A Little Bit of Everything

Good morning y'all. It's cold in these here parts. I know all my friends up north are laughing at us wimpy Texans. It hits 35 degrees and you'd think we are were all on the brink of freezing to death. But seriously, this is far from typical November weather, and I'm hoping it's not a sign that we're in for a really cold winter.

Since it's miserably cold, and the ridiculously high winds and rain are keeping Andrew from playing outside my husband is setting up a tent in the middle of the living room. We're not talking about a small indoor tent. We're talking about a full sized, camping tent that sleeps five. Insanity? Yes, I do believe so.

Andrew's out of school for the next week, and it's supposed to be cold and wet through Tuesday so maybe the tent will keep him entertained for a few days.

I colored my hair for the first time in over a year on Thursday. My sister does hair for a living, but I almost never get it done. I have trouble finding time to fit it in my schedule, but I was getting tired of pulling out gray hair so I colored it. I used to put blonde in my hair, but I finally realized that I don't look my best as a blonde. I have dark hair naturally, and blonde washes me out. It only took me a few years to realize this. We did a dark base with red/violet streaks. My hair has a lot of red in it so it picks up red really easily. It took five tubes of color and over an hour and a half to get it all done. Now you know why I don't color it very often.

 

I tried to do a "selfie" to capture the color. Can we just talk about how hard it is to take a picture of yourself with an iPhone? Not to mention that you hope no one picks up your phone and sees that you've been taking pictures of yourself in the bathroom. This is as good as it gets folks!

 

I put up all of my indoor Christmas decorations last weekend. It takes a lot of work to get it all up, and I want to relax and enjoy it for a while. Anyway, I usually don't leave it all up much past Christmas, and there's less than a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year so it had to go up early. At least that's my justification.

 

 

Here's a little sneak peak at the decorations. The only thing new this year is the ribbon on the tree and of course, the poinsettias. Other than that I've been a good girl in the Christmas decoration shopping department. We'll see if that lasts all season. :)

 

Andrew's Thanksgiving party was on Thursday afternoon. It was a lot of fun, but I had forgotten how busy kids that age are. It's been a few years since I taught pre-k, and most of that year is a blur of craziness anyway. Even with the noise and chaos the party was fun!

 

And speaking of Thanksgiving . . . it's almost Thanksgiving y'all. And in the midst of all the eating and running from place to place, I have so much for which to be thankful. I could never thank God enough for all my blessings.

 

In case I'm not on here between now and next Thursday, I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

Veterans Day Program

Last week in honor of those who have served and continue to serve our country, Andrew's school hosted a Veterans Day program. In addition, they also set aside this time to honor grandparents, and following the program had a reception for the students and their families. It was, without a doubt, one of the best Veterans Day ceremonies I have attended. I am so thankful that Andrew is in a school that honors God first and recognizes the need for Him in both our families and our country.

 

Andrew's Opa and the backs of the rest of his grandparents. (I am not responsible for any of the pictures. Patrick had the camera in his hands, and we all know how much he likes to take awful pictures of people.)

 

 

Presentation of the Colors

Plane flyover

 

During the program the students from the ROTC also performed the flag folding ceremony. While I have seen the flag folded numerous times, I had never heard the meaning behind each fold. As I listened to the meanings associated with each fold of our flag, I was reminded of the Christian values upon which our nation was founded. We began as "One Nation Under God" may we never forget that valuable truth.

 

The Folding of the American Flag

 

The 'first fold' of our flag is a symbol of life.

The 'second fold' is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 'third fold' is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world.

The 'fourth fold' represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance.

The 'fifth fold' is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

The 'sixth fold' is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

The 'seventh fold' is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The 'eighth fold' is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

The 'ninth fold' is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 'tenth fold' is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 'eleventh fold', in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The 'twelfth fold', in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust".

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today. 

On Veterans Day

Today we honor those who have fought so that we may be free . . . the soldiers who have spent month upon month with their lives on the line away from the comforts of home and their loved ones so that we may enjoy the comforts of home with our loved ones. Today we take a moment to thank them for all they have given to us. And while I was thinking of the friends who have who have sacrificed so much, I couldn't help but also think of their families. The wives and husbands, the mothers and fathers, the sisters and brothers, the children, who wait at home . . . who pray for their safe return . . .

To all who serve and have fought for our freedom and to the families who have given up so much so that your loved one may continue to fight, Thank You!

What I'm Doing Now

So, I know I've eluded to the fact that I'm no longer teaching, but beyond that I haven't said much. I'm sure some of you are wondering what I'm doing with my days . . . or maybe you couldn't care less. Either way, you're going to find out . . . lucky you. Instead of going back to teaching at the end of August I had the opportunity to go to work part time (3-4 days a week with an incredibly flexible schedule) for my family's business(es). I say businesses because my family (parents and grandparents) are in the oil business, and there are different businesses that serve different purposes, but they all work together to make things . . . well . . . work. Confused? Yeah, I'm just now starting to see the pattern of how it all goes together, and my mom, who keeps everything running, is teaching me to do fun stuff like file Railroad Commission reports, and send out the monthly billing, and complete the payroll reports, and all the other things I can't remember unless I look at the running list I have at the office. The truth is I like reports, and working with numbers, and I'm really liking everything I'm doing . . . even if I can't remember it all.

So why no more teaching?

