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The reason we were in the closet for 2 hours on Wednesday afternoon:

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Summer plans

After such an exhausting school year, and considering all the activities I have planned for the summer, I have decided to take the summer off from work. I'm going to stay home with Emily and enjoy the last few months of her life before she starts school herself.

I have, however, decided to take an unpaid job (otherwise known as "volunteering") with the Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy as a sidewalker. I work with Kathy Gatch, the Founder/Instructor of the Academy, at Lincoln Elementary, where she works as a para-educator even though she's a certified teacher. Early in the school year, we took our 6th grade class on a field trip out to her Academy for a work day. She explained how she had begun taking in retired horses because of her desire to see them spared, and how she had been trained to do therapeutic riding, and all the other circumstances that led up to the founding of the riding academy. I found it fascinating to hear about how she helps children with handicaps through the therapeutic riding, and was very warmed by the huge heart that she has for the children and the horses. I immediately wanted to become more involved, and this summer seems to be my chance.

As I said, I'll be a sidewalker--holding onto the child's gate belt to ensure their safety while they do exercises atop a horse. It may not be glorious, but I'll get to work with kids that are excited to be there, I'll be outside, and I'll be getting good exercise. All of which I'm sure to enjoy.

The Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy is a non-profit organization, so fundraising is very important to them. I have just learned about how they use "Goodsearch.com" to earn money every time someone performs a search or makes a purchase using this search engine. It's totally free to you, and what a great cause! Helping kids in need. Please remember to use this search engine whenever you can to help support Buckboard Therapeutic Riding Academy. www.buckboardtherapeutic.org/

Beth Moore in Laramie

The next day after school was dismissed for the summer, I jumped in a van with several other women to travel to Laramie to see Beth Moore speak. I knew that lady was something from her videos and books, but to see her in person is to be truly blessed.

I'm sure every one of us walked away with something special from the Lord after hearing her speak, but I for one feel changed, cleansed, set free from some sin I'd been hanging onto. Thank You, Jesus, for loving us even when we're stubbornly hanging onto something that did more damage than good in our lives, even at the expense of distance from You. Thank you for loving me.

A new assignment

Ahhh . . . summer is HERE. I'm so relieved to be rid of those lovely, contented, lovable 6th grade wretches . :0) As the school year was ending, I was informed that I was being reassigned to 4th grade for the 2009-2010 school year. Thank You, God. No, really.

I had been told, by many people throughout the school year, that I should ask to be reassigned to a different grade, for several reasons. I considered it, and carefully, because I knew their reasons were not unfounded, and I had a tough year. Sixth graders aren't always lovable and contented and lovely . . . just sometimes. The other times are a real bear to deal with. So, I considered it. But then, I remembered that I had prayed and asked friends to pray, that I would be given the grade that God wanted me to have, the specific group of kids that I should be with. And He gave me those 6th graders. So, who am I to say, "Get me out of here!"? I, for one, do not want to willingly take myself out of God's plan. My decision was to wait and pray.

And now it appears that 4th grade is what I get from waiting and praying. Thank You, God.

I'll be in a different building--the Main building. I will no longer have air conditioning. I will have a different cooperating teacher to grow accustomed to. I will now have three flights of stairs to climb up to my classroom. The bonus, however, is that most of my students should be shorter than I am. Yay.

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Happy Earth Day!

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Snow day

The winds here today (and maybe there where you are, too) were blowing the snow horizontally, circularly, diagonally, and up at times, I'm sure. The state of Nebraska was mentioned a record number of times on the Weather Channel, a place where we began to question our very existance, because they mention us so seldom and most often block the entire state while they talk about the other more important areas of the country. Just the fact that they even mention us usually indicates catastrophe. We chuckled whether weatherman called our winds a "snowcane" (think hurricane, then you'll get it.) Right on, weatherman.

School was dismissed at 2 p.m. and then cancelled for tomorrow. Nice chance for me to catch up on paperwork. oH boy. there's excitement. hee hee.

I've finished my latest embroidery project and thot I'd post it. The project began when Emily said, "Would you embroider a toucan on my pillowcase?" She twisted my arm and I agreed. It took a few months, but I'm done, and now contemplating my next project. This one will be a gift for this girl I know . . . and I'm putting lots of thought into it, hoping to capture a style that will suit her style. I just hope it's finished in time.

My little shamrock plant and

the thermometer clock--today it was about 30 degrees and

yesterday it was 80. Cra-a-azy.

my little toucan

Happy New Year Blog --the try-quarterly report

Last time I looked outside, it was snowing. Snow, wonderful snow. After spending a week in Jackson, and then coming back here to brownsville, snow seems like sweet little gifts from heaven. Beautiful. It felt cold here today, but compared to what I hear about the rest of the country and their 60 below wind chill.

I had a great Christmas vacation, almost ten days long. Now, school's back in session. I started back with such goals, such gusto. The first week was very hard; I was sick with a cold and so out of practice with keeping a routine. This week, everything was feeling great. I was getting along well with the students. I had hope that I'm finally getting better at my job. And then today, I'm back in avoidance mode--avoiding work . . . it's a quarter to 8 and I still haven't begun to check my kid's homework. I'm watching a made-for-tv Lifetime movie (sick, I know) about a girl who started doing drugs at 14 because I'm worried about one of my students. Today was a little harder. I had several heart-to-hearts with troublemakers, stern conversations with my homeroom class, and a few moments when I wanted to whack somebody, but didn't. My hopes are still up, I've got some new strategies under my belt for this new semester, and now I'm half-way thru my first year back in teaching. I'm surviving it. Whew.

I'm posting some photos I took on my way back from Jackson--what a great trip that was. I had a wonderful wonderful time with each of my sweet best friends. Thank you for being wonderful, my friends.

Love this view

I took this while I was driving, this was the view from behind me. What talent, right?

Nice view of Casper at dusk

Sunset driving

This was the Burger King in Riverton, where when I ordered a large French fry, the girl asked me if I meant "French toast?" Her English wasn't that great. She just didn't get what I wanted until her co-worker said "fries, you know. fries?" "oh OK!" wow.

It was a GORGEOUS day for a drive home. Very very cold, but gorgeous. Look at that

blue sky.

This is one of my favorite drives--Togwottee Pass. The snow is always so deep and white. Everything seems so quiet up there.

Another nice snowy road view.

Then, when I got to Dubois, the snow was gone. Sad. Brownsville.

After I left Dubois, I began to hear some wind in my car, like the window was open. I stopped to see if I had left the door open a little or something, didn't see anything, took a picture, and then started to drive off. I looked in the rearview mirror and gasped in horror. The hatch had come open! Thank God I hadn't driven off full speed, or I would have lost my sleeping bag and lots of other good stuff.

What had happened was that while I was in the frozen wilderness of Jackson, my hatch froze shut. I had tried to open it several times, but to no avail. Apparently, by the time I hit Dubois, it had finally come unthawed and since it was unlatched, thanks to my attempts to open it. Yikes. And it all started with just a little sound of wind in my car.

Below are a few photos of my cousin and her family, taken by my little cousin Gabe (her little boy). I love those kids.