Tougher Day, Wonderful Students

Even before I started back I knew that the first two days were going to be the toughest. The students had started a biography project last week and it was continuing into the beginning of this week. I decided that the projects needed to have a cut-off date and today was the day.

I found myself moving around a lot more throughout the day, when I really should have been staying put and letting the students come to me. I already broke one of my goals. The students were really well behaved, got their work done, and kept busy. I have been so proud of them since I've been back.

One of my students came up to me at the end of class and said, "Mrs. ____, are you feeling okay? You were walking around a lot today."

"I know, I really shouldn't have been. My headache is pounding right now. You need to remind me to sit down, if you see me walking around too much. Please, I do need your help!"

"Well I didn't feel comfortable commanding you to SIT DOWN, but I did notice that you were moving and walking more today" (Too cute!)

"Yes, well you have my permission to tell me tomorrow. I do need the reminders."

"Okay, I will!"

Love it.

This morning was rough, with some uncomfortable stomach stuff and then a strong headache to start off the day, but I made it. My head is pounding right now and I'm exhausted, but the project is over and I'm hoping for a calmer day tomorrow. You have to have endurance to make it through the school day and right now my body's just trying to keep up with what's inside. Fortunately the kids are responding well to me being back in the room and my school, even though in SOL testing, has worked and pulled in order to make sure I have back-up in the room.

And the best thing about tomorrow is that we are starting a new novel! I love reading novels with my students. We get into such a great rhythm of word studies, projects in their Reader's Journals, discussions, and reading, that the days fly by. I think that sitting and reading a novel will definitely cut-down on my movement around the classroom. That's what I'm hoping, at least!

I was prepared to be exhausted and tired at the end of each day. I am basically having my first days of school all over again, except this time the students know my expectations and routines. It's nice to have a first day of school, when a look is all you need to get a student back on track. My students never cease to amaze me and I hope they keep up this GREAT work!

First Day Back!

My first class came in and got to work with me hardly opening my mouth. Students from that class and others approached to give me a hug and other than saying, "Gentle, gentle" before they hugged me, I was surprised to turn around and see a classroom at work without my prompting. The next two classes were similar, but they are always a little noisier after lunch anyway.

In each class I showed them the diagrams below and talked about what happened and where I was during the last 2.5 weeks. I joked that I wished I could have shown them a nice tan from a tropical vacation, but that's definitely not where I'd been.

Next, we talked about the modifications we'd have to make within the classroom. One routine I've worked hard to employ all year had to be completely reversed today and it killed me. I ask the students to raise their hand and I will come to them, rather than have a stampede of students coming toward me all day long. Well, now they have to come to me in a seat somewhere in the classroom.... it's already proven to be a hard adjustment for them, but even more so for me!

Even though we didn't get the snow day, we still had a good day. Tomorrow may be completely different, but today's behind us.

The doctor's appointment went well, too! My INR is at a 2.6 and my hemoglobin level is good. The doctor was thrilled with my INR. He also showed me some light exercises I can do to keep my muscles in my neck from atrophying during this sore and stiff time. I'll go back again on March 17th at 9 AM.

It's now 5:39 PM and I am ready to crash. Time to put up my feet :)

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Thank yous!!!

A HUGE thank you to Wanda and Vicki for your help in planning and teaching for the last few weeks! What would I have done without your help and friendship? I can't even imagine. Thank you for the hospital and home visits AND meals, too! You both are such wonderful people and have certainly blessed us with your calm, can-do attitudes! 

Thank you to Liz, Kristin, and Faith for stepping up to the plate, too. You guys rock!

Thank you to Judy for her taxi services to the doctor today and for the many times this year and last year! We appreciate your help in the afternoons!!!!

Thank you to Lynn for dinner tonight! We're excited!

Thank you to everyone who's been praying and thinking about the two of us! We're so fortunate to have so many loving people in our lives. We look forward to giving you big hugs the next time we see each of you! 

Hi Ho Hi Ho...

It's off to work I go!



I have to admit that I'm a bit nervous about heading back to school. It's been a full 2.5 weeks and a lot can happen in that amount of time! While I was gone, three students left and I never got to say goodbye. Also in that time they went over my favorite unit! I had been waiting all year to get to poetry and then I got to be there for two days and that's it.

But I know that as soon as I walk in the door the butterflies will dissipate and I'll be back in the swing of things. Honestly, I'm excited to see the students again and I hope they'll forgive me for being gone so long and understand the slight modifications I'll have to make.

Here are some of my goals:

• I'll try to sit more. Even sitting for a couple minutes will be more than I ever did, so I will try.
• I'll attempt to delegate passing out papers to the students.
• I'll be honest and open about how I'm feeling with the students and my coworkers.
• I'll ask for help when I need it.
• I'll modify the lesson plans, if need be.

Each of these will be a challenge for me, so wish me luck!

Unless the following amounts to something...

Winter Weather Advisory
Hazardous Weather Outlook

Tonight: Snow likely, mainly after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. West wind between 6 and 9 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of around an inch possible. 

Monday: Snow, mainly before 1pm. High near 37. Calm wind becoming northwest between 14 and 17 mph. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. 

www.weather.gov

Thank you to Wanda for the delicious baked potato soup for dinner yesterday!

Lab Work: Tomorrow @ 3:45 PM (Checking INR and hemoglobin- based on the results we'll schedule a follow-up appt)

GP Appt.: 3/17 @ 9 AM

Bliss

Bliss at its best...

Jim snapped this picture of the two of us last night. You can tell there's nothing wrong with Leif's neck! I invited him up on my lap and most of the time he stays for a few short minutes. Well, not this time! He was in it for the long haul.

Love that pup.

