R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It's no secret that I teach Sunday School and will become a teacher very soon. But the one pet peeve that REALLY sets me off is disrespect towards an adult. I could care less what the child did or whose at fault. I was raised to not talk back, be respectful towards adults, and to always use my manners.

Today I taught, tweens at my church, and the lesson included a craft activity to get the kids pumped about VBS which is this week. The girls were ALL into the craft activity but the boys, who are 4/5th graders, could have cared less. The other teacher and I gave them a choice to do the craft or not. BUT then they started horsing around and being really loud. SO they lost the choice and had to sit and do craft. This one child told me, after I pulled the play time, that he could do what ever he wanted and pulled out his computer.

Let me just say that I could care-LESS who the parent is or what influence they have on our church. You do not disrespect a teacher/adult and get away with it.

So I went over to the boy and told him to put his computer away. He started arguing with me and then I told him that I am not going to make a scene and he will follow directions. He complied but grumbled throughout the activity. As he was leaving, I told him that the computer would not come out during Sunday School again. He said "whatever," rolled his eyes, and said "I'm going to find a spot to plug in my computer." I chose to ignore his comments and stay positive.

Total disrespect from an 11 year old is not okay. Talking back, in my opinion, is not okay. This child has given the rest of the teachers trouble before with behavior/attitude and I simply will not stand for it. PERIOD. It may have been okay in the earlier years and seen as cute/smart but now he is going into sixth grade and has to stand by the rules like everyone else. PERIOD!

No child should be given back

THIS story has touched my heart in many ways.

I don't give a hoot if this family was having trouble with this little boy.

He is 7 years old and should never, ever been put back on a plane to Russia.

IF the family felt their lives were threatