Dalton's Goodbye

In college they forgot to cover a lot of things that happen in the classroom.  But one thing they totally forgot is how to say goodbye.  Today is the funeral of a former student.  No one told me about this part of teaching.  Since I began teaching, I have stood at the graves of several of my students hurting.  Most of them spent a year telling me their secrets, giving me hugs, and sharing their world.  But Dalton was different.  He came into my life when his older sister was in my class.  As a mischievous, little kindergartener, he followed big, sister, Allie around.  He wanted to do everything she did.  She read, so he wanted to read.  She climbed the monkey bars, so up he went.  Every step she took, he was right with her.  Two years later, he was in 2nd grade following once again in her footsteps.  He absorbed books.  He wanted to discuss them all.  He was tetherball champion of the world (at least in his head.)


When my daughter was three, Dalton and Allie were her babysitters for the summer.  They spent time carrying her, holding her, reading to her, and basically fighting over her.  Everyday I would return to their home to see her chasing Dalton or him toting her around to avoid the dog she was scared of.  Having an older brother has meant that she always preferred boys.  Allie wanted so bad to be Taylor's favorite, but it wasn't meant to be.  Dalton was the one she talked about and ran to be picked up.  She quickly learned that Allie was good for snacks and getting read to, but Dalton was the one to rough house with. 

Today, my friend Tara will say goodbye to her baby.  She shouldn't have to do that.  Mothers should never bury their child, but I know she will do it was grace and in the will of God.  I admire her so much.  She is a great mother that lives to make her children's lives better.  I am saying a prayer for her.  She has a long road in front of her, but I believe in her. 

Death of a Child

This week I was called with the news that one of my former students was killed.  He was a bright, funny child.  He could be found in serious thought during classroom discussions about books.  He loved to wrestle, hunt, play baseball, and read.  But mostly he loved hearing about God's plan for his life.  This young man had plans not only for his life, but how to live his life.  He wanted to live his life for God.  He left behind a beautiful funny sister, a talented and kind mother, and a hard working father.  They will all miss him...but more than anything, they will miss the man he was going to become.  Dalton, I am going to miss you.

Just Waiting...

This week I find myself just waiting.  I seem to be doing that a lot lately.  I am just waiting for my teenager to get home, so I can sleep.  I am just waiting till payday, so I can pay my bills.  I am just waiting to buy a book until my favorite author comes out with her newest.  I am waiting for my students to finish and master a skill before I teach another.  Sometimes, I seem to be just waiting for the next event in my life to take place.

Today I am just waiting to see how our trip to Denver turns out.  My son's best sheep ran into something and now he is limping.  Because of the rules, we are unable to give the lambs medicine to help them heal.  So watching him limp is hurting us, too.  This made me think of my own children.  As they get older, I at times watch them limp through life making choices that are not the best for them.  I watch them choose friends that don't have the character that I want them to have.  My son, more so than my daughter, has the ability to collect misfits like most people collect souvenirs.  He tries to be a friend to all that he meets.  As a mother, it hurts watching him set himself up for pain.  But there are times, when I see him not only succeed...but rescue a soul.  So while waiting can be exhausting, it sometimes is the only course we have. 

It's Show Time!

My children are active in FFA and 4-H.  It is a big part of our lives.  We spend a lot of time and money supporting our local chapters.  As a child, I was a member of the local 4-H Club.  I gave speeches, did demonstrations, built projects, learned to cook, and participated with many different activities.  But being raised in town, showing livestock was not part of my 4-H experience.  So when I married my husband, a FFA advisor, I quickly learned that his job translated into us spending our weekends at livestock shows.  I would visit my grandparents' farm as a child, but spending time with the animals was just a quick visit to the pen and throwing food into a trough.

When our son was 5 years old, my husband came home with two gilts (for those non-farm people--that is two female pigs).  These animals were to become my son's first show projects.  Betty and Wilma became the center of our lives.  Not only did they have to be fed more than once a day, they had to be walked, watered, kept cool, and bathed on a regular bases.  Over the years, I have learned the best way to bathe a hog without being soaked.  I have learned to give show hogs shots without hurting them.  I have even learned to read ear notches (the system used by breeders to tell the litter and birth order of each pig). 

