MrsE's Smiles

Patience

2006-09-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a L O N G time since I last blogged, but I took advantage of my summer off work and now that school has resumed, I'm swamped!! Greg keeps encouraging me to blog and eventually I may again, but for now this is low on my priorities and will just have to lie dormant.

It's Getting Close

2006-08-14T17:44:00.000-07:00

I can't believe the time to go back to school is so close. Heather, my daughter(in-law) has already started getting her room ready. Although she starts two weeks before I do, in her making plans, I am getting a little antsy. Last year I had the fewest students I have ever had (13) and this year I am already up to 20. It takes a little more preparation for a greater number of students. Greg asked me if I would be glad to get back to a school schedule. I love teaching, but I also love my summer. I am so glad I have three more weeks of vacation.

What an Adventure!!!

2006-08-02T16:56:00.000-07:00

We got Mother settled in her new home, and after a full day inside we decided to get her out for an adventure. Pam and I needed to get some things from Wal Mart and decided to take Mother to Sam's to eat afterwards. Mother loves their hot dogs as do I! She got on the electric scooter which she drives very well. After we ate, we thought we should go to the restroom before roaming around the store.

As we approached the restroom, a worker came out and Pam asked if the scooter would fit in the area. The worker said she had never seen one in there before. Well, Pam said she thought we would try since it said Handicap Accesssible and we had not brought Mother's walker. Getting in the restroom was pretty easy, but there was no room to turn the scooter around. So we had to try to back it out?! Pam ran it into the sinks, and as she adjusted by pulling forward and then reversing she was able to manuver it to the opening of the door. Here came the tricky part making a 90 degree turn backwards with a trash can and hand driers in the way. Well, we knew it had come in--so it had to be able to go out---Right?!!!

I was laughing so hard watching Pam try to get it out, remembering the time Greg got our travel trailer stuck in a drive through at a Burger King at lunch time in Apopka, Florida. He tried for over 30 minutes to back it out around a crazy curve and finally Cecil had to take over. He was able to free the drive through but the lunch time crunch was over by the time he got it out.

Back to Pam--she finally had to lift the backend of the scooter to get it through the doorway. Mother had a blast with all the laughing. So if you need to get a scooter into a restroom make sure there is plenty of room to make the turn on the way out.

Visitation

2006-07-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

The word, visitation, makes me think of the times I have visited people in their homes, hospitals, or in the nursing homes. It has come that time in my family's life to place mother in a new home for care. I remember the struggles mother had as she had to place her sister in a nursing home. She wanted the best that could be offered. Mother & Daddy were faithful to visit her everytime they came into town which was nearly every day... either visiting someone in the hospital or taking care of other business. Now comes the time that I will visit Mother for the last time in her own home. She will now be in someone else's home where she can be around other people whom she can enjoy. It will be a different visit this time. I remember when my family would leave to go back home from Mom & Dad's home. They would always be a little sad because it might be the last time we would all be together like that. Changes are not bad-just different-a new adventure down our road of life. As a Christian, the point of view for that change is always exciting, looking forward to what God has in store for us just around the bend and this event has made me even more aware of our shut-ins in our area. Some are not as blessed as Mom, having family (which includes the church family) close to visit. Some shut-ins only have the church family close. Isn't it great God made us part a family (His family).?!!

It's Over

2006-07-15T16:58:00.000-07:00

The wedding is over, but a new family begins. It was a most b-e-a-U-ti-ful wedding, but of course I am just a little bit prejudice. I am glad they are finally married and Joshua won't be all alone any more! We have had family and friends around since before the wedding. So this has helped us not to be so lonely or wonder too much about how the new family is doing. We get to go pick them up from the airport Tuesday night. I can't wait to hear about the place they chose to go on their honeymoon. It sounded wonderful from the web site. It will also be nice to share videos and pictures from the wedding with them. I know I didn't remember much about my wedding. It sure would have been nice to have had a video copy or even a audio copy back then. I don't know if it was even available.

Last Day At Last

2006-06-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

All year I worked with a group of students and at times wondered if I was getting through to them. The last day of school for this year has come and gone. As the students left for the summer, the comments from them helped affirm that I had truly touched their lives as they had blessed mine. Looking forward already to the new group coming up. I went into their room to hand out summer enrichment and received a warm welcome and anticipation of the year to come. It sure is a blessing when students show they appreciate what you have tried to do for them during the year and that they are going to miss you during the summer.

No Worries

2006-06-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

Our school secretary, a foster parent, received a call last Thursday night informing her she could come pick up a new born baby girl. They got the sweet little girl home at 1 A.M. on Friday and she was back in the office on Monday with the precious little one. I was able to hold the precious one (five days old) on Monday.

Our secretary had tried a year or so ago to adopt 5 children from one family so they would not be separated. She and her husband fought to keep them but they were split up, much to their dismay. Why would an organization split up a family when they had a place to keep all of the children together??? God only knows!

Our secretary and her husband decided if this child was to be in their family, God would have to make it happen with out any effort from them. After all, their past effort to keep five children didn't work out as they'd planned. But when they put it all in God's hands, it's working out beyond their dreams! It is hard to wait for God's timing, isn't it?

Reminds me of how hard people work to be saved when all we have to do is accept what God has done for us. It is hard not to want to do ... or to think we have to do something to make this happen.

When we don't concern ourselves with day to day decisions to get ahead or try to make our lives better, but instead we put others first and expect God to take care of our needs....doesn't it make life much easier? NO WORRIES!!!! What a blessing!!!

Why take on all the worries of the world when God invites us to rest in what he's done and is doing?

