Celebrating my Birthday

Tomorrow is my 39th birthday. Tomorrow my sis and my niece are coming over to help me celebrate my birthday. I will see my brother Monday morning and get birthday hugs from him. Its been a few weeks since I've seen him. I got books from the library to read to him.

Last night, I was hoping to go to the Indians game, glad we didn't. Way too hot! and rain delays, but they ended up winning! Instead, sis, niece, and friends from church met me at Pizza Hut for supper, and then just down the road went bowling afterwards. We had some fun. I bowled a 98 in the first game, and a 66 in the second game. I had way too many gutter balls in the second game. In my lane, were 3 guys, and none of them bowled a turkey (3 strikes in a row). My sis had good frames, when my niece wasn't paying attention to her mom bowling. 16 people bowled in 4 lanes. We all bowled 2 games.

Here are a few pics.

Master's Project Proposal

I finished my proposal this afternoon! So good to have it done. I also created my power point for tomorrow's presentation. There is a couple parts of the methodology that is no complete and won't be until I find out which school(s) I will be doing my case study at. The teachers involved are basically on a volunteer basis.

A week ago yesterday, I was so overwhelmed with this whole thing. Looking for references frustrated me.

I still have to fill out the application to the school district, I teach in, to get permission to do this research study.

My action research study is on thematic units. Teacher views and perceptions on thematic units. How are thematic units designed and implemented in the classroom. I want to interview and observe two teachers who will be using thematic units this fall. I am hoping my two teachers will be a primary and an intermediate teacher.

Today's Interview

I will not know till next month, whether I will be laid off, or if I have a job. I got a letter last week, about an opening at one of the schools in my district, so I called saying I was qualified and was interested in interviewing for it. I got the call Tuesday afternoon for when and where the interview would be. The interview was at 8:45 am this morning. I had class at 10 am. I got to the Board of Ed building, went to where I was told to go and I waited and waited. They moved the place of the interview and nobody told me, until somebody came downstairs and told me so.

I interviewed for a 7th grade math/science position. I had to teach a lesson and also answered some some questions. I chose to teach my lesson on the water cycle. I found out that the shoes to be filled are very big. Basically, the new teacher would be writing the science curriculum and working very closely with the science department person and the 8th science teacher. God's will to be done. It went okay.

I have taught this grade, but still it would be out of my comfort zone. My mom complained at times of my hours this past school year. If I got the job, my hours would be worse. Will see what happens.

Silly Bandz and Science

I narrowed down my my research question for my Master's Project this evening. I will be looking for a couple of teachers who actually uses thematic units that integrate science in them. I am hoping to find both a primary and an intermediate teacher to do case studies on. I think using thematic units would be something to try at some point in my classroom.

My niece is really into Silly Bandz. I wouldn't be surprised if she had close to 200 of them. I actually have four that she has given me. Mine are all Shrek related. I haven't worn mine for a few days, but I have worn them. Rob Croak lives in Toledo, OH.

Master's Project

I have settled on the topic of my Master's Project. The topic is Science Integrating. The how and the why of integrating science into the other subjects. I have started my searching for articles for my literature review. All of my articles, books, newsletters, etc. have to have been written within the last 10 years, and I have to have at least 10 of them. My proposal and power point presentation is due by Wednesday, July 21. I will study one elementary school, actually their teachers. My data tools will be surveys, interviews, observations and my reflection journal. I will be doing this action research study this fall.

Summer Classes

I am already overwhelmed! That is the short version of my five week classes for grad school. I am taking Historical Geology-both lecture and lab and Action Research. Action Research prepares me for Master's Research. By July 21, I will have my proposal written and presented. This proposal will talk about my project that I will be doing this fall. I have lots of reading, writing, research to do. I will be spending lots of hours at the university library. As usual, no life!

I have a few ideas for my project, but not completely sure. I started looking for journal articles this afternoon, and became frustrated, because I was having a hard time finding journal articles. I found a few, but only 1 or 2 that are actually action research journal articles.

Historical Geology is spending time on sedimentary rocks, which have been reclassified, structures, fossils, and geological time periods. My first exam for that class is next Wednesday. Had a quiz today at the end of the lecture. Will see. We will go on a field trip to the Gorge next month, during lab.

