My "Relaxing" Weekend

I was supposed to use this weekend to relax so that I would have enough energy to deal with the children tomorrow. (Yes, I'm going back for more...call me a glutton for punishment...) Unfortunately, relaxing wasn't exactly what I managed to accomplish.

Since my dryer decided to try and catch fire several weeks ago, I FINALLY left a message at the repair shop on Friday afternoon. Brian Johnson returned my call that same evening and said that he could be here early Saturday morning! (At first I was a little bummed because I had planned on sleeping until noon, but hey...I could always take a nap--especially if it meant my dryer was fixed!)

So, I spent Friday evening cleaning my apartment since it looked like a hurricane had come through--without the water damage! I put away my clothes that had finally air-dried, cleaned the bathroom (in case he needed to use it), swept and vacuumed the shoebox, and picked up what I could. I promptly fell asleep on Madison's new scratching post BEFORE 8pm. (So much for a wild Friday night!)

Saturday, I woke up early so that I would have time to make my bed, eat, take a shower, and do all of my morning things before he arrived between 8am and 9 am. I was SOOOO tired! (Thankfully my dryer is now fixed and I can have clean AND dry sheets, as well as underwear whenever I feel like it!!!!)

After he left, I decided to start getting things ready for the HUGE garage sale I'm having next week at my parents' house. I only made it through part of my scrapbooking things before my Mom called and wanted to know if I wanted to go out to eat for my birthday on Saturday or Sunday? (So much for my nap!) I decided that Saturday would be better, and I took some of the boxes down to my car to take to their house. We met at Olive Garden where we had dinner. My niece was there too....


Here are our "Monkey Faces"....


In any case, it was monsooning again as I drove home, so I finally made it up the stairs, changed into my PJs and was in bed again around 8:30 pm.

Today I decided to go to church "online." I stayed in my PJs until noon and I surfed the web where I decided to join another reading challenge. Yes, I know that I said I didn't like to join challenges because of the lists that I feel like I have to stick to, but this one's different...





There are no lists, I just read any book I feel like, whenever I get the urge. I LOVE this challenge because it lets me off of the hook. I have tons of books just sitting on the shelf that I want to read, but I haven't because I try to get everything else read that I have to read because of work. Here's my out! Yippee!!!! If you want to join, click here to sign up.

I've also been going through things today for the garage sale. I'm scared that I'm not going to have everything ready in time. The hardest part is that I have SO much stuff that I don't know if I'll be able to get it all over there in time. I also have some furniture that I have to figure out how to get there. I'm hoping that my Dad will bring his truck over so that we can move it that way. It's really only a table and a small cabinet that I'd been keeping my DVD's in, so it's not a lot, but I can't get them down the stairs on my own.

I also need to continue to rearrange the shoebox so that Madison's new scratching post will fit in better. After cleaning out one of the corner's from all of the craft stuff, I actually feel like I can breathe a little better. It's true about clutter--you have to get rid of it so that you can truly be free!

I need to get things ready to go back to work tomorrow, so I'll sign off now. Until next time...

Happy Birthday....

to ME!!!

Yep--it's my birthday today!

So what did I do for my special day?



I worked...go figure.


Oh well...I'll make the most of it this weekend!

(If we share a birthday, Happy Birthday to you too!)

I SURVIVED (the first day of school)...

barely. Our air conditioning was out--in Florida. On the second floor. With hundreds of bodies piled in the library. Did I mention in Florida? Oh--they we had all of the wonderful parents....they are just so polite and helpful, and NEVER complain when they have to wait or come back with the correct paperwork the next day because they chose to register their child on the first day of school even though the school is open all summer for registration...NOT!

I'm glad that I was able to stand along the sidelines and help where needed rather than stand on the front-line because I probably would have been fired for slapping someone because they were rude (let's just say I learned some new profane words today) to me or someone else.--No wonder students today are so disrespectful--it's because their parents are no better.

HINT FOR ALL PARENTS: NEVER speak ill about any other adult around your child--even if you dislike that person! YOUR child learns HIS/HER behaviors, actions, and attitudes from YOU! Be the ADULT in the situation and show them that you CAN use your brains and YOUR manners because THEY will take you farther than rudeness and obnoxiousness will! (Otherwise, I may come off of the sidelines and smack you over the head with my newspaper like I used to do with my students! They learned!)

Yep--I worked with the kids today, which was perfectly fine with me. Many of them were happy to see me, some not so happy (see newspaper remark), but ALL were polite and respectful (except for DC, but she and I worked it out)--despite having to run to different rooms across campus in the sweltering Florida heat and humidity, until we figured out whose homeroom they were in!

