How time does fly!!!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Seeing Blue
I wish my camera was working, so I could post pictures of what happened tonight in my kitchen. It's too difficult to adequately describe the cuteness of the tragedy.
Brook had left for a movie with a few friends, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for Charlie and I to work on Mother's Day gifts. The project for tonight would be simple: stamp Charlie's adorable little hands on the cards, using blue (non-toxic) paint. It all started out alright. I squished his little hand in the blue paint, and tried to do a practice print. It sort of turned out, but mostly, I just got fist prints (as he thought the paint was fascinating and wanted to clench his fingers around it). I very carefully pried his fingers open for the actual card, and got half a hand print, with a nice long smear. And that smear, my friends, was him pulling his hand quickly to his face.
Yes, my baby turned blue. He managed to get blue paint in his hair and all over his forehead, before I could grab his hand back. And then, with all of his wiggling, the paint from my hand smeared up his arm, leaving him much too covered in paint to be useful for the art project. You might think that this is the whole story, but it gets much better...
I had to give the poor kid a bath. Most of that went okay, until I tried to get the paint out of his hair. It had some weird reaction with his soap, and clumped up horribly. I tried and tried, but could not get all of it out. During this process, poor Charlie had lost his patience, and began crying in fervor. I got him out of the tub and into dry clothes as fast as I could, but by that time, he had worked himself into a frenzy. His crying became more and more hysterical, and nothing but nursing would quiet him. He would quickly return to his crying as soon as he was finished, and no amount of rocking, walking, shushing, bouncing, or anything else would help. He pretty much just had to tire himself out. Poor kid.
In the meantime, we don't have any Mother's Day cards, my baby is completely worn out from screaming, and he also has a nice clump of blue paint on one side of his head. Oh, and to top the whole thing off, I managed to drop a roll of aluminum foil into the paint we were using (while I was cleaning up), which rolled through the paint and made a nice mess. Please don't ask me how this happened. I still don't know. *sigh*
I believe there is a lesson to be learned here. First, three month olds don't do well with art projects. Second, I should never attempt these kinds of things by myself, at least until I know what I'm actually doing. And third, Mother's Day cards of these sort should focus on FOOTPRINTS, which are much easier to obtain and create less mess, especially if baby isn't interested in eating their feet yet.
I'm seriously contemplating trying this again tomorrow night, but with his feet. I'll let you all know how it goes...:-D
Brook had left for a movie with a few friends, so I thought it would be a good opportunity for Charlie and I to work on Mother's Day gifts. The project for tonight would be simple: stamp Charlie's adorable little hands on the cards, using blue (non-toxic) paint. It all started out alright. I squished his little hand in the blue paint, and tried to do a practice print. It sort of turned out, but mostly, I just got fist prints (as he thought the paint was fascinating and wanted to clench his fingers around it). I very carefully pried his fingers open for the actual card, and got half a hand print, with a nice long smear. And that smear, my friends, was him pulling his hand quickly to his face.
Yes, my baby turned blue. He managed to get blue paint in his hair and all over his forehead, before I could grab his hand back. And then, with all of his wiggling, the paint from my hand smeared up his arm, leaving him much too covered in paint to be useful for the art project. You might think that this is the whole story, but it gets much better...
I had to give the poor kid a bath. Most of that went okay, until I tried to get the paint out of his hair. It had some weird reaction with his soap, and clumped up horribly. I tried and tried, but could not get all of it out. During this process, poor Charlie had lost his patience, and began crying in fervor. I got him out of the tub and into dry clothes as fast as I could, but by that time, he had worked himself into a frenzy. His crying became more and more hysterical, and nothing but nursing would quiet him. He would quickly return to his crying as soon as he was finished, and no amount of rocking, walking, shushing, bouncing, or anything else would help. He pretty much just had to tire himself out. Poor kid.
