Window Shopping

Just to kill time I went window shopping at Hobby Lobby today. Hobby Lobby, to me, is the Walmart of Home Decor/Crafting. I expect things to be on the cheap side, or at least affordable. I found the above lamps, which look like simple straight-forward lamps. Before I continue on and reveal the price of the lamps let me enlighten you of how I price things in my head. Small things like lamps, toasters, jeans, etc. should cost about $20. Big things like tables, chairs, TVs, etc. should cost about $100. You can now see that I was born in the wrong century.

I looked inside the lamp shade and found a price tag marked $99. There was a second tag hanging from the doo-dad that switched the light on and off. It was also marked $99. I'm smart enough to know that that means the shade and base are being sold separately for $99 EACH! That is $200 for one lamp! They are on sale for 50% off, so I guess they are really only $99 per lamp. But still. It's a fricking lamp. From Hobby Lobby.

I'm funny about buying furniture and decor stuff. It's true that I have an over-abundance of generic off-the-shelf stuff, but I prefer to get things with a story or history. I would much rather like to say, "See this wonderful loveseat that belonged to my grandparents," than, "Look at this amazing chipwood dresser that I bought in a box at Walmart and glued together myself."

Lent

It is almost the end of the first week of Lent. Most people give up certain foods or entertainment. In the past I've given up things like wine, chocolate, coke, and TV viewing. This year I decided to give up 15 minutes each day.

No, I have not single-handedly altered the rotation of the Earth or anything as dramatic. Instead I spend 15 minutes a day in my room, on my knees, praying. That might not sound like much to someone more devout than me, but let me tell you that 15 minutes can seem very long when faced with a meaningful conversation with God. What do I have to say that is so important that God needs to take the time to listen?

Of course I, as well as many of you, have been praying for those in Japan. Compared to the needs of those who are suffering so much, my needs seem pretty insignificant and not worth mentioning. But then I opened my Bible to a random page and found Ecclesiastes 5 (see picture at top of post or look here). I decided to stop and listen to what God had to say to me, instead of going through my grocery list of needs for him to fill for me.

What I realized is that each of our lives is important to God. The tragedy in Japan is huge and does deserve our full, prayful attention. But the problems in our own lives are just as important to God. He is so great and awesome that he can care just as much about the people in Japan who are suffering beyond my comprehension, as he does about my need to sell my house and get my small family back together under one roof.

Disclaimer: I am not an ordained pastor and hopefully I haven't offended anyone with my lay-preaching.

Springing Forward

I am glad that we are on Spring Break this week so we can slowly adjust to the time change. I love having the extra hour of light in the evening. I know some people would rather have it in the morning, but not me. Mornings are for getting up and going to work. I can't get anything done in the morning whether it is light or dark. But when it stays light after dinner then I can go for a walk or do yard work.

Right now it is 4:30 and as bright as can be. A month ago at 4:30 the sun would have been setting. I love springing forward! I also love that the birds are happily chirping outside, the cherry trees are blooming, and since we live right behind the baseball field I can hear the occasional crack of bat meeting ball--that glorious sound of Summer!

So Long To the Swagger

Marvelous drove us to Sonic a couple of nights before we sold the van

There is plenty in the world to be upset by right now, with the Japan earthquake and tsunami as well as the outrageous gas prices in this country. However, in an effort to be totally self-absorbed I will now share my latest tale of woe. We sold the swagger wagon today. We are no longer an ubercool, suburbanite, van-driving family. Now I will be driving a Jetta and Hubby will be driving a CC (some other kind of Volkswagen).

So long old friend. And yes, I did tear up a little when we signed the papers, but you would too if you had to give up your swagger.

I Love to Work

Noccalula Falls--all dried up. This has nothing to do with this post

I worked until 4:30 today and could have stayed much later. I have so much to do for next week, as it is the last week before Spring Break and then testing starts as soon as we get back. But evewith all the busy-ness (business?) of work I really love it. I definitely wouldn't trade it for those boring days of last fall when everyone else went off to do their thing and I was left home alone.

I have great kids--at home and school. Elementary kids are so wonderful. After school today I felt little arms going around my waist. I looked down and there was one of my boys, giving me a hug and wishing me a good weekend. What sweethearts they are! For the most part they are all eager to please and try their hardest. Very little complaining.

The parents are so involved that it is easy to get to the bottom of things. I am averaging about one conference a week. Not because of any major problems, but because of minor things. They are excellent at helping to nip things in the bud and also to address any learning problems. They make sure that homework gets done and go through graded papers with a fine tooth comb. They are also very forgiving when I mistakenly mark a correct answer wrong--Yeah!

The other teachers and staff at the school have been so helpful. They don't make me feel like I'm just a sub. I actually feel like I belong here more than I did at my other school last year, where I was actually teaching full-time.

So I guess this post is just to say that for the time being, I'm enjoying life. It's all good

There Goes the Neighborhood

Any of you who know me very well at all have probably heard me complain about the redneckishness of where we live. It is a thorn in my side.

There is a house in our neighborhood that has stood vacant the entire time we have lived here. Someone told us the guy who owns it was in jail. Well, he has recently moved back in, along with a few mud jeeps (you know--the jeeps with only the frames still intact, covered in mud and only occasionally do they have their wheels attached), a lethargic woman that frequently sits on the front step wrapped in a quilt smoking, a pitbull who barks when you walk by and is making the gap between fence and gate larger every day, and crap overflowing from both bays of the garage(overflowing because the garage doesn't have doors). That was a really long sentence.

Last weekend Hubby and I were walking over to the high school track and as we passed the criminal's house we heard bleating. Hubby looked over at the house where the lethargic woman sat. Then he whispered out the side of his mouth at me, "There's a goat on their porch!" To which I replied, "Are you kidding me? Are you sure it's not just their dog making a strange noise?" "Look for yourself." But since I'm too afraid to make eye contact with anyone from that house, man or beast, I just took his word for it.

Oh, law. Why is this happening when we're trying to sell the house?

Oh Happy Day

These flowers have been blooming in my window boxes since last fall, even after all our ice and snow

Last year I had a little boy in my first grade class who would throw his hands in the air and start singing, "Oh, happy day! Oh, happy day!" in an old-timey revival style when the spirit moved him. I always hear him singing in my head when I think those words. And today is definitely a happy day because it is finally March!!!

I have emerged from yet another February. Sometimes I'm not sure I'll make it. February has got to be the most depressing month. This morning I was so excited as I got to click from 28 all the way to 1 on my Feet Calendar (sorry I'm not going to explain that here). While I sat eating my breakfast I watched the birds on the other side of the window eating from the feeder. Here are my two favorites.



Tufted Titmouse



Chickadee

After school, I went out to take some pictures of some of the flowers that are starting to bloom.

Candytuft

Purple phlox

The Bradford pears are out in full force and are Mr. C's favorite. The Northern magnolias are gorgeous as are the forsythia. If I wasn't too worried about what people would think of me stopping to take pictures in their yard I'd post more flower pictures. Spring is definitely here. Life is good.