True Love

True love is as elusive as the end of the rainbow.

We all search for it and the luckiest of us find it.

I feel like the luckiest of all because I seem to find it year after year.  Maybe I should say, it finds me.

Take a good hard look at this picture.

To the uninitiated this may look like just another messy desk that may or may not be mine. Notice the missing key on the keyboard. That used to be the ALT key. I told you teachers are underpaid. (See-Get A Job)

This is really about true love and how to recognize it when it happens to you.

True love is finding a prized sticker from
a local dentist's office lovingly stuck to
your computer monitor.

The look on his face when I looked up and
smiled at him more than made up for the
thousands
of times I had to call his name that day.

I sure do love that kid!

Just sayin'................

OINK

I have a kindergarten story to share today.

I should warn you that it requires the repitition of
a word some will find offensive.

Just know that the teacher involved was just as
shocked as you will be.  Heh!

Our school is blessed with an abundance of children
for whom English is not their native language.

In fact, we have been so blessed for many, many
years now. Make no mistake....I use the word blessed
with absolutely no sarcasm.

We love our ESL babies!

As always, names have been changed to keep me out
of trouble. Smile!


Over time, we all learn to listen with half an ear to our
students as they talk with each other during those activities
that permit a little socialization.

It is amazing what you can learn during these child to child
discussions and we all learn to pick up on certain words.
Some words can give us insight into a student's recent
behavior and other words like, 'Don't tell!' alert us to
impending trouble.

And then there are the notorious Kindergarten
bad words-sometimes called cussin' words.

These words would include
the F word (Fat or Fart),
the D word (Dumb),
the S word (Stupid or Shut-up)
and the ever popular poop and pee.

Occassionaly, a child will utter a real cussin' word and
this was what became apparent one afternoon in a
co-workers classroom.

While working individually with a child, the para-professional
in the classroom realized that one of the ESL kiddos was
vehemently repeating the phrase 'Oh s#*t!' over and over to
his partener in crime.

She sternly marched the offending party to the teacher and
had him confess his sin.

What folows is the conversaiton as re-told to me.

Teacher-Melvin, what did you say?
Melvin-I jus' say oh s#*t.
Teacher-(gasping) Come out here in the hallway with me right now!
Now tell me again what you said.
Melvin-(matter of factly) I jus' say 'oh s#*t'.

While you let this sink in let me explain. We have learned
over the years that our ESL buddies often have no idea that
what they are saying is offensive. We have also found that you
must tell them exactly what it is they said that was unacceptable.

Just trust me. It is waaaay better to be specific.

Back to our story...

Teacher-You can't say 'Oh s#*t!' at school, Melvin.
Melvin-Huh?
Teacher-You can't say 'Oh s#*t!' at school. S#*t is a very bad word
and we never, ever say s#*t at school.
Melvin-Okay.
Teacher-Even if your parents say s#*t or you hear it on t.v. you aren't
allowed to say that word.
Teacher-Why did you say it, anyway? (We always ask this. I don't know why)
Melvin-Weeeeeell, I jus' say to my frien' dat Sponj Bop, he lif in de oh s#*t
wif Patrick.  I din know eet was bat.
Teacher-Oh. Ummm. Well, we pronounce that word O-shin. And you can say it that way anytime you want. Now get back to work sweet boy.

Wanna know what the teacher was thinking?

Oh shin! I just taught a five year old how to say Oh s#*t!

Just sayin'.......................................

There aren't very many things
I have found to be as soothing
as sitting on my back porch
rocking away the stress and the
hurries and worries of life.

It is most beautiful there
when stormy skies stain the lake water pewter
and breezes heavy with the promise of rain
send the leaves dancing on their branches.

Just now
the sun broke through the troubled clouds
and gilded those same branches
golden.

The contrast between dark and troubled skies
and hopeful, golden sunlight
reminds me that like the sun,
God never moves.

The sun is always there,
just behind the clouds.

And He is always there.
God never changes.
During our darkest hours
He is there.

So many times over this
past year, I  have been
without words for my prayers.

God heard my heart instead.
And I have learned that there
is great beauty in the storm.

Make New Friends But Keep The Old!

Last night we celebrated the engagement of two very special people. I'll tell you all about the great party we had in another post. I stayed up way too late but we sure did have fun!

I spent most of today sleeping away the stress of the last four weeks.

When I finally drug myself from bed and found my cell phone

I saw that I gotten a text message from a friend with this picture attached.

You have no idea how good it is to see this face. This is my little brother and doesn't he look incredible in his chic hospital attire?

He is ready to transition to my parent's house in Milledgeville where he will spend the next few weeks recuperating.

Speaking of Milledgeville.......

