According to my sister, Fa la! is the new cool "whatever" at my niece's school. I'm totally up on all the cool jargon and am psyched to introduce this to Hightower Trail and Bethel...Fa la! But the truth is, I'm having a Fa la! kind of a day. I know there's things to do, but I can neither come up with them on the spur of the moment, or can't get them done at this exact moment.
For example, I was greeted with the heartstopping email from my MedFlex spending company stating that the orthodontic bill for Meg's braces wasn't approved and we'd have to send a check for $2662 to cover that expenditure within 20 days. Luckily, my fingers and brain still functioned while my heart didn't because I thought to open the receipt that I'd scanned and emailed to them to find out that I'd scanned and emailed a dental bill from 2009!! But, Fa la!, I don't have the orthodontist's bill here at school, so I'll have to wait until I get home to take care that.
Or there the call I need to make to the girlie doctor to make my yearly appointment, but my calendar is at home. I'm not about to make an appointment without my calendar opened in front of me...been there, done that, by the time I'd figured out I'd doublebooked myself and tried to reschedule things...let's just say, Fa la! definitely covers it!!
Work-wise, the only thing on the helpdesk is something that I can't take care of while students are in the classroom otherwise Math Time becomes Tracy Time! Plus the fact that I'm waiting on a Dell tech to show up so I can't wander too far from the office...well, Fa la!
Add to all of this that I stayed up past my "time that let's me fall asleep easily" watching American Idol and then the Olympics, so I'm very sleepy. Managed to get ready on time even though I took an extra 15 minutes to get out of the bed only to find out that Jo had slept through her alarm! Nothing like having to run across the school parking lot with the eyes of the loooong line of car riders watching you to make your morning start off just peachy!
AND, it seems that choosing to eat the school's sloppy joe for lunch may not have been the best choice for my stomach...wish I'd worn a pedometer. I'd've probably logged a mile walking back and forth to the teacher restroom.
Well, all that adds up to a definitive Fa la! Day!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
There's no place like home!
Home again, home again, jiggedy jog! How wonderful it was to pull into the driveway. Since I haven't blogged since the beginning of December (and I totally blame Facebook on that!), our trip to Israel seems like it just got plunked on our plate. In reality, Luther Rice put together a Holy Land tour. Kenny suggested his services as a videographer with a paid tour. :) That didn't fly, but through God's blessings, Ken and Sandra paid for the two of us to go. We somehow made it off the waiting list and onto the tour AND got my leave on a critical day approved (of course, that critical day ended up being a snow day so all the worry was for naught).
10 days of touring the Sea of Galilee and its environs, the Dead Sea and then finally making our way to Jerusalem. It was exhausting, overwhelming, yet easily makes my top ten list of things that have majorly impacted my life. I don't think I'll sing a hymn, praise song or listen to a sermon or Bible lesson without remembering the sights I saw or the teachings I participated in. I can't wait for Wednesday to see how this trip impacts Kenny's teaching with the youth or for next Sunday when discussions during Sunday school and Ken's sermon will take on a whole new meaning.
My mom, the incomparable Neena the Great, came up for the first 5 days to keep the fires at the old Homestead burning. She and Bill just got done with a River Cruise so her coming up was a true miracle. I don't know that I could have left without her being here...one of those things that you don't know will mean so much until the moment comes.
I hope that we can someone take the kids on a Holy Land tour. I know how it affected me as a 40 year old, I can only imagine how it would have affected my life if I'd done it when I was their ages.
I met so many people that I will remember forever. They have touch my life and touched my heart.
Tonight, as I hit 40+ hrs without sleep (the dozing between stomach cramps on the 10 hr flight between Tel Aviv and Newark doesn't count) I'm emotional and not able to make much sense. Suffice it to say that I wouldn't have missed that opportunity for the world, but as Dorothy said at the end of the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home."
10 days of touring the Sea of Galilee and its environs, the Dead Sea and then finally making our way to Jerusalem. It was exhausting, overwhelming, yet easily makes my top ten list of things that have majorly impacted my life. I don't think I'll sing a hymn, praise song or listen to a sermon or Bible lesson without remembering the sights I saw or the teachings I participated in. I can't wait for Wednesday to see how this trip impacts Kenny's teaching with the youth or for next Sunday when discussions during Sunday school and Ken's sermon will take on a whole new meaning.
