January 3, 2020

     OK, I wanted to post something since the new year started but today is probably not the right day to do so.  If you check my page entitled, My Year in Pixels, you will see that I am having a blue day.  Blue means I am out of sorts, tired, grumpy, and irritable.  And I truly don't have a good reason for being so.  Nothing bad has really happened.  The children at school have been chatty and a little loud but they have not been naughty.  Maybe I just need a snow day instead of the yucky rainy gray day with temperatures of 52 degrees. 
     My grandchildren are coming over tonight.  I am babysitting them until around 6:30.  Perhaps they will lift my spirits.  I truly have a lot for which to be thankful.  Too bad snow is not currently one of those things!

Dear Jamie,

Sweet Child of mine that I am still waiting to meet, I love you.  This was your conception month.  I miss you so much and am looking forward to seeing your beautiful face one day.  Please keep Grammy and Pops company while you wait for me an,d take care of your little sister.  Tell all our family that when I get up there, I want them all to sit as close to me as possible at the Lord's table.  I have so much I want to talk about!  Until then, here is a poem I read this morning in my devotions.


My little girl went out the door;
I hugged and kisser her just once more,
Reminding her as oft before,
"Remember to say thank you."

And then the thought occurred to me, 
I'd better check again to see
How long since I on bended knee
Remembered to say thank you.
An Anonymous Mother

Wednesday, October 23 2019

This has been a wonderfully restful weekend!  It started off with us going to Ryan's football game on Saturday.  I think his team lost - not sure; they don't play the game with the full rules of football.  Still, the boys have fun and that is all that matters!  After the game, Mark and I did our grocery shopping and prepared to have the boys over night.  Sara and Lacon won a free night at the Kirkley Hotel and needed to get away for the evening.  Mark took Ryan to the football game while I had Oliver.  Mark said that Ryan alternated between being bored out of his skull to dancing and shouting "Move those chains!"  LOL!!   I went shopping with Oliver.  Mark needed underwear.  I also got a new pair of leggings. 
On Sunday Sara and Lacon were going to pick up the boys early and go to Layman's Farm to pick out their Halloween pumpkin and customs.  I am not sure if they got the pumpkin because it was pouring down rain but they did get costumes.  Ryan will be Spiderman and Oliver will be Marshall from Paw Patrol. 

My grand-babies are ADORABLE!

After Sara picked up the boys Mark and I headed up to Williamsburg where we stayed at the Hampton Inn.  I think we were in the very same room that we were in in 2011.  It seems bizarre that our trip to Williamsburg has been that long ago! 

Sunday night we went to a ghost tour.  I don't believe in ghosts but these tours are fun regardless.  It is said that if you take a photo with a ghost around you will see an orb in your photo.  Below are two photos I took.  One is from July 2011 and it has a HUGE orb.  The other is the same house in 2019.  No orb.

This is the Payton Randall Home.  See the orb on the left?  Anyway, it was fun and here are some more photos from the weekend:  

 This was a display in the Pottery Outlet.  I was not impress with the outlet itself but I loved this display.  It is the Town of Bethlehem created in sand and with an Asian flare.  So pretty!







This is Cindy, our tour guide for the ghost tour.  She was really good!

 This is the big picture from the close-up above.  I got a man there to take it for me but I don't think he really wanted to do this. 

 A character on horseback in Williamsburg.









These skeleton displays were up on Monday afternoon.  They were not there Monday morning.  I never did find out what they were for as they were only one one block and no where else in the town.

NOW!  What I am most proud of!  I have lost 15 pounds on my diet plan.  I am proud of myself for sticking with this.  

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Today was a difficult day.  Well, at least I tried to make it difficult.  I started off a little grumpy because Mark and I switched  cars so that his could go into the shop.  I hate not driving my own car.   didn't have my Alexa nor did I have my music.  Plus Mark's car feels so big and feels like it can get out of control easily. 

