Pranks

I spent part of last week and all of the past weekend really sick. I had multiple infections, fever, etc. I was so exhausted, I didn't feel like doing much of anything. I slept a lot and ate very little. I had people asking me every day if I were feeling better. Then they stopped. Why did they stop? Because they saw my facebook statuses.

Those statuses were about my use of a gorilla mask. We have one from a couple of years ago that Nathan wore for Halloween. It is huge and black and hairy. I used the mask several different times over the course of a couple of days to mess with the boys. I popped up right in front of Benjamin while he was playing the Wii. I waited for him and for Matthew outside the bathroom when they took showers. I popped out and scared Nathan. I waited in Matt's bed with the mask on for him to get in the bed. ALL of those occasions got GREAT results!

I have been a prankster for a long time. When I was younger, I LOVED to put fake spiders and such in my mother's bed and would lay in mine waiting for the scream. It was always awesome. I would lay in my bed laughing and laughing. Later, in college, I pulled a few good ones, too. One that sticks out to me now is when a friend was visiting and I snuck away from a bonfire to scare her. Little did I know she would completely collapse into a heap at my feet! I thought I had killed her! Luckily, I noticed her shaking with laughter! Of course, I did the usual handful of shaving cream type pranks, too. Those are always classics.

Will I pay for it? Probably. Do I care? No. Are my kids turning into pranksters? Absolutely. However, they do need to be aware that Mama is always thinking of another way to get them. Nathan and Matt have been pulling pranks since they were tiny. They loved to trick people and hide in unusual places. It seems they come by it naturally...

Five Minutes in the Mind of Benjamin

Well, I woke up this morning with the "Benjimonster" in my bed, again. This is nothing unusual. He is a cuddler. He LOVES to wake up and hug and roll in the bed with us. This morning was particularly fun.

Chris woke about the same time I did. We were both just looking at Benjamin and I mentioned how his profile this morning looked very much like his ultrasound pictures. Then, Chris started talking about his features and how his nose was turned up like mine at the end and how he had my lips. We were REALLY looking to see what he had inherited from his Daddy. It was a fun conversation. Chris finally declared that Benjamin was my son and not his.

Benjamin woke up, wrapped his arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. I told him what his Daddy had said and asked if it were correct. He said, "Yes! I'm YOUR son." He then proceeded to roll over, look at Chris and yell that there was a "stranger" in the bed. He yelled again, "STRANGER!" and "Get out of my bed!"

Well, of course, I thought this was funny! Who wouldn't? I mean he is seven years old and making up that kind of stuff! Then, Chris proceeded to tell him that if he were a stranger, Benjamin wouldn't be allowed to get in his bed any more because he didn't allow strangers in his bed. So, Benjamin said, "Then why are YOU here?" The boy is comical! AND quick!

Right now, he is watching Tom & Jerry. Of course, Tom is chasing Jerry and making a mess. Benjamin says, "Why are you destroying the house, Tom?! A perfectly good house!" I just LOVE the way his mind works!

Anniversaries

I have lots of "anniversaries" in my life. Birthdays are a kind of anniversary. There's the anniversary for graduations, for major events, even for deaths. Of course, the first thing people think of when one says anniversary is that yearly one with your spouse. Well this is lucky number 13 and it has been the most different of all.

First of all, we are in a totally different state! When we met, Chris said he never thought he would leave Georgia. Well, I cured him of that by causing him to move to Tennessee so he could be with me while I finished college. Then, there was the whole never leaving the mountains thing for me. Yeah, that's kind of out the window, too.

