What he says goes!

When I was pregnant, both sets of grandparents talked about what they wanted to be called by the new baby when it was old enough to talk. Jonathan and I both agreed that whatever the baby decided to call them, that was what everyone else would be stuck calling them for ever after. It was a big responsibility for such a little person, but we knew that our little one would do just fine.
The grandmothers, though, had different ideas. Both of them have aversions to certain names because of the grandmother before them, and both of them have one name that they just really don't want to be called. His mother didn't want to be called "Mamaw" because that's what we call her mother-in-law. My mother didn't want to be called "Grandma" because that's what we called her mother-in-law. So, his mother decided she wanted to be just plain Grandma, and my mother wanted to put a little bit of a flair on an old thing, and she decided she wanted to be called "Grandmama", with a rolling "r". It sounded very aristocratic.

Well, little Micheal is now at the remembering people and their names stage, and both of his grandmothers are here every month, alternately. So, he knows them pretty well, and he's working on calling them by name.

Grandma has been pushing her name, and Grandmama is working on hers. The only problem is that they aren't coming out the way they wanted. Micheal calls them both "Mamaw". So, while my mom was here, we tried to change it a little bit so that there was a difference between the two at least. So, my mom now answers to "Memaw" and we saved "Mamaw" for his mom. Now we just have to work on the two "Papaws". He doesn't quite see them as often.

So, the lesson of the day is that you can't always have it your way. Grandkids don't follow the same rules as Burger King.

Blessing in Disguise

This week has been pretty painful, and I don't think it's over yet. I will probably have to return to work and somehow convince the kids that I really can't talk louder than a whisper and they need to be quiet enough to hear me. We'll see how long that lasts.

At home, though, has been a different story. I have been able to sit back and, without commenting too much, watch my little one be himself. Micheal is getting so big every day, and this week, I got to watch him grow up just a little bit more. Usually, I work all week long and get to hang out with him on the weekends. So, I look forward to weeks off from school so that we can hang out longer. The neatest part, though, was that I got to just sit and watch. I didn't have other stuff that I just HAD to get done, or a meal that had to get finished, or anything like that. I got to watch him play, I got to watch him interact with my mom, and her puppy dog, and I got to hear him add more words to his everyday growing vocabulary.

Sometimes I forget exactly how far he's come from just a short eighteen months ago, and sometimes I forget that eighteen months really is a short amount of time, not a long one like it gets to feeling like sometimes.

So, this year, when people ask me how my Thanksgiving went, I'll be able to tell them that it was WONDERFUL! (despite the fact that it really was pretty painful.)

Now, I really can't wait until Christmas! :)

New Weight Loss Trend

I have decided to write a book and sell it for $19.95 each, plus a nominal fee for shipping and handling. There are so many other ideas of how to lose weight, and none of them are as fast acting as this one.
The only drawback is that it's a one-time deal, and it may not work the same for everyone. So, I guess it won't sell a lot of books. Good thing I'm not quitting my day job.

Monday before we left I weighed myself, just to see if I could remember how much I weighed beforehand. As of this afternoon, in three days I have lost seven pounds. So much for a water only diet.

I guess this means that I'll probably gain it all back once I start eating again, but I don't see that being tomorrow, either. So, while everyone else is stuffing their faces with turkey, dressing, cheesy green beans, fruit salad, deviled eggs, sweet potato casserole and hot buttered rolls, I'll be enjoying liquid pain medications, ice water, and a lollipop that makes my whole head numb.

Ah... there are things to be thankful for this season...

This is my only voice now

Well, surgery this morning went fine, and I was out of there in a short three hours. So, no big deal. The worst part is that I can't talk. It hurts to swallow, it hurts to think about swallowing, and it feels like there is a cotton ball stuck in the back of my throat. Yuck.

I would never tell him this, but I am getting more and more thankful that my mother will be here tomorrow. Jonathan doesn't understand that he has to be the one to watch what his child is doing every minute the little man is awake, because there is no guarantee that I'm going to be awake and watching him, even if he is in the same room as Mommy.

