ramblings

So I started school this week. Yay for being in classes again! They changed out all of the faculty in the education department, and kind of downsized since the last time I was there. So, not only do I not know any students in the department, now I have to meet and get to know all new professors.

Now, if you know me really well you know that when I'm around people I don't know I become very introverted. I normally just sit quietly and try to mind my own business. But while doing this I felt God tugging at me. So, I'm gonna share my thoughts and you guys let me know what you think.

I found myself (not purposefully) listening to others conversations while being quiet and waiting on classes to start. Not necessarily eaves dropping, but most conversations were loud enough for people in the whole room to listen to. I actually have a very vivid image in my head of a particular conversation. I think that most people at Trevecca are Christians. Most were born and raised Nazarene, and have generations upon generations of Nazarene heritage. But, there are people at Trevecca that aren't Christians...even some people that we may think are...aren't really. So being in majority isn't it our "job" as Christian peers to show them the way a Christian should be? Shouldn't we distinguish ourselves from the outside world? Now I'm not talking about preaching at every person we see, or even wearing dresses and suits and our hair in buns. But I do think that we should avoid unrighteous things. I'm kind of dancing around the issue I'm particularly thinking about...so lets just go for it. Ephesians 4:29 says, "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in the building others up according to their needs" If you can't figure out where I'm going, keep re-reading ;) I have found myself gossiping or "sharing in love", but after the last couple of days I've been more aware and removed myself from those situations and conversations. I pray that I will continue to feel this conviction anytime I attempt to talk about anyone else. I keep going back to the "he who is without sin cast the first stone" thing. I don't really know where I'm going with this, just trying to share my jumbled thoughts.

I also found myself reading Levi's earlier this week. And tada! we discussed it in my Family in Society class today. I think as a married woman, I take for granted all that Chris does to help me out. So when I find myself without him for some brief period of time I'm lost. I absolutely can't imagine what it would be like to be a single parent. So, thanks Chris for all that you do that I don't give you near enough credit for! Okay, I'm done with my ramblings, gotta go pick up the boys from school!

as promised

Here a few of the pics of the first day. Sorry it took so long to post, but the camera is only working some of the time...guess it's time for a new one! Enjoy!

mission completion!

Okay, so not really....but I did talk to Alex's teacher this morning. I had promised him that he could walk to his classroom by himself today, but I felt I needed to speak with his teacher to at least set up a conference. As I was going to drop him off there was another mother speaking with her....asking about the rules of the uniforms. So I'm quietly waiting for my turn when the other mother asks about the HUGE class size. I second the question and his teacher explains. They are only allowed 20 students in a Kindergarten classroom...plus 10%, so 22 total maximum (remember she has 37?). Okay, so the 2 ELL (ESL when I was in school) classes have 16 students each, but the TWO regular classes have 37 each. On Tuesdays they have to turn in numbers for each of the class sizes. So tomorrow they will turn the numbers in to the school district office, then a teacher from a surrounding school that maybe doesn't need that extra teacher (so her class could easily be spread to other classes without going over the max) will then come to Neelys Bend. This could take up to 2 weeks, but supposedly it should be fixed by the middle of September. Of course by my calculations that would still leave two teachers with 25 and one with 24....but much better than 37! So good, they are trying to fix the situation. The other mother leaves and I inquire about the folders. She says they will start coming home next Monday, she doesn't have enough right now. She also says she only has 20 math books, reading books, etc. She was really really nice to us, which is completely different than what I see in the afternoons after 37 kids have driven her insane! As I was leaving she was getting a substitute. He wasn't really there to be a substitute but an assistant. They have given them assistants until the class size issue is fixed. I knew that the school had to be working to fix the issue, but at the same time I knew I needed to make sure they weren't just going to leave it like it is now.

Okay, well I have to go balance the checkbook and try to figure out how to give Trevecca $200 so I can start school next Tuesday....stupid new admission fee!

so confused!

Okay, so I'm a little confused on how to handle a situation....so I decided to post it to see what all you moms (and dads) think.

As you guys know Alex started school Monday. He gets in the car, tells me school isn't fun (he couldn't play on the computers which equals no fun). He got in trouble that morning because he didn't fold his hands in his lap during circle time. He told me his teacher wasn't nice. He gets a note sent home saying that starting Monday she will send home folders and behavior sheets. Okay fine. Tuesday I go to pick him up from school. They have a rule that the kids have to remain behind an orange cone and raise their hands when they see their parents. This prevents kids from running out into the parking lot with moving cars. Well, Alex forgot. So, as soon as he sees me standing in the grass he starts to run to me. I remind him to go back and raise his hand. As he's going back his teacher grabs his arm and kind of yanks him back into line. I was upset...but thought maybe it just looked worse from where I was standing. He gets in the car and tells me he got in trouble again, this time because he said "hi" to a neighborhood kid in the hallway. Wednesday goes fine. Thursday I go to pick him up and have an issue with a rude teacher...personal issue, he was rude...nothing to do with Alex. Fast forward to today (Friday). He gets a note sent home again. There are normally 4 Kindergarten teachers, but one quit over the summer leaving them with only 3 Kindergarten teachers. Not my problem, the school should have hired another. She says because of this she is left with 37 students in her classroom. So, she will not be sending home folders or behavior sheets because there are too many children in her classroom to do this on a daily basis. Her letter also included A LOT of grammatical errors. I understand the common 1-2, but spell check and grammar check can normally fix the majority of the problems. This letter had 10 errors.

