official in his garb, and we got to say very fancy shmancy Elizabethan words.
I loved getting to vow to BT, "All my worldly goods, to thee I do endow".
One thing though, I never got asked the question... I never got to say "I DO".

So, seven years later, I have a few things I want to say to BT...

Thanks for showing up that day. Thanks for meeting me at the front of the chapel. Thanks for putting up with me and my craziness. Thanks for being silly with me and laughing and playing with me for so long. Thanks for listening to me and valuing my feelings. Thanks for being my best friend. Thanks for killing mice and large bugs for me. Thanks for always making sure I have oil in my car and that my phone is charged. Thanks for worrying about me and loving me so very much.
If you ever start to wonder if I love you and if I appreciate you... let me say for the record. I DO. Forever and always.

Deep Fried Oreos?????

I went to Canton last weekend... I LOVE Canton!!!
So, here are some things I learned from Canton...

*even bathrooms with curtains instead of doors on the stalls might still have attendants. Tip them well... especially if they have to fish your phone out of the toilet. Damn those shallow pockets!

*real lemonade rocks more than you will ever know. It at least helps to soothe the pain of the toilet water soaked cell phone.

*fair food is always the best. Anything on a stick is preferred...oh or deep fried. Can't forget the deep fried crap! You could get your heart attack from fried twinkies, fried snickers, or the newest and greatest deep fried oreo. Wow. I didn't however, try any of those things. Darn the big lunch!!!

*sparkly, fuzzy things are so IN! Why decorate your home with plain lamp shades when you can pretty them up with boas? Why have just a plain bulletin board when you can make it beautiful with fun fur and more feathers? Why have a plain purse when you can have one made totally out of fake animal fur? Why go out in public in boring chamo when you can have bedazzled chamo? Ah the fashion of Dallas/East Texas.

*the NEWEST and greatest thing is the one size fits all plastic stretchy jacket thing. ugh, I can't even describe it... it is like the old Units (is that what they were called? They were crazy 80s fashion) but bumpy and truly made of plastic.
At $20 a pop, you should all get one in each color! Plus, you KNOW one size fits all = awesome.

*you would be amazed at the amount of artsy craftsy cutesy stuff that can actually be made out of picket fences. This fact drives BT crazy!

*want a sign that has some sort of cowboy saying on it? "don't squat with your spurs on" "Unless yur George Strait, wipe your feet" (I kid you not! That is an actual sign) ... yeah, let's hang some of those in the living room! Want a sign with some sort of cutesy saying on it? I was looking for one that said, "hula freakin' boola" but I couldn't find one. I guess I will have to get out some picket fence wood and start working on one!

*scripture is SO in... especially when embroidered on items. It isn't good enough to LET people think you go to church... let's advertise by emboidering it all over your clothing! I think it would be fun to pick some random "I will smite you" sort of scripture and have it embroidered on my purse.
hee hee.

So, Want a true taste of Texas? Come to Canton. Want a true taste of Hula Boola, come to our house!

You'll Look a Little Lovelier Each Day with Fabulous Pink Susiederk.

My slogan.
:)
or

Be Young, Have Fun, Drink Bloghead.

Makes you want to read my blog everyday doesn't it?

find your slogan at the slogan maker: http://www.thesurrealist.co.uk/slogan.cgi

Happy B-day NewAnglican...

I have been thinking about it and I can't quite remember when I officially met JRD. I know I didn't know him our freshman year of college. I was hanging in some strange circles freshman year. I do know that I got to know JRD when I started dating his roommate our sophomore year. He seemed like a nice guy and I know he had a crush on my roommate, so it was all good.
We became better friends each year after. He and the rest of the boys hung out with me only because I was A's girlfriend. I was always around and they put up with me.
Our senior year was full of chaos, breakups, and my gaining custody of the boys. We officially became the Circle of Friends and they officially became "my" boys.
I can tell you that my friend JRD became like an angel our senior year. He talked me through many a hard time. I was thankful for him. I can never explain just how much that meant to me!

So, years later, JRD and I are still friends. He just went for an interview recently for a really great job... Here are some things he should have put on his resume...or at least some reasons for you to want to get to know him!

1. He is the cleanest person I know. When he was little, he stood OUTSIDE the sand box so he wouldn't get dirty... I kid you not!
2. He has very fresh breath.... Ask his wife... he brushes his teeth like every 20 minutes!
3. He has a dry, witty sense of humor. More than once, I have snarffed a drink all over the place because he made me laugh, mid-drink.
4. He is well read and can have a conversation about just about anything!
(he really can talk about things besides the book of common prayer, I promise)
5. He is the most spiritual person I know.
6. He has a favorite font. How many other people can say that?
7. He has a very lovely wife whom I dearly love.
8. He had the coolest wedding on the planet... and I got to have a little part of it.
9. He is the one we all go to for deep talks. He is the one we lean on in times of trouble. We only hope we have done the same for him.


Happy birthday my dear friend. I wish you many many more!!!

Another Quiz...

Those of us Pirates and even some non pirates have been taking quizzes lately... What is your pirate name? How evil is your blog? (How in the world can my blog be 62% good when Hugh's blog is 78% good??? hee hee) What useless talent are you? (I was Latin) What old classic movie are you most like? ( I was the Godfather... Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Wednesday)

And those have been fun and all...
Here is a new quiz for ya. Something that came from The Message...

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil;hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Help the needy, be inventive in the hospitality.
Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Romans 12:10ish...
The Message

So, how do you rate? I don't know about you but I would be getting a pretty bad score recently.
The one that really kicked me in the butt: Don't be the great somebody. How many times do I need to remind myself that? How many times do I feel the need to be the great somebody. "Hey everybody... look at me!"
I swear I need sticky notes of that one all over my office! OH and the NO cursing under your breath business... hmmm.
Geeze!
I am working hard on being a friend who loves deeply, even when I am not so fond of my enemies.
It will take time, but it will come. More practice in the Hula Boola for me.
Until then friends, how do you rate?

pamper yourself...