My mom, the incomparable Neena the Great, came up for the first 5 days to keep the fires at the old Homestead burning. She and Bill just got done with a River Cruise so her coming up was a true miracle. I don't know that I could have left without her being here...one of those things that you don't know will mean so much until the moment comes.
I hope that we can someone take the kids on a Holy Land tour. I know how it affected me as a 40 year old, I can only imagine how it would have affected my life if I'd done it when I was their ages.
I met so many people that I will remember forever. They have touch my life and touched my heart.
Tonight, as I hit 40+ hrs without sleep (the dozing between stomach cramps on the 10 hr flight between Tel Aviv and Newark doesn't count) I'm emotional and not able to make much sense. Suffice it to say that I wouldn't have missed that opportunity for the world, but as Dorothy said at the end of the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home."
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Concert mode
As we head into December, that can only mean one thing...no, not panic that I haven't bought any presents yet (that panic will hit the week of Christmas)...it's concert time!
The season usually kicks off with the annual Hometown Holiday parade in downtown Conyers. The church always put a float in. The parade is directly followed by the Tree Lighting in front of the courthouse. Guess where the parade doesn't end? Which means whichever child is performing at the tree lighting (they invite schools and area dance studios to come out) has to be hustled from the high school where the parade DOES end, down backroads back to the courthouse and try to get there on time. Usually as school staff personnel, I've been roped into being a child corraler for the school's chorus, too. Last year we decided the better course of action would be to stop the float momentarily on the parade route and have Jo and me hop out. Easier said than done for Miss Graceless here. Apparently the sight of me hopping over the side of the float last year was truly a wonder to behold as year later I'm STILL getting Lorie's eyebrow popping up when she talks about it. In my head, of course, I looked like a gazelle I tell you!
This year I lucked out. No one is involved in any dance troupe/class and Jo's elementary school teacher is out on maternity leave. It was lovely to ride the float without worrying about time, get off the float at the high school, go my car and drive home...especially given the temperatures. Visions of Lorie's almost frostbitten feet one year after walking through a wet parade route and then singing in freezing temperatures still haunt me.
Monday and Tuesday the high school had their Prism Concert, which is their name for the fine arts showcase. I went on Tuesday and was so impressed with the performers. It really was beautiful. It could have been so much better if the audience had behaved better. I don't think I'll ever understand how you can go to a performance and talk the whole time, or burst out laughing at inappropriate areas, or spend the entire time texting! Seriously, one teen behind me would talk louder when the music got louder! Then he decided that it was necessary to whistle to get the attention of a girl in the audience! But it wasn't just teens...it was adults, too. Listen, I like a cute kid as much as the next person...but I came to listen to the performance not your kid hitting a toy or cup against something or jabber and have you jabber back to them. It boggles my mind that people cannot go to a performance and let the performers have their attention! But off the soapbox.
Next Monday and Tuesday I have the middle school band and chorus concerts to attend. Those are always lessons in futility. I support my kids and support the fine arts in the schools, but those performances are usually things only a mom can handle. :)
Follow the middle school concerts with the adult choir performance on the 20th and then I'm footloose and fancy-free. Guess that means I won't have any more excuses to not shop!
The season usually kicks off with the annual Hometown Holiday parade in downtown Conyers. The church always put a float in. The parade is directly followed by the Tree Lighting in front of the courthouse. Guess where the parade doesn't end? Which means whichever child is performing at the tree lighting (they invite schools and area dance studios to come out) has to be hustled from the high school where the parade DOES end, down backroads back to the courthouse and try to get there on time. Usually as school staff personnel, I've been roped into being a child corraler for the school's chorus, too. Last year we decided the better course of action would be to stop the float momentarily on the parade route and have Jo and me hop out. Easier said than done for Miss Graceless here. Apparently the sight of me hopping over the side of the float last year was truly a wonder to behold as year later I'm STILL getting Lorie's eyebrow popping up when she talks about it. In my head, of course, I looked like a gazelle I tell you!