Secondly, it is on a Sunday. I really don't like to celebrate things on a Sunday if possible. I like to maintain that one day for family. We hang out together after church. I fix a big meal that cooks while we are gone, we eat as soon as we get home, then there's NAP TIME, for me, anyway. The kids just don't seem to need naps any more. So, while today IS our anniversary, for the most part, it has felt like any other Sunday, and I am ok with that. Actually, there is one difference. This is the first time I EVER remember it snowing on our anniversary :)

I saw something earlier that made me think. A person said, nobody uses the "F word" anymore...forever. 13 years feels like forever. Chris and I have been together nearly a third of my life. It doesn't seem that long ago that I kept asking my bridesmaids if he was "out there" and if they could see him. Chris and I decided before we ever got married that the "D word" (divorce) would never enter our conversations. Not even jokingly. If we make it so easy to get away from each other and even joke about it, why would we bother with the "F word"?

I AM a Science Teacher

Most of you already know this fact about me. That's usually one of the first things people find out about any person. "So, what do you do?" People always seem so impressed that I teach science. Oh, they think I have to be smart to do that. Do I? I dunno. I work hard to make sure I know about what I am teaching the kids. I can't stand to make a mistake, but, I love for them to learn.

Part of teaching science is doing labs. I love to do labs. My philosophy is kids can't learn science unless they do science. Learning science means getting their hands in there and getting them dirty. Getting into whatever they are doing and not caring if it creates a mess. Who cares? Learning is happening!

I have had students call me Miss Frizzle. I think that's awesome! I love that they feel like I am excited and they must think my methods are interesting to make the comparison! I wish I really did have a magic school bus! That would be so cool!

I have had kids call me "Mama" because they want to, not as a mistake (of course, that has happened, too). It's really funny when a 6'3", 300 pound seventh grader from the ghetto comes up, leans his head down on top of yours and says, "Good morning, Mother." It is also pretty special. It lets you know you have done something to earn respect.

I enjoy what I do and I love to make my kids laugh. They always try to "get me", but, usually lose. I admit I have a really quick wit and sometimes have to catch my own tongue before my quick with gets me into trouble. Some kids aren't quite ready for some of the things that come to my mind!

A couple of days ago, I had a first. I have had labs that didn't go as planned before, that's no big deal. You adjust and go on. However, when the entire room fills with smoke, sugar starts burning, and the room starts smelling like a campfire with marshmallows, I would say that is a lab REALLY not going as planned! The kids loved it! They have talked about it for days! The later classes were very upset that they didn't get to do the same thing. Sorry, nearly setting off the fire alarms once is more than enough for me. Custodial had to come in and bring a huge fan, we had to open the window and doors in 30 degree weather, and it took FOREVER to get the smell and smoke out. Oh well, at least they now know how to super saturate water with sugar!

Priorities

Something happened to me at work the other day that has stuck with me since and keeps pricking at my heart. I was there early, like I normally am. This day, my carpool partner and I got to the school before the secretaries, which happens sometimes. We always go into the office and check our mailboxes before going to our rooms. It's just kind of a thing we do. Well, on the way out of the office, there was a parent waiting.

This isn't really unusual. Parents come into the building all the time. This time, though, was different for me. Why was it different? Because of the very short conversation we had with the parent. The parent had brought some medicine for a child to be given to the nurse who had not yet made it to school yet, either. Then, there was another request. To make a phone call to the high school for the other child who was sick. You see, the family didn't have a phone.

It made me stop and think. That parent walked to school to bring medication for a child. I know this because of the ice crystals that had formed on the hair around the face from breathing out and the breath forming condensation, then crystals. Then, getting to the school, the parent wanted to make sure that the high school knew about the sickness of the older child and the only phone available was the one at our school.

I walked to my classroom nearly in tears. It really touched my heart. I have seen and dealt with poverty. I have seen parents that would get their hair and nails done before buying food. I have had students with the latest cell phones, but, no money for school clothes. I have seen some REALLY backwards priorities when it comes to poverty. Money that could be used for food traded for drugs or car rims. While, this time, the poverty was evident, there were also evident priorities in place.

The kids were obviously more important than anything. The kids came first to the point of walking medication to school in freezing temperatures, and then getting word about illness to the high school. That money for medication could have been spent on anything else. The money could have been spent on cell phones, a car, or just gas. It makes me wonder if I do a good job of placing my priorities in their proper places. It also makes me feel blessed beyond measure.