Then I had to go by the Tech Center to get the Jamestown breakout folder because I had four breakouts today.  I barely got them set up in time.  I was also a little foolish to plan the four back to back because it didn't give me much set up time in between.  However, the kids did great and really seemed to enjoy themselves.  I noticed in the picture that my top is too big.  Whodda thunk! 

I ate less for dinner tonight than I usually do.  We shall see if it pays off.  I HAVE to lose this weight!!!!

After school I took the car to Ford and got them to shuttle me home.  Mark told me tonight that he asked Ford to do an oil change and inspection.  They messed up the oil change in my car.  Let's hope they do better on his! 

I am not sure where my grumpy mood is coming from today.  I just feel a little overwhelmed.  BUT!  I did manage to meet my step goal with use a little more than 7500 steps today and I drank PLENTY of water. 

Wednesday, October 9 2019

YAY!!!!!  I passed my Google Certified Educator Level 1 test today.  It seemed very easy compared to last time.  I am going to celebrate this weekend by completing my beading kit from last month.  There is a new one on the way! 

I was nervous about this test since I was taking it during my fasting time.  I was scared that I would not be able to concentrate. 

This is me during the test.  I took a screen shot of the camera they had focused on me. 








After the test I came home and ate while I watched a little TV.  Then I went to my allergist appointment.  They had to schedule me with a substitute allergist as my usual one was out sick and they forgot to call me to cancel.  I waited for an hour before I got to see someone.  During the appointment I discovered that if I was allergic to the tree I was allergic to the nut as well.  No more pecans and walnuts for me.  I am devastated!!!

Tuesday, October 8 2019

Day 2 of my diet.  I am feeling more hungry this morning and I have to adjust my schedule.  I will not get to eat until 12.  Hopefully I can make it!

Monday, October 7, 2019

I started a new diet today called the intermittent fasting diet.  Basically, I wait until 11:00 to eat breakfast, skip lunch, and eat dinner by 7:00.  After 7:00 I am not allowed to have any more food until 11:00 tomorrow morning.  I have 16 hours of fast and 8 hours of feast.  The good news is that during the 8 hours I can eat what I want to eat.  I don't have to have any special foods.  Well, here it is almost 9:00.  We shall see how this goes.

10:09--I have one hour before I can eat.  I am not feeling terribly hungry but I am feeling a little "antsy".

11:02- -I made it!  NOW, I will enjoy my breakfast.

What did I eat?  I had 4 ounces of Sunny-D Orange Juice, one 8 ounce glass of a chocolate milk breakfast shake, and an 8 ounce glass of coffee with cream/sugar.  I also ate one granola bar and 4 of those little Belvita Breakfast Cookies. 

5:00-For dinner I had a double cheeseburger from Wendy's with a sweet tea. 

I have drank 3-8 ounce glasses of water.  Tomorrow I will shoot for 4.

I had 8495 steps today recorded on my smart watch.  Right before bed I weighed myself.  I weigh 220.8 pounds. 

Sunday, October 6, 2019

We are home and I am thankful.  I will be glad to sleep in my own bed!  I used the day to put together my fireplace that will go on the landing above the front door.  Love this!  I have wanted one for awhile now.  I am going to wrap white lights around the Yule Log Mama gave me.  It was the first Christmas decoration she ever bought, she says.  I will put the Yule Log in the fireplace and then in front, I am hoping to use the Nativity fireplace screen Wanda bought me last year. 

Saturday, October 5, 2019

We got to Wanda's last night (Friday) around 9:30.  I didn't sleep too well.  Wanda's guest room has a double bed.  Mark and I are too big for a double.  She also has a cat and I can feel the effects it is having on my asthma.

But I did have fun helping her with the robotics badge for her Girl Scout troop.  We had 9 Daisy Girls which are Kinders and First Graders.  We had 15 Brownies.  I think they are up to 10 years of age.

Click my picture below to see an album from today.

Friday, October 4, 2019

The snowman I order for Mark's man cave came in!!!  I love it!  I have it decked out in a Redskin scarf and hat, just waiting for Christmas.

He is just too cute!

