Well he was being one...

Today a 5th grader was being picked on by a fellow student. I guess he'd had enough when he shouted "Leave me alone, you freaking asshole."
What can you do but laugh?

filling the bucket

This year, at my school, we are using a new philosophy to improve teacher morale. We are "filling each other's buckets". It is the concept that we all have a proverbial bucket that when filled with drops of encouragement will sustain our self esteem and therefore make us better teachers. IT IS A LOAD OF CRAP.
ahem...until you get a drop or two in yours. I didn't know the power of a random compliment. But yesterday, my bucket was filled. Not by a peer, but by a student.
I was asking my (5th grade!) students if 22 was an odd or even number. Almost all of them said odd, except for one boy in the back that kept saying "even", even while the others where emphatically shouting "odd". I asked him why he thought the number was "even". This boy happened to have been one of my very first students 4 years ago when I taught 1st grade. His answer was amazing. "Well, in first grade you taught me to ignore all the numbers but the last one, and the last one is 2, making it even".
You can not understand how this overflowed my bucket in so many ways. Number #1, I HATE MATH. So, I couldn't fathom that I could have taught this student something in Math that stuck. #2, I couldn't remember actually teaching that, but I could totally imagine myself saying to ignore all the numbers except the last one, because I HATE NUMBERS, so the more you ignore, the better. and #3, He said "When I was in first grade, YOU TAUGHT ME". He didn't have a vague memory of learning it in the first grade, he remembered ME TEACHING HIM! This is the biggest compliment that I can get...that I taught something and that it was retained...it's priceless.

So, contrary to what my friend Michelle so eloquently said that perhaps there was a "hole" in my bucket, mine fills up quite nicely and it feels really good.

They don't own one

Today, we drove by a procession of tractors to which Dallas of course asked "Mommy, what is a tractor?" I always try to sound like I know what I am talking about even if I don't, so I responded "A tractor is a piece of machinery that helps farmers do their job". (Sounds good, right?) Well, Dallas responded "So, how many tractors do Addison's Godparents have?"

This would not be a funny story if Addison's Godparents weren't named...The Farmers.

mommysick

"I was only a little mommysick...you know how when you miss your home, you're homesick? Well, when I miss my mommy, I'm mommysick. So, don't worry...I was only a little mommysick."
-Dallas when asked about his first day of school.

Little Debbie

I can not even write this without crying. Quite honestly, this is not just any special 09/09/09. This is also my little sister's birthday. Now, unlike my other younger sister Suzanne, (http://proutyhouse.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-sister.html) I was really excited to meet Deborah. I felt like such a little mommy when Deborah Rachael arrived at the Gonzalez house. (Have I mentioned that I gave my parents the idea to name her that?) Her gigantic brown eyes with just the touch of a twinkle. As Debbie got bigger (as did her eyes), she became my sweet little girl. I mean what 13 year old wants to share a room with her 4 year old sister? This girl! I adore her.
I love how she has allowed me to be her big bossy sister without really hating me too much. She has grown into such a beautiful woman and she still lets me do it sometimes. The truth is I expect a lot from her because I know she is capable of so much. So, I push her a little knowing that she can do whatever she sets her mind to. She also makes me laugh alot. In fact, both of my sisters are REALLY good at that.
Debbie- I love you so much, so much. Have an amazing birthday, but if it's okay with you, we'll call this your 23rd so that I appear younger. Thanks.

Here are your ramblings:
Born with a Mic in your hand....Rainbow Brite Sneakers....No Halloween?....Remember last night when we went to Disney World?....Time for a midnight snack (at any time)....I love Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Guy from Twilight.....Opening your Christmas presents Christmas Eve morning..."JESUS IS ALIVE!"....My Friend Lance said (said November 2006)....

I'm sure there are so much more...feel free to add....

Love, Your Sister, Liz