Yep--that's why I'm there--the "children." Even though they drive me bananas most days, most of the time they make me laugh at their complete craziness. It makes me feel young (sometimes) to be able to "hang with my peeps" who so badly need someone to listen and understand them. Despite the fact they think they're old enough to make decisions for themselves, they still want approval--even if they don't admit it.

Yep--my goal is to be a shining light for them. Although they are respectful when I bring up God, I can tell that some shut-down inside but are ever watchful of me. It's tough having to be firm with them, while letting them know I'm on their side and that they can trust me. There are many "secrets" I've been told, and some confidences I've had to break to bring help to those kids, but I still try to remember that I have their best interests at heart and if that's the way God wants me to show His love, then I'm there.

Yep--I think this will be a great year. Despite the lack of air, the rude and obnoxious parents, inconsistent administration--several of whom need to leave or retire, crazy teachers, and even crazier students. I just feel it in my heart that BIG things are going to happen this year, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

Four A.M. comes around pretty early, so I'd better sign off now to get things ready for tomorrow. I'm praying that it's better than today!

a bright spot in a dismal day

The children invade Monday....start praying....our internal theme for this year is: Together, We Can Beat Them!

(If you've ever met any of my "children" you'd understand our internal faculty motto.)

On a brighter note, after a completely horrendous day today, I arrived home to find a copy of Camy Tang's new book Sushi For One? waiting on my doorstep! If you haven't subscribed to Camy's newsletter, you're missing out. Check out her blog for more information. She's hilarious and definitely my kind of girl! I was able to read part of chapter one through the Zondervan daily book excerpts and I can't wait to get started on the book!



Here's a link to when Camy received her author copies of the book...


I'll let you know more when I finish the book! TTFN!

In case you need a laugh today like I do....

I received this email from one of my friends today. I do have to warn you though...if you don't live in Florida, you won't get it.

You know you're a Floridian if....

Socks are only for bowling.

You never use an umbrella because you know the rain will be over in five minutes.

A good parking place has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade.

Your winter coat is made of denim.

You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites.

You're younger than thirty but some of your friends are over 65.

Anything under 70 is chilly.

You pass on the right and honk at the elderly, but pull over for a funeral.

You've driven through Yeehaw Junction.

You could swim before you could read.

You have to drive north to get to The South.

You know that no other grocery store can compare to Publix.

Every other house in your neighborhood had blue roofs in 2004-2005.

You've gotten out of school early on Halloween to trick or treat before it got dark.

You know that anything under a Category 3 just isn't worth waking up for.

You dread lovebug season.

You are on a first name basis with the Hurricane list. They aren't Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances...but Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.

You know what a snowbird is and you hate them.

You know why flamingos are pink.

You think a six-foot alligator is actually pretty small.

You were twelve before you ever saw snow, or you still haven't.

"Down South" means Key West

"Panhandling" means going to Pensacola

Flip-flops are everyday wear. Shoes are for business meetings and church.
No, wait, flip flops are good for church too, unless it's Easter or Christmas.

Sweet tea can be served at any meal.

An alligator once walked through your neighborhood.

You smirk when a game show's "Grand Prize" is a trip or cruise to Florida.

You measure distance in minutes.

You have a drawer full of bathing suits, and one sweatshirt.

You get annoyed at the tourists who feed seagulls.

All the local festivals are named after a fruit.

A mountain is any hill 100 feet above sea level.

You think everyone from a bigger city has a northern accent.

You know the four seasons really are: almost summer, summer, not summer but really hot, and February.

Anything under 95 is just warm.

You've hosted a hurricane party.

You go to a theme park for an afternoon, and know when to get on the best rides. (Space Mountain during the Electric Light Parade!)

You understand the futility of exterminating cockroaches.

You can pronounce Okeechobee, Kissimmee, Ichnatucknee, Withlacoochee, and Thonotosassa.

You understand why it's better to have a friend with a boat, than have a boat yourself.

Bumper stickers on the pickup in front of you include: various fish, NRA, Nascar, Go Gators, and a confederate flag.

You were 5 before you realized they made houses without pools.

You were 25 when you first met someone who couldn't swim.

You get angry when people say "Florida isn't really part of the SOUTH."

You've worn shorts and used the A/C on Christmas.

You know what the "stingray shuffle" is, and why it's important!

You recognize Miami-Dade as "Northern Cuba".