A special gift

So today was the last day of school for the Christmas holidays! The last day usually means a party, presents, and plenty of excitement! As expected, my kids were up for all of that today. However, the present part can be difficult for me. As the teacher, the children are so excited about the gift they brought me and of course I make a big deal of each one, holding it up, etc. I don't like to be the center of attention, but over the years, I learned that this is a very important to the children and if it isn't done first, they are continually asking when do I get to open gifts.

However, what I love most about gifts from first graders is the commentary you get with it! Parents would be mortified if they knew what their child told me. For example, I was told last year that the necklace I was given had a matching bracelet, but mom liked it too much, so she kept it. Even this week, one of my little ones told me that I didn't get the gingerbread mix to go with the candle because it cost too much. And before school today, one of my boys was totally taking my present out the bag and showing it to every teacher that passed! But none of that (or any future stories) will surpass what happened today!

As you might of guessed, all of this is leading to a really great story! So I finally succumbed to the gift opening process and I picked up the first box with a beautiful bow. Now I know this kid always gives great gifts (based on my birthday) and so I have to admit that I was slightly excited about opening it. So, I finally get the tape off the box, gently open the tissue, and what to my surprise (and horror) do I see? A three pack pair of men's boxer-briefs. Size med, black. I had no idea what to do! I knew I couldn't hold this up and ohh and ahh with a straight face, and I was pretty sure this gift belonged to the older brother. Oops! So, I quickly moved on to the rest of the gifts. Since the children were busy doing a craft at the same time, most of them didn't notice that I didn't tell them. I felt bad for the child though. How was I to explain why I didn't make a big deal out of his gift, much less explain to him that I wasn't keeping it? After having a good laugh out in the hall with the other first grade teacher, we decided that I should just let the child know that I thought I had the wrong present and please take it back to mom. I have to say, this is the first (and only, I hope) time I have ever received men's boxers!


End of story: the older sister brought the real present after school. Which happened to be a lovely matching fleece hat and scarf in our school color.

Oh, but if I could have only seen the mom's face when she realized she had sent her child's teacher boxers for Christmas!

Just in case you're up for a good laugh!

http://www.challies.com/archives/churchmerch/rich-daddy-god.php

Ahh, the joys of working with first graders!

Like before (when I was in Uganda), I've begun collecting great quotes from first graders! Hope they amuse you as much as they amuse me!

If that kind of fish’s eyes get red, then they are gonna die in a few weeks. Cuz mine did and his eye got really big and almost exploded!

That fruit roll-up was fattening.

I’m gonna tell you something that you might not like,, “Never give wedgies.”

I’m a vegetarian and my mom said this was a vegetarian snack (holds up ritz pb crackers).
Me: What is a vegetarian?
Child: someone who eats healthy.

I have a weird taste in my mouth from a cream bar. I haven’t eaten one of them since I was little, like five

We have three homeworks? That’s so much, not to do, but to write in the homework notebook!

The highest grade of a person I know is in college. Well I haven’t actually seen him, but I know a person who knows him.

This ship right here reminds me of something . . . . what? It just reminds me of something.

My jaw is hurting, and my foot is itching and my nose is itching.

I’ve got a splinter in my foot. It’s already in my skin.

When I was being born, my arm got stuck in my mom and they had to cut it off.

Miss Peeler you might think my grandparents are a little over the hedge, they really are crazy!

When asked about my snack, I told them it was fruit roll up for grownups. One child replied, oh is it like beer? Oops!

My first graders think my first name is Miss Heather

Have a great week!

Happy Reformation Day!

"Unless I am convinced by Scripture, or by clear reasoning, that I am in error - for popes and councils have often erred and contradicted themselves - I cannot recant, for I am subject to the Scriptures I have quoted; my conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. So help me God. Amen" - Martin Luther

Citadel vs. Furman

Last weekend we went down to Charleston as a family to see one of the home Citadel games. We stopped at a fabulous restaurant called Fleet Landing (to celebrate my 30th birthday!) for lunch. Fabulous . . . totally recommend this place.






