So, I'm not a teacher it seems... at least that is the story my four-year-old twins daughters are telling.
Once a week now, my girls go a fabulous in-home daycare that they've been at since they were 9 months old. They used to go there fulltime until my husband lost his job back in January. Since we could no longer afford it, she offered to keep the girls one day a week to give my husband a break and to allow him time to go on interviews. If he had to go more often, she has offered to keep them for the hours of his interviews. I love her so much because she loves my girls- and us- so much that she would do this for us.
Anyway, today her daughter was talking with the kids about their moms and the jobs they do away from home. She told my girls that their mommy is a teacher who goes to work at a school every day. Although my girls visit my school quite often after school, and have even been there at one point or another during the day, I guess it never really quite dawned on them that I was, in fact, a teacher. I don't know what they thought I did in my classroom. Regardless, this is how the exchange went:
Ms. C: So, Girls, your mommy is a teacher. She goes to work at a school every day.
Tootie: My mommy is NOT a teacher. She is a MOMMY!
Ms. C: Well, yes, she is a mommy, but she is also a teacher. She teaches kids.
Tootie: Don't SAY that! My mommy is a MOMMY! She is not a teacher.
Ms. C: So, where does she work?
Tootie: She works at school in her classroom, but she is a MOMMY!
Ms. C: Well, that's true, but she can be a mommy AND a teacher.
Tootie: Humph!
So, when they got to school with Daddy to pick me up today, the girls asked to visit my classroom. As we approached the door, Lia, the other twin, was bound and determined to get to the bottom of it all.
Lia: Mommy, are you a teacher?
Me: Yes, I am.
Lia: You ARE?
Me: Yes, I am. I teach kids who are in the 4th grade.
Lia: You DO? But you're a MOMMY!
Me: Yes, you are right. I am a mommy AND a teacher.
I guess they were satisfied with it and were able to accept the fact that I am both their mommy AND some other kids' teacher. Neither said anything, but I know Tootie is NOT going to want to tell Ms. C that she was right! LOL.
I love those little girls!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Moving On
Well, it is official! I will be moving up to fifth grade with my students next year. In order to do so, I had to take another certification exam which would allow me to teach all the way up to 8th grade. I took it a week ago and got my results Tuesday morning.
So, now that I have all of the paperwork side of it completed, I am on my way up. It's so funny, though, because my partner teacher and I had been threatening the kids by saying, "If you guys don't straighten up, one of us will be moving to 5th grade to make sure you get it together." Since my partner teacher and I are so much alike, to the kids, neither of the choices was better than the other. Both would mean they weren't getting an inch of wiggle room. It was so funny though, when one boy raised his hand all innocently and asked, "Couldn't Mrs. R move up with us instead?" Oh, my goodness. I HOWLED!!!
See, Mrs. R is also a partner teacher with us who teaches the Science. I love me some her because she is such a trip to me. We often tease her about being the sit-around-the-campfire-and-hold-hands-while-singing-Kumbaya-and-hugging-a-tree kind of person. Actually, she really isn't, but it's funny to say it anyway. She just looks at my other partner teacher and me, shakes her head, and walks away because she thinks we're completely crazy, I'm sure! Anyway, Mrs. R is the really loving part of our trio who may, for example, explain to the kids that it's not a healthful choice to lean back in your seat because you might fall, thereby causing yourself to suffer a concussion or worse. Of course, she then lovingly explains to them what a concussion is and why they really don't want one. I, on the other hand, take a sliiiiightly different approach: "Boy, if you fall back in that chair and crack your head open, you are NOT going to the nurse!" Either way, the chair legs come down.
When I finally told them that I would be moving, most cheered, but I could see a few who were not quite so giddy.
I love it! See, I already knew that a few were going to be shell-shocked. You know the ones. Those kids who make it a point to start the year off very slowly so the new teacher won't know exactly WHAT they know, allowing them to skate along for a while. Humph! No skating for them! They are going to have to hit the ground running because I already know what they know since I taught them in the first place.
Anyway, I don't know how I am going to handle the move. My partner teacher and I (the one just like me) are sooooo much alike that we think and say the exact same things at the exact same time. We always know what the other person is thinking and coming to work is a PAR-TY! Our students honestly don't know who is "crazier". They enjoy class (although they work their butts off) and, I believe, learn better because of it.
