Weather

We just got home from IHOP - our usual meal Wed nights after church. It is so cold tonight, I just put a blanket on my bed. I usually just sleep with a comforter, and not a very warm one. Yes, winter has come to Tucson. At least for the next few days. I think it is supposed to be in the 30's tonight. Of course next week it might be warm again. I kind of like being able to wear a sweater - or tonight, a jacket.

Yesterday I subbed for a resource teacher - which is the job I held for the last fifteen years of my teaching career. At this particular elementary school - which is the only one I sub at - I saw a total of about 15 students, ranging from 2nd grade to 5th. I saw them in groups of two to one group of 6. When I retired I had about 30 students in my program and had 3 large groups in the morning and a group a little smaller after lunch. Our school went through sixth grade. The resource program is a part of special education. It is for students with learning disabilities that are not so severe that they need a full day or self-contained classroom program. The goal of the program is to try to get the student's skills up enough to not need the program - so general education teachers work hard to get a student qualified for special education then it was my job to get them out. Some students will always need that extra help, but some don't. We had a teacher once that had been in a resource program when she was in elementary school - but both of her parents were teachers. One of my former students is now a department manager in a Target store. The stories do not all have happy endings - one student that I had had from 3rd to 6th grade was killed when he was in high school by a gang member - he was taking a date home and was in the wrong part of town. Another student who I only had one year- the one year I wanted to teach in high school (big mistake)- was arrested for killing a boy who had supposedly stolen his girlfriend. This happened after he had graduated from high school. I don't know what the outcome was. I do know that he was very hard to like. He was surly and I always felt he was capable of more. Yesterday for the first time I really missed teaching - but not enough to go back full time.

Tomorrow is dentist day - only a cleaning, thank goodness. I have crooked teeth, but they are strong. Well I think I will read a few blogs and go to sleep.

After Thanksgiving

I had a great Thanksgiving. The couple from church that we invited seemed to enjoy it - they ate everything on their plate. Somehow after cooking for so long I am never as hungry. On Friday I even watched UT vs Texas A&M. I don't usually watch football but it just seemed like the thing to do on the day after Thanksgiving. I NEVER go shopping on that day. I did it once a long time ago and said never again! Anyway, I rooted for Univ of Texas and they LOST. I didn't get dressed until evening and then it was so I could go and get McDonald's. I was tired of turkey. I think next year we will go to Mississippi and have ribs with Dee and Tom. Or maybe Dina will have that great place in Hawaii and I'll go there.

We've Got A Preacher!

I am so excited. I still can't tell you who it is because I don't know if he is ready to tell yet. Maybe he will reveal it on my blog - or his. Welcome and I couldn't be happier.

Sick Day

I woke up in the night thinking I had heartburn - we had gone out for Mexican food last night. Then this morning I had stomach cramps and diareah (I don't think that is spelled right but I don't feel like looking it up). I haven't eaten anything today and it is noon. I have chorus rehearsal tonight and we are getting ready for several Christmas performances so I need to be there. Maybe I will feel better by tonight. No news yet on our new preacher.

The Weekend

I just got home from singing at a Senior Center about 2 hours from here. We sang from 3 - 4:15, then some of us went to a guest ranch and had dinner and listened to a country singer and a guy who played guiltar and keyboard. We even sang for the people in saloon/restaurant. Now I am tired, but felt like I needed to check in. Yesterday Tom went to a clean-up day at a church camp and I went to see Stranger than Fiction with Will Farrell. I liked it. End of review. Last night we went to a small group gathering to visit with the "visiting preacher". It was great to meet him in person after reading his blog. I wish I could tell you who it is but I guess we won't know until after tomorrow night when the elders meet. If he is our man I'll tell you as soon as I know, If he isn't our man I won't tell you because you would wonder why we let him get away. I am really praying that he is the one. I like him and his family. Pray about it please.

Greetings from California

Well, we took a little detour coming home from Atlanta. We fly standby and the seats to Tucson were full, but there were seats on the flight to Orange County, so here we are. Our son is driving up from Imperial where he has been working since last Wed and we will drive back to Tucson this afternoon. When we were leaving Atlanta going to Savannah last Tuesday night there were seats on a Delta flight to Paris and if I had had my passport we could have been in Paris. I lost it when we went to Mexico City a year ago in March. I didn't lose it in Mexico but in the taxi in Tucson. I never got a new one but I have the paper work at home and first thing tomorrow I am going to get that filled out and mailed in.

I got some good pictures in GA, but I forgot to bring my USB attachment for the computer so you will have to wait until I get home to see some of those. I will write more about our trip when I have the pictures.

Now for the exciting news. A fellow blogger will be preaching at Palo Verde Church of Christ this Sunday. We hope he will be the minister that we have been praying for. I will just say it is not Scott - nor Mike Cope, but there a lot of other ministers out there who blog, so its your guess. Please pray for us.

Off We Go

Yes, we are taking off tomorrow. We are flying to Atlanta, changing planes and going on to Savannah. We are renting a car there and will spend three nights. We are driving to Augusta from there, spending the night then driving to Atlanta on Saturday. We are planning to worship at North Atlanta Church of Christ on Sunday. We are hoping Don will be preaching. We are hoping to fly home on Sunday night. I just noticed I started every sentence, except the first one with "we". I know that is poor writing, but "oh, well".

Friday

I subbed today for Kindergarten. I had 14 students and I had a good day. One little boy had to have his card turned to red. They start with green, then first turn is to yellow, then to red. This partiular boy could have had "triple red". He just always seemed to be doing something he wasn't supposed to do - or was someplace he shouldn't have been. One little girl didn't make it to the bathroom in time, so she had to go to the office where they keep extra clothes for such emergencies. I really think K teachers have a special place in heaven - Bev, I'm thinking of you.

We were supposed to go the Y when I got home but Tom said he could pass it up and I needed to sit down and put my feet up. For some strange reason I couldn't see my ankles. You don't sit down much in Kindergarten. I am getting hungry so I better figure out if I'm going to cook or go out to eat. Decisions - decisions!

Halloween - the Day After

I have just finished reading several blogs about Halloween and I didn't read of one that shared our experience - we had our Halloween candy stolen right from our front porch. We have a security door and a little entry and Tom had put a little table out there with the candy in a bowl, then he sat at the kitchen table and played on his computer waiting for the kids. I was in the bedroom keeping Murphy from barking at the trick or treaters. He had seen several cuties when our next door neighbors came over. When he got to the door he discovered we had been robbed- no candy and NO BOWL! At least they left the table. Can you believe that?