Control

It is so hard to leave every aspect of your life in God's hands. Let Him control everything. When there is something you want (heart's desire), one becomes impatient, tries to move things forward on your own. I have this one area in my life that I give over to God, after awhile take it back. I go back and forth with this. I have been waiting for God's timing when it comes to dating. There are times where I am content at being single, and times when I am not. When I am not, that is when I go looking. I check out different sites looking, and nothing. I know God's timing is better, and that He has somebody out there for me. I get impatient, and become tired of being single. I do not want to settle, I want God's best for my life.

Communication

Relationships and communication are both two way streets. Each person has to work at it. In the past, I got tired of doing all of the work with certain friendships and have dropped them, quit trying to get in touch with them. Guess what? It didn't seem to phase them, because they sure haven't tried to get in touch with me. That does hurt. Why does it hurt? My love language is Words of Affirmation. I need to hear or read positive words about me. My second main love language is time, spending time with me is important to me, in knowing that I am important to that person.

I have a small number of very close friends. We all get busy with our lives. Most of them have kids, married or not, they are busy. Case in point, I would love to see my brother more than I do, but I am busy and I have to plan my visits with him. These friends, we might go a bit of time without talking and when we do, we pick right up where we left off. We might not see each other very often. (One lives in MI, and other two live in TX. One lives locally, and we still are lucky to see each other a couple of times a year.) But here is the thing, we both work at the friendship.

In all types of relationships, one person can not just do all of the work. It is then one sided, and hurt feelings will happen. Each person has to put effort forward if you want the friendship/relationship to last.

Met a Guy

For over 10 years, I have been going back and forth with God about looking or not looking for a guy. God knows the desires of my heart. Sometimes I think it is a sin to look and other times I don't. I give it up to God and wait, and then after sometime, I take it back. I get tired of waiting. I will be 39 next month, and I am still single. I think why I struggle with it is where I look...

For about a week, I was getting on this one certain online dating website. I got on Sunday afternoon, and started talking to this guy online then moved to the phone after my parents left for church. I met him that night. He lives about 30 minutes south of me. We saw Shrek, close to where I live. Spent Monday afternoon/evening together. Then he came to church last night to meet my sis/niece and friends. We have been talking and texting each other since Sunday. I like him and enjoy spending time with him. Going out with him tonight and tomorrow night. He is a Christian, that is number one for me.

I have been praying to God about this, since Sunday. I have been asking for his will. I have given it up to him. I have had this one fear for a number of years, is that I would settle and not wait for God's best, because I want to become a wife and a mother. God's timing is not my timing. I do like this guy and enjoy spending time with him, and look forward to seeing him again.

Even though I have been single for so long, I haven't felt God wanting me to stay single and never marry. That could be because of my heart's desire, and it is still strong and not letting up. God knows, I just have to trust him. That is so hard at times.

God Know What He is Doing

Left school about 10 so I hung out at the main library for about three hours. Went to my meeting and it lasted about 1 1/2 hours. I will get paid through August, have health insurance through August, and I have moved up two to 23 from the bottom of the least. Of the 84 that has been slated for layoffs, 46 are elementary. Of the fifty some that have retired, only eighteen are elementary.

Before the end of the month, I have to go to HR and make changes to my yellow form and add schools, both elementary and middle school for my choices to teach at. Even though, I am saying I prefer certain schools and certain grades, I am certified up to 8th grade, but this should make it more likely I will be placed in an opening next month.

If I do get laid off, I will be put on a recall list, and depending on where I am on that list, determines when I will get called. When I am called and it is for elementary position, I have to say yes, but if it is middle school, I can say no, but the next offer, I have no choice but to accept. If I do get put onto the recall list (laid off), then I have to reapply to sub and will be given first dibs at long-term sub jobs. Then I can also get COBRA for 18 months or when I get a job, whichever comes first.

I have asked God for a job in one of the grades I prefer and in a school I prefer. But, I am also saying, "Your will be done here on Earth, as it is in Heaven." God knows what he is doing. God also knows I need insurance, and can not afford to pay for it myself every month.

The Year is Finished

Today was the last day of school! Yesterday, my kids "graduated" from the fifth grade. They were told that they didn't have to show up today. If they did, then they would be put to work. We were hoping that none would show up. Guess what? Some showed up! I had 5, one teacher had 3, and the other one had 7 (I think). Four of mine worked. I had to clean off the top of my desk, unhook the keyboards and mice from the computers, put thee elmo and projector away. They we had to stack desks and chairs and move them out of the way. My one partner spent yesterday morning and today moving up to my room and put things away and moving furniture around.