Having said that, I am moving to a team that is quite different from my current team. I lead a very relaxed classroom that is filled with laughter, talking, and lots of hands-on activities. Where I'm going, I think it's a little more structured, formal, and just-- well, different! Besides, the leader of that pack and I have previously had very strong words, so this should be interesting. I'll keep you posted on that one because sparks are SURE to fly.
So, now that I have all of the paperwork side of it completed, I am on my way up. It's so funny, though, because my partner teacher and I had been threatening the kids by saying, "If you guys don't straighten up, one of us will be moving to 5th grade to make sure you get it together." Since my partner teacher and I are so much alike, to the kids, neither of the choices was better than the other. Both would mean they weren't getting an inch of wiggle room. It was so funny though, when one boy raised his hand all innocently and asked, "Couldn't Mrs. R move up with us instead?" Oh, my goodness. I HOWLED!!!
See, Mrs. R is also a partner teacher with us who teaches the Science. I love me some her because she is such a trip to me. We often tease her about being the sit-around-the-campfire-and-hold-hands-while-singing-Kumbaya-and-hugging-a-tree kind of person. Actually, she really isn't, but it's funny to say it anyway. She just looks at my other partner teacher and me, shakes her head, and walks away because she thinks we're completely crazy, I'm sure! Anyway, Mrs. R is the really loving part of our trio who may, for example, explain to the kids that it's not a healthful choice to lean back in your seat because you might fall, thereby causing yourself to suffer a concussion or worse. Of course, she then lovingly explains to them what a concussion is and why they really don't want one. I, on the other hand, take a sliiiiightly different approach: "Boy, if you fall back in that chair and crack your head open, you are NOT going to the nurse!" Either way, the chair legs come down.
When I finally told them that I would be moving, most cheered, but I could see a few who were not quite so giddy.
I love it! See, I already knew that a few were going to be shell-shocked. You know the ones. Those kids who make it a point to start the year off very slowly so the new teacher won't know exactly WHAT they know, allowing them to skate along for a while. Humph! No skating for them! They are going to have to hit the ground running because I already know what they know since I taught them in the first place.
Anyway, I don't know how I am going to handle the move. My partner teacher and I (the one just like me) are sooooo much alike that we think and say the exact same things at the exact same time. We always know what the other person is thinking and coming to work is a PAR-TY! Our students honestly don't know who is "crazier". They enjoy class (although they work their butts off) and, I believe, learn better because of it.
Having said that, I am moving to a team that is quite different from my current team. I lead a very relaxed classroom that is filled with laughter, talking, and lots of hands-on activities. Where I'm going, I think it's a little more structured, formal, and just-- well, different! Besides, the leader of that pack and I have previously had very strong words, so this should be interesting. I'll keep you posted on that one because sparks are SURE to fly.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Freaky-Deaky
I'm teaching a media literacy unit at school right now. I love doing this unit because I believe in the importance of teaching young people to be be knowledgeable consumers of products and information. It has been going pretty well with all of my classes, so I've felt good about everything.
Reality check!!
I thought I was doing some serious teaching today. A couple of boys who hadn't really paid attention without coercion all year seemed to be fully engrossed in our discussion. Well, what I found out later was that, since I had on a v-neck top today, they were looking at my cleavage.
Little pervs!
I told my husband when I got into the car this afternoon. Instead of wondering what was wrong with the boys like I did, he just laughed and said, "I'm just saying... I would've been looking, too." Big perv!
I'm not surprised, though. Anyone who teaches fourth grade can probably tell you about the hormone surge kids seem to go through between fourth and fifth grades. Kids get taller over the summer, girls start developing a little and going through their bodily changes, and boys get kind of mannish. What am I going to have to put up with next year when I move up with my classes?
Sheesh! I guess I'm going to have to wear turtlenecks every day!
Reality check!!
I thought I was doing some serious teaching today. A couple of boys who hadn't really paid attention without coercion all year seemed to be fully engrossed in our discussion. Well, what I found out later was that, since I had on a v-neck top today, they were looking at my cleavage.
Little pervs!
I told my husband when I got into the car this afternoon. Instead of wondering what was wrong with the boys like I did, he just laughed and said, "I'm just saying... I would've been looking, too." Big perv!