This year I lucked out. No one is involved in any dance troupe/class and Jo's elementary school teacher is out on maternity leave. It was lovely to ride the float without worrying about time, get off the float at the high school, go my car and drive home...especially given the temperatures. Visions of Lorie's almost frostbitten feet one year after walking through a wet parade route and then singing in freezing temperatures still haunt me.
Monday and Tuesday the high school had their Prism Concert, which is their name for the fine arts showcase. I went on Tuesday and was so impressed with the performers. It really was beautiful. It could have been so much better if the audience had behaved better. I don't think I'll ever understand how you can go to a performance and talk the whole time, or burst out laughing at inappropriate areas, or spend the entire time texting! Seriously, one teen behind me would talk louder when the music got louder! Then he decided that it was necessary to whistle to get the attention of a girl in the audience! But it wasn't just teens...it was adults, too. Listen, I like a cute kid as much as the next person...but I came to listen to the performance not your kid hitting a toy or cup against something or jabber and have you jabber back to them. It boggles my mind that people cannot go to a performance and let the performers have their attention! But off the soapbox.
Next Monday and Tuesday I have the middle school band and chorus concerts to attend. Those are always lessons in futility. I support my kids and support the fine arts in the schools, but those performances are usually things only a mom can handle. :)
Follow the middle school concerts with the adult choir performance on the 20th and then I'm footloose and fancy-free. Guess that means I won't have any more excuses to not shop!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Remembering little Lorie
Lorie turned 15 today. She's beautiful...inside and out. I can't take any credit for her physical beauty...she looks more like my sister than she does me. I hope I can take some credit for her inner beauty, but seeing that I act more like a temperamental, immature 12-year old boy (my apologies to any 12 year old boys) , I'm not sure I can take credit for that either...that would be due to the calm, solid nature of the Hubby.
On her birthday I can't help but remember the first few weeks of her life and just how scared I was. She had jaundice, but that was something we'd gone through with little Kenny. I knew as soon as her system decided to kick in, things would be fine. Jaundice and breastfeeding kind of go hand-in-hand. But the day she was cleared by the doctor, he gave the news this way, "We have good news and bad news for you." Never a good sign. I was by myself with Lorie. Mom (if I remember correctly) was at the house with little Kenny, so I had to deal with whatever the "bad news" was all by myself as this was before the cell phone became part of my life. The good news was that her bilirubin levels were fine so the jaundice situation was over. The bad news was that they detected a heart murmur and I needed to take Lorie to the hospital immediately and get an EKG. I still remember thinking, "crud, I'm in white pants", which will be a duh moment for anyone that has been one week postpartum...if you haven't, you don't want to know. Anyhow, the doctor's office was right next door to the hospital so I packed her up and drove her over to the hospital. I remember walking around the hospital being directed to where I needed to go with a big diaper bag and that mammoth-feeling car seat. The technicians that hooked Lorie up to the EKG machine weren't really very soothing. They were nervous because they'd never done this with a child so young. Stoic and strong...that was the word for me. I'd called Mom before going to the hospital to let her know not to expect me home and to let her know what had happened. She got in touch with Kenny and somehow, someway he tracked me down. The phone rang and it was him...that's when I lost it. I can remember being numb and just needing to get through it and then as soon as I heard Kenny's voice, it all became very real and very scary.
She was eventually diagnosed as having two VSDs (ventricular septum defect) and we had to make a number of visits to a pediatric cardiologist. Those were heartwrenching as Lorie was a very healthy, robust type of child and when we'd go to the cardiologist there would be parents in the waiting room with their babies who were thin and obviously not doing well. Lorie was released from the cardiologist's care when she was two. They determined that the holes had closed.
Seems like yesterday sometimes...I am so grateful for my girl!