A New Beginning

2006-05-31T21:45:00.000-07:00

As Joshua and Heather plan for their future, we, the parents, think of the times we have had with them as a family. Heather's parents, Kevin & Cindy, along with Greg & I chose several pictures reflecting memories we had made with our families to share with our church family during their wedding shower Sunday. As we remembered all the different stages of growth, through the pictures taken, smiles over took our faces. Isn't it wonderful how God brings two people together to form a family! What marvelous times, happy & sad, Joshua and Heather face! Even though trying times may come, it is such a blessing to know their marriage and future will be strong with God as the center of their family.
Isn't it wonderful to reflect on both the blessings and trials God has brought us through!

Contagious Giggles

2006-05-25T21:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced the contagious giggles? Being one of four girls in my family, you can imagine how much fun we had growing up. I have seen guys get the contagious giggles too. Although I probably should use a more masculine word like laughter!? Oh, well, as I was saying, once you experience this type of laughter you just can't be quite as hard on another person getting the giggles even if it is at a most inappropriate moment in time like during a prayer, sermon, or funeral. Do you remember a time you got the contagious laughter and no matter what, you just couldn't control yourself? I found an electronic birthday card last year that reminded me of myself, my sisters and my children having one of those uncontrolable laughing fits. Be sure to click on the blooper clip. Isn't it GREAT to Laugh!!!

Smile, Someone's Watching

2006-05-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

Greg and I started to smile and then laugh as we watched a young man with an iPod walk across the street. I know you have seen this kind of person before and, who knows, you probably have been one! As he listened to his music, his head started bobbing back and forth and as he reached the other side pf the street the rest of his body began jiving to the music, not much better than Taylor Hicks. I thought--it wasn't too long ago if you saw a person moving in that way or talking out loud to someone that no one else could see, you were considered crazy.

I remember watching a street person, when we first came to CA, talking emphatically to an invisible person, jumping around and using great hand motions. There was no mistaking this person was a little less than normal. How could you? No one talks to himself that way in public?! Now as our world's technology has increased I would catch myself wondering if those people, taking with no one else around down the side walks, or in a store aisle, were crazy. What used to be considered abnormal has now become the norm.

Now if we could see our selves as others see us wouldn't we have a smile on our faces too!

Friends Forever

2006-05-22T19:58:00.000-07:00

The song Friends Are Friends Forever comes to mind this time of year. New beginnings come at the end of special times during our lives. The end of elementary school, middle school (junior high) or high school. As these special times end, often we say "good-bye" to friends we have made along the way.

My good friend, Laura, and I were walking through a lovely park and I noticed two girls sitting on a low limb of a tree. These two girls have been friends through church ever since they were born. This year they both graduate from high school and continue their journey in life going on to college. This brought back a rush of memories that had been stored in a place for extra special memories. Friends that I have made throughtout my life and the wonderful experiences we had together brought joy to my heart and a smile to my face. With some friends you continue making memories, while others you just to get remember the good times you had for a while.

What a blessing they have been to me! How blessed I have been to have had my very best friend continue to enjoy life's experiences! Greg has been there to support, encourage, and love me for over 34 years. He has been a wonderful spiritual leader and father to our two dear children. God has truely blessed me with friends and memories I can enjoy forever.

Overcoming Fears

2006-05-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

I went with my fifth graders to Catalina for a two night three day science camp. This was a big deal for most of the students as well as their parents. The last night devotional was used as a reflection for the students. They shared the fears they had coming to the camp and over came with the Lord's help. As one after another came to the front of the group to share I couldn't help smiling. They faced their fears and praised God for helping them to over come. As I sat, I was thinking of one of my students who had tried everyday to make it up the hill to the devotional site but still had not over come his fear. The path to the site was steep, narrow and very close to the edge of a cliff which over looked the ocean. Each day he had come a little further up the hill but as he looked over the edge and took his eyes off the path, he was over come with fright. The morning of the last day we had one last devotional. To my surprise and joy as I approached the gathering, I saw the student sitting in the front row. He had finally made it! The chaperone that walked with him said he did not even hesitate on the way up. It was so wonderful to finally have him with the rest of the class. Now he could share the fear he had and overcame with God's help. How could you not smile at this!

Class Mascot

2006-05-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

We had a mascot for a day and a half. A little sparrow wondered into our room while we were out to recess yesterday. The maintenance men were called to the rescue. To the room they came to capture this tiny bird with only a baseball cap. After several attempts, I decided it was useless to try and carry on any type of class. So I quickly rushed my class out the door before the bird could escape from our room. We went to lunch early. Leaving the exciting job of containing the bird to the experts. The men decided it wasn't quite as easy as the thought. They left to obtain a butterfly net and return with great enthusiasm. Only to their dismay they found no signs of the bird. They assumed it had gotten out of the room the same way it came in. To our surprise it was only hiding and reappeared toward the end of the day. Back came the valiant men and again the bird escaped them. I enter my room this morning only to find the bird hopping around on the floor looking for food. I set down on the floor a piece of cookie hoping to attract the bird. It worked and I quickly called the men back----they didn't show. In came my students with great excitement and offers to capture the bird themselves. One offered more food. Another suggested it become our mascot. Why not? It didn't seem to want to leave nor to be caught. About 10 minutes before recess and after several flights back and forth across the room the bird finally went out the window that I opened in hopes it would hear the calls of other birds and find its way out. You have to understand that the window had an inside screen and only a very small opening for a hand to reach through to open the latch of the window. It is a wonder the bird found the opening. The rest of the day was quite calm. Now I have to get ready for our Fifth Grade Catalina Trip