The power of words

I have been busy the last month trying to put my life into perspective. I have found just how powerful words are. I changed all my computer passwords to a word of encouragement. Every time I log in, I type in my password and I feel uplifted. I think everyone should have an encouraging password like- beautiful, strong, determined, special, or queen. I didn't list my here, but you get the idea. Don't forget to add #s and capitals in there to make them truly powerful passwords.

Don mentioned we needed carpet in the living room. If you remember, I tore it out in a frenzy a couple of months back. See details here



So our living room has been half hard wood and half particle board. It looked crummy and made everything echo. Don felt like we were going to loose our hearing because of the volume level in our house and said it was time to carpet the living room.

I wasn't opposed to the idea. I needed a project to focus my thoughts and I was ready for carpet as well. But how could I carpet without painting walls? I decided to take on the living room project.







I loved how it turned out. In fact, it finally feels like a home. I like sitting in it. The kids can wrestle. Guests can visit. It makes a difference to have at least one nice room in the house.

It's the little things

I have become very aware of the little things in life that make all the difference.

1. Family- I have always been very thankful for my family. I enjoy being with my family. They love me regardless.

2. Friends- I have some of the best friends ever. My friends are great listeners. They support me and help me think clearly.

3. Neighbors- My neighbors rock. They put up with my crazy family and all the chaos that ensues.

You all are what makes life what it is.

Fired

I have never in my life been fired. I am always on time to work. I work hard the whole time I am there. I give my 100%. Well, they have been looking for an excuse to get rid of me since September. They said that I let the kids talk when they enter my classroom. In fact, I let them talk from the time they come into the room until they sit in their sit. Humm. So I am supposed to squash any bit of childhood the children have left? "Kids, don't talk at all. We are at school and I expect you to act like robots until you are back in your car on your way home with your parents."

They pulled me in on Friday and told me that they were letting me go. I have never been so shocked. And yet, there is a teacher that yells at the kids that still has her job. It is so bad that they have to always have another teacher in there with her at all times, but I was the one to get fired because I let the students talk until they sit in their seats!

I asked them what they wanted me to do with all the data I had collected throughout the year. They were like, "Data, what data?" I told them how I had collected data since the beginning of the year of everything I had taught them. I kept track of what concepts students didn't understand and when I retaught them. It basically shows that my students know every concept I have taught. "Oh," they said. "You can leave that data."

It is amazing what some people consider a serious problem. Then they were mad because I taught the reading class so well when they observed me.

Let's see-
recent operation- check
Hole in my breast not healed yet- check
fired from job- check
serious stress- check

I hate to ask if I have hit rock bottom yet.

The Priesthood will Catch You...

When I found out we were having a girl, I started to cry. After having three boys, I didn't think it was possible to have a girl. And how was I supposed to know how to raise a daughter? After a day of shock and disbelief I started preparing to bring a baby girl into the world.

I don't know if all women immediately have the need to buy something utterly beautiful when they find out they are having a girl, but I did. I wanted a beautiful, lacy, white dress for her blessing day. I wanted a dress that I could put away and bring back out on her baptism day and then her wedding day. I wanted her to have three white dresses. The women in my family chipped in for a beautiful dress. It was perfect.

From the moment Dresden was born she caught every one's heart. Just holding her makes everything right. Her eyes light up with every smile. She has a head full of dark blond hair. She is so small compared to the boys when they were born. I guess you could call her dainty. She is everything I ever wanted in a girl.

It seemed like forever till her blessing day. There is something truly real about the priesthood. Something so powerful, that it makes something so intangible, tangible. I have noticed that none of my children feel like they belong to me until they have been given a name and a blessing through the Melchizedek priesthood. Yes, I love them with all my heart. I can't imagine life before they ever came into the world and graced me with their presence. But I know that they are not my children. God has lent them to me to raise and protect. They know that too. Their eyes radiate a soul that still belongs to God. The blessing helps tie them to our family. They become my children while they are on the Earth.

Good News

The title says it all, the results came back normal. If I haven't called yet to tell you, I'm sorry.