We have a teachers meeting tomorrow morning and then I am officially done for the school year.

Am I Laid off or Not?

I got a letter from the Board of Ed today in the mail. Basically, it says that I am one of the teachers who could be laid off come August. After the staffing process is completed in early August, the actual number of reductions will be determined and board action will be taken then, according to the letter. Also according to the letter, included is the right to recall when a position becomes available for which I am certified, also priority assignments to long-term substitute positions in my area of certification if available. I have to go to a meeting at the Union's office this coming Friday at 2 pm.

My Fun Day

There are 3 days left of the school year. This morning, we did two Grammar Minutes, listened to a story about a ballerina, then my kids got ready for our egg drop. I gave my kids one week to find a container at home and materials to use in their container to protect their raw egg for when they let it fall from outside the window. Only 4 people brought something from home. The rest found stuff in the classroom to use. Both volunteer grandfathers and two students went outside to stand outside the window. We used 10 eggs. Only 3 eggs did not break, the rest did. They enjoyed that.

I brought in one of the giant cookies from Giant Eagle for them to eat, after the egg drop. Then we had our final store of the year. I did it differently. First I drew tickets from a bag, and if they had the same number as what I drew, then they could take anything from the table. Not everybody liked that, so after awhile, we kinda did an auction on some items. Then it was time for lunch.

After lunch, all of 5th grade met in the gym, and a guy from The Akron Aeros along with Orbit came to visit. Two of my kids were scared of Orbit. It was funny. I took a bunch of pictures. This guy was supposed to talk to the kids, but he didn't. He just explained what was in the folder they were going to get.

Afterwards, we went back to the room, and I got out the bag of feather boas for my kids to put on and have their picture taken. I thought they would enjoy it. A few did. Then I sent six kids to third grade to help them make their protective containers for their egg drop. The two girls who went became mad, afterwards, because they were helping third grade instead of being outside for Fun Friday. Besides, that room had AC, and it was hot outside. They do not always make sense.

Compliment

This morning, before school started, I was called down to the office. You know how that is, you never like being called to the office. One of my student's parents was waiting for me. They wanted to talk about their child's grade on a couple of reports. We talked and they gave me a compliment. They have a daughter in the class next door, and told me that they prefer how I grade, because I am a tough grader. I liked receiving that compliment.

Is This a But, God or a Yet, God?

The end of April I had a meeting with my principal, who told me that I should think about of going to younger grade, which I won't go younger than third grade. If I am back at my school this fall, I will start the year on an assistance plan. I've been on those before. He suggested I put in a transfer, so I did. Out of the 30+ elementary schools, I chose the top 21 schools that I like and numbered them. Who knows when I will hear about where I will be in the fall.

Last week, I got my contract for next year, signed it and sent it back. At school, we've been waiting for our numbers for next year, so people know if they want to put in an intraschool transfer or what. The district kept putting that off. The Board met on Monday and decided to lay off 84 teachers and other staff members. The union wasn't told in advance and the rest of us found out when we got Tuesday's paper. To top this off, the board is in the process of negotiating the new contract with the teacher's union.

My principal received our numbers yesterday and called a staff meeting after school today. My school is loosing 3 teachers, K, 2, 4. The K and 4 grade teachers have low seniority at the school and have to put in for a transfer, and have to also, while the second grade teacher can move to fifth for that opening.

A couple of weeks ago, my kids took the end of the year district reading test. Only 9 fifth grade students basically passed (over 70%), and 2/3 of those 9 are my kids. The other third is from my one partner's class, the other teacher, her highest score was like number 15 of the kids on the list. Isn't that cool or what?

Layoff notices have already been sent out. I have heard that over 50 have already decided to retire. I should know by end of month if I am getting laid off or not.

Scan Results

Saw my onc today after school. I was weighed, and I need to severely cut back on my pop intake, chocolate intake, and cut back on my portion sizes. He did not say anything about my weight, thankful for that.
I will have a full scan (abdomen, chest, and pelvis) in 3 months, August 11. I will have blood drawn a week before. I will have my port accessed by Infusion Services the morning of my CT scan, since I've been having problems with it. Blood was drawn this afternoon, and I do not have the results. My onc, doesn't think getting my port flushed every 2 weeks will be much of a big difference.
He wants scans in 3 months, because he is watching different lymph nodes. Some are bigger than others, and some have decreased in size, while others have grown. The difference is just by a few millimeters. I have had a stressful year, and that could've been playing havoc with my lymph nodes.

