The end of the season is not the final episode...

Sometimes I am just caught off guard by an old picture of my kids. Or think of cute things they used to say... and I just can't believe how much they have grown. How smart they are. How loving they are. And just how quick they grow. Zackary turned nine a few months ago. Which in my head was the halfway mark to 18. The year (in my head) that he will leave our home. Hopefully going to college ;). But its sad for me to think that the time I have already spend with him, is now growing to be more than the time I have left with him. Not to mention that his life until now, has been full of days with hugs, and kisses... and wanting and needing to be with me. I know there are years coming that won't be like that. That one day he won't want to kiss & hug me when he leaves for the day. He won't want to sit in my lap. He won't want to hold my hand. He won't need me. And I am sure there will be many days he won't like me. Heart. Breaking. So I read many mom-type blogs. This morning, another mom was comparing the seasons in a child's life to the season on a TV series. Best put was "no matter what you are going through, the end of the season is not the final episode." It just made me think. Even though we may be done with so many things, and through so many stages... we still have many more to come. I'm sure we will be glad some "seasons" are over, but my heart breaks to stop time in others.

Perspective

Perspective: Earlier today I saw a little boy, who was very sick at school. I called his mother to pick him up and she said it would be two hours before she could get him, even though she worked 15 minutes away. Frustrated… thinking what could take you TWO HOURS to pick up your SICK BABY?! As the mom got off the phone, she quietly explained that a fallen soldier was being brought home today, and she would need to be there. As I care for this sweet boy, I think of his mother—and the sadness she will endure today. And I think of that family waiting on the flight line at Hurlburt Field. Their sorrow and their pain. And I just pray. Thankful for those that serve. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

The Real Deal

Two posts in one day?! I honestly came here to post about something that was just too long to post on Facebook. And sometimes I'm not sure who I even want to share my thought with on Facebook, or that I just want to get them out. To see them in black and white. Not so much that I want to discuss what I have to anyone in particular. Negativity. Sometimes I swear it will eat me alive. It is soooooo easy for me to fall into a gossip trap! With old friends, with co-workers, with family. I hate it. Its never anything positive, and always just gives me and whoever I am talking to a negative view of another person. WHO NEEDS THAT??? Sometimes I see a person in town... and have horrible thoughts... about that "idiot" that cut me off. The "dummy" that can't park. The snobby co-worker that never says hello. I just assume these are horrible people. And I have never spoken a single word to them. I dislike people I have never even met. Its so easy to do. Its a hard habit to break, but I WILL! I do not want my sweet kids to think of the world in the way that I sometimes do. I want them to care. I want them to LOVE. I want them to see the good in people, not just the bad. What kind of world am I painting a picture of to my children?? I know they don't hear my thoughts, or my gossipy conversations, but I don't show them how to love and enjoy the people they share this world with either. Sometimes I think I have done enough. I served my country, what higher sacrifice could I offer to my neighbors? I nurse small school children on a daily basis. I donate clothes, money, food, even blood. But its NOT enough. If I can't manage a loving attitude, and get rid of the negativity... its all for nothing. I had to watch a video about empathy in one of my nursing classes, and it has forever changed me, and the way I think about PEOPLE.

The "pre-post" to what I really want to post :)