I also found out that I won a Putz set of cardboard houses from Ebay.  They will go downstairs as well in Mark's area.  I will use the battery operated train I bought in Roanoke this summer when we took the boys to the train station.

It's almost time to leave for Wanda's

Thursday, October 4, 2019

I crashed today as far as getting anything done.  I just sat at my computer and messed around.  I did turn in my paperwork for my professional day next Wednesday.  I will be going to the Tech Center to take my Lever 1 Recertification test.  I am so nervous about that!!!!!

I also got my list started to track information for my Girls Who Code club and I got Melanie Tinsley signed on as a co-facilitator.  She and I will need to get together and plan.

I guess we all have those days when we hit a brick wall.  I am emotionally, physically, and mentally drained.  EXHAUSTED!!!!!

The best part of today was a sweet treat from my secret pal here at MHES.  ☺  Yum!

OH!!!!  I did get an email from the coordinators of the VSTE conference.  We got accepted to present!!!

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Today was a good day.  This Wednesday was week C in the building in which I was teaching.  That meant that I only had three classes as the other three grades are smaller and I don't have as many classes in those grades.  I spent most of the day reviewing for the Google 1 recertification test.  I have now reviewed all thirteen units.  I am approved for a professional day next Wednesday.  Good luck to me!!

In my classes, I took hexbugs to school.  I put a chromebook out with a video on biomimicry.  Students who wanted to watch it, did so.  With my third graders, we built mazes using Keva Planks and ran our hexbugs through the maze.  For Kinders and First Graders, We sang the baby bumblebee song and then built a home for our baby bumblebees (hexbugs) so that we wouldn't have to get stung and squash them.  The homes had to show a pattern.  Some kiddos got it, some didn't.  

When I got home after school I found that my cover and stylus had arrived for my new tablet.  I love them both!  I like the vintage look of the  cover.  It looks like an old leather journal.  I have a pretty pinkish mauve wall paper and the stylus matches the wallpaper.  So pretty!  

The weirdest thing that happened was getting a piece of mail for Momo.  She has been gone for over 28 years and has never been in our new home except in our thoughts.  

It Matters

There is so much sadness around me right now as I type up this post.

I lost a niece two weeks ago that, until recently, I never knew existed- -and I never got to meet her. It's a complicated story.  I grieve for her father (my brother) and her sister.  I also grieve that I never got the chance to hug her and love on her as an aunt should.

In one of my buildings in which I teach, we just lost a very young colleague, a teacher who was a mere 30 years old left behind 3 extremely young children and a husband.  She died of cancer.  I think back to the end of last school year when I sat beside her during an assembly and the two of us cut up the entire time, end of the year "punchy-ness."

My own sister, whom I grew up with, am very close to, love more than life itself, is facing cancer.  She has a wonderful attitude about it.  She doesn't let it control her life and right now she is able to live her life as if she doesn't have this horrible illness.  Yet, in my mind I am terrified that I am going to lose my sister and I truly don't know what I will do when that happens.

These are "real-to-me" reasons for grieving.  You would think that with all this going on, I would have enough to focus on without taking on more grief voluntarily.  But, I can't help it.  I also grieve for our country and for the testimony of my Savior.  And the genesis of this grief sprouted from the election of President Donald Trump.

I went to college at Liberty Baptist College, under the tutu-ledge of Dr. Jerry Falwell SR.  I got saved on that campus and it was truly salvation, both spiritually and physically as I was contemplating suicide at the time.  I had a plan and was ready to carry it out.  Then came Jesus.  And it's because of my relationship with Jesus that I am having a really difficult time with President Trump.  See, I believe that character counts.

Donald Trump is a liar, a thief, a cheating husband, a manipulator, a narcissist.  He does things in illegal, unethical, underhanded ways. He is unrepentant.

What I honestly cannot fathom is this:  people put this man into office because they were tired of the political games from the status quo- -many of these people who voted him in are Christians, born-again Believers of Christ.  They are children of God.  They are Jesus followers.  They wanted a return to Christian values.   Why are these folks not holding this man accountable?  Why are they excusing his behavior?  I am truly confused and I grieve for the testimony of my Lord.