We loved how the birds ignored the signs!






Mmmmm . . . shrimp and grits (absolutely best I've ever eaten)






Sadly, we couldn't get a family photo . . . so here's the girls :o)









And then . . . on to the game! Enjoy the pics!

Check out that ending score! Go dogs!

Here's the link to my facebook album which has all the photos . . . enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=337468&id=595940092&l=3907faa6d3

My Papa

Two weeks ago from this Sunday, I learned that my Papa had died. One week ago, we buried him. Tonight, I miss him. I'll miss having him call me little girl and getting bouquets of daffodils in the springtime from his yard. I think I'll even miss his quirky habits that we used to joke about, and for those that understand, I want a copy of his "book". I think the most wonderful comment I ever received from him was when I arrived back from two years in Africa. He gave me a big hug and said he was so happy to have me back in the US. I'll treasure that the rest of my life, I think. I don't know how holidays will be without him, but I'm thankful he loved Jesus and that one day I'll see him again. Please keep praying for my Nana and the rest of my family as we morn his passing.

Here he is with Nana and Judah (one of my cousin's youngest son)

Contemplating on Growing Up and Other Ramblings

Now that I'm back in the States, I made the decision this year to start taking dance classes again. My excuse was that I needed exercise, but the truth is, I don't think I will ever grow tired of being able to let my mind go and dance with joy! So every Monday, I drive over to the big city of Florence, where I once again pretend to be a ballerina again. It's been quite an exhilerating experience to say the least. My body hasn't quite forgotten everything, and fortunately there are some other "old" dancers in this class who understand the romance that we have with ballet and yet, the fact that our bodies can't quite do what we want them to do!

Tonight as I was speaking to another young lady in the class who is still in high school (and our grandmothers are good friends), I realized that this was the last class I would take in my twenties. Next week when class rolls around, I will be the grand old age of 30. It hardly seems possible that I am that old. Am I really a grown up now? I still feel the same, but yet, I have gained wisdom in my twenties that I wouldn't part with for the world. Anybody close to me will tell you that I have been struggling with the fact that I am turning 30. Not because that's old, but because I'm not where I had imagined myself to be when I was younger. I was sure that I would be married and have, at the very least three kids. But God had other plans. And as we all know, God's plans are always best.

My grandfather passed away last week and it was during his funeral that I realized something mind-boggling important! It's not so much what I want or what I think lines up with what the world expects of me (even the Christian world), but it's have I been faithful to God. Will people look at my life and know that I'm passionately heads over heals in love with Jesus. Am I carrying out the gospel to the fullest that I am able? Is my life pointing others to Christ? If so, then I can be content with where God has me - even if no one else understands. It doesn't mean that I'm excited to be single, because I can't honestly say that yet. But I can say, today God's made me single, so I can be content with where He's put me. So here's to growing up and old with our faithful Savior, who never lets us down, and is passionately in love with us!

A Tale of a Paranoid Kitty

This morning I woke up to wet splotches on my carpet. Apparently my air conditioning was having issues, so my landlord was going to send someone over to fix the problem. Hence, scary strange men were going to enter my apartment while I wasn't there. Well, scary strange men to my scaredy chicken cat! But, I figured that she could handle it. Apparently, she couldn't. Here's what I pieced together about what happened while I was at school.