I'm not surprised, though. Anyone who teaches fourth grade can probably tell you about the hormone surge kids seem to go through between fourth and fifth grades. Kids get taller over the summer, girls start developing a little and going through their bodily changes, and boys get kind of mannish. What am I going to have to put up with next year when I move up with my classes?
Sheesh! I guess I'm going to have to wear turtlenecks every day!
Saturday, May 9, 2009
My Twins are Four Years Old...
and I don't know where the time went. If you happen to see it, please let it know that I would like it back!
It seems like yesterday that I was having my (unexpected) c-section to bring them into the world. They were so small, and I was so scared to even touch them at first. They both fit into my shirt for kangaroo care, and we bonded like that for hours upon hours at a time. Me afraid to move a muscle for fear some magical moment would be forever lost. Them nestled in cozily trying to match the wild beating of my heart. There was something truly magical about those first couple of weeks. Something that could only have come from Heaven. I didn't speak loudly or want anything to steal that magic.
Oh, how times change!
This morning, Eliana and I had it out. See, both of my twins are strong-willed. This quality will serve them very well in the future, and I thank God that they were created just the way they are. However, their mother is also strong-willed. Ummm, yeah. So, those great qualities I see in them now are quite infuriating at times for me since they're only four! You know where I'm going with this, don't you?
Well, I asked Eliana to do something and she totally blew me off. I raised my voice with her very sharply when I told her to do it again. This little heffalump raised HER voice and said, "Mommy! I will do it, but don't don't yell at me like that!" Ooooookay! Now, if you know me well, then you know this created a LOT of problems. I was actually quite torn because I DO want them to be able to stand up for themselves, BUT Lord, have mercy because I had to catch myself before I worked that hiney out!
I said a little prayer and took a few deep breaths before I calmly began the following exchange:
Me: First, let me say that I am sorry for yelling at you because I don't want to be a mommy who yells at you.
Lia: It's okay, Mommy. It was an accident.
Me: (sighing) That said, if you ever talk to me like that again, Baby, I am going to build smoke in your pants from tearing your butt up!
Lia: I'm not a baby! I'm four years old now.
Me: Go away.
Lia: Mommy, I'm sorry for being rude to you.
Me: It's okay, Baby. It was an accident.
Lia: Humph!
Y'all pray for me, please, 'Cause she's going to get hurt if she keeps playing with me like that. I'm just saying...
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
In the Eye of the Storm
The unthinkable has happened. A friend of mine has experienced a devastating loss, and I am just so heartbroken for her. I honestly cannot begin to understand the depth of her grief right now, and I hate that I am unable to help her. Only she can walk out this painful journey, along with her husband and family.
I spent the weekend teetering between feelings of excitement, guilt, and deep sympathy. My girls' birthday was yesterday and I was so excited about them attending their first ever tea party. Then, I would think about and pray about my friend's situation and feel guilty that I had that fleeting moment of excitement about my girls' party while my sweet friend was making arrangements for her child's homegoing.
Sometimes life is just HARD.
I know that the Bible says that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Luke 55:8), but trying to trust his plan even when you cannot trace them is such a hard thing to do. How do you, in the midst of tragedy, sit back and just ride? I know that THAT is what true faith and trust in God is all about-- praising him in the midst of our storms and giving him glory in the midst of tragedy. Faith. Trust. Learning to just... ride.
One of my favorite scriptures is Luke 12:48: "To whom much is given, much is required." But I wonder if the converse is also true? Is it then true that upon the one who experiences great tragedy, God bestows great anointing?
I'm going to think about that for awhile.
I spent the weekend teetering between feelings of excitement, guilt, and deep sympathy. My girls' birthday was yesterday and I was so excited about them attending their first ever tea party. Then, I would think about and pray about my friend's situation and feel guilty that I had that fleeting moment of excitement about my girls' party while my sweet friend was making arrangements for her child's homegoing.
Sometimes life is just HARD.
I know that the Bible says that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Luke 55:8), but trying to trust his plan even when you cannot trace them is such a hard thing to do. How do you, in the midst of tragedy, sit back and just ride? I know that THAT is what true faith and trust in God is all about-- praising him in the midst of our storms and giving him glory in the midst of tragedy. Faith. Trust. Learning to just... ride.
