Calling in Comfortable (112- 118)

Day 112



On my way to school I look down and noticed that my pizza was growing hair. Fortunately, we had plenty of time to get Chic-fil-A. My days are always good whenever Chic-fil-A is involved.

Day 113



I feel like I can set he record for most tire blow outs. Thankfully, my father-in-law and Aaron saved the day by taking me to work and than spending half the day getting the front two tires changed.

Day 114



I went to Austin for the weekend to celebrate my grandma's 80th birthday. It's hard to find the time to go home, especially since Midland is so far away. But I am glad I found an excuse.

Day 115


I spent today hanging with my mom at school and watching her high school put on a play. It is very odd to be sitting in the audience. It's even odder knowing I didn't help put this play together. Growing up, play season always meant helping make the set, watch rehearsals, organize clothes, and help with the technical part. I was always at school longer than at home. I loved it though. I am still questioning why I didn't do anything with it in college.

Day 116


Today is this beautiful lady's birthday! I was one of the lucky ones who got to live right next door to my grandmother. There was a warn out path in the fields where I would walk to her path. She helped raise me so much. I blame my modest tendencies and my fashion sense from her.

Day 117



Aaron moved almost all of our stuff to Seagraves while I was in Austin. I will be staying in Midland until school is out. It was quite a shock coming home and seeing the house so empty. It is also going to be quite an adjustment getting used to sleeping by myself. I had to cuddle with his pillow because it smelled like him. I would not make a good military wife.

Day 118



I think my kids think I am a fangirl of Tangled. I said I appreciated the movie because my niece loves it. Now my girls "surprise" me with some kind of song or paper (I think I even heard them getting together a skit?) about Tangled. I really have the sweetest kids.

An American Tale: Hills Go West (105-111)

Day 105



Today the PTA decorated the teacher's lounge for me. I say it is for me because I fully believe I am the only one who actually eats in there; unless there is free food, of course.

Day 106



Today we had a police officer come speak to a general ed class one of my students goes to. He was talking about drugs and alcohol and the consequences of partaking in those substances, especially as a minor. He asked one of the students to come up and demonstrate what the cops would test to see if someone is drunk. He failed. He couldn't follow simple instructions and had a hard time counting to twenty.

Day 107



Aaron and I have been playing basketball after school for a couple of weeks now. Both of us just got to a point where we were tired of being couch potatos and this is a really fun way for us to get out of the house.

Day 108



I got to leave school early today, so Aaron and I went to a soda shop in Stanton. We have been wanting to go for a while, but by the time I get off work and drive home the shop is closed. We also went into Stanton's museum. All of the artifacts were donated from people who live in Stanton.

Day 109



Craft day! I spent all day making a card for my grandma's 80th birthday. Well, most of it was spent looking up different cards to make. I also made flowers out of toilet paper rolls because nothing says classy like bathroom art.

Day 110



Meet our new home! Today was very exciting for us because FBC in Seagraves voted unanimously on Aaron being the new music minister. This is a new chapter in our lives and I am excited to see what new adventure awaits us.

Day 111



The other assistant was gone this morning, so I had to fill in for her in art. I ended up drawing a page full of robots. One robot is "Disciplinator." She has numerous arms and eyes all around her head and snakes on her head that stun children if they are too much out of line. Let's just say that I don't enjoy being around the general ed students in art.

Blog of a Sorehead (99-104)

This week Aaron and I have been playing basketball, and by "playing basketball" I mean shooting hoops, and by "shooting hoops" I mean shooting a flat ball in the general vicinity of the basketball hoop. Most of the time.

Day 99



All of the junior high life skills classes had a "track and field" trip today. The kids raced each other based on their individual levels. They had such a fun time running and cheering for each other. I had a good time meeting other teachers, assistants, and kids. There were so many personalities on that field. I love working with special needs kids.

Day 100



You would think on the hundredth day I would have something a little more exciting than two DVDs. We had some time before church so we went to HEB to buy a water bottle. I am on a healthy kick right now and so I am trying to drink more water. I was looking through the cheap DVDs and thought this was funny: two DVDs next too each other with the title "Duplicity."

Day 101



Because we can't have a real class pet, one of our kids bought this from Cracker Barrel as a substitute.

Day 102



We like to throw parties for the kids on their birthdays. Naturally, I was forgetful and had to pick up a present from Walgreens on my lunch break. The cake was from HEB. So. GOOD!

Day 103



Three times a year, Stanton has as trade day called "Old Sorehead Trade Days." The town has a welcoming sign that says " Welcome to Stanton, home of 3000 friendly people and a few old soreheads." This was my first time going and it was a lot of fun. The booths had everything from local goods, to clothes, to antiques, and very whimsical items such as giant pink flamingos and ketchup phones. There was live music from local musicians, a lot of food to choose from, and a lot of dogs in strollers. I had such a fun time meeting everyone.

