Obama vs. DOOL!!!! ...

A lot has happened since the last time I have given everyone my two cents worth. I buried another student on Thursday. It seems like Brad Johnson died while text messaging. Scary thought since I now have a teenagae driver at home. Brad was a wonderful kid. He made me laugh every day and when I saw that he graduated with honors two year ago I was somewhat proud thinking that I had a little to do with that. What a great kid...what a great memory...what a tragic loss for his family especially his twin sister who was equally as wonderful.

I sent my daughter to Denver today to a dance competition. It is the first one I have ever had to miss. I feel somewhat like a dead beat parent. I always want to be there for my kids. I really wish I wouldn't have committed to the volleyball tournament that I signed up for this weekend. I know Ashley will thrive and do well but I love to be there and watch how well she does. I do take great pride in all of her accomplishments even though I am only the person who signs the check so that she can go to these things. Her talent is definately not inherited from me.

Both of my children did exceptionally well in school this quarter. I am so very proud of them. I learned this quarter that perserverence is often better then the letter grades that a child receives. A valuable lesson as a parent and teacher. Thank God that I was blessed with these wonderful human beings that can still teach me so much in my (what I consdider) extremley well educated 42 years of life.

Mike is now entering his one year anniversary at Wyoming Machinery. What a great gift that has been for him. He is finally reaping the benefits of being a wonderful, kind human being. I know more wonderful things will come for him thanks to his job and the happiness it gives to him. I still hate the 9-6 shift though.

As for me I have been blessed? with my greatest challenge this year as an educator. I truly believe it is time for me to make a decision about my future in education. I am facing the most difficult class of students I have ever had. I find myself involved in too much drama thanks to their little, complicated lives. I wonder daily how parents can treat their flesh and blood so evily. I have more sleepless nights this school year then ever before. How can a legal system let little children endure what these kiddos live day to day. I can't even begin to share with everyone the heart wrenching day to day struggles these little beings go through. I know that wishing I was in another situation is a sin...but I am truly envious of my son's second grade teacher. It seems like he lives in the perfect little world of what I wanted when I became a teacher. Stephen is truly lucky to have a teacher that gets to be an awesome teacher each and every day thanks to the caliber and well being of his students.

OK enough of the whoa is me crap...As I look upon the upcoming holiday season I am looking for the splendid feeling that I always get with enjoying the spirit of the season. 48 days to go until...Christmas! C'mon feeling...I am so ready!

Oh, yeah...Obama is already on my bad side. He interrupted thirty-two minutes of Days of Our Lives today thanks to his stimulus speech. I am so looking forward to the Clinton vs. Palin cat fight in 2012!!!!