Out With the Old, In With the New

Do you like my new background? I hope it reminds me to go to the temple more often, even if we have to drive for 2 hours to get there! And to read my scriptures more.....I suggest everyone reads The Old Testament Made Easier. The Book of Mormon ones were great and I am really get lots of in insights with the first volume of this one.

Several people have told me it is time to change my background, so tonight, while I had a little bit of time, I decided to do so. I never know when I will have a few minutes to change it again, so I wanted to choose a "generic" one, that wouldn't have to be changed to match the season. Mind you, I like all the seasonal ones, and I am seeing some very pretty things out there. I just don't do seasons well. My seasons seem to be "school's in" and "school's out". (Those are contractions for "school is", not singular possessive, for those school teachers out there.) Right now the season is "school's in" all the time because it is too cold to be out! Please pass warmer weather! Our students just can't seem to settle down right now. They sit inside with snowsuits on, hoping it will be warm enough to go outside. Those who brave the cold come in frozen but happy. Then they take 10 minutes just getting their coats, gloves, scarves, earmuffs, etc. all hung up out in the hallways. There is always the one who needs to go back outside to get a lost glove. Is it really worth is? The ones inside take 5 minutes to decide on a game to play, then 5 minutes to get it all set up, and then only get to play for a minute before I remind them they need to get to the restroom. When they get back, the bell rings and they spend the next 10 minutes cleaning it up. Or they leave the game where they left it, thinking I don't know it is their game to clean up. Then they fight about who needs to pick up what......Again, is it worth it? To quote someone dear to my heart: OH MY STARS!!!!!

I had a special holiday time with my family. Even though we experienced the lose of my dad, it was great to have all of my family in the same state at the same time. I so much appreciated all your love and concern for me. Hearing you all ask "How are you doing, Mom," shows me you are thinking of my feelings. I hope you are all realizing just how important fathers are, and reminding yourselves how wonderful your own father is. As much as you love your father, I love mine the same. Fathers are there to pick you up when you are down, to keep you laughing when you need to see the bright side, to offer a shoulder when you need to cry, to open their hearts when you hurt. Even old mothers like me need a dad now and then. He will be missed. I will miss his stories, even though I could tell them all by heart. I will miss our talks about school. I loved to keep him up on all the happenings in school, the new trends, the demands of the job, etc. I know he enjoyed hearing what was going on. I will miss that. There are times that I hear or see something and think how much I would love to share that with Dad. And that makes the tears come again. Like right now. I learned in the 30 years without Mom, it really never gets easier, just gets normal. There are still times when I wish I had a mom to talk with, to give me advice, to show me how to solve a problem. No one ever takes the place of a mom or dad. I just hope, in some small way, to be the mom that my children will look to for advice, a talk, help with a problem. Someone that my children will miss when I am gone. I know their dad will be that man, because he is such a great guy, just like my dad.

OK........I need to stop that......

Just the Tuesday and Wednesday before Dad passed away, I spent the school days in Huntington working on a project with our assessment supervisor, otherwise known as Jon. (Cousin Jon Boy as he calls himself.) We are creating mid-year tests to be given to all the students in 3-6, to measure achievement in math and reading to prepare for the state tests. I am responsible for the third and fourth grade math tests, and will be required to create two summative tests for each grade level. These tests must match the state curriculum, which means a lot of research and test writing on the computers. Because we only had a two days to get an overview there, and to get a good start, we (the four of us on the committee)are expected to put in more days at home, not on school time. We will be paid for some extra career days, and have been given a new computer to work on. Now, my questions is this: Is this computer mine to keep? I don't know and I don't want to ask! As long as no one asks for it back, I will keep it on my desk. If it is still here after the tests are completed and approved, and no one asks for the computer back, then I will assume I get to keep it..........What you have to do to get a new computer!!! Is it worth it? I think so. (Just don't anyone tell Jon that I am questioning this. He might just take it back because I am so air-headed.)

One more resolution I have for this year: I will go back through my posts and add tags for the entries, so the tag cloud is more accurate. Just something simple for me.