Loving Trouble

Are teachers supposed to be happy about a student being suspended? Cause I am!!
Here is the deal....I have a student who walks the line of acceptable. He frequently falls on the wrong side of the line. Not typical "kid making mistakes" kind of falling. Its a "let me see what I can get by with this time" kind of step on the wrong side....ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. And his grandmother who is raising him sees him as angelic. I've "labeled" him. All the students are making up things to get him in trouble. She believes every lie he tells to get out of trouble!!

For weeks, months, perhaps the whole year, the students have told me that this kid cusses and calls me horrible names behind my back. Having multiple witnesses and multiple offenses was never enough for Grandma to believe it was actually happening. So I learned to ignore it and told the students to just tell him to be quiet and ignore him.

Today he made a nasty comment when he was supposed to be sitting quietly. When I asked him to keep his negative comments to himself he replied loudly with "WHATEVER!" and then as I began to turn around he mumbled "B-----" under his breath. I almost danced and shouted with glee!! CAUGHT!!! Red-handed, no getting out of this one, I was a witness!!! I promptly wrote a referral and nearly skipped down the hall in joy!

Is it bad to be happy that I caught a kid calling me a cuss word?

WOLVERINE

So I have always been a fan of the X-Men. The Carter boys were obsessed with them from a young age. Between X-men cartoons, trading cards and comic books, I think I am better informed on the X-men than most women of my age. The character of Wolverine has always been attractive to me....the strong, silent, loner with a big heart.

We went to see the new Wolverine movie. It was pretty darn steamy. I like Hugh Jackman to begin with. He is attractive and always has an air of confidence. But Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is AMAZING! He is so darn hot I could drool.

He is a man! A manly-man. You dont look at him and wonder if he is gay. You don't have to wonder if he has an ass under his baggy pants. You don't look at him and wonder if he is good in bed. You look at a man like him and KNOW that he is straight, has a great ass and is great in bed. Its just something you KNOW about a man like him. That's what I want. A real man. A man who has confidence, a nice butt and knows his way out of a fight.....even if it is all a lot of acting, I'd take it any day.

I think the whole manly man, take care of myself, tough guy thing is what draws me to Jacob in the Twilight books. A little bit of rough and tough goes a LONG way. A little bit of wild in a man makes you want to hold on to him even more....as if you could tame some part of him.

So as I left the theater I wiped the drool and committed to a trip to Texas with my friend Paige....on one condition...we HAVE to go to a rodeo while we are there. A rodeo in Texas is sure to have hot, jeans-filling, manly men who are a little closer eye candy than a man on a screen. ;-)

30 Things...

Ok, so on Facebook, I was linked to a note someone had written. The whole concept of this “note” was to write 30 things you would say to people without being specific about whom you were saying them to. Here were the “rules:”

RULES:
*Write a statement about someone that you've never said to them.
*Use as many people as you want!
* DO NOT indicate to anyone who these statements belong to!
*Try not to repeat a statement
*Have fun... be serious, nerdy, horny... whatever... just do something!!
* This can be very therapeutic!

The concept intrigued me, so here we go:
30 things I would say…..

1. You were wrong. So HA!
2. I never told you the effect you had on me because I didn’t want you to carry that burden simply because you were careless. But, NEVER tell that to another child! You did a lot of damage.
3. I wish you didn’t have to try so hard to make it work. You deserve better.
4. That is not your battle to fight! It's not mine either.
5. I criticize you, but I’m more like you than I want to admit. I want the same things you do. Please stop trying so hard. Stop convincing yourself that this shadow of what you want is the real thing.
6. I’m so happy for you. You got what you never expressed that you wanted. I hope it is as perfect as it seems.
7. You made a stupid choice. Why did you give up? What did you think you were getting? Is it worth it? Do you regret it at all? Did you ever think how your actions would affect others? Did you care?
8. I’m sorry I didn’t take the chance to say “I love you.”
9. I want my future husband to be like you. You are my hero.
10. I pray you will see the real God, not the “church” God you have always been exposed to.
11. You stepped into my life when she stepped out. I will forever be greatful for that.
12. You are fighting for what YOU want and not what God wants for you. Please hurry up and see how great His plans are for you. You’d be so happy! His plans are good. Your plans always seem to make life harder. Get a clue. Aren’t you tired of fighting God’s plan? I’m tired for you.
13. I miss you. I think of you often. I wonder what would happen if I contacted you. Why didn't you call?
14. I always read about friends like you, but never dreamed it was real. I thank God for you! I pity people who do not have friends like you.
15. Stop trying so hard. You are awesome just the way you are.
16. I wish we could spend more time together. We are all so alike.
17. Step up and prove you want it. I wish I could light a fire under your butt.
18. I hate to think about what you are going to be like when you grow up. You have had such conflicting messages in your childhood. You always want to push the limits. You are searching and will never find what you want from anyone on this earth. Oh, I pray God will snatch you up and put you where you need to be. I pray He fills in your holes and shows that He is all you need and want.
19. You pretend your past doesn’t bother you, but it constantly haunts you. Your fears all stem from your past. Do no pass them on to your kids.
20. I worry about you and do not want to clean up the mess you will leave behind.
21. I will always remember you as the wicked witch. I’m grateful you were not a larger part of my life. Your influence will not be passed on through any more generations if I have any control over it. I wonder what YOUR childhood was like, but do not think that gives you a free pass for what you did.
22. You need to let go. I don’t understand why you do that every day. I can’t begin to fathom what you get from it. How does it help you? She’s gone!
23. You missed a lot. I know you regret it. Please don’t let it be guilt that drives you now. Let this be real and not regret.
24. You just keep going. When your plate is full you seem to add more. I’m scared you are just going to stop one day. Your stress level has got to be high. You handle it well, but I worry it will begin to handle you.
25. Your world is so small. You follow all the rules. You are a sweet, kind, goodhearted person, but you are missing the best parts of life.
26. I know you love me, but you sure don’t speak in my love language. I think you are stuck in your ways out of fear…maybe it’s just age. I love you very much and wish we communicated better. I take fault for some for it, but hope you do to.
27. I’m not as content as you think I am. Please stop trying to fit me into a simple box.
28. I had always read about it, dreamed about it, seen it in movies and wanted it…..but never believed it was real until you. You have raised the bar high. Sometimes I wish you hadn’t.
29. I miss you, but I think I’m a better person without you. I know my world is small compared to yours….but only because I choose it. And I know you struggle with why someone would choose to make their world smaller.
30. Being right and doing the right thing are not the same. Do what is right, not what you have the right to do.
    