Said scary men entered my home. Elsie wakes up from nap on couch. Said scary men enter hallway to check out leak. Elsie realizes that her Mommie has not entered the house, but said scary men. In a state of panic, Elsie jumps off the couch, misjudges where she's jumping and runs into the ribbon and bow bag that I left out. In said state of paranoia, Elsie panics in the bag, gets tangled up, and takes it with her. As she gets to the hallway, said bag tears and is abandoned right near the wet splotchies. Please note below the state of said bag:



Said men are probably startled by the strange action of tenants animal and will probably refuse to come back. Elsie then tears up the stairs, terrified, only to discover that part of the bag has come with her. She hunkers down in the bedroom doorway, and meows pathetically until she is rescued. This may have been only a short time or it could of been over six hours (this part of the story is kinda fuzzy). Once I arrive home, I realize what's happened to the poor baby. While I did immediately scoop her up and love on her, I didn't remove the bag quite yet. Being the unsympathetic Mommie that I am, and after I died with laughter, I made her pose with the bag so you could see what she had done to herself.





Here is the piece that was around her neck and the piece with the rest of the bag! Poor Traumatized Kitty!

You'll be happy to note that after our photo shoot, I gave her lots of cuddles and lovin' . . . she's all over her trauma now and is seeming to enjoy her evening :)

PLEASE mom, can I come in?

Reflections on transition . . .

Well, it’s been a pretty rough ride the last eleven months! I know I haven’t blogged like I should, but if I had a blog for every unwritten blog in my mind, you would know way more than you would ever care to know about me. :o) This ride of returning to the United States can only be compared to a roller coaster. Each time I would think that I had conquered this thing called transition, it would take me for a spin. In fact, although it might be almost May, I still have my “moments”. For example a few weeks ago, I was collecting two dollars from each child in my class for something and one child brought me quarters – eight of them. I looked at that bag and looked and kept wondering why I had too much money. Well, I was trying to count them like shillings instead of quarters! I felt so embarrassed that I couldn’t even count quarters. I could tell loads of stories of how many reverse culture shock moments I’ve had. Who knew it would be just as hard coming back to America?

. . . and leaving Uganda

When I left Uganda, I was so ready to be home. I was emotionally drained and tired of living in a third world country. I was quite happy with never going back. Now that I have eleven months behind me, I guess that absence does make the heart grow fonder! I’ve realized how much I did learn while being there and the amazing things that God did for me. Now, I would absolutely love to take a trip back there, but doubting that I ever will. I find that Uganda is never far from my mind, but I try not to talk about it much simply because I don’t want people to get tired of me always referring about Africa. So, any time you want to hear more – please ask me – I would LOVE to talk!

. . . and the school year.

School this year has also been an interesting journey. I was asked to come back to Dillon Christian School and teach first grade. I’ve enjoyed this year (I do have a wonderful class!!!), but am really looking forward to next year. I think my transition has taken so much out of me that all I could do was the next thing. I felt like I didn’t really regain my joy in teaching until March. Now I’m having so much fun and I’m so sad to have to say good bye to these kids in three weeks! Actually to be truthful, there’s four and a half weeks left, but I will be chaperoning the senior mission trip (to Jamaica) May 19 – May 26. So once I leave on that, I won’t be back until the last day of school. Look for more updates about the Jamaica trip later!

Elsie

So, I have to do a blog about my nine month old kitty! She's got the most interesting personality and it cracks me up all the time. Her favorite toy is a piece of curling ribbon left over from Christmas. Seriously, she carries it around the house and drops it near me so that I can play with her. All I have to say is, Elsie - where's your ribbon, go get your ribbon - and she will bound off and bring it to me. Most mornings I wake up and she is staring at me expectantly with the ribbon right beside us.

Here she is on her new (cheap) toy (you know it's cheap, when you have to build it!) - playing with more curling ribbon, of course!

New Year, New Attempt (at blogging)

Well, after being fussed at and encouraged to blog some more, here goes! (honestly, I've had so many posts, they just never left my head!)

Sooo, I'm starting off slow. It snowed on Tuesday and we had a nice day off of school and a delayed start today. Elsie and I spent the day resting and getting over colds (yeah, I think she had one too, as she's been sneezing a lot). She wouldn't have anything to do with the snow (or the outside), but loved watching it fall. Enjoy the photos!

Yeah, those two glowing things under the rail - that's Elsie!