This is Where

I just cannot resist a good, soothing song. As someone who gets songs caught in her head all-the-flippin'-time, this is one song that just won't let me go.

At school I have a time allotted in each class for writing, it's called "Day Book Time." The students have prompts that they can choose to use, or not, and we spend the first minutes of class writing. When I'm done checking in with each student then I, too, get to write. Some days more than others, but I still try to jot something down.

One day this song was in my head and I didn't know the lyrics, so I made my own. If I had my Day Book at home then I would write them for you, but I don't. When this song came on the Pandora station again today I finally took the chance to look up the lyrics. Lo and behold, this song is about winter, a river and, metaphorically, about life. Perfect for this blog and for me.

This is Where, Wailin' Jennys

The wind howls 'cross the ice floes
Send the frozen snow skimming
A river on a river hardened over
It doesn't know the way it's going
Is it north or south or westward
It just glides across the shoreline 'til it's over

You came for me in fast forward
On a claim for something ordered
A way through and past the history that held you
I'd tell my own story through you
Tell it loud to never lose you
A moth caught be the flame it cannot measure

And there we go again, wishing something bolder
Trying to push and pull inside this moment
Trying to mold this life within our hands

This is where the whole world keeps on turning
This is where we come undone...undone

Live Oak- Louisiana

Will they measure me by branches
Count the rings and take my ashes
Mark the ground where I fell and carry on
Or will we bite against the silence
Fill our days with noise and violence
Not recognize our hearts when we are done

There we'll go again wishing something bolder
Trying to push and pull inside this moment
Trying to mold this life within our hands

This is where the whole world keeps on turning
This is where we come undone

We don't know where it's going
Is it north or south or westward
It just glides across the shoreline 'til it's over

Russian River Trail, Alaska

This whole health situation is where I've come completely undone.

This is the first time I've been abruptly and scarily halted, but with it's been such beautiful times of reflection and humility. So as the song says, I'll glide along the shoreline and I probably won't recognize my heart when it's all over.

I'm thankful I've been given this chance.

Dreary Day: A Chance to Sit

The rainy, chilly day was almost a friendly reminder that it's alright for me to stay inside, even though I'm feeling a little better. I wouldn't be missing anything by spending just a little more time on our new chair and reading a magazine. Yes, I am feeling like reading again! That must be a sign that my headache is, in fact, lighter. Four weeks of the horrible headache are behind me! I loved just sitting and actually being comfortable.

While I sat inside, Jim headed out for a walk with the boys. It hadn't rained until after he got far out on the trail. Each time the rain lightened I thought, "Oh good!" And then the next wave of hard rain would come again. He came back in high spirits and even went right back out for a workout in the little pavilion next to us.

Two o'clock struck and it was time for me to get out of the house. We swung by Jim's school to drop off one of his assignments, and then we were off to my school to see what the coming week will hold. I got to see the wonderful teachers who have been covering and planning for me and a few other colleagues and my principal. I even saw some students, since it was after school, and they were excited to see me. I heard one of them say, "Oh man, she looks like she's still in pain," as I was walking down the hall and yards away from them.

The truth is that I do still have a headache and I do still have a sore neck. And I twist with my torso, not my neck. They're used to me hopping around the classroom and leaping from place to place to make a point, but I just can't do that for a long while now. We'll make do with what we have.

Jim and I have decided that the best thing for me to do will be to tell them about what happened. And tell them why I was gone and how I'll need to heal for a full recovery. I hope that the relationship I've built with them over the year will help us to smoothly transition to an adapted/modified type of instruction within the classroom. It'll be an adjustment period for all of us.

After a few errands, we've settled down to watch Hugo.

Thank you to Regina for a new supply of DVDs and popcorn and thank you to Donna for some homemade baked goods, jam, and apple butter, and a jar of honey!

Doctor's Visits:
3/5 Lab Work Appt. @ 3:45 PM
Probably another lab visit between these two
3/17 GP Appt. @ 9 AM

Happy Friday, everyone!

There's a Spring in my Step!

Hello March!

'ave you ever seen the grass so green or a bluer sky? ...The daffodils are smilin' at the dove.- Bert's lyrics in Jolly Holiday, Mary Poppins

It's 65 degrees outside and I'll take it! I wore a t-shirt today and my Teva flip-flops for the first time this spring. (Sorry, Marianne!)

After phone calls, faxes, driving, and meetings, I'm going back to school on Monday. My principal is thrilled. Longer story, but not worth telling...

We acquired a new, cozy chair for our living room. We both decided we needed another comfy piece of furniture around this place. Lots of staying at home can make you think about such things...

I had my second outing today, other than doctor's visits. And I've spent more of today sitting up and walking around than any other day so far :)

Have I mentioned that I love our new (to us) car?

My head felt and feels lighter today. I hope that's not me getting accustomed to the pain, but I think it may be so. My neck still aches, but I'm careful to turn my body rather than my neck if I need to.

Humility is my new name of the game. I need to take to heart that I WILL have to ask for h-e-l-p more than I ever have before. While it's new for me, it's definitely possible.

Tonight Jim's making tilapia with sauteed vegetables in the dutch oven. YUM!

And we'll spend the evening sitting by our outside fireplace and enjoying the breeze.

Hush! The fire's calling my name....

Cozy, eh?

Don't you just love the dancing bears? Thank you, Mom and Dad! It was our Christmas gift this year. See that adirondack chair? Yup, Jim made it and that's where you can find me on this beautiful evening in March.

Thank you to Susan for dinner yesterday! Thank you to Dave D. for chocolate ice cream! Thank you to my family doctor for your patience with paperwork! And thank you to my coworkers who have continued to work time and a half during my absence (Wanda and Vicki, especially!)!

Prayerfully and thoughtfully thankful today and always.
My 'eart may just start beating like a big brass band...