Studying.

Studying is a work of the devil.

Rationale?

Everyone knows it is impossible to study without mindlessly snacking.

Snacking leads to gluttony, and that is why studying is the direct catalyst to my sin.

I guess in order to avoid all appearance of evil, I will stop studying.

Finito.

Normally.

Normally when I drink coffee after 10pm, I can still go to sleep.

Normally.

Fragments.

Sick little girl.
No church tomorrow.
Tired of having sick babies.
Might come anyway and make her sit in sanctuary with me.

Cowboys play tomorrow.
Super stoked!

Taking another Certification Exam on Monday.
So not ready.

Sister in town.
Everybody oughtta have a sister.
I'm sorry Avery - no sister for you...

God is taking care of us.
I believe that.
I know that.

I am impatient.
With God.
With me.
With everything.

Can't wait to see Jenny's website when our pics are up.
Hopefully we aren't 'that family who picked their noses, wedgies, etc.' in all the shots.
Did you know that Sprinkle of Grace's acronym is SOG?
That's funny.

What's in a name?

This evening, Chris and I were engaged in some playful banter, trying to outwit the other one.
It was going so well for me, I was sure I had just dealt the final witty blow when his retort rang through the house with the finality that neither I, nor he, expected.

These words, which were originally intended to admit defeat, as he acknowledged my victory, set our home ablaze with questions of inference or double-entendre.

He said these words ladies: "Ok, Smarty McLardy-pants, you win."

Only I so did not win. Not with a quip like that one.

We often say things similar to this (in structure) in our home. Things like, Bonnie McBonnertons, Hungry McHungryface, etc. But NEVER has anyone ever stooped to Smarty McLardy-pants.

Is there anything worse for a husband to call his wife?

So now the question: "Does my butt look big in this?" or "Can you tell just by looking that I have gained weight?"
Or any of the various and sundry weight-related questions a woman might ask her husband have forever been tainted in our union by the utterance of this new and awful nickname:
Smarty McLardy-pants.

For what it's worth, he denies any underlying meaning to this new nickname, he merely chalked it up to 'something that rhymed with smarty.'
He even laboriously re-articulated it saying, "NO, I said 'Smarty McLar-T-pants."
But you all know better, ladies...

How convenient! It's like we have a new super-race of men who can stealthily win 'clever wars' with unintentional insults!!

Don't worry - I already forgave him. And to prove it - I even set up a spot for him on the couch, pillow and all...

;)

The audible prayer for help.

I was completely at a loss in one of my classes today.

Nothing seemed to be going at all ok.

This class is a group of children who basically need the ratio of one adult per child. Truly. Yet for some reason, I receive all 14 of them at the same time. At least - AT LEAST 5 of them are either autistic or severely delayed. Two of them speak a native language other than English at home. About 3 of them are known to be physically agressive on a regular (every day) basis.

Their teacher, bless her heart, walks them out to my barrack with the most war-torn look on her face, and then ejects like a human cannon in the opposite direction for her only moments of solace from this ridiculous nightmare of a class.

(It might be fruitful to mention that this is the second teacher this class has had this school year. Their first teacher had to resign due to the unrealistic needs of her class and her apparent inability to accomodate those needs. Her recommendation at the time of her resignation was that the school acquire "several special ed. certified teachers to assist the new teacher." It is the second teacher's first week with these students. I truly fear a repeat...)

I am a loving teacher. I have never felt this way about a class in its entirety, but this one trumps all special needs classes I have ever dealt with. Ever.

I get them completely by myself, in a building separate from the rest of the school, with a telephone that has no dial-out option, only incoming calls. I don't have a cell phone. So this is definitely a situation that is up a creek without a paddle on days that go terribly awry.

Today was an awry day. There are no words in the English language to describe the mayhem that took place in my music classroom today.
Let's just say, "What happens in Vegas..."


At one point, I actually cried out, "Help me Jesus!"

It was at the name of Jesus that the whole world stood still. Every child in my spinning-out-of-control class stopped and looked at me.

It wasn't long-lived, but I saw the power of His name and it was enough to keep me going.

So tomorrow, Help me Jesus!

And the day after that.

And so on.

Lesser-day.

It doesn't matter when it happened. It could have happened 5 minutes ago or two months ago - Avery's description is always the same - "lesserday."

Today Avery informed my dad of something that happened 'lesserday.'

If you touch Bonnie (our new dog) even a little bit, "you have to wash your hands because of that worm that crawled out of her poe-poe lesserday."

I promise our dog no longer has worms crawling out of her hiney - but according to Avery, as of lesserday, she did.

d-a-t-e

I am trying my luck at seph's 4-letter word post because I am itching to go on one.

What would I not give for a night out surrounded by adults?

Especially an extra dreamy adult.

I wish my hunny would come home from his 'man expedition.'

Unfortunate speech impediment.

****** Caution: This blog contains some language that could be construed as profanity******

I keep a prize box in my Music room. Every Friday, if you have been top-notch in my class - you will receive a prize.
Really. You should come try it out.
Hey - it works for 4-years olds....

Anyway, there is this boy who has a really cute speech disability - as a lot of pre-schoolers do.
He was so excited last Friday that I had Smarties and little packages of Skittles in my prize box!

He said, "Oh my! Faahrties! You have Faahrties! And Shittles? I love Faahrties and Shittles!!!"

I really had to act mature at that moment.

I saw his mom (who has a good sense of humor) at pick up time and told her that her son really made me smile that day. She wanted to know why. I told her that I had Smarties and Skittles in my prize box.

She immediately knew the rest.

Is it wrong?

Let's get one thing straight - I already know that I'm wrong or else I wouldn't have asked.
:)

I find myself annoyed that there really isn't anything on TV other than the VP debate.
I sat down with the intention to watch the debate but found myself lacking the necessary attention span to watch it. My vote is already in the bag and I really don't feel like connecting deep thoughts tonight.
So I am looking for something that will soothe my very numb mind and all I can find is Hannah Montana.

So not soothing.

I guess I should try counted cross-stitch or something...

It's a good thing.

Lots of good things are going on.

My grandmother had a surgery to repair the broken hip she sustained over the weekend, it went well. They said she would be feeling much better soon.
see? A good thing.

Bonnie looks like she is a real trooper and will beat the Parvo odds. Another good thing.

The tummy bug that has plagued our home is over. Officially. Another very good thing.

Tonight I will get one full night's rest - no sick babies or sick dogs to nurse back to health. A good thing.

Chris will begin a vacation tomorrow. He is going camping without us, but a happy man makes for a happy home. He has looked forward to this camping trip since last October when his dad called to invite him. It has taken a year to get everyone's work schedule and lives to cooperate - he is like a little boy about this trip and I am excited for him! A good, good thing.

I walked outside to a crisp, chilly morning. It is fall. A terrifically good thing.

It might be an entire 6 months or so before we even really need our A/C again. That gives us several months to save money. Yet another good thing.

So many good things, so little time to share them all.
Isn't it a good thing, to have so many things to be thankful for?