ESL Certified

I passed the ESL certification test! Yippee!!! I was really excited until...

I found out that I have to pay $77 to *get* the certificate. Then I have to re-up my certification every 5 years--including certification hours. I'm grandfathered in on my music certification--lifetime certificate. Ugh. I don't ever intend to teach ESL. Supposedly the district will reimburse me for the certificate as well as the test. All told that's roughly $200! Thank goodness for the economic stimulus package! ;-)

Oh well...at least I passed and I don't have to take that test again. Wonder which hoop they'll have me jump through next!

It's Time

It's so time for school to be out. We have 4 more weeks. Sigh. I'm just apathetic about everything right now. I still have a 1st grade program and a choir contest to do. Blah.

I try to make sure that I do something fun during the last six weeks. This year it's folk dance. Most of the classes are having fun with it, but one today just stared at me and wandered from place to place. ARGH! So...do I do something completely different for one 4th grade class or do I just push through it? Still thinking about that one. I have another week before I see them again.

I think I'm just tired. I'm tired of being disrespected. I'm tired of arguing. I'm tired of whining--said in a most-whiny voice. I'm tired of children complaining about every...little...thing. When did our children become such wusses? They bump into each other and immediately come running to me to tell me that so-and-so bumped into them. Is it terrible to want to just say, "SO?"

Four more weeks...four more weeks...four more weeks. But only three more Mondays. We have Memorial Day off. I think I can...I think I can...I think I can....

Changes Abound

They formed a new stake today. I kinda figured it was coming--especially with the tri-stake conference today with general authorites and everything! So they formed the Frisco, Texas stake--and put us in it! Ok...I didn't see that one coming. I really thought we would stay in our stake. I'm not totally sure how I feel about it yet. This is a new experience for me. When our ward split a couple of years ago, that was also a new experience. I had no idea I was in for so many new experiences around here.

So, I'll get to see what it's like to form a new stake. All the positions that have to be filled! Will our scouts change councils? (I'm betting so.)

It was also fun to see old friends today. We were in the Denton stake when I joined the church--and that's where Richard grew up--so it was fun to see friendly faces. I laughed when I realized that I personally knew more people in the newly called Denton Stake Presidency than in my own! LOL I think it's going to be hard at first, but the more I think about it and mull it over and just let it *be,* the more it feels right. Now all we need is a stake building! :-)

Sunburn

You'd think I'd learn. I say that I've learned, but every year I have to be reminded. I'm fair-skinned. Very fair-skinned. Extremely fair-skinned. I gave up tanning a long time ago. So when we spent all day outside yesterday for field day--of course I forgot my sunscreen. A friend had some and gave it to me...but for the afternoon. That was okay. Gave me a little sun in the morning and then I thought I was good to go for the afternoon. I sprayed it on and rubbed it in.

This morning I realize that, yet again, I missed some places. The back of my upper left arm. The sides of my neck. And right behind my knees. I sat on the ground with NO SUNSCREEN on my legs hoping for a bit of a tan. Let the sun beat down on my legs--nothing. Nada. Just red right behind my knees.

I know better. I know I'm going to get sunburned. And I know that my legs aren't going to change color in the least. But every year, I try. Just a little bit of color. Just enough unprotected sun for some color and future skin cancer. But I've had my learning experience for the summer. Now I'll hopefully remember to always use the sunscreen and to make sure someone else gets the back of my neck for me. And yes...I look like a goofball.

Field Day

Field day is fun. Exhausting, but fun. We do first and second grade in the morning, then 3-5 in the afternoon. It's a day to be outside all day, go to lunch with my team and just enjoy playing. This morning I was in charge of "catching critters." Take a small parachute and put a rubber chicken on it. The kids can bounce the critter or toss it for someone else to catch. They have a great time. Then this afternoon I was on the big parachute. Even the older kids love the parachute. Only problem with the parachute--now my arms are tired! Plus, I'm a little sunburned. Think I'll just relax and watch TV all evening.

Gluten-Free

A friend sent me the best blog site. I've got it in my list over there --->. "A Year of CrockPotting" It has a different crock pot recipe for each day of the year so far. And...the best part for me...they're gluten-free. She even puts pictures of the ingredients! It's just cool. Now...can I really plan ahead enough to actually use some of the recipes? We'll see. But it's not just crock pot--it's gluten-free crock pot--and that makes me happy! :-)

Blessings

We had a fantastic high councilman speak last Sunday. He's always fun to listen to and never pulls punches. He was talking on tithing. I've always had a testimony of tithing and always paid it. He pointed out that tithing is not just sending in you 10%. It's the "first fruits," the "unspotted lamb." Oops. There have been times when I've written out the tithing check and then forgotten to turn it in. Then forgotten to turn it in again. And again. And then sometimes things come up and I realize that we're in the red, but oh look...we haven't turned in the tithing check yet so technically, we're okay. Well, that's not the firstfruits, is it? I made sure I turned in my tithing check that day. I had also gotten paid that weekend, so I came home and wrote out the next check and will turn it in tomorrow. It felt good to get out of my complacency of a principal that I believed in and do it right.

Fast-forward to Monday and checking the mail. Had a letter from the workers' comp insurance company. Inside was a letter telling me that they accepted that I had a 3% impairment in my ankle. And there was a check. A generous check. Wow. Talk about opening the windows of Heaven. It was incredible. I even called the district workers' comp person to make sure that the check was really mine. Yep...it's mine. It would be really easy to assume this was just a coincidence, but really...I don't think so. Heavenly Father takes care of us--often when we least expect it. I had no idea I had money coming. I knew I had an impairment. Ok. Didn't know it translated to money--didn't care. But I'll take it! :-)