Flashback Friday--Supersonic

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Ahhhh, high school days....I was a cheerleader....skinny....had great friends and guys I was talkin' to in Rossville, Kingsport, and Big Stone Gap....those were the days!

I was also dancing, and as cheerleaders, we danced as well. This was the beginning days of hip hop, when Salt N Pepa had just started, so had TLC and Queen Latifah. The Varsity Cheerleaders did a dance to this song (I was a B-Team Cheerleader) and I LOVED the song! We watched them practice the dance so often I probably, at the time, could have jumped up and done it with 'em!

So I present to you....Supersonic!



So what about you? What takes you back today? What songs are you listening to as you get your Christmas shopping done? Come share with us!

Starting next week, we'll play some holiday music for Flashback Friday....remember some of those songs that New Kids on the Block had on their Christmas album?!

Our Thanksgiving journey...and injuries!

Well, the day started off like most others that are not school days. The boys woke me up watching TV while waiting for the appointed hour when they can go play video games and/or computer games. So I dozed on and off and decided to get up and moving around 8. Chris actually slept in til almost 9, and then got up and started cooking. He fixed a squash dish, sweet potato fries, chocolate candy, and Wassail. I got the boys bathed and myself bathed, and we left for my sister Brenda's house around 12:15. We pulled in their driveway and started unloading the food. Isaac and Adam were in front of me and Chris, and one of their dogs was laying in front of the door we were headed towards. Chris has just started telling Isaac to get back, cause it was the dog that can be tempermental.

Unfortunately, he couldn't get the words out before Bugs started pretty much attacking Isaac's leg! Isaac was screaming and crying, and Chris came as fast as he could to get the dog off him, and I was banging on the kitchen window to get my brother-in-law or nephews out there. I got Isaac in the house and started getting cleaned up. He will probably be more sore tomorrow than he was today....he has a puncture wound, some bruising, and some scratches. He calmed down and started playing, and we had a nice time visiting with cousins and my brother-in-law's family, who are LIKE family to us.

Then about 5 or so, Chris started saying we needed to get ready to go to his aunt's house. We got the boys together, and were walking down the hill when who but super clutz (ME) fell flat on my behind in the mud! I'm sure I'm gonna have a good bruise on my rear, and I stove up my wrist and hand pretty good, too!

So we go to the house so I can change clothes and change the dressing on Isaac's bite. Then we headed to Uncle Kent and Aunt Dale's house. We got something to eat and visited a while there. Isaac and Adam had their shoes off (of course) and Isaac was sliding through a sparsely furnished room on his sock feet. I got up and moved a table that I had been sitting (shhhhhhh! Don't tell!) on with Chris' cousin at the computer, and had JUST told Isaac to be careful when what does he do but run smack into the table, and a leg falls off it!

So we apologized profusely and Isaac was super embarrassed and felt badly. Later they told us that it had been glued back together numerous times, so the wonder is that *I* didn't break it down by sitting on it! We headed on home about an hour later before we either ended up buying 'em all new furniture or had to go to the ER!!

All in all, it was a beautiful and relaxing day. We all enjoyed ourselves and ate more than we needed to, and were blessed to spend time with both sides of the family!

And get this! Chris' parents have offered to keep the boys tomorrow night (all night!) so Chris is going to take me out to dinner and to a movie that doesn't involve cartoon or superhero characters! I think we're gonna go see The Changeling!

I hope that you all had a fantastic day, too!

Wordless Wednesday--Katie upside down!

That's my niece performing at a school beauty pageant! She is going to be dancing both the Snow Queen solo and the Arabian pas de deux in The Intercity Ballet's Nutcracker!

Photo courtesy Rindi Perry

I am thankful for....

There are SO many things/people to be thankful for every day, but I'm just gonna list a few that come to mind....

I'm very thankful for a Godly husband who is SO patient, understanding, and loving, and is such a good Daddy. I'm thankful for 2 healthy, smart, sweet, funny, loving sons. I'm thankful for the health of my family and friends, and thankful that technology is such that even if my Daddy has to have open heart surgery, his surgery and recovery can be successful.

