09/14/07

This picture was taken at Steve's Dads last weekend. It was the only plant that was surviving in the drought conditions. lol Of course it would... its natural habitat is in a desert!!! lol

BUT....

...Rain!! We have had rain today! I have been praying all week that the Lord would send it and He did. I cannot get over how dry it is around here and to have this rain, although it isn't going to end the drought, is better than nothing. I just thank the Lord for His goodness. I was never so happy to walk around with an umbrella as I was tonight. :) I should have taken a picture of it!!

I have had a good week at school. I am still a bit tired but I am feeling so much more like myself. It has been an exciting week teaching the children about the Biblical Global Flood and Noah and why our earth looks like it does today. I have taken LONG times teaching Bible this week but I do not really care because I want them to have a firm foundation that the BIBLE is the foundational book that we go to when we want to learn about the world around us. It has been exciting teaching them and helping them learn. I am glad I have felt better so I could do just that. God has been good to give me strength each day to do what I need. :)

Mikayla has had a rough week. It seems since my surgery she has been weepy. She cries a lot and misses me and when I see her at school she will cling to me. She never used to do that. We have talked with her and prayed for her and it has continued. Yesterday her teacher talked to her and she had a great day but she started it again this afternoon. One of my fellow teachers brought up a good point that maybe she is connecting my surgery with Mom's time in the hospital.

We found out today that even though that was part of her issue, apparently there is a bigger issue. It seems that our little strong-willed child is getting picked on at school. Since last year when she had gotten in trouble for being bossy we have worked with her on understanding how to control that. She wants so badly to do the right thing and to treat others with respect. It seems the only problem is that other children aren't being taught the same things. She told me tonight she is wanting to "wear her full armor of God" that we are learning about doing at school but when other people are mean to her she doesn't want to tattle. Now, this isn't a situation of being physically hurt... it is more of her being told one day she is someone's best friend and then the next day that same person may tell her they don't want to be her friend. It snowballs from there.

he has mentioned things like this to us since school started and we have tried to handle it in a way that she would understand she needs to let the Lord handle it. However, MY human nature wants to tell her to tell that person she never wants to speak to her again and to leave her alone but I know that isn't pleasing to the Lord!!!! I felt like a Momma Bear today wanting to defend her cub. For those of you that know Mikayla personally, this isn't like our little confident strong-willed girl. I am thankful some of that strong will is being replaced by compassion and caring for others, but I also do not want her to become someone else's stepping stone.

She and Wesley are at Mom and Dad's for a sleepover tonight. At first she didn't want to stay because she wanted to be with me. I couldn't give in to that because the weepiness would continue and we would never get to the root of the problem. I talked with her for a while and then Mom and I finally got out of her what was bothering her. It broke my heart. I knew she needed to move on from this and not live her life in "fear" but at the same time I wanted to take her home and cuddle with her all night. I kept telling her to put her trust in the Lord and not in herself to solve this problem. We can do nothing without Christ and I want her to learn that as early as she can. I have prayed for her several times tonight. I found that she was much "lighter" when we dropped off their clothes and stuff for the night. The poor thing had a heavy burden and didn't quite know how to voice it.

We will be talking with her teacher this next week to see how it can be helped. I don't want special favors... I just want the mean behavior to stop. I also know Mikayla isn't perfect and she truly could be doing some of it herself. From what we faced with her last year, though, I am doubting that is going on. She learned a valuable lesson last year about how to be a good friend. Please pray for her as she goes through this valley that to US as adults seems minor but to a seven year old it is a deep valley. Their burdens are big for their little bodies to carry. I want her to cast her cares upon Jesus for He cares for her....

On another note, this past week we had to say goodbye to some of our friends who have moved across country to San Diego, CA. (HEY SAL, Morgan and Cassie!!!!!) I was sad to know they wouldn't be around anymore but know the Lord has plans for them there. I pray everything continues to go smoothly for them. They are the ones who first introduced us to our love of hockey. The games won't be the same without them.

Steve and I went out on a date tonight. While at the restaurant this young man comes up to me and checks to see who I am. Come to find out he was one of my students TEN YEARS ago!! I remembered him quickly once he came up to me. In fact, he was the one who showed us to the table and I thought he looked familiar. He remembered some of the things I did in class and things I had taught him. He was quite tickled that I remembered HIM. I told him I may not always remember the names because there are so many now that are floating through my mind, but I remember my kiddos names but once they are in my class they are always my children! He is going into the Navy when he graduates in the spring. He wants to be a NUCLEAR ENGINEER.... and I taught this guy??? ha!! It made me proud of him and I was thrilled to see him again. Of course, it also made me feel "old." :) What a blessing it is to see children you have taught turn into responsible adults that want to do the right thing. I didn't get to talk with him very long but I do hope and pray he is still following what the Lord wants for his life. That is what will carry him through. He said he was going to come back to school and see everyone before he graduates. I look forward to that day.

I am sitting on this computer when I need to be talking with Steve. Of course, he is watching sports.... probably flipping the channels between golf, racing, baseball, football... you name it. I love it, though, because that is what makes him who he is.

I am also looking forward to sleeping in a bit tomorrow. I am glad I don't have to go anywhere at all this weekend. I would really love to scrapbook. That means the house will probably not get cleaned. Oh well... Life goes on and dust continues to collect. I don't want my house to be nasty and will make sure it is cleaned but I gave up long ago on the spotless house as you all know. One day it will be back but for now it is gone. As long as my children learn their responsibilities and we are together that is what matters.

Look at me... trying to get off of here and still yapping. Geesh... I yap people's ears off in real life and now I do it on my blog. Have I said lately how thankful I am to the Lord for the rain He has sent tonight!??? Praise His Name!!!! Night!!! :)