If you truly think that Donald Trump is a man of God, please answer my questions about this man.  Help clear up my confusion.  If I can calmly explain my distaste of this man without feeling that you are repugnant for disagreeing with me, why can  you not explain your love for him without hating me for disagreeing?  Why can't we talk this out?  Why can't we come to a meeting of the minds, an understanding of each other?  Why?

We are coming up on another election.  I want to understand why you feel I should vote for someone who has purposely violated every commandment.  Don't justify his behavior by comparing it with a past election and the candidates.  Don't use the wrongs committed by another to excuse the actions of this man.

I want real conversation on both political issues and moral behavior.  They are two separate items; yet, to me they are both important.

My Museum

This past weekend my cousin Todd came to visit with his doggy child, Whisky.  Whisky, like most children, is very curious and wanted to explore my home -- all of my home -- including the upstairs even though Todd had chosen to sleep in our basement guest room.  Of course, I didn't care.  I told Todd to let him upstairs so Todd took him up.  While up there, Todd commented on the three rooms that were upstairs, two bedrooms and an office.  He said that my house looked like a museum with all the old stuff I have.  Now, I am not a clutter-bug.  I am not a hoarder.  However, I do have a lot of old stuff.  Most of this "stuff" did not belong to me originally; but rather, it came from either my Mother-In-Love's home or my Aunt Mary Lee's home.  This stuff would most likely have ended up in the garbage if I had not laid claim to it.  And of course, my hubby wonders why I did.  It's going to sound crazy, I know; but these items make me feel close to those people who are no longer around.  So let me show you my "museum."

So when you first walk into my home the dining room in going to be on your right.  I love my dining room even though we don't use it unless we have a family gathering.  The table and china cabinet belonged to my Mother-In-Love.  She and Pops purchased this for their first home even before my husband, Mark, was born.  I also have a secretary in this room that belonged to Mark's grandmother.  The china cabinet holds two complete sets of china.  One of these sets was my MIL's and the other belonged to my Great Aunt Annie.  The secretary holds crystal, all of the crystal is vintage and belonged to various members of my family.  There is an antique occasional table holding a vintage lamp that looks like an old phone as well as a sculpture of the last supper which was a gift to my In-Laws at their wedding.  The curio cabinet in the back holds wedding keepsakes from our wedding as well as lots of other antique items, including some small porcelain dolls that had been my Granny Dot's.


Straight ahead of you is the living room.  This room only has a couple of old items in it like a record player stand that was my MIL's and an old tea table that belonged to my grandmother.

I love all the old items that are above the shelves in my kitchen.  I have a couple of dolls that my MIL took the time to make me as well as some old glass bottles and tin toys.  The "Kiss My Grits" towel was my Aunt Mary Lee's.



In my breakfast nook there is an old stereo that was my mother's.





Straight up the stairs is my office.  This is probably the most cluttered of all my rooms as it is filled with items collected from 34 years of teaching.  The little blue-checked double chair was my MIL's.  The foot hassock was my great Aunt-Vera's and is filled with old 45 records.

    

To the right of the office is bedroom #1 upstairs.  The thing I love the most in this room is the vanity that sits just to your left when you enter the room.  This vanity belonged to my grandmother and was used by all three of my aunts when they were living at home.  You can't see them well from this picture but on the chest of drawers in the right corner stand a set of Flamenco, or Spanish dancers that stood in my Aunt Mary Lee's house during my growing up years.  I thought back then that they were Barbie dolls and for the life of me, I could not understand why I was not allowed to play with them  Beside the Flamenco is an antique jewelry box, black with Japanese art painted on it.  This box is filled with OLD jewelry.  I had it appraised and was startled at the value it was given.  It still has its key and after the appraiser put a little oil on the lock, it works beautifully.  It also has a music box inside and that was cleaned and now works really well too.   