Anyone have any other suggestions on what I can eat, though? Ice cream and yogurt and pudding and popsicles are all dairy based, and they are all causing that crap to stay in the back of my throat. I need something that won't leave a milky aftertaste. Doc said I couldn't have hot soups yet, though, because I don't want to lose the scabs on my cuts. Yuck. Colder is better.
So, ice water and grape juice are my new food favorites... no matter how much I want some fried catfish, or some Doritos, or the chicken dish that a friend brought over for dinner, I just can't.
This bites.

Getting nervous...

I don't "do" hospitals.

My only visits to date have been to see ill grandparents, beautiful new babies, or other ill family members, and then the only time I stayed myself was eighteen months ago when I had my child. And that time wasn't really as bad as other friends of mine have had. I walked out on my own two days later and was back to my usual routine, with just a little less sleep at night. And my mom was there to help.

I don't like being under the weather. I don't like having to have people help me do anything. I don't like not being in control. So, tomorrow isn't going to be fun. Luckily, my surgery isn't at a hospital (which sounds bad, I know), but instead at the Surgery Center, where I have heard that they are extremely nice and helpful. So, at least I don't have to do the hospital thing, but it's still outpatient surgery, and it still sucks. Tomorrow is the beginning of the week of heck for me. I have tried to write down all the things that need to be done tomorrow, and for the rest of the week, so that no matter how I feel, I will at least know what needs to get done.

But the best part of all, my mom is coming on Tuesday. Then I know that all will be well, because my mom will always take care of everything. Sometimes it's nice to have Mom come take care of you. Even when you don't usually like it .

Problem Solved

Recently, I have posted gross things about myself. More specifically, the fact that I have "cryptic tonsils." Well, Monday, this problem will be solved. I will have what I like to call "No-Mo" tonsils. I have surgery scheduled at 7am Monday morning... God awful early for surgery, sure hope the doc is a morning person!
Then, it's all good for me, because even though I will be in more pain that I care to think about, with no epidural in sight, I will at least have access to liquid pain medicines, and as much ice cream and popsicles as I can fit into 24 hours a day. I've even been warned that I may lose a few pounds... how is this not a WIN- WIN situation? Besides, the pain, I mean. But, hey, I had a child, I can do this too. But, childbirth didn't last 7 - 10 days. That's how long they keep saying that it will take me to feel better. Ugh.

So, this is also fair warning that my next post may be a little late in coming, and if it is next week, please go easy on me. I may be so taken care of by medicines that I may not know what I am really saying. Just a precaution... don't want too many people to be upset about not seeing a new post next week, if that's what happens! :) Pray for me, and the doctors taking care of me!

Tears in my Eyes

When I was pregnant, everyone told me that my emotions would change, and that I would cry at a drop of a hat. Well, I haven't really done that, but I do cry at things that are unexpected. For example, this song by Rascal Flatts about Sarah Beth.
I have their latest cd, and I guess I never got to that song on the cd, because they just started wearing it out on the radio, and every time I hear it, I cry. Most specifically, the minute they sing about "where his hair had been, softly she touches just skin."
EVERY SINGLE TIME, there are tears streaming down my face as the song plays on, like they don't know that they need to stop playing until I compose myself.
I don't know why these tears happen. But, I have thought of a few reasons it might be:

1. The boy is the kind of boy I want my Micheal to grow up to be, compassionate, kind, and unselfish.
2. I know that there are not kids like that out there anymore. I teach, and I see selfish kids every day that wouldn't shave their head for someone else. Considering they can't believe that wearing my hair crooked doesn't humiliate me.
3. There aren't adults out there that would be compassionate for that girl anymore. Compassion is not a trait that our society promotes anymore. What can we do about that?
4. Work is stressing me out, and I can't get out of this frustrating rut.

So, until then, I will be driving around, listening to my radio or cd, and streaming tears as I go.

I am Dedicated, if nothing else!

Even though our tiny little 1-A school doesn't have a football team, we do have a pretty good basketball team. One year, the girls are better than the boys, and another year, vice versa. I don't know what the tilt is this year, but the season hasn't really gotten underway, as the girls have only had one game, and the boys haven't even had one, yet. Nonetheless, our Homecoming is scheduled for tomorrow night, as our girls play one team, and our boys play a scrimmage against another team. Sounds like bad planning to me... but that's neither here nor there.