I'm thankful for a job that I enjoy and where I can be surrounded by such fantastic coworkers and Christian friends. I am also thankful for my online friends and few loyal friends in real life. I am very blessed to also be friends with my family members, and I thank the Lord for that as well!

I'm thankful that my husband and I can live close to our families in an area that we love.

I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to further my education in something I love, and esp. that my school system is paying for it!

I'm so thankful for the many, many, many blessings that My Lord bestows upon me and my loved ones day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute. I am grateful that He loves me unconditionally, and that I know that I am spending eternity in a blessed place with Him!

If you'd like to join in this meme, visit here!

I also linked this post to 5 Minutes for Mom's Thankful Blog posts!

Not the greatest news today

My oldest nephew played the last game of his high school football career today. The boys lost to Lebanon and will not be traveling on further toward a state championship. They were all very sad and crying. I held it together just fine until I saw Ked...and to see this big 18 year old man crying like he did when he was so little, that I had to cry myself. Logan was all torn up as well, as were most of the seniors. It broke my heart to see their mamas trying to ease their hurt hearts like they used to fix their bumps and bruises.

And we also got bad news last night....Chris' aunt has breast cancer, on both sides. Apparently it is pretty bad, too, because they are giving her a Chemo port before even doing a Masectomy. Please, please pray for Kay and their entire family! Chris' Mamaw was very upset about it when we went up there last night.

So...not the most chipper and uplifting post today. Sorry about that.

Flashback Friday--Broken Wings

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Snow day again for me! And snow days remind me of the 7th grade, as does this song. I had just discovered boys, and talking about them, to them, or thinking about them took up a great deal of my time!

Broken Wings reminds me of that time in my life. I go the Mr. Mister tape (yes, cassette!) for my birthday and LOVED it. I played that thing to death! I remember times that were great and also times that weren't so great, like feeling left out with my good friends. I honestly think that I experienced the first taste of depression in Seventh Grade.

But I didn't pick this song to be down! I still love this song!! Enjoy!



Now it is YOUR turn to join in! What songs take you back? Anything you care to remember today? I'd love to take a peek back with you!

I've got a new site!

With a GIVEAWAY!! Perfect for a Christmas gift....please go check it out and spread the word!


Leapster 2 Giveaway

SNOW DAY

I don't EVER remember missing school this early in the school day, but hey, who am I to argue with Mother Nature?! It must be bad on the other, higher elevation/more mountainous side of the county cause we don't have any snow to speak of. I'm just enjoying my unexpected day off! I still have to go to class tonight, but that is okay, too!

This is why I teach!

I have a student in my reading class who had a real personality conflict with a Kindergarten teacher last year. It finally got to the point that his parents requested that he be reassigned to another teacher. This bothered his parents and J. very much, and left J. being very insecure about his abilities and unsure of how to respond to teachers.

J. has been doing just fine in my class, but his parents still worried that he might have some attention problems. I have known J's parents for years, so we converse often about his progress. J. is a great kid....has a fantastic personality and writes very interesting and detailed stories for his age/time in the school year.

The other day, I was shopping online for books to give for Christmas presents. I came across a book about a middle child, and thought immediately of J. (He has an older and a younger sister.) I just couldn't stand not to buy it for him!

It came in last week and I had J. come down to the room so I could give it to him privately. He didn't really have much to say, so I wasn't sure if he liked it or not. That is until I got the sweetest email from his mother today!

She told me that J. carried the book around with him all weekend! He even took it to a birthday party and to his grandparent's house. She said that he had been reading to everyone. She thanked me for giving him the confidence that he needed to read, and for giving the extra attention that was helping him be successful.

Needless to say, I am thrilled! So often in teaching, we seem to give and give and give, and wonder if anyone even notices. We often don't hear from parents at all unless they have a complaint. To hear that I have made a difference in this child's life, especially after he was not in the best situation last year, brings tears to my eyes!

THIS, my friends, is why I do what I do!

I just got to be part of something wonderful!!

I am part of a great group of women online at My Parent Connection (I've got a button below if you want to visit!) I have 'known' many of these women online for more than 5 years through different message boards. I've met a few in person, but even for the ones I haven't, I feel deep affection and friendship.