My nose has been in a book for the last few weeks. I haven't had time to do the fun things that I love. I haven't had a chance to hang with the knit wits, talk to and be silly with the pirates, even hang out and say goodnight to BT! Ugh, life is crazy!
So I treated myself today. I looked at my droopy hair and my sloppily painted toes (the old nail polish was aptly named "computer geek") and decided I needed something different!
So, I went between meetings and got a hair cut and some brand new cutie cute toes!
I had never had a pedicure before this summer.
What a treat they are!!! I love them! I am hooked now!
Here is wishing something small like a new hair cut or new toes will help bring some light into your day too!


p.s. I took 5 photos of my feet and none of them turned out right. They don't look that freaky in real life do they?
I will try to post photos soon of the cute toes!

Ahhh Summer! Bye old friend! I will miss you!
Now heat, go away!!!

NO BIG SHOCK HERE!!!

My pirate name is:

Captain Bess Bonney

Even though there's no legal rank on a pirate ship, everyone recognizes you're the one in charge. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.

I make scarves.

Yeah, you know I learned to knit this summer. It has become a great way for me to relax after a long day. It is a time killer when I am bored out of my mind, which lately hasn't been so often. And it has been a way to hang with friends. My Knit Wit group rocks.
When we get together, we have to find the comfiest chairs... so we usually go to Starbucks, although I hate coffee. What they lack in their supply of tea, certainly they make up for in the comfy chair department, so I go.
We sit and talk about stuff.
Breezy is the teenager of the group, so she usually fills us in on the life of a high schooler and we just laugh and laugh and remember the days. Tracy and I just are thankful we don't have to re-live being a teenager. We listen to music from the ipod and sing quietly. I mean, Starbucks has their share of freaks, they don't need us to add to the numbers.
We laugh and laugh till at least one of us cries. A prank call to Aaron (of The Story of Anthony) always happens. Poor Aaron! I don't know why we pick on him, but we do!
We each come with our own project to work on and we help each other out. Breezy is still learning, so she is making sample potholders. Tracy makes baby booties and kid outfits.
I love making hats, so I am usually working on one or the other, but now I am about to start working on a Polly sweater for Hugh. We love hanging with each other and being part of a group.

It all began though, our little group, with the scarves.

Let me explain. My friend Tracy hasn't been my friend for very long, so the details of this story are sketchy at most.
I will tell you the little that I know, and maybe you will understand.
Tracy was sort of a wild child in her younger days. She was in love with a boy and was dating him when he decided to move to Texas. She followed him here and then not long after, he stopped calling her. He just left.
That was the biggest gift he could have given her though because she found Steve. Steve is such a great guy! They married and not long after they were married, Tracy discovered she had ovarian cancer. It was serious.
She needed surgery and chemo stat! So it happened and these newlyweds, still glowing from the new union, had to realize rather quickly that they would not have a baby of their own. Steve had to walk every day through the nursery in the hospital, to get to his sick wife. Life creates the cruelest jokes sometimes.
Tracy has healed and now they are hopeful about adoption. They have filled out paperwork and gone though all the steps to adopt a baby from one of the Russian orphanages.
They know that at any minute, they could be called to go to Russia to pick out their baby. They also know that they must bring gifts to all of the orphanage workers. What a racket.
So, we make scarves. We make them for the workers and for the kids and for everyone Tracy needs to impress when she goes to Russia. We make scarves because we love Tracy and Steve and want them to have a gift from heaven.

The news from Russia is not good. They have stopped adoptions recently. The scarves just sit, ready for cold necks. The babies wait for parents while the government gets itself sorted out.

Until then, we will continue to knit scarves, baby blankets and little booties. We will sing and laugh and prank call Aaron. We will love each other and pray. That is the best we can do.

I literally work in a closet most of my day. I have an actual office, but I am never there. So as I sit in the closet, and as I travel between classrooms, I hear and see lots of interesting things.

Things I heard/saw today...
* The picture above is a gift from my little friend from "Nahlens". Notice the happy face? Notice the blue skies. He is healing so beautifully. :) I look forward to seeing his smiling face every day.

* ANTS!!! This morning, I discovered my closet is infested with ants. Could it be the fact that I eat lunch back there every day? hmmm... Anyway, I noticed a nice little line of ants, all going to one location, all working together. Then, there was this one ant... wandering away from the group. I thought, "You go little wandering ant!"
In life, I feel like that ant most of my life! I am either wandering away from the group because I am being defiant, or just because I don't know what the heck I am doing... Usually the latter, is the case. No matter what, I admired that little wandering ant.
I feel your pain, friend.

* Walking in the hallway, I saw a little boy peeking his head out of the bathroom. As soon as he saw me, he sang at the top of his lungs..."I feel good, na na na na na na na."
Yeah, honey, somedays after going to the bathroom, I am ready to sing that too!!

* From a substitute trying to teach safety..."If you get hit by a car, you might die, and that would be sad." uh, yathink?

* From the classroom next door, "What color IS Miss Muffett?" -isn't that up there with "what color is God"? Wouldn't we ALL like answers to that question that keeps us up nights!

* Thirty bright shining fifth grade faces tonight at the PTA meeting all singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
I was a slobbery, crying mess by the end of the song!

Hi. My name is Susie and I am a control freak.

they say the first step is admitting...

Say it slowly... I can do better. I don't need to take control...of everything.
I will not try to take over someone's classroom.
I will not make teachers cry.
I will be nice and represent the Hula
Boola to the best of my ability.