As in most high schools, the week leading up to Homecoming is Spirit week, with each day having a different theme. Monday was Overalls Day, because we're going to "Haul off the Lions" (or whatever their mascot is.) Tuesday was Wear All White Day, for "Keeping your Eyes on the Lions" (or something dumb like that.) Wednesday was Mismatched Day, and today was Twinkie Day (Match another person). Tomorrow is Spirit day, where we wear red and black to support the Pirates. I didn't know about Monday, so I didn't wear my overalls, even though I would have, since they are so comfortable. I wasn't about to look like a marshmellow and wear all white on Tuesday, so I skipped that day, too. So, I knew I had to do something good for Mismatch Day. I wore some pants and a shirt that had no business even being worn in the same week, let alone together on the same day. I also wore some funky socks with my tennis shoes, and some funky earrings. The other thing I did was wear my hair all jacked up in some lopsided ponytails on weird spots on my head. One kid didn't think they were weird enough, so he fixed them. Then he told me that I needed to wear it like that all the time.
After I was done laughing, he told me that if I wore my hair like that for a week, he would pass my Algebra class for the rest of the year. HOW COULD I RESIST?
This student should be a senior, but he is still a sophomore because he never gets enough credits a year to go on to the next grade level. He is completely capable of passing, but he is just LAZY and doesn't want to do enough work to pass. So, we made a deal. I wear my hair like a person without a mirror and vertigo for five school days, and he'll do all of his work and pass Algebra for the rest of the school year.
The catch?
If I don't hold up my end, in these five designated school days, he gets a free 100 as a test grade, which I don't give lightly.
If he doesn't hold up his end, all year long, then I get possession of his favorite hat, which I have never EVER seen out of his sight.
Hmmmm.... who gets the better deal here?
People around school are already looking at me, asking me if I forgot that yesterday was Mismatch day. I just keep saying, "No. I know. I'm just dedicated to doing ANYTHING it takes to help a student pass."
My hope is that once kids figure out what I'm doing, they'll know that I'm not the giant ogre that some of them think I am, and that they will work a little harder to earn the grades that I know they could get, as long as they are willing to put in a little effort.

God celebrates seasons, too!

Today while I was driving to town to run the errands that I had put off for two weeks, God showed me that He celebrates seasons, too! He made me feel like I was getting my own personal show of His emotions, and that Fall is his favorite season.
I know this because as I was driving down the road, God showered me with his version of confetti... beautifully different colored leaves!
So, share with God in His personal joy, and enjoy the change in the weather!

Farm Life- But not on a Farm

I am used to my dogs barking at things in the middle of the night. I think they are upholding some kind of guard-dog rules or something, because anything that moves near my house after it's dark is fair game for chase. I like to tell my students that they bark AND bite strangers after dark, even though I know they don't, because I would rather not have student visitors after dark.
This morning, however, we were awoken at 3 AM by my dogs incessant, worried, barking. If they had been using words, I would have woken up to phrases such as, "Get away from my house! You don't belong here! Get away from my food! I'm gonna bite you! Listen to me, sucker, I'm only gonna warn you once!"

Needless to say, I woke up a little worried. My worry was compounded when I heard loud thuds in between barks. My husband woke up to the barking, too, and immediately went for his gun, while I went to the window to see what the fuss was all about. When I looked outside, I saw a huge shadow, and I had to look again.

It was our neighbor's horses. They had busted the fence next to our house and had come to eat our grass instead of their pasture grass. The biggest problem was that only three of the five horses had gotten out, so the two that were still behind the fence were feeling jipped. So, the two inside and the three outside the fence raced each other up and down the length of the fence on one side of our house, one taunting the other.

Knowing that these horses were very valuable to my neighbor, I had to call him and wake him up and tell him that his horses were in my front yard. Luckily, without any other major incident, all three horses were returned back home, and put away with the other two into the barn.

Now, my yard has been aerated in horseshoe patterns, and there is a little bit of extra fertilizer in my grass. I just hope that this isn't an occurence that happens very often. My neighbor and I are great neighbors. He stays at his house and we stay at ours. We like living out in the middle of nowhere. I just hope he forgives me for waking him up so early.