I cannot believe it has been almost two years since I posted on my blog. It's kind of like me and diaries. I get on a roll, journaling daily... then don't touch a notebook for years! Kind of like my diets? Ok... I'll stop there. Point is, its been a while! In the last two years, a lot has changes in our lives. Most notably the last year. We loved to FLORIDA last fall. I absolutely love it here. Its gorgeous. We live in a small town between Pensacola and Destin, only about a mile from the waterfront. We have great jobs, a nice home, the kids are in wonderful schools. We are beyond blessed. But that isn't the end of the changes we have made. We have opened our home to people we love. Namely: Chris' parents, Susan and Steve, and my little sister, Cheryl. They are all here temporarily, until the next chapters in their own lives. While I love each of them deeply, living with other adults isn't exactly like teenage sleepover parties every day. Its real life. Ups and downs, happy and sad... seven people under one roof. I have also returned to Nursing school. I will graduate March 2014. There is light at the end of the tunnel finally! Chris is also resumed taking online courses, though I am not truly sure of his educational plan... or even his major. Business? Criminal Justice? Intel something or other? It seems to change a lot, I am just so happy that he has decided to pursue his education, whatever that may be! I am working as a school nurse. This year I will be at the same school Alyssa will be attending, so we are both so excited! School starts next week, so I am sure there are plenty of paper cuts, scraped knees, and tummy aches in my future! My sister, Katherine, delivered a beautiful new baby boy this summer. I was privileged enough to make not one, but two trips to Texas this summer! Its always so hard to leave, seeing my family get older (the young and old), weighs heavy on me. A lifetime is not enough to spend with the people I love, especially living so far away. Uhhh... Ok, enough sapp. I guess we're semi-caught up for now. :)

Busy Life!

Life is going great... but SO BUSY lately! Katie visited. Chris' parents visited. Camping. Adeventureland. Whew! Zackary is playing flag football... and it is clear he will much more enjoy tackle football. We're buying the empty lot next to our house. My classes have restarted for the Fall term. And Chris... is getting out of the Navy. It's looking like his last day will be at the end of this month. He was offered a Government Contracting position in the building he is currently stationed at. Pretty neat deal. Our insurance finally came through for the new roof. It's time to close the pool since the weather has cooled off. The dishes and laundry pile never end. I'm semi-planning a mini trip to Hollywood... but that is in a pending status :) We're working out the logistics of a trip to Texas for Christmas-- when to go, when/where to fly Katie, etc... And last, we're also shopping for new bicycles for all of us (and maybe a tandem bike attachment for Alyssa) and a new nicer, larger dining room table. All of which we are being overly picky about. Whew....!

Homework vs. No Homework. No Brainer?

My psychology class is awesome. The teacher is 80+ years old & near deaf. He can't tell if a student is reading from the textbook or Cosmopolitan magazine as far as hearing goes. But hes genius. Or maybe just experienced. And his teaching style, as dull as some may find it, is truly the most effective style I've ever learned from. I can say I am truly LEARNING in his class, not just memorizing for the purpose of later tests or quizzes. His teaching theory: Read, write, discuss, test. I'll explain...
He passes out our weekly assignment: a paper with 15-20 terms or ideas from the text we need to define or discuss. We do it as homework. The next class we discuss the homework line by line (slow enough to do the assignment in class if needed). We then take an open book & note "Test", turn in the assignment and test & call it a day. These "tests" are multiple choice, with the page number you can find on the answer noted at the end of the question. Tough, huh?
His class may seem boring to some. Its not full of projects, papers, group assignments, and due dates you can never keep up with. No word limits, reference pages or essays. I've never taken a class in such a format. With every answer given to you before you turn in every assignment. I can see how some student's may think they could take advantage of such a course, but even taught as it is, I am learning... really storing and applying the information given in this class.
Ok, I know I title of this post is about homework, so I'll get to that part, finally, after all my rambling. At the end of class the instructor will usually ask if we want to take the test in class, or for homework. WHY IN THE WORLD would you opt to take a TEN QUESTION, OPEN BOOK test as homework? It will take you 3-5 minutes to complete in class for an EASY A! Versus taking it home, procrastinating or forgetting about it, taking time out of your free time to do more homework, adding to the number of weekly homework assignments due (assuming we are all taking several classes)? Why?!? I'm all for getting out of class early, but the extra couple minutes is worth it to me to stay. Why am I the ONLY one that ever votes to take the test in class?!?
That's it. That's why I blogged today. Some people I do not understand.

Editing Posts

I can admit typos. But I am not illiterate. I see errors in previous posts, but I am unable to edit them! I am assuming its a glitch with the website, or may have something to do with the new Explorer 9 I am using. I've already noticed it's not compatible with quite a few websites.