In the meantime, we don't have any Mother's Day cards, my baby is completely worn out from screaming, and he also has a nice clump of blue paint on one side of his head. Oh, and to top the whole thing off, I managed to drop a roll of aluminum foil into the paint we were using (while I was cleaning up), which rolled through the paint and made a nice mess. Please don't ask me how this happened. I still don't know. *sigh*
I believe there is a lesson to be learned here. First, three month olds don't do well with art projects. Second, I should never attempt these kinds of things by myself, at least until I know what I'm actually doing. And third, Mother's Day cards of these sort should focus on FOOTPRINTS, which are much easier to obtain and create less mess, especially if baby isn't interested in eating their feet yet.
I'm seriously contemplating trying this again tomorrow night, but with his feet. I'll let you all know how it goes...:-D
Delinquent
So, I have been INCREDIBLY delinquent. I realized, with much shame, that I have not updated my blog since OCTOBER. Honestly. I don't know what got into me, especially when there has been so much going on in my life that I should be writing about!
The number one biggest, most amazing thing that has happened since October is the arrival of the cute little guy at the top of this page. Charlie James was born on February 4th at 10:43am, after an emergency c-section due to a sudden onset of pre-eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. He was (and is) a perfect baby, and from the day he was born has been nothing but a tremendous joy. I feel horribly about not updating about him more from the very beginning, but in case anyone wants to catch up on the past three (three!) months, you can check out Charlie's blog here.
Other that the momentous arrival of my little son, several other newsworthy events have taken place. One of them was Brook and my move back to Eugene from Albany. I LOVED living in our Albany house, but it sure is nice to back near our families again. We moved back right before Christmas, and were nicely settled in by the time that New Year's rolled around. Brook and I also celebrated our first wedding anniverary!!! It was a great time, and for the entire day, we locked ourselves away to drink champagne (or apple cider in my case) and watch movies. It was fabulous. :-)
Some other events (on a sadder note this time) were the deaths of a few good friends of mine. One was my little pug mix, Bonnie, who dies of old age in November (right before Thanksgiving). In March, Jack, our rott/shepherd mix, passed away from Lymphoma, which was devastating (although expected). And in April, my 13 year old parakeet, SweetPea, died. :-( Luckily, such things come in threes (so they say), so I'm not expecting anything awful again for a while.
The end of March, Brook and I welcomed another new member to our family, to help keep the three of us Reinhards company. His name is Flip, and he's a fluffy black mutt with no tail. He's cute, but somewhat undisciplined (and we're working on that). Perhaps sometime I'll have a picture of him up as well, but for now, you'll have to make due with the above description.
And now, I must bid my blog adieu. Maybe my next post will be more timely (although based on previous experience, I wouldn't count on it). Stay tuned (hopefully) for more updates on the darling Charlie, my life as a middle school teacher, and upcoming SUMMER VACATION.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh boy, oh boy! It's a boy!
Brook and I found out yesterday that we are going to be having a wonderful little boy! I had a fantastic ultrasound yesterday that gave me a sneak peek at this adorable new person. He's a wiggle-worm, with lots of personality even though he's only a little guy.
I am utterly and fantastically excited!
Brook and I found out yesterday that we are going to be having a wonderful little boy! I had a fantastic ultrasound yesterday that gave me a sneak peek at this adorable new person. He's a wiggle-worm, with lots of personality even though he's only a little guy.
I am utterly and fantastically excited!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Jack
Those who know me well know that Brook and I have a fabulous dog by the name of Jack. You who have met Jack know well how good-natured and easy going he is, and how incredibly attached Brook and I are to him. Well, in the past couple of weeks, we've been dealt the devastating news that Jack has lymphoma.
Lymphoma.
It's a horrible shock. Jack hadn't been feeling well over the past several weeks, and had basically stopped eating and began losing weight. We suspected something was wrong, but nothing to that extent. Luckily, for the time being, he is back to normal thanks to steroids. He also began chemo last week, and will continue with chemo for the next few months. This treatment will buy him some extra time with us, and help him feel more normal. Indeed, he's been more like our old Jack (only hungrier), and it's so difficult to believe that he is actually a pretty sick pup.
Anyway, any prayers that you might like to say for Jack would be so appreciated.
Lymphoma.