There have been some difficult times in my life since I had children. There have been some lean years and some weeks where I had to REALLY stretch the budget for groceries. But, I have never had to choose between taking care of my kids or taking care of myself. They do always come first, no matter how selfish I want to be. But, what about other things? Is there something I "have to have" that I can do without? Is there something that is a priority to me that is not a priority to God, nor should it be? Let me have my priorities in order, always.

Mothers Are So Embarrassing...

Well, I didn't think the time would come, but, it has. I am an embarrassment. I found this out last night. We went to a performance for Abbi and dragged all the boys with us. We all sat down in a row in the auditorium. Benjamin was beside me, but, decided he wanted to be on top of me.

We played, he aggravated his Daddy, and it was pretty much a normal event while we waited for the performance to begin. Nathan sat in the chair on the other side of where Benjamin would have been sitting, had he chosen to sit on the chair instead of me.

We did a little bit of talking. Nathan made a comment here and there. Benjamin continued to waller all over me and aggravate his Daddy. He loves to be rough and tumble. In the midst of the playing, I reached my hand over in between the seat between Nathan and myself. When he refused to acknowledge my hand, I tapped his arm. He acted like he didn't know what I wanted. I said, "Well, FINE then! Benjamin still loves me!" Nathan responded, "He's seven. He doesn't get embarrassed, yet." Picture my heart deflating a little. I am THAT mom.

You know, when you were younger and your mom wanted to hug you or even worse, KISS you in front of people! GASP! MOM! REALLY! I am guessing that applies to hand-holding as well. My sons have reached that stage...the one I have dreaded...I'm not cool any more. I noticed a while back, they don't tell me they love me on the phone any more. At least they don't if they are calling from school or around their friends. Or, I get the really fast, "loveyoutoo," in a near-whisper voice. SIGH. I am old. And not cool.

I am going to have to get used to this new phase of my life. I can't say that I didn't know it was coming. I did. I just wanted to be able to hang on to my little boys a little while longer. I guess now, I will accept what attention I can get when it comes to affection from the boys. Nathan did make it a little better today. We were walking into a grocery store, he reached over, took my arm, and briefly put his head on my shoulder while we were walking. I'll take it.

Blinders or Glasses?

I came across a video on facebook the other day. This video made me think and made me cry. Part of the reason it made me cry is because I sometimes struggle with which side of this video I belong on. I wonder if I am the one wearing glasses, blinders, or needing someone to wear glasses. I want to be the one wearing glasses.

In the video, a man is essentially selfishly running through life. In his mind, everyone around him is self-centered and a jerk. Nobody cares that he is caught in traffic, or they stepped in front of him in line. He is very passive aggressive in his attitude. While he is waiting (impatiently) for his coffee, a man walks up and hands him some glasses. When he puts them on, he sees what others are struggling with.

There is the man who just lost his job. There is a woman who avoids relationships for fear of pain. There is a single mom raising two kids and working two jobs. There is a child who just needs someone to care. Every time he goes to take the glasses off, he gets curious and puts them back on. In the end, he decided to at least do something with the kid who simply needed someone to care.

A lot lately, I have felt like I needed someone wearing those glasses who would just care about me. I have wondered why nobody can see what I am struggling with or how much pain I am in. This video made me want to stop thinking about my hurt. Yes, I am hurting a lot. Yes, I am lonely and struggling with grief, still. But, what is going on with those around me? Who else is hurting? Who else is struggling? Who else just wants someone to care?

I want and need to take off my blinders. You see, the blinders made me think only about me. The blinders made me not reach out so much to others because of holding on to my own hurt. I am going to do my best to put on my glasses. I want to look at those around me and actually SEE them. I want to see beyond facades and faces that people put on and help them or at least be there for them. If I can make a difference in one, that person can make a difference in another. I think that by helping others, I will truly be helping myself.

WOW!!!!

That is the link to the video. I hope you enjoy it.