One of my favorite scriptures is Luke 12:48: "To whom much is given, much is required." But I wonder if the converse is also true? Is it then true that upon the one who experiences great tragedy, God bestows great anointing?
I'm going to think about that for awhile.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Happy Birthday, Princesses! (This post is for them-- birth story)
Today is my twins' fourth birthday. It is hard to believe that the two little ones who were born so small are already on their way to becoming big girls! I feel as if we somehow skipped a couple of years along the way. Before long, they will be skipping down the hallways at school as kindergartners.
I remember the day I gave birth to them like it was yesterday. I had gone in to see my high risk OB for a routine doctor's appointment and was told that they would be delivered that day because one appeared to be in trouble. I was so scared! When the doctor stepped out to call my regular OB to inform him that I needed to be delivered ASAP, I frantically called my husband at work to tell him to get there quickly.
Within an hour, I was given an epidural and was in the operating room. Greg barely made it and changed into scrubs. I had seen countless episodes of the birthing shows on Discovery Health and knew what the surgery would entail, and I remember wanting to see it through the mirror, although I figured Greg would have objected. (Of course, later, he got to stand up and see it and I missed it all. I felt so cheated!
Anyway, Dr. Martin took out Baby A (Lia). He quickly held her up over the sheet for me to see before passing her off to one of the two NICU teams waiting to work on our preemies. Man, she was tiny! How could she possibly have been the larger twin? There had to have been some sort of mistake! That was all I could think about. Next, Tootie was taken out, but Dr. Martin didn't hold her up. He just immediately handed her off and they went to work. Baby B was the one who had been in trouble on the ultrasound! I didn't know what was wrong, but I figured it had to be something since they didn't let me see her. I heard faint cries that sounded so far off into the distance.
After a few minutes they brought the babies to me to see, but I was too afraid to touch them. I just stared at them, trying to engrave their faces on my heart. I gave them both light kisses before they, and Greg, were whisked away to the NICU and I was, once again, left alone.
A short time later, Greg returned from the NICU and told me the vitals. I couldn't believe it! The high risk OB had estimated Lia to weigh 4lbs, 3oz, but she only really weighed 3lbs, 4oz and was 16 1/2 inches long. He estimated Tootie to be 3lbs, 9oz, but she was the runt of the litter weighing in at 2lbs, 14oz and 16 inches long. Was I ever glad that I had my doctor's appointment that day! They had been in more trouble than anyone really knew.
Miraculously, neither required a respirator. They breathed on their own from the start and stayed in the NICU only to learn to feed from a bottle and grow. They thrived and shattered any of the doctors' expectations. Instead of 6 weeks in the NICU as estimated, they came home together in 20 days tilting the scales at 4lbs, 5oz and 3lbs, 8 oz respectively. (I really think kangaroo care was the key).
When we got home, no one wanted to hold poor little Tootie at first because she was sooo small. She was the feisty one, though, who used to slap the hands of the nurses she didn't like whenever they tried to touch her... yeah, that was at ONE day old! We laughed at her because she kept those fist balled up so tightly as if she were in fight mode all the time! LOL! She also looked a little funny because she was so small that one skull plate sat slightly on top of the other since her head was so little. By the time she was six weeks old, though, it was right! She might've been mean to some of the nurses, but she loved her mama and relaxed so much while resting skin to skin with me for hours at a time. Gosh, how I miss that time!
Lia, on the other hand, was a sweet little cuddler. She would keep this little smile on her face the whole time we did kangaroo care. Who would have known that she'd grow to be so fiercely protective of her little sister (by 4 minutes!)? Who would've known how bossy that sweet little baby would turn out to be! LOL. (Actually, in life, that is known as having LEADERSHIP qualities!)
Over these past four years, I have been so amazed at how smart my girls are in addition to their beauty (obviously!). These little miracles so often reflect the love of God in our lives, and I am eternally thankful for them.
I look forward to seeing the young ladies they will ultimately become. Where will they go to school? What will their careers choices be? Who will they someday marry? What will be their passions in life? I sit awake at night sometimes thinking about them, and other times I tiptoe into their room trying to steal just one more glance, etching just one more memory of them into my brain. I just can't wait to see the plan God has for their lives. Somehow, I know HIS plans for them are big ones.