So we have this one friend I'll call Cathy. Cathy is a wonderful Christian lady and has been a friend to us all over the years. Lately she and her family have had a rough time of it financially. Even so, she has given God credit for them keeping it together and making it through. She has called upon Him and tried to have faith through everything.

Cathy LOVES Third Day. She is a huge fan and has seen them numerous times. (I even got to go to a concert with her!) So when she heard that they were going to be close by, it crushed her cause she knew that she wouldn't be able to go.

Here enters another friend who I'll call Tammy. She contacts Jennifer and asks if she can mail her a check to buy Cathy the tickets to go to the show. Jennifer and Tammy decide to make it a group effort and include Diane and me in the plans.

I just finished a Yahoo Instant Messenger conference with the girls, where we sent Cathy the internet link to how she can get her tickets. We went together and bought them for her. She was THRILLED! She kept saying that we were too much, and asked why we would do this....we did it because she loves us and would do anything for us, so we wanted to give to her. It feels wonderful to know that I have MADE someone's day, month, maybe even year!

If you don't know how good it feels to give something to someone who totally doesn't expect it, and to give it for no other reason than Just Because, then I suggest you find someone to shower with such love soon!

And if you read this, Cathy, Jennifer, Tammy, or Diane, I love you girls!!! How do ya like your pseudonyms?!

My boys won their District playoff game!

That's Logan, #22, getting the tackle in the picture!!

They played like real winners!! The field was muddy, which made it even harder. We won 27-14, with PV getting their second touchdown with only seconds left in the game. The highlights for me were numerous: before the game started, all the senior lined up holding hands behind the captains mid-field during the coin toss. Not only was my nephew out there, but also two boys who were in my first group of first graders, and other boys I've watched grow up as they went to the school where I teach. I couldn't help tearing up!

Ked was 4 for 4 with his field goals, so that rocked, and Logan had several crucial tackles. One was near the end of the game when no one thought that the opponent running could be caught! Logan was unbelievably fast!! I'm so proud of my boys!

Chris has a cold so he and Adam didn't go to the game. I'm so glad that we won, cause I hated the thought of Chris missing Ked's last game. We play next Saturday! Go Big Blue!

Flashback Friday--Bobbie Ann Mason

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It's Rick Trevino!!
Ahhhhh, the memories! Robin and I decided that we just loved this guy one year in college! We watched his videos on CMT and had a little crush on him. We went to see him at Spring Fling in JC one spring, and even stood around til we could get his autograph....after we scared him that we were gonna attack him! We were standing by ourselves where he would have to pass us on the way to the tent where he was going to sign autographs. We actually HEARD him ask his security guards to get on either side of him! Then we went and saw him again at Dollywood, too. I could go on, but I better get to school....so here ya go with the song!



Join in please!! Tell us what brings back memories for YOU this week!!

7 Things....

Erin at School teacher by day, Superhero by night recently did this meme, and I couldn't resist! The gist is that I share seven things about me that relate to the holidays. You read them and agree that my seven items are awesome, then you share yours. Fun, right?

1. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. I love it all, except the crowds when shopping! I love it so much that I get down every year after it is over because it means that it is almost time for me to go back to work for the looooooong winter with no break unless it snows!

2. My favorite Christmas movie is "It's a Wonderful Life!" When our family got our very first VCR, we taped it on TV when it came on. I stopped it at a commercial to make sure it was taping, and ended up taping over the swimming pool scene!

3. I love lots of Christmas music, but one of my favorite songs is "Tennessee Christmas" by Amy Grant. Reminds me of my childhood, part of which was spent living in Tennessee! Even if I live across the Virginia state line, part of my will always be a Tennessee girl!

4. Our tradition growing up was to put the Christmas tree up on my sister Brenda's birthday, Dec. 14. I still would rather put the tree up near then, closer to Christmas, and then leave it up through Epiphany. This kills lots of people around here who put it up at Thanksgiving and it comes down the day after Christmas. Such a rebel, I am!

5. My favorite part of Christmas is definitely the Christmas Eve service that we hold at 11 pm at our church. What a wonderful way to bring in the day, by spending it in God's house celebrating His son's birth. It is sometimes made even more special by my Dad being asked to lead the service. When he does this, he usually has his grandkids assist in the service as acolytes. My boys are about to be old enough to get to participate in this, and boy will the tears flow then! I loved helping Dad with this service and did so for quite a few years.