Life- The Continuous Battle.

I have battled with myself for a while about whether I should share this on my blog. But I figure enough people know now that it really isn't a big deal. So here I go...

About a month ago I went into my doctor because I was having breast issues. E-mail me if you want more personal details. My doctor set up a mammogram. I went in and had my first mammogram. To all those people that complain about mammograms- suck it up. I could tell you stories.

They found two spots of calcium deposits. One area was so small that I laughed. I couldn't believe they could even see anything. They did an ultrasound to see if they could find any lumps and they couldn't see anything. The doctor called my surgeon to talk to her about his findings. He wanted to do a biopsy and a dye test right away. She said she wanted to see me first before they did any testing.

Three days later I had a breast infection. Everyone has the same question, "Are you breast feeding?" Let me just answer "no". Dresden is two years old. I stopped about a year ago. So yes, it was hard to convince anyone that I had a breast infection. I went into insta-care. The doctor gave me a shot of antibiotics and gave me a prescription. They told me to come back the next day if I didn't see any improvement. Long story short, I ended up back there the next day for another shot. But I finally started to feel better.

I went in to see the surgeon for my appointment. She showed me the calcium deposits and talked about doing a breast biopsy. I was a little surprised about my mammogram results because what I understood right after the mammogram was that I had two small dots that they wanted to check just to make sure. But what the surgeon was telling me was that there were two AREAS of calcium deposits that they were concerned about. It sounded a bit more serious that I initially thought. But I still knew that there was only a 5% chance that it was cancer.

So yesterday I had the biopsy. The best way to describe it is a mammogram that lasts two hours with a climax of needle pricking. I laid there on my stomach on an uncomfortable table the entire time. When they were done they held the breast in the clamps for another ten minutes to make sure the bleeding stopped. In my case it didn't so they tried sea weed with the clamps and finally just glued it shut, emphasizing that there would be a bruise.

They had told me that I would feel a bee sting and that would be the worst part. They said I shouldn't feel anything after that. HA HA! It hurt the whole time. They said I should have protested more and they would have stuck me with yet another needle and given me more pain killer. Humm. It was a little late to tell me that after the whole procedure. I kept telling them that it was hurting, but that I was okay. I mean, what is pain compared to giving birth? Nothing compares to that, so I feel like I can take about any pain.

I guess that can be a message to anyone that has a breast biopsy. Yell and scream if it hurts. Don't tell them that it hurts, but you are doing okay. Tell them to stop and give you more of that pain killing juice. Of course, if you have a breast biopsy, I hope that all you really do feel is a bee sting and the rest is a piece of cake.

I had asked the doctor if I would be able to go back to work the next day. He said that I would be a little sore, but that I would be able to. He said to not be surprised when a big bruise starts to form anywehere on my breast, even if it isn't anywhere near the area where they biopsied. Nice.

So I have spent the last 18 hours recooperating. I don't know how anyone can go to work the next day after that kind of biopsy. Especially when the most you can take for two days after is Tylenol. But I digress...

I find out my results on Wednesday afternoon. I will post them. I am pretty sure that everything is normal and I won't have to have anything done, except maybe a little therapy to get over the trama (joke, of course). Now consider yourself informed.

Checking In

I love temper tantrums! Zander is sitting right next to me screaming at the top of his lungs because he is not getting his way. There is no better way to ignore him than to blog. I can't believe Dresden is sleeping through this.

There is so much to share, but there is a time and a season.

School is going well. I just sent out report cards for last term. I had a mom ask me if they were the final grades. I thought that was funny. Especially when I post all the grades on an online program where they can view their grades all term. The student's grade shouldn't be a surprise. I even sent out a progress report this week to let them know how they are doing this term already. We are in the third week of this term. I had five e-mails from parents telling me that their Reading University grade couldn't be right. I record the minutes exactly as the parents write on the student's learning plan. I let those parents know that I will recheck the learning plans to see if the minutes weren't recorded correctly. It was amazing, the next day all the learning plans for this week included reading minutes and were signed.