Girls, you are too young to even read this right now, but know that Mommy loves you. In fact, Mommy loved the hope of you she carried (for twelve years!) until the blessing of you was made manifest. I have loved you for a long, long time, my sweet ones, and I will love you forever.
Happy Birthday, My Miracle Princesses!
Love,
Mommy
I remember the day I gave birth to them like it was yesterday. I had gone in to see my high risk OB for a routine doctor's appointment and was told that they would be delivered that day because one appeared to be in trouble. I was so scared! When the doctor stepped out to call my regular OB to inform him that I needed to be delivered ASAP, I frantically called my husband at work to tell him to get there quickly.
Within an hour, I was given an epidural and was in the operating room. Greg barely made it and changed into scrubs. I had seen countless episodes of the birthing shows on Discovery Health and knew what the surgery would entail, and I remember wanting to see it through the mirror, although I figured Greg would have objected. (Of course, later, he got to stand up and see it and I missed it all. I felt so cheated!
Anyway, Dr. Martin took out Baby A (Lia). He quickly held her up over the sheet for me to see before passing her off to one of the two NICU teams waiting to work on our preemies. Man, she was tiny! How could she possibly have been the larger twin? There had to have been some sort of mistake! That was all I could think about. Next, Tootie was taken out, but Dr. Martin didn't hold her up. He just immediately handed her off and they went to work. Baby B was the one who had been in trouble on the ultrasound! I didn't know what was wrong, but I figured it had to be something since they didn't let me see her. I heard faint cries that sounded so far off into the distance.
After a few minutes they brought the babies to me to see, but I was too afraid to touch them. I just stared at them, trying to engrave their faces on my heart. I gave them both light kisses before they, and Greg, were whisked away to the NICU and I was, once again, left alone.
A short time later, Greg returned from the NICU and told me the vitals. I couldn't believe it! The high risk OB had estimated Lia to weigh 4lbs, 3oz, but she only really weighed 3lbs, 4oz and was 16 1/2 inches long. He estimated Tootie to be 3lbs, 9oz, but she was the runt of the litter weighing in at 2lbs, 14oz and 16 inches long. Was I ever glad that I had my doctor's appointment that day! They had been in more trouble than anyone really knew.
Miraculously, neither required a respirator. They breathed on their own from the start and stayed in the NICU only to learn to feed from a bottle and grow. They thrived and shattered any of the doctors' expectations. Instead of 6 weeks in the NICU as estimated, they came home together in 20 days tilting the scales at 4lbs, 5oz and 3lbs, 8 oz respectively. (I really think kangaroo care was the key).
When we got home, no one wanted to hold poor little Tootie at first because she was sooo small. She was the feisty one, though, who used to slap the hands of the nurses she didn't like whenever they tried to touch her... yeah, that was at ONE day old! We laughed at her because she kept those fist balled up so tightly as if she were in fight mode all the time! LOL! She also looked a little funny because she was so small that one skull plate sat slightly on top of the other since her head was so little. By the time she was six weeks old, though, it was right! She might've been mean to some of the nurses, but she loved her mama and relaxed so much while resting skin to skin with me for hours at a time. Gosh, how I miss that time!
Lia, on the other hand, was a sweet little cuddler. She would keep this little smile on her face the whole time we did kangaroo care. Who would have known that she'd grow to be so fiercely protective of her little sister (by 4 minutes!)? Who would've known how bossy that sweet little baby would turn out to be! LOL. (Actually, in life, that is known as having LEADERSHIP qualities!)
Over these past four years, I have been so amazed at how smart my girls are in addition to their beauty (obviously!). These little miracles so often reflect the love of God in our lives, and I am eternally thankful for them.
I look forward to seeing the young ladies they will ultimately become. Where will they go to school? What will their careers choices be? Who will they someday marry? What will be their passions in life? I sit awake at night sometimes thinking about them, and other times I tiptoe into their room trying to steal just one more glance, etching just one more memory of them into my brain. I just can't wait to see the plan God has for their lives. Somehow, I know HIS plans for them are big ones.
Girls, you are too young to even read this right now, but know that Mommy loves you. In fact, Mommy loved the hope of you she carried (for twelve years!) until the blessing of you was made manifest. I have loved you for a long, long time, my sweet ones, and I will love you forever.
Happy Birthday, My Miracle Princesses!
Love,
Mommy
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