So here's my issue...I don't know what to do. His teacher is one that *obviously* has tenure. I don't want to be one of "those" parents, but being an education student and one that is about to get her own classroom, I know how a classroom SHOULD be ran. So I'm stuck between the teacher in me and the parent in me. Both have issues with this teacher, but the teacher in me knows what it's like for a parent to pick some petty issue and harp on it. However, the parent in me doesn't feel like it's petty. She grabbed my child...and hard. He told me in the car it hurt. So what do I do? I want to give her the benefit of the doubt and stick it out for a couple of weeks...but I don't know if I can make it that long. The school just got a new principal, last year he was the principal at the school that a couple of our friends from church teach at. One of our friends knows one of the kindergarten teachers at his school, she's supposed to be really good. Ahh! I don't know what to do!!! What do you think??? Am I being petty?

****So I feel I should edit this a bit. My issue for the grammatical errors is nothing more than this is the teacher that will teach my son how to read and do basic writing. I'm not picking on her or anything, just pointing out that these mistakes are more noticeable when you're teaching Kindergarten. I should also point out that Chris is having major issues as well. He's the one that was pointing out all the grammatical errors, I didn't even say anything. Which, if you know Chris REALLY well, you know it's a big issue for HIM to pick up on those mistakes because usually he cannot see them. I also think that I should maybe schedule a conference with her during her planning time. This will allow me to talk to her one on one without bringing the principal in on it.****

that's so funny!

Alex is so funny. So we're into day 4 of school, right? Yesterday was the first day that he went all day, and he seemed rather tired last night. He was completely ready for bed at 8. So, he got himself into bed and went to bed all by himself (without us even realizing he was asleep). Okay, this morning I went into his room at 7:15 to wake him up. We have to leave for school around 7:45 (it takes about 5 mins to get there and school starts at 8). Anyway, I open the door and he yells "no". I went back into his room and he says, "I just want you to close the door and let me sleep. I just want to SLEEP!" lol! 4 days into his school career and he's already asking to sleep instead of go to school. Silly boy! I have a feeling he won't be waking up until around 10 or 11 on Saturday!

He's off!

Alex started school yesterday. It's been a while since I've been so distraught over something. It's my little boy, and he's now having to do things for himself. Now don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's in school. He's been going to preschool off and on since 2004. The last preschool he went to (Two Rivers Baptist) was awesome. They really prepared him for Kindergarten, and his teacher (Ms. Katie Holmes...no seriously) was exceptional. Anyway, so back to yesterday. Metro schools have implemented a uniform policy. He can wear dressy or casual dressy pants and shorts (navy, black, khaki); and polos, turtlenecks or button ups (solid red, navy, white, green, yellow, light blue). Nothing more...no coats when it turns cold or anything. So he gets ready for school, we take a few pictures and we leave. Now, he got out yesterday (and will today too) at 11:30. I thought it was at 11, so there was no possible way they would eat lunch at school right? Yeah, wrong...I know owe the cafeteria $2 because I didn't send him with lunch or money. Okay, so we get out of the car and walk to the school...he's holding my hand the whole time, and very quiet. We enter the school and he lets go of my hand. I tried to hold his hand again and he says "Mom (not mommy), I'm big now I don't need to hold your hand." Completely crushing. I compose myself and we get to his classroom. His teacher ushers him in, brings him to his desk. She asks me to fill out his transportation papers and then we're rushed out. I didn't even get to tell him goodbye. He just sat right down, and became a little boy instead of my baby. I cried the whole way home, and most of the time he was gone. This morning was better, we dropped him off, he said goodbye and we left. Aidan on the other hand still keeps asking, "where Ally at?" It'll get better right? I'll post pics when Chris can fix my camera...it says I need to format the card which means that I would lose the pics.

On the way home from dropping him off yesterday my serpentine belt flew off. Great! We just replaced it in June, which means something else is wrong. We bring it to the mechanic who tells me that my crankshaft pulley broke off. So, after we pick Alex up this afternoon we'll head over to the mechanic to have it fixed. He gives us greatly discounted labor rates, probably because we're in there so much...but he says it's because he knows we have 2 small children and one income. We've been going to him since I was preggo with Aidan, so he knows us and our cars really well. Okay, well I'm going to go spend some quality time with the only baby I have left :(

So it begins

Upon looking and reading through a few of our friends' blogspots, Chris thought that maybe we should get one. It looked "cool" according to him. So here I am, blogging. Of course this isn't the only reason for the title of the blog. Alex starts school on Monday. It seems unreal to me that he could possibly be even close to starting school. He isn't 5, but it Metro-Nashville school systems, he only has to be 5 by Sept. 30th. He is so super excited about going to school though. He keeps telling me he's ready for homework, something I'll be reminding him of when he's 16 and complaining!

Aidan turned 2 on Monday. He had a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party, a show that he's absolutely obessessed with. I'm still new at blogspot, and can't get the pictures at the bottom...I'll get better, I promise. Until then his pictures are at the top.

Chris is still at Keystone, shock I know. I start back to TNU at the end of August for my senior year (FINALLY!!!).