Finally, to the left of the office is bedroom #2.  This bedroom has the white furniture my sister and I used as we were growing up.  It also has a love seat and two chairs that are over 100 years old which belonged to my grandmother.  The peacock chenille spread belonged to my Great-Aunt Vera.  The dolls on the bed are special too.  The white porcelain doll was my Great-Aunt Annie's doll and is wearing her christening gown.  The other doll, the little African-American baby doll is a real rubber baby doll.  Dolls  are not made of rubber like  this anymore. I found her at Goodwill. I had one as a child that my Aunt Odessa gave me.  I am not a black child so I have no idea why she gave me a black baby doll but I loved that doll.  I don't have a clue what happened to that doll but this one reminded me so much of mine that I just had to rescue her from Goodwill's clutches!  These are not the only dolls in my home and, yes, there are folks, (my hubby being one of them) who tell me that my dolls are creepy.  I don't care a fig what they say.  They remain on display.  

        

These are just a few of my treasures.  I have more that are not visible from these photos but are on display in my home.  I don't worship these items but I do treasure them.  They are reminders of people that I love and cared about.  Laugh at me if you must, dear cousin, and anyone else who wants to come in and roll their eyes at my museum.  My husband reminds me all the time that once God calls me home, all my earthly treasures will be put into an auction or into a trash bin and that's OK.  Until then, I will treasure them along with the memories of my loved ones.

Whisky, I am glad that you came and gave me a reason to reminisce about the past. You  are welcome anytime!  Todd, you are welcome to tag along with Whiskey when he decides that he wants to visit again.

Saying Goodbye Before You Say Hello

Wednesday afternoon, September 18, 2019, was an emotional time for me.  After work I went to the Amherst Cemetery to see the graves of two members of my family.  One was my father - not my daddy, but rather, my biological father.  The other was my niece who is the daughter of a brother I just recently met.   I feel very cheated by the fact that I never got to physically meet either of these souls face to face in this life. I truly hope that I get to spend some quality time with both of these people during Eternity.  I know that this sounds crazy but I miss these two even though I never got to meet them, especially Samantha, my niece.

Working with Beginning Professionals

I am a mentor teacher for Amherst County Public Schools, or at least I was one up until this year.  I stepped out of mentoring this year because I am feeling very overwhelmed by life in general and I decided to let some things go.  I already miss my role as a mentor but I know that I did the right thing. 

Still, I love to discuss pedagogy.  That is why I thoroughly enjoy when Dr. Sam Smith brings a group of students out to Amherst Elementary to see the STEAM lab which is what happened on Tuesday, September 17th. 

Picking Up the Pen . . . Again

So, I haven't blogged since 2012 when we were building our house.  Well, here it is 2019 and we have been in our home for 7 years.  So much has happened in the past 7 years.  We moved in with my sweet mother-in-law who was getting up in years and could not safely live by herself anymore.  There were times that she would call us up in the middle of the night because a light bulb had blown out and the lamp needed to work right then.  Or there was the time that she called in the middle of the night and wanted my husband (her son) to go get fish oil so that her heart medication would work. I tried to tell her the medication would work fine without fish oil but in the end, my husband climbed out of bed that night and went to buy fish oil.  Thank God for all night stores like Walmart! 

Well moving Mom in with us didn't make things any easier.  In months it became evident that something was medically wrong and within a year we had a double diagnosis of kidney failure and Alzheimers.  In April of 2016, my saintly, sweet mother-in-law moved residences once again.  This time she left Earth to live in the mansion that had been prepared for her.  (John 14:2) 

The picture here with this post is Mom in December 2013.  She is holding her great-grandson, Ryan.  Ryan is my daughter's first baby.  This is how I like to remember Mom, smiling, enjoying herself.  She loved to read the Bible.  She loved people.  She loved me and I needed that love desperately. 

The Easter following this picture Mom ended up in the hospital because her blood sugar dropped down to 30 three times in one week.  It was only after the third time that we discovered the kidney failure and at that time she was pronounced stage 4. 

It has taken me an additional 3 years to find the motivation to return to my blog.   My intent is to keep a document of happenings here on my blog that I want to remember because I am tired of Facebook.  But that is for another post.