It's a horrible shock. Jack hadn't been feeling well over the past several weeks, and had basically stopped eating and began losing weight. We suspected something was wrong, but nothing to that extent. Luckily, for the time being, he is back to normal thanks to steroids. He also began chemo last week, and will continue with chemo for the next few months. This treatment will buy him some extra time with us, and help him feel more normal. Indeed, he's been more like our old Jack (only hungrier), and it's so difficult to believe that he is actually a pretty sick pup.
Anyway, any prayers that you might like to say for Jack would be so appreciated.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Inspiration
Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath
Looked down from a broken sky.
Traced out by the city of lights.
My world from a mile high.
Best seat in the house tonight.
Touch down on the cold black-top.
Hold on for the sudden stop.
Breathe in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos.
All those people goin somewhere, why have I never cared.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give your love for humanity.
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Step out on the busy street.
See a girl and our eyes meet.
Does her best to smile at me.
To hide what's underneath.
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie.
Too ashamed to tell his wife he's out of work, he's buyin time.
All those people goin somewhere, why have I never cared.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity.
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've been there a million times.
A couple million lives.
Just movin past me by, I swear I never thought that I was wrong.
But I wanna second glance so give me a second chance to see the way you've seen the people all along.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity.
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
I absolutely love this song, and feel that it accurately reflects what I want to accomplish in my Special Education classroom. Recently, I have been dealing with crazy behaviors, things I probably never would have expected. Through all the insanity, however, I want to remember why I'm there: to help. I certainly can't offer anything to these kids without God's help, and if I'm not able to see them through His eyes, there is no way that I will be able to show them the love and compassion that some of them need. I know for a fact that some of my students come from the ugliest of situations, and remembering that God loves them regardless of how they act or what they struggle with is something that can help me to be the teacher that they need and deserve.
And now, off to begin my Sunday. Wish me luck with this coming week, and please keep me and my students in your prayers! :-D
Looked down from a broken sky.
Traced out by the city of lights.
My world from a mile high.
Best seat in the house tonight.
Touch down on the cold black-top.
Hold on for the sudden stop.
Breathe in the familiar shock of confusion and chaos.
All those people goin somewhere, why have I never cared.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give your love for humanity.
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Step out on the busy street.
See a girl and our eyes meet.
Does her best to smile at me.
To hide what's underneath.
There's a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie.
Too ashamed to tell his wife he's out of work, he's buyin time.
All those people goin somewhere, why have I never cared.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity.
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've been there a million times.
A couple million lives.
Just movin past me by, I swear I never thought that I was wrong.
But I wanna second glance so give me a second chance to see the way you've seen the people all along.
Give me your eyes for just one second,
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give me your love for humanity.
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
I absolutely love this song, and feel that it accurately reflects what I want to accomplish in my Special Education classroom. Recently, I have been dealing with crazy behaviors, things I probably never would have expected. Through all the insanity, however, I want to remember why I'm there: to help. I certainly can't offer anything to these kids without God's help, and if I'm not able to see them through His eyes, there is no way that I will be able to show them the love and compassion that some of them need. I know for a fact that some of my students come from the ugliest of situations, and remembering that God loves them regardless of how they act or what they struggle with is something that can help me to be the teacher that they need and deserve.
And now, off to begin my Sunday. Wish me luck with this coming week, and please keep me and my students in your prayers! :-D
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
SKA-DOOSH
Life is ridiculously crazy! I feel like I'm on one of those kiddie merry-go-rounds, where someone is pushing you around faster and faster and you're doing all you can to hold on tight and not go flying off...
Yes, it is like a merry-go-round, but not the up and down kind, just the round and round kind. Things are very good, just fast paced, and while I feel a little dizzy sometimes, I'm certainly enjoying the ride.
I officially became an 8th grade resource teacher last week. This is quite possibly one of the most death-defying things I have ever attempted. It is utter chaos (although in most instances, I feel as though I have some control). A lot of days feel like I'm trying to fight a fire with a whip and a chair, but then, that's the fun, right? Yes, indeed it is. For all it's worth, after one solid week with these kids, I have to admit that I LOVE it. These kids are hilarious, fun to be around, and full of energy. And while they have their share of behavior issues, it is those exact issues that make me feel like I have to think on my feet and utilize all of my creative resources. It's the ultimate problem solving experience, and it's crazy fun.