Marlin and the rest of us has had so much love and prayers sent our way during this marathon and I have to say that the Milledgeville portion of our support system absolutely personified God's love and illustrated once again one of the

best things about southern, small town life.

Many of the high school friends Marlin and I shared wore out the phone lines with calls and texts and checked in on him through this blog and Facebook.

Friends I have foolishly lost contact with, stepped up and visited, prayed and generally made us all feel loved. I am so mad with myself for allowing so many of those wonderful friendships fall by the waysides of life and I plan to be a better friend.

Believe me when I say that they have shown me how to do so. 

Hearing from and visiting with these friends felt like stepping back in time.

Back to the days we lived on West Washington Street right behind Moore's Funeral Home.

Back to the days my mama would look out our kitchen window upon hearing the hearse doors slamming and announce 'Moores has a body.'

Reaching for the radio that sat near that window and turning it on she would lean on the counter while she waited for the local radio station to begin it's daily list of obituaries. (I am NOT lying) 

If the wait was too long she merely called Mrs. Moore who lived in a home next to the funeral home to ask 'Who have y'all got?'  Many times that information meant we had some cooking to do.

To all those old and treasured friends....y'all did your mama's proud!

Now where's the fried chicken, tater salad and pound cake????

Just sayin'.................

P.S.

If my dad is reading this post I'll bet he is singing this song.

Make new friends,

but keep the old.
One is silver,
the other is gold.

A circle is round,
it has no end.
That's how long,
I will be your friend.

A fire burns bright,
it warms the heart.
We've been friends,
from the very start.

You have one hand,
I have the other.
Put them together,
We have each other.

Silver is precious,
Gold is too.
I am precious,
and so are you.

You help me,
and I'll help you
and together
we will see it through.

What a difference a few days make!

Marlin is off the vent,

eating soft foods and

taking some liquids!

He is walking with help

and talking!

Our family has heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Things just haven't let up over the last year and a half.

We are learning that everything in this life is temporary.

The good and the bad.......
None of it lasts forever.

I murmured these phrases over and over to Marlin
as he fought the ventilator and the sedation.

This is temporary.
Relax. Don't fight so hard.
This is temporary.
Rest. I'm right here.
This is temporary.
It wont be like this for long.

As my nerves try to adjust to life
out from under the guillotine,
it has occurred to me
that those phases came from a place
outside of me.

I believe they came from God.
For although, I do not yet know if Marlin
remembers any of those words
and have no idea if they were of any comfort to him

This I do know.

They brought great comfort and peace to my heart and soul.
I believe this is what God would say to me and to others as well.

This is temporary.
Relax. Don't fight so hard.
This is temporary.
Rest. I'm right here.
This is temporary.
It wont be like this for long.

Tonight when things that shouldn't matter...
matter too much,
I am reminded that
this life
here on this earth
is only
temporary.

Cherish the good times and the routine days.
For they are temporary.
Endure the bad times and the dark days.
For they are temporary.

Just sayin'.....................................

And The Hits Just Keep On Coming

Good News First

Doctors have been slowly reducing the dosage of the sedatives Marlin is receiving and he is beginning to wake up. My father says that he is restless but he is hanging in there.  We are praying that they can remove him from the vent very soon. His skin grafts have been very successful and they are quite pleased with their healing.

We have a new emergency situation to ask you to pray about.

I received a phone call just a few moments ago. My niece, Jamey, was calling to let me know that my sister-in-law's mom (We all call her Nana) may have had a stroke. The Milledgeville branch of our clan is headed to the hospital as I type this.

Please pray for our family.

It feels as if we have targets on our backs lately.

Just sayin'.........................

Always a fan of putting first things first,
here is the latest update of Marlin's condition.

Doctor's continued the heavy sedation today and will continue to to do so tomorrow also.

IF, the pneumonia responds to the antibiotics and clears up enough, the doctors will begin to reduce the sedation on Thursday with the goal of allowing Marlin to completely wake up and then remove him from the ventilator.

Please, please keep those prayers coming.

In other news.................

my house is a wreck.

We are getting ready to host an engagement party in two weeks. As usual, it takes an 'event' to motivate me to get busy on home improvement projects. Apparently, I really do work best under pressure.

We have several simultaneous projects going on
tree removal and landscaping
painting
fence building
sprinkler system repair.

We have even hung a few pictures on the wall.

It is very exciting to see everything slowing coming together.

I will post pictures soon.

I have only been disappointed in one project.

It's the painting.

I don't get it!  I hired real professionals.

I THOUGHT that when they painted the kitchen
I would get a few nights off of kitchen duty!

Apparently, stoves and ovens work even in the vicinity of wet paint.

That seems so wrong to me.

Just sayin'......................