Today's CT Scan follow-up

I was looking at my papers in the envelope that had been on the fridge for today, and realized that I was scheduled to have my port flushed and maybe blood drawn this past Wednesday afternoon, and didn't know, so I didn't go. Oh, well. I was calling around this morning to find out if I was supposed to have blood drawn or not, turns out I didn't. I got to the hospital around 10. Around 10:30 I was given a bag of ice to ice the area of my port. I iced it for about 30 minutes and was called to have my port accessed around 11 am. Guess what? No blood return!! I was not expecting that. Nurse tried a different needle, still nothing. She even looked at both arms to see if she could find a vein, no way was she able to find a vein. She called and spoke of one of my nurses at the Cancer center. They were busy, but was able to take care of me. I was given the clot buster drug, and got back to the hospital around 1:30 and was done a bit before 2 pm.

I see my onc next Monday after school. The nurse from this morning, said to see about having my port flushed every 2 weeks. I will tell my onc that she tried to look for veins and couldn't find any. I even asked her to write a note to him. I'd rather go this mess, than try to find a vein and seeing if it would access or not.

My "ME" Weekend pictures

One of the above pics is one of the Wright's first planes. Air Force starts their history back with the history of planes and the Wright Brothers. A lot of the planes in the museum have nose "jobs", pictures painted on the nose of the plane.


I am standing in front of one of the plans parked in the parking lot.

A pic of the action.


I am holding a Steelers stop sign that was signed by three of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

My "ME" Weekend

This weekend, was my third "ME" weekend of the year. The first one, was back in February, when I went to TX for over Valentine's Day weekend. The second one was the first weekend of March, when I went on a Scrapbooking Retreat, and this weekend was the third one. Each weekend was something different.

Friday night, I ate supper at CiCi's Pizza, then I went over to Green High School to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers Footballers Basketball team play and beat the Summit County Sheriff Deputies in a game of basketball. This game raises money for different charities. One of those charities is the Soap Box Derby. The Pittsburgh Steelers who played Friday night was Harrison, and 5 players who were drafted last year in the 2009 draft. They were good. This is an annual event. During half-time, people got into line to get autographs. I did not get Harrison's autograph, but did get autographs of 3 new players. I bought a poster and a stop sign before the game to have something to be signed. I took over a 100 pics.

Saturday morning, I went to a women's conference with my mom and gma. There was brunch and the food was very good. I ate a lot. The message was from John 11. We got home after 12, and I was on the road before 1 pm, to head down to Miamisburg, which is south of Dayton. I went to Miamisburg Assembly of God last night to hear Carmen. The concert lasted about 90 minutes, where he sang about 10 songs and spoke from John 11. I heard two messages from John 11 on the same day. We were only able to take pics during the first song. I took some pics, but they seem dark, and is hard to see anything. The concert was good, and a good time of worship.

I stayed the night in Miamisburg, and attended Miami Valley Community Church this morning. One of the songs we sang was "Blessed be the Name of the Lord". Both last night and this morning, we sang, "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus". The sermon this morning was on Joseph, and it was good.

After church, I checked out of my hotel, and drove up to Wright Patterson Air Force Base to visit The Air Force Museum. That place is very cool! I really enjoyed it. I took over 100 pics. The planes were so big! I will post pics from the weekend in the next few days.

Pitching

Today's game started off so great, and then ended up loosing, because of our pitchers. They nibble at the plate. They seem to throw more balls than strikes. Walking batters will bite them in the butt. After six games, our record is 2-4, and the reason for that is the pitching. Yes, the bats, haven't always been awake, but the pitchers need to do better. We have too many young pitchers with not enough experience, we need more experienced pitchers.

I said it last year, and I am saying it again this year, Mark Shapiro needs to be fired!!!! Instead of being fired, he has been promoted as of the end of this season. What a mistake the Dolans have made in keeping Shapiro on as General Manager. Get us a new General Manager, and spend some money on some decent pitchers!!!!!!!!