Three years ago, my husband and son threw me a curve ball.  They decided that we needed to start showing lambs.  I had never been around lambs.  What I knew about lambs, I had learned in the Bible.  After the first adorable little lamb was unloaded off the trailer, I thought this will be a piece of cake.  Boy, was I wrong!!!  Lambs are the dumbest animals on earth.  They don't seem to learn from mistakes.  My son was able to train several of his show hogs like you would dogs; but the sheep don't have the intelligence to learn simple tasks.  So preparing for livestock shows with sheep require hours of work.  Each morning someone has to get up before dawn to feed them before work and school.  Then after school they have to be walked, both on the walker and by a person.  Then there is time setting them up and teaching them to brace.  Then another feeding time.  They are a delicate animal.  They have to be watched and guarded. 

Show season is here!  Now it is time to reap the benefits of all our hard work.  Showing livestock is a group effort.  All of us have jobs before showing, during the shows, and afterwards.  But watching my children walk into the ring and walking out with a blue ribbon makes it all worth while.  We went to a livestock show this weekend.  I was able to watch my son walk away with the Reserve Grand Champion ribbon.   By the end of the week, we will be traveling to Denver, Colorado to compete in the National Western Stock Show.  Last year we were lucky enough to earn a Reserve Breed Champion banner.  This year we hope to be just as successful.  Say a prayer for us as we travel to Colorado with our children and animals.  I will keep you posted. 

Shopping With Hubby

There should be a law about going shopping with your husband.  Or at least malls should be required to have marriage counselors available for immediate help.  We went shopping for jeans for our son.  I wanted to visit several shops and compare prices.  I wanted to look at the coupons I had and find the best deal...he wanted to get home for football.  He was driven to do the experience in less than 45 minutes.  I wanted our son to try them on, but he wanted our son to pick out the jeans, pay for them, and try them on at home.  I know our son will only wear them if they are comfortable.  If they aren't, they will be hung in the closet and never wore.  That means wasted money.  If they don't fit, who has to take them back and waste more time?  MOM   So it means more to me to take the extra time to do it right the first time. 

After spending fifteen minutes arguing, my teenager was ready to go home.  He was tired of dealing with his dad, also.  My hubby is a great guy, but he is not a shopper.  So now I am looking for a guide to shopping with your husband...maybe a Shopping with Husband for Dummy book?

Hair From The Eyes of a Six Year Old

I teach 6 year olds, which translates into "I have recess duty no matter how windy it is."  Earlier in the week, I was tired of trying to deal with my hair at recess.  It was terrible after 30 minutes of Oklahoma wind.  I looked like someone had placed my head in a blender and turned it on high.  So I called my beautician and begged for an appointment.  She did her magic and before she sent me home she had transformed my hair into a long bob with smooth sides.  I have wore my hair curly for the last ten years.  So this was a change for me.  She cut off a good three inches and totally changed the way I did my hair.  On the way home, I stopped at the store to purchase a new straight iron.  I had never owned one, but the new style called for it.  The first morning after the haircut, I got up early.  I washed and blow dried my hair with a large brush just the way the beautician did.  I carefully used the new iron on it.  After 75 minutes of stressing, combing, crying, and cussing; headed to work.  Once there I was met by 15 little 6 year olds who filed past me into class.  As one very loud little boy was going by, he turned to a friend and said, "What did she do to her hair?  She looks awful!  She should comb it."  So I have decided that the blender look was more successful. 

Some of my embroiderying

I was asked to make some burp rags for a friend.  Before I knew what was happening, I was signing up for a craft fair.  The fact that someone would want to purchase anything I made was fascinating.  I am not a professional, so who would purchase anything I made!  I thought I would post some pictures of some of the items I created. 

All New To Me

I have been hooked on others' blogs for a while now and decided I wanted to design and write my own.  So here I am.  I am excited about sharing with others. 

This will be a mixture of items about my life.  I am a mother, teacher, wife, sister, daughter, and friend.  So the many faces of my personality are going to use this to share with others.  So let me know how I am doing.