Now, are you wondering if YOU inspired one of those? ;-)

Fish Hawk

I went fishing on Sunday with my Dad and older brother. I hadn't been fishing in years. I LOVE fishing with my dad. He baits the hook and takes the fish off. He gets my hooks out of the trees (hey, he got his stuck sometimes too!). And he seems to be happier when I catch a fish than when he does! It's always an exercise in pampering. Who would ever think fishing is a time when a girl would feel pampered? hahaha

While we were fishing, there was a Fish Hawk flying over head. As we watch, it plummets through the air and SMACKS into the water. Not a dive but a solid, loud CRASH! Then it flaps once or twice, rises out of the water with a fish in its talons and goes on its merry way. The Fish Hawk did this 3 or 4 times. Circle, swoop, SMACK, fly away with a fish. It was fascinating. If I smacked the water that hard it would HURT. This bird definitely caugth more fish than I did.

Beautiful

Today was the PERFECT spring day. I had nothing planned, no where to go and lots of sun shining all around. Trees are blooming, daffodils are up. Tulips aren't far behind. The house didn't need AC or heat. Short sleeves have replaces long sleeves and a sweat shirt. After a few days of rain and mud and deariness, the sun was very welcome. March just might go out like a lamb after all. I sure hope this is Spring putting her foot down and demanding that Winter back off and stay away until next year.

I should have worked in my flower beds. I should have graded papers. I should have washed my car. Instead, I ate lunch with friends while kids ran around outside. I took a long walk with a friend in town. I sat in a chair in the sun and worked on lesson plans. I had a great day! I want to do it again tomorrow!

Music Magic

I have often thought that music is akin to magic. Think of all the things it can do:

• inspire patriotism
• calm a baby
• advertise a product so that its never forgotten (My bologna has a first name....)
• change a mood (for better or for worse)
• express things that otherwise are unable to be expressed
• bring back a memory
• tell a story
• help you remember information (ABCDEFG....)
• make you fall in love
• tell about how you fell out of love
• bring you to tears
• get your pants off
• help you exercise

......and I could keep going and going. Music is so good for so many things. What is it about the human brain that makes us wired for sound.....literally?

There are certain songs that just make me feel like everything is ok. They remind me of a wonderful, warm, lazy summer. They calm me physically, emotionally and mentally. No matter how many times I listen to a song, no matter how many different contexts in which I hear the song, it always brings back a specific memory or a special place and time.

Examples:
Santana's "Smooth" reminds me of college (Junior Year?)
Rascal Flatt's "Where You Are" reminds me of a boy and a summer in the 'Burg.
Cademon's Call's "High Country" reminds me of a drive through South Africa's mountains.

If I were a really smart scientist I would do a study on brain's and prove that music is like a drug to our brains. I'd win a Nobel prize and be famous!

There's this guy....

Ok, so I never ever post on here anymore. I'm pretty sure no one looks at it any more. But if for some reason you ever look on here....here goes......

So there's this guy! hahahaha
DETAILS:
Age--unsure....late 30s?
Divorced, 2 kids
average height....6'?
average build
grey hair (salt and pepper with lots of salt)
drives a motorcycle and a convertible
Works 2 jobs...Bass Pro Shop and a Gov't Contracting Company that repairs/paints gov't trucks
He's a real man, not one of those metro-wanna be sorts!


Interesting facts: I taught his son in my kindergarten class 6 years ago.
His kids go to my grandma's day care.
He brings his kids to my church so I see him about twice a week if he has the kids for the weekend.
I've semi-noticed him being more awkward around me the past several months but never knew him well so assumed he was just a little weird in general.

Good News: A reliable source was trying to "set us up" and during her conversation with him she found out he is kinda interested in me. I'm "cute and have a good soul" (his words!) And he was indeed being more weird around me than around other people.

Sad news: He is currently seeing someone else.
Is it bad to pray that she was his rebound after his divorce and that he will now realize I'm interested and dump her and move on to me? hahaha

And that's how my life goes! Too little, too late. That was my excitement for the week.