6. Another tradition that I really enjoy is going Christmas caroling. When I was a little girl, we would go as a community to carol in our neighborhood and then have a big party at the Foster's house. That tradition died out as we children grew up and moved away. The Fosters have both relocated to Heaven, but their memory is still alive and well with me.
Now we go as a church group to carol to shut ins and people from our church who are in the nursing home. Sometimes we have a big crowd, but more often than not, it ends up being my family, my parents, and my sisters and their families. This is just fine with us, though I'm sure that others would enjoy it if they took the time.

7. One Christmas when I was very small, my sisters and I all spent the night in one room and thought that we would stay awake to wait for Santa. Though looking back now, I realize that we didn't stay awake all night, but to a young child it felt like it since I'd never been allowed to stay up so late! It is still a fond memory!

So how about you? Please share things about you related to the holidays, and let me know so I can come read all about 'em!

FYI

All the comments I deleted on my last post were from escort services. I'm not sure how they found me, but it makes me sick. So now ya know....

I didn't stay at work today....I either had a touch of the stomach bug or it was an attack of the IBS, not sure. Either way, I was in lots of pain this morning, and then slept the rest of the day!

Hope ya'll are feeling better today than I have!

prayers for a co-worker

We found out today that the nurse coordinator for our county, Debbie, has inoperable liver cancer. They are sending in an experimental drug to try tomorrow, so she'll be in the hospital for a few days. They are researching if there is anywhere else that they can possibly go for treatment.

Debbie is one of the absolutely sweetest ladies I know. She's always positive and friendly. I can't imagine anyone ever being upset with her! She is also a wife and mom to two adult sons. Her son Adam traveled back and forth to class with Chris when they were getting their administrative classes done. They are just a great family!

It is really making me very sad about this....my emotions are just right under the surface, you know? One of my defense mechanisms when I'm upset is just shutting down and sleeping, and that is what I've been fighting all evening. There has just been so much sickness, death, divorce, and sadness in our community lately. I just really hurt for all these people I love so dearly!

Please pray for Debbie and her family, and I'll try to update if I know anything more!

Talents

Got this idea from Get It Write Here!

If you could have one talent that you do not have now, what would it be and how would it change your life?

I would love to have the ability to play the piano well. It would improve my life because I could contribute another talent to the Lord within my church. I would also love to be organized, which I believe to be a talent! Man, that would change my life considerably....my house and classroom, and even my car, would be so much neater!

I've told lots of people that I'm gonna have these talents in Heaven! When Saint Peter needs something organized, he's gonna be calling on me to do it!

I've been tagged!

Pamela over at PKMU tagged me for this fun meme!

Five Things I Was Doing 10 Years Ago
1. Enjoying being a newlywed (July 1998)
2. Living in my mom and dad's retirement home...it was a 70s paradise! LOL
3. Enjoying my 2nd year teaching first grade
4. surfing the net religiously for teaching ideas
5. stressing over my house not being as clean as my sister-in-law's

Five Things On My To Do List
1. Start dinner here in a few
2. Work on laundry
3. Print papers to take to class tomorrow night
4. Get Adam's school picture order ready to send
5. Help Isaac with homework

Five Things I Like To Snack On
1. chocolate of any form
2. ice cream
3. nuts
4. cheese
5. grapes

Five Things I Would Do If I Was A Millionaire
1. move to a bigger house
2. pay off house and our church addition
3. quit work
4. get a manicure! LOL
5. buy some nice clothes

Five Places I Have Lived
1. Weber City, VA
2. Kingsport, TN
3. Big Stone Gap, VA
4. Rossville, GA
5. Emory, VA

Five Jobs I Have Had
1. Summer youth worker
2. retail worker in a stationery store
3. daycare worker
4. visually impaired teacher
5. first grade teacher

Five People I Am Tagging
1. Robin
2. Judy
3. Kami
4. Maricris
5. Tara

Had a good weekend!