Well, I'm going to try to simplify the reasons for the decision so it doesn't seem like I'm writing a book here. But I also want to explain myself so that people understand.

1. The workload - Most people think teaching is a cushy job. Two weeks at Christmas, Spring Break, summers off, 7:30-3:30 job . . . the thing is teachers are rarely "off". I would say that most teachers easily work 60+ hour weeks. Teachers teach and then when they're not teaching or doing before and after school duties (read: at night, on weekends and breaks, 25 minutes of lunch, and don't forget that super long, 40 minute planning period) they do all the other stuff. What is the other stuff? Lesson plans, long range planning (hours and hours of summer time), student reports, data analysis (read more break and summer work), curriculum analysis, grading, etc. is all the other stuff. Add in after school and Saturday tutoring, and well it's a neverending job.

2. The "test" - Whatever standardized test it may be, I'm not a fan. I've always been pretty vocal about this. I know and believe in the necessity of achievement tests, but y'all the amount of diagnostic and benchmark testing that leads up to the big "test" is absolutely ridiculous. It takes away from real learning and teaching. And preparing for and administering "the test" is one of the most stressful and ridiculous things I've ever experienced (for students and teachers).

3. The stress - Read 1 and 2 and you'll understand. By the end of each day I was emotionally and physically drained. Because not only do you have to deal with all the logistics of teaching you are also a mother, counselor, doctor, and disciplinarian whether you like it or not. And that my friends can be exhausting.

Utimately though, I handled all of this really well, until suddenly I just didn't anymore. I was over it. I was done. Completely and totally burnt out. I wanted less of a workload so I could devote more time to my family. I wanted to save my emotional energy for my kid(s). I didn't want to panic everytime I had to miss a day to stay home with a sick baby. I felt like my job was stealing me from my family. And I wasn't doing either my job as a teacher or my job as a mom to the best of my ability. There was just too much friction between the two. And after a lot of prayer (by "a lot" I mean A LOT), I knew it was time.

Having said that, I also want to say, that I never had a group of kids I didn't love. I'm not going to say that there weren't times when they didn't drive me absolutely crazy, but I loved my kids because they were mine. And I'll always be a teacher at heart whether that be in a Sunday School class, or a school classroom, or some other form. Still like I already said, it was time, and I'm not going to say it wasn't scary. Stepping away from the familar, even when it's not where you're supposed to be anymore, can be terrifying, but it was and is right. And so I have more time for the things that matter. I have more time for housework, helping with school parties, and going to school programs. I have more time to spend with and take care of my family, and I'm just much less stressed in the process of doing all the things I need to do. And that is what I'm doing with myself these days.

My Payback Child

You know how people always talk about a payback child? Well, I was a pretty good kid and teenager. Getting in trouble wasn't my thing. It wasn't that I was perfect or angelic, I just hated getting into trouble with a passion so I did my best to avoid it. And when I went to college I wasn't wild. I didn't party like it was 1999 (even though it was . . . sorry, that was bad, but I couldn't resist). I studied. Hung out with friends. Went to the movies. I wasn't a prude or a hermit, but I thought I had missed the chance of having a payback child by a long mile.

What I didn't realize is that payback comes in many forms. I was what you might call a talkative child, and I was always ready to spout out a stream of absolutely pointless information. Read: I! Never! Shut! Up! Seriously. I talked from the moment I woke up to the moment I, finally, fell asleep. Ask my mother. She endured it. When I was in 5th grade my friends nicknamed me "Radio Station Across the Nation" because I was always broadcasting. Now before you get all "Ohhh, you poor thing. You were bullied." It wasn't bullying. I could've cared less. Like I said . . . nonstop talking. When I got to be a teenager, I curbed it a bit with people I didn't know well, but around people with which I'm comfortable, friends and family, I can still out talk most of them.

When Andrew was born, I talked to him continually. I didn't realize it until someone pointed it out to me. Apparently, not everyone carries on long, drawn out, one sided conversations with their six week old. So when he started talking very early on, and by the age of one had a pretty large vocabulary, I should've realized, I'd created a monster.

I love my child's voice. It's adorable and sweet. But y'all. He! Never! Shuts! Up! Sometimes, my ears are exhausted from the constant stream of questions, "What is the largest green bean ever grown? How big is the biggest volcano? What would happen if the sun exploded? What is the biggest monster truck ever built?", and facts coming out of Andrew's mouth. He oscillates between a walking search engine (constantly searching for information) and a walking encyclopedia. "Did you know that the Argintenasarous was one of the largest dinosaurs that ever lived?" Did you know that the Argintenasarous even existed? Yeah, me neither.

Now, maybe I created this through my nonstop talking and constant Discovery Channel watching. I kind of have a thing about cramming as much useless information into my brain as possible. Or maybe he's just my payback child, and I'm having to endure what my mother had to endure for 18+ years. Either way, I'm thinking a good set of earplugs may be in my near future.

I know some of you are all set to write me a long comment about how I should appreciate my son's neverending talking because there are people in the world who would love to hear their children's voices. Don't bother. I get it. Believe me. I've personally seen more heartache in the lives of friends and family when it comes to babies and children than most people should see in a lifetime. And having endured a very scary birth situation with Andrew, I am more than thankful for his ability to talk, walk, read, and so on. This is a tongue-in-cheek post written to be funny. Of course I appreciate my child's rather extensive vocabulary . . . on most days anyway. ;)