Day 104



Today we went to a sandwich shop called "Smiling Moose." They have an amazing salad that they mix together like they are Maggie Moos. It definitely makes eating healthy a little more exciting. Of course I ruined that by drinking a coke and having a Frappuccino for dessert.

Steroids and Bunnies (Day 92-98)

This week's post comes with exciting news. Again, the news does not involve babies or pregnancy.

Day 92


Meet our resident baby bunny! He graces us with his presence before and after I get off work. He has gotten really used to us- it might help that my mother-in-law keeps feeding him.

Day 93


Every six weeks my class goes on a CBI (community based instruction) field trip. Today we went to Lowes, CiCi's, and Wal-Mart. Us teachers thought it would be a good idea to buy some water guns to use on the school's security officer. Unfortunately, the other assistant's husband warned him so we couldn't surprise him. That didn't stop him from vowing his revenge on us. He thought I was innocent but the other teachers decided they had to take me down with them.

Day 94


Today I went to Urgent Care for a bite on my arm by some unknown bug. The nurse at school thought it might be a Brown Recluse. I would look up to see if I actually spelled that right but I don't want to risk having to look at one. The doctor said that he couldn't tell what it was but said it was just a local infection since I wasn't showing other symptoms like vomiting or a fever. He got me a prescription for steroids but after seeing my discomfort at having to wait an hour before I could actually pick up my pills (I have a forty minute commute) he offered me a shot in the office. I psyched myself out to see a needle go through my arm, it ended up going in my hip, which is a much better option in my opinion.

Day 95


One of my favorite things is getting drawings/ little gifts from my students. They say you can tell a lot about someone by the way they draw. I think this just shows off her sweetness.

Day 96


Texas Tech's football team comes to Midland every spring for a scrimmage game. It is such a good idea because they have such a good fan base in Midland. It is also cost effective since it is just a day trip from Lubbock. I ended up getting sunscreen in my eye and no matter how many times I tried washing it out, it wouldn't get out. I was already sunburn from the game and then my eye was puffy and red. I am sure I resembled The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Day 97


I have some exciting news! Aaron and I went back for our third Sunday to lead worship at a church that is interested in us. The search committee has decided to present Aaron to the rest of the church as the recommended music minister for the church. The church will vote in a couple of weeks, to give everyone time to find out about it. Aaron will move out there as soon as the church approves and I will move out once the school year ends.

Day 98


The teachers have started a countdown for whenever school gets out. The problem is, if you are going to do a countdown, you better make sure you have the numbers right. Nothing is more depressing than thinking you have a certain number of weeks left and then coming in the next week and discovering it is the same amount of weeks as last week.

What is the Airspeed Velocity of an Unladen Swallow? (85-91)

b>Day 85


Every teacher and assistant has their name over their classroom door. After working here for over two months, my name is finally up in ink!

Day 86
< This picture was taken on Sunday, but it still applies. The preschool choir practiced singing on stage for when they open the service on Easter. They said they were going to get stage fright and I said to make a funny face before they go on. I always think fondly of the children's ministry at the church we attended when I was a kid. It was so well organized and I loved the teachers. I hope I can help create fond memories with the kids I work with, whatever church I may be at. Day 87
< The eighth grade had cheerleading tryouts for next year. They have tryouts before judges and then the eighth grade body. Our class had a lot of fun watching the potential cheerleaders and I am pretty sure a lot of new crushes were developed today. Oh, in case you were wondering, cheerleader moms are even more intense than the coaches. YIKES! Day 88
< We originally had today off, but because MISD had a "rain day" it ended up being just an early release. By the way, you did not read that wrong. When you live out in the desert,the whole town gets flooded after half an inch of rain. The kids had an Easter egg hunt and ambushed the school's security officer with confetti eggs. Day 89


We went to a local restaurant called "Back in the Day Cafe." The whole restaurant is decorated to look like a town square that resembles Midland "back in the day." It even has George W. Bush's childhood home:



You are encouraged to share your meal because the portions are huge! I finally found a place who has chicken-fried-steak that rivals this restaurant that used to exist in Pflugerville, "Charlie's." My grandma always took us grandkids there because they had really good deals.

Day 90


Happy Easter! After months of practicing for the Easter musical and preparing the preschool choir, I ended up in the nursery. I was completely fine with that because I got to hold a lot of cute babies in poofy pastel-colored dresses.

We got to explore some of Stanton today.



No, you are not looking at a haunted house. This is an old German Carmelite monastary built in 1882.



This is another historical landmark across from the monastary, called the "Connell House." It was originally a two room home for Carmelite priests and the first building in Stanton.

Stanton also has a really cool historical downtown complete with a soda shop. I am looking foward to getting some ice cream and reminiscing about a time before I was born.

Day 91
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Today we had a celebration for the staff who were born in March and April. It's funny how people feel like they need to make an excuse or joke for indulging in whatever goodies are set out. I had a fun time watching people while I ate my lunch and explained for the hundredth time that I am not a substitute.