How 'bout you? Friday night my friend Robin and I went out to eat. Unfortunately, my stomach started bothering me and I was hit with nausea as we were leaving the restaurant, so that cut our evening short. Which reminds me, I can take my leftovers for lunch tomorrow....sweet! LOL

Saturday I went to Curves for the first time in a LONG time with mom. My stomach started bothering me again while there, so I took it easy after getting the boys lunch. Chris went to prepare his BBQ chicken for our church BBQ Cookoff Fundraiser. We also had a talent show, kids games, hayrides, and a country store! It was a good time of fellowship and we raised some money for our building fund, too! The boys got up and danced to Cupid Shuffle for the talent show....they're cute even if I do say so myself!

Today was Sunday School and church, a nice nap, and then I finished my third paper that is due Tuesday and folded and put away a ton of laundry. I really feel like I accomplished something around here for the first time in a while! Boy, does that feel good!

Hope your weekend went well, too!

Flashback Friday--Patience

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This song doesn't always bring back great memories, but it has been long enough now that they aren't painful. I first heard this song with my dear friend Amy when I was visiting her over Christmas break in December/ January 1988. The song got to be popular that spring. It was the same spring that I spent a month in a rehabilitation hospital when I was first diagnosed with depression. Yeah, good times! LOL It really was an enlightening time, truly. I'm thankful for it, for I am thankful that we figured out what I was dealing with so young (I was 16).

So what I remember is a fellow patient or 10 walking around singing this song off key all the time! For a long time I HATED the song cause they had run it in the ground!

Those not so great memories...we still need to remember them, cause they helped to make us who were are today!

Here it is....Patience by Guns N Roses!



I later dated a huge GNR fan and saw them in concert...16 rows back on the floor! Now THAT was a good time!!

What are you remembering today? Please join in the fun!

So how ya doin'?

Thought I'd give a little medical update. The rash DID come back about 2 weeks ago, and I took myself off the Diclofenac that I was taking for pain. The rash went away! So I'm pretty sure that is what I am allergic to. I started having trouble about the same time that the look of the pills changed, so I'll bet I'm allergic to something in that specific company's makeup. Either way, it is GONE! I saw my GNP today and she said put me on Tramadol, so we'll see how that goes. I also asked her to up my prescription for Zoloft. I have been fighting depression, and since I typically have to up the meds every 5 years or so, it must be time. So I'm hoping that things start looking up some more for me now!

I didn't realize how much the Diclofenac was helping with the pain until I wasn't taking it. By midday without it, my feet and legs were hurting quite a bit. I was also having trouble sleeping, so I'd say it was affecting that as well.

So there's an update on lil oh me!

Wordless Wednesday--Number 22

That's my boy doin' his job on the field!

The fall festival, she is over!

Let's see....I left for work at 20 til 7 this morning. I came home for about an hour, and went back to work. Just got home again. LONG day, but it is OVER until next year!

And thankfully we have tomorrow off for election day! I 'just' need to clean the house and write 3 papers!

Let's see if that happens! HA!

Easy like Sunday Morning

Hello, folks! I'm feeling better enough now to smile and be positive. An extra hour of sleep will help ya out like that!

I went to a good conference yesterday. It was a reading conference, and lasted til 1 and then I came home and took a nap! Do you notice a trend here, that sleep matters in my life?! It is my favorite hobby! LOL

Today we have the regular activities. I've got to get lesson plans done. I don't have class this week or have school on Tuesday so I can work on the three papers I need to have done by NEXT Tuesday then.

Tomorrow we have school and then our Fall Festival. I just love how our PTO is supposedly doing this, but it really is the teachers that run the games. I'm a parent, but I can't volunteer to help out my son's teacher with her game since I'll be running my own. We'll be there from 5-9. Yeah. Good times. I don't mean to sound cynical, but we have had SO many days we had to stay after school for something, that I'm just worn out. We do get time toward the extra 20 days we have to work each year, but we don't get one MINUTE over what we were actually there, and half the time we don't get as much as we were truly there. Maybe it wouldn't irritate me so much if other schools were treated the same way, but they aren't. I'm over it.

OK, well, I need to get into a church state of mind here, so I'll quit griping. Have a great Sunday!