What do I teach? I teach two periods of Language Arts (one is a class full of angels, and the other is the exact opposite, although I love both classes), Reading, Math and two study halls. Most of my classes are small (6-9 kids), but I have a few big ones (13-17). I have a lot of the same kids in multiple classes, which is great fun, as I'm getting to know them quite well now. I'm still having an issue with remembering names (geez, I keep mixing up two particular kids and calling them by the wrong name...due to my unfortunate ability to keep them straight, a new joke has emerged among the 8th graders, and that is to call them by their opposite names. Sad thing is, these two kids are starting to respond...lol).
Anyway, that's probably enough about my new classroom for now. I will have more in-depth discussions about what I'm learning updated periodically at my other blog:
vals-classroom-improvement.blogspot.com
In other news, being pregnant is FABULOUS. I am tired a lot, but that's the only negative side effect at this point. Baby is healthy and KICKING! I feel him/her every day now, especially in the evenings, and as I type this, I can feel little baby movements fluttering away inside me. We don't have a known gender yet, but it will come in October when we go to our next ultrasound. It's so exciting, knowing that baby's moving and growing so much! One of my favorite parts of this experience right now (besides feeling the baby move) is that people can tell that I'm pregnant now! I haven't really gained much weight (haha, only 1 pound), so my tummy sticks out nicely. It's a definite round shape, sticking straight out in front of me (def. looks pregnant, so people don't seem too worried about asking). Ahh, it's such fun. :-D
At this point, I feel a need to abandon my computer and go attack my husband. It seems we have a date to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. Know that there will be updates galore! So stay tuned.
Yes, it is like a merry-go-round, but not the up and down kind, just the round and round kind. Things are very good, just fast paced, and while I feel a little dizzy sometimes, I'm certainly enjoying the ride.
I officially became an 8th grade resource teacher last week. This is quite possibly one of the most death-defying things I have ever attempted. It is utter chaos (although in most instances, I feel as though I have some control). A lot of days feel like I'm trying to fight a fire with a whip and a chair, but then, that's the fun, right? Yes, indeed it is. For all it's worth, after one solid week with these kids, I have to admit that I LOVE it. These kids are hilarious, fun to be around, and full of energy. And while they have their share of behavior issues, it is those exact issues that make me feel like I have to think on my feet and utilize all of my creative resources. It's the ultimate problem solving experience, and it's crazy fun.
What do I teach? I teach two periods of Language Arts (one is a class full of angels, and the other is the exact opposite, although I love both classes), Reading, Math and two study halls. Most of my classes are small (6-9 kids), but I have a few big ones (13-17). I have a lot of the same kids in multiple classes, which is great fun, as I'm getting to know them quite well now. I'm still having an issue with remembering names (geez, I keep mixing up two particular kids and calling them by the wrong name...due to my unfortunate ability to keep them straight, a new joke has emerged among the 8th graders, and that is to call them by their opposite names. Sad thing is, these two kids are starting to respond...lol).
Anyway, that's probably enough about my new classroom for now. I will have more in-depth discussions about what I'm learning updated periodically at my other blog:
vals-classroom-improvement.blogspot.com
In other news, being pregnant is FABULOUS. I am tired a lot, but that's the only negative side effect at this point. Baby is healthy and KICKING! I feel him/her every day now, especially in the evenings, and as I type this, I can feel little baby movements fluttering away inside me. We don't have a known gender yet, but it will come in October when we go to our next ultrasound. It's so exciting, knowing that baby's moving and growing so much! One of my favorite parts of this experience right now (besides feeling the baby move) is that people can tell that I'm pregnant now! I haven't really gained much weight (haha, only 1 pound), so my tummy sticks out nicely. It's a definite round shape, sticking straight out in front of me (def. looks pregnant, so people don't seem too worried about asking). Ahh, it's such fun. :-D
At this point, I feel a need to abandon my computer and go attack my husband. It seems we have a date to cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. Know that there will be updates galore! So stay tuned.
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