On her birthday I can't help but remember the first few weeks of her life and just how scared I was. She had jaundice, but that was something we'd gone through with little Kenny. I knew as soon as her system decided to kick in, things would be fine. Jaundice and breastfeeding kind of go hand-in-hand. But the day she was cleared by the doctor, he gave the news this way, "We have good news and bad news for you." Never a good sign. I was by myself with Lorie. Mom (if I remember correctly) was at the house with little Kenny, so I had to deal with whatever the "bad news" was all by myself as this was before the cell phone became part of my life. The good news was that her bilirubin levels were fine so the jaundice situation was over. The bad news was that they detected a heart murmur and I needed to take Lorie to the hospital immediately and get an EKG. I still remember thinking, "crud, I'm in white pants", which will be a duh moment for anyone that has been one week postpartum...if you haven't, you don't want to know. Anyhow, the doctor's office was right next door to the hospital so I packed her up and drove her over to the hospital. I remember walking around the hospital being directed to where I needed to go with a big diaper bag and that mammoth-feeling car seat. The technicians that hooked Lorie up to the EKG machine weren't really very soothing. They were nervous because they'd never done this with a child so young. Stoic and strong...that was the word for me. I'd called Mom before going to the hospital to let her know not to expect me home and to let her know what had happened. She got in touch with Kenny and somehow, someway he tracked me down. The phone rang and it was him...that's when I lost it. I can remember being numb and just needing to get through it and then as soon as I heard Kenny's voice, it all became very real and very scary.
She was eventually diagnosed as having two VSDs (ventricular septum defect) and we had to make a number of visits to a pediatric cardiologist. Those were heartwrenching as Lorie was a very healthy, robust type of child and when we'd go to the cardiologist there would be parents in the waiting room with their babies who were thin and obviously not doing well. Lorie was released from the cardiologist's care when she was two. They determined that the holes had closed.
Seems like yesterday sometimes...I am so grateful for my girl!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Fall, fall, fall
It must be fall...the weather is turning cooler, if not downright cold, and Halloween is right around the corner. Right now I've got a definite case of the blahs. It's hard to get excited about anything and I seem to be able to find fault with EVERYTHING! If I dressed up as a Whiney-Butt for Halloween, I'm afraid I'd just have to dress as myself. What's even worse is that I can't stand to be around people who act like I am! Guess I need to figure out how to get my act together...get those ducks in a row...and all those other cliches that mean "for crying out loud, put your big girl panties on and deal with already!"
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sleep! I just want to sleep!
It seems like all I ever do is sleep. I'm afraid my kids' memories of me will all center around me being in bed. It just seems like I'm always exhausted.
I went in for my thyroid check-up and according to those levels, I should be feel quite perky! (I found out in the spring that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which means that my thyroid antibodies attach and destroy my thyroid hormones. The symptoms of which were all things that the principal had mentioned having a problem with so if I'd found out about the H.T. sooner, I might not have lost my other position. Dang it.) I shouldn't be as draggy as I am and I shouldn't be bothered by temperature like I am. They suggested getting my iron levels checked to be sure I haven't developed anemia. Great...just what I want more needles stuck in me.
Plus, there's the whole exercise thing. I cannot escape the fact that I resemble a Weeble when I walk. (you know, "Weeble wobble but they won't fall down.) I just wish I wasn't such a procrasinator/exercise-weenie. I hate exercising because it makes my legs and rear itch so badly. Plus, if you exercise properly you will sweat. If you sweat, you will stink. If you stink you need to shower. And I don't have that kind of block time! Now, I realize that really sounds like a load of bad excuses, but they really are valid when you think about them. Of course, I have my kids and their bad habits (modeled after my own) staring me in the face begging me to make a difference.
It really stinks being an adult sometimes. As a child you are told what to do and you can choose to do it or not and face the consequences...but, hey, you're a child. You have an instant "out." But as an adult, knowing what you are supposed to do and not doing it affects your kids, too.
I went in for my thyroid check-up and according to those levels, I should be feel quite perky! (I found out in the spring that I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis which means that my thyroid antibodies attach and destroy my thyroid hormones. The symptoms of which were all things that the principal had mentioned having a problem with so if I'd found out about the H.T. sooner, I might not have lost my other position. Dang it.) I shouldn't be as draggy as I am and I shouldn't be bothered by temperature like I am. They suggested getting my iron levels checked to be sure I haven't developed anemia. Great...just what I want more needles stuck in me.
Plus, there's the whole exercise thing. I cannot escape the fact that I resemble a Weeble when I walk. (you know, "Weeble wobble but they won't fall down.) I just wish I wasn't such a procrasinator/exercise-weenie. I hate exercising because it makes my legs and rear itch so badly. Plus, if you exercise properly you will sweat. If you sweat, you will stink. If you stink you need to shower. And I don't have that kind of block time! Now, I realize that really sounds like a load of bad excuses, but they really are valid when you think about them. Of course, I have my kids and their bad habits (modeled after my own) staring me in the face begging me to make a difference.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Victory...tastes so sweet
Okay I know that pride goeth before a fall, and I have a nasty habit of tripping over my own feet, but I've been feeling so down about my new position, that surely, SURELY, I can gloat just a teensy-weensy bit without fearing retribution or karma taking a huge hunk out of my rear! (Although, truth be told...there is enough to spare back there.)
I just managed to fix 3 separate computer issues by just using my wits (and my notes, but I had to know what to look up, so that totally counts in this case). I almost danced down the hallway, I felt so good. One was a printer issue, I so don't know what in the world I did but it didn't work when I walked in and it did when I walked out, so it counts. The teacher said her printer wasn't working so I jiggled all the connections, sat down at her desk and tried to print something...AND IT WORKED. So...onward. I had to change computers that the teacher's ActivBoard was connect to. This isn't hard, just irritating because of all the different cables you have to play with. Plus, the cables from the 4 computers in the same area were one big snake pit. The USB cord wasn't long enough so I ended up having to physically move two computers, then replug them up. Just before I left, I remembered that this teacher had a Document Camera (think really cool overhead projector that puts the picture through the computer and onto the ActivBoard so you can interact with it...only thing is is that it looks like something from outerspace), so I went about installing the software that went with that and in checking to see if I did that right, realized that the new computer I'd hooked up to the ActivBoard didn't have the software on it to run it! I added that (with just a little help from my notes) and before I left had the ActivBoard AND Document Camera running. Then I popped into my friendly library to check on the media specialist's laptop and try to figure out if I could get her connected to the wireless network. Thanks to my amazing notetaking skills, I was able to come up with a solution and teach her something new...which we all enjoy.
Then I did the Big White Girl Rump Bump all the way down the hall to my office.
YES! Well, the glory of that moment is now over and done. Back to life as I know it. But at least I have this documented for all posterity (or until something happens to Blogger) and can come back and read it to enjoy the thrill of victory another time when I'm down in the dumps because all I could do is say, "I don't know how to fix that. I'll have to check with Lisa."
I just managed to fix 3 separate computer issues by just using my wits (and my notes, but I had to know what to look up, so that totally counts in this case). I almost danced down the hallway, I felt so good. One was a printer issue, I so don't know what in the world I did but it didn't work when I walked in and it did when I walked out, so it counts. The teacher said her printer wasn't working so I jiggled all the connections, sat down at her desk and tried to print something...AND IT WORKED. So...onward. I had to change computers that the teacher's ActivBoard was connect to. This isn't hard, just irritating because of all the different cables you have to play with. Plus, the cables from the 4 computers in the same area were one big snake pit. The USB cord wasn't long enough so I ended up having to physically move two computers, then replug them up. Just before I left, I remembered that this teacher had a Document Camera (think really cool overhead projector that puts the picture through the computer and onto the ActivBoard so you can interact with it...only thing is is that it looks like something from outerspace), so I went about installing the software that went with that and in checking to see if I did that right, realized that the new computer I'd hooked up to the ActivBoard didn't have the software on it to run it! I added that (with just a little help from my notes) and before I left had the ActivBoard AND Document Camera running. Then I popped into my friendly library to check on the media specialist's laptop and try to figure out if I could get her connected to the wireless network. Thanks to my amazing notetaking skills, I was able to come up with a solution and teach her something new...which we all enjoy.
Then I did the Big White Girl Rump Bump all the way down the hall to my office.
YES! Well, the glory of that moment is now over and done. Back to life as I know it. But at least I have this documented for all posterity (or until something happens to Blogger) and can come back and read it to enjoy the thrill of victory another time when I'm down in the dumps because all I could do is say, "I don't know how to fix that. I'll have to check with Lisa."
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