STINKY KNEES

As you may have guessed, I've been subbing again! I spent my day in a 1st grade classroom. They were a really sweet class, and lots of them were "old friends" of mine from subbing last year in kindergarten! After the morning recess, a little boy walked up to me and said, "Mrs. B? My knees stink." At this point, several things were running through my mind. Not the least of which involved dog feces on the playground. I asked him if he could show me where the problem was, exactly, buying myself some time to think. And maybe even to buy a vowel. As he pointed out the "stinking" spots on his knees--a red raspberry on each--he told me that he fell on the sidewalk in front of his house and thus got these scrapes. I didn't see any swollen, oozing pustules or any other cause for odor, nor did I detect an actual odor. Even so, he said that every time his knees touched his shorts (or anything else) they started to "stink". I sent him up to the nurse to get some special creme to take the "stink" out, and I'm happy to report he had a good day after that, "stink"-free. Did you know that after a bee "stinks" you, his "stinker" falls off? Just a bit-o-trivia for my knowledge-thirsty friends.

On another note, if you are follow the updates on any family blog links, you'll know that Callie has been making remarkable improvements! I told her mom, my sis-in-law Dana, that I am now a Callie Blog Junkie--I check in a couple times a day to watch her progress! Whenever I get down, or tired, or need an attitude adjustment, I just think about how hard this little girl is working to come back into her little body and suddenly nothing I'm doing seems quite so trying. I will close with something I read on another site/blog. It's stuck with me for a long time and will always remain one of my favorite pick-me-ups:

Viktor Frankl, Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, is most famous to the public as a remarkable holocaust survivor whose incredible attitude remained intact throughout the horrific ordeal. In his book about the experience, Man's Search for Meaning, he says, "We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms -- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

Here's to Callie's great attitude and fighting spirit! You go, girl!

ARE THESE SALAD SOCKS?

Ah, the fun to be had in a kindergarten classroom! I subbed in one earlier in this week, and oh, what an adventure! If you overlook the vomiting, biting, scratching, and trying to escape school grounds, it was just an average sort of day. It happened to be silly sock day. One of the kind teachers a few doors down lent me a pair of her socks to wear (a good kindergarten teacher always has spares!), and we were on our way to patterning, rhyming, sockfuls of fun. Everyone was down on the carpet for story time, and we were comparing the different characteristics on our socks--some had stripes, some had polka dots, and others had pictures. All was going quite well until one little boy announced that he had on salad socks. Now, I know my way around a conversation with the little folk, and quickly asked him if he could think of some different words to tell us about his socks, to help us understand better. He looked at me and thoughtfully said, "Yes, Mrs. B., my socks are all the same color, they are salad." Solid, salad--work with vowels will be forthcoming, I think.

THE PROMISE OF A GIRL

I haven't posted any recent medical updates about Callie, because Ashley has it so well covered! In fact, we've been relying on her blog for updates! As you can see, things are looking cautiously up for the little miss. We're fighting allergy-induced colds here at our house (a side effect of attending school, I think), so not sure when we'll be back to the hospital to see her. There's not an hour that goes by that I don't think about her, and how hard her little body is fighting to come back to her family. She's obviously still got some bossing around to do here in this life!

Today is the first day I've actually felt like it might not still be summer here in the valley! I even considered getting out some of my fall decorations and doin' up the place with them. But then the feeling passed, and I did laundry instead. I know, hopelessly practical of me. Who knows, maybe tomorrow the feeling will return! Fall and harvest time is my favorite, and the drop in temperature (down into the balmy 90's) stokes my creative energy as well. I may even start working on Christmas cards this evening at a scrapbook gathering of friends that I'm attending! Wouldn't that be something?! Yes, that would be something. I also think I might like to make some muffins. And sew something. And make a wreath. But before that, I think I'll join my laundry, already in progress...heavy sigh.

PRAYERS, PLEASE

Hi to friends and family. Just a quick note to catch you up on yesterday's events. We got a call Monday morning telling us some very, very sad news. Our sweet little niece, Callie Jane Butler, was run over in her driveway this morning while playing with her sisters and neighborhood friends. I took this picture last December at the Butler family Christmas party. She is a teeny, tiny little 20 month old spitfire, and we are all praying that God's will (and hers) will keep her here with us so that we can watch her grow. Please send up a prayer for her and the distraught family friend who backed into her. Her family and friends are amazingly strong, and the feeling of love and support in the hospital room with little Callie was so uplifting. As we stood by her and held her little hands and feet, her peacefulness was palpable. Her mother and father are so very faithful, and their love for their child and God will bring them peace, no matter what happens. If you haven't already today, thank God for your children and hold them tight. Thank you for your prayers.

I'm trying my cyberly-inept hand at adding images to my blog, because hey! who doesn't like to see a picture? It's worth a thousand words, I've heard. Only maybe not this one. Here we are on top of the world after riding the ski lift to the top of Sunrise Mountain, 20 minutes north of Pinetop, AZ. We're there with my mom and dad, and some poor fella on the left who didn't ask to be in the photo. He looks very pensive. We are all smiling because we beat the rainstorm up the hill, and are going into the lodge to have Indian Fry Bread.

AHEM, I'M BACK

In the spirit of the age-old adage by John Denver, my new mantra is "Life ain't nothin' but a funny, funny riddle". Only, alas, I'm not so much a country boy as a city girl. I do however, have a great imagination, and I'm pretty sure Johnnie knew he'd touch me with his song. I've been on a bit of a roller coaster these past couple of weeks. We, like so many others, have been directly effected by this really crazy economy. And by really crazy, I mean down-right rotten. This has left us in a bit of a tailspin with the absence of regular hours and income, but hey, what's life if not exciting, eh?! Instead of looking for a whole new job (I really love working from home!), I've amped up my subbing days to a couple a week, and that'll do for now. I'm considering going back to full-time teaching in the next year or so; I'll just have to get those pesky classes (about $2k worth) out of the way first. I really do miss the classroom and all the goodies and fun stuff that teaching brings! I think what made me really realize that it would be okay to go back was when my 10 year old daughter asked me if she could come in and write on my chalkboard and help me grade papers! She's really into it, and would be a great teacher herself some day! Maybe if she sees me doing it and surviving, she'll look into it as a career choice--a great career choice if you have to be a working mom (what an oxymoron THAT is). And heck, if I can't serve as a good example to her, I'll just serve as a terrible warning...love that quote! Besides, an elementary school classroom will provide me with endless fodder for the book(s) I'm dying to write someday!
I hope the economy turns around for us soon, it would be a welcome relief for many out there who are in business for themselves, or anyone, really, who has grown accustomed to enjoying the finer things in life--you know--food, shelter, clothing...until my next post (which is bound to be more timely than this one was), I'll leave you with the encouraging words from one of my favorite authors, Erma Bombeck. "It's going to get much worse before it gets worse." Let's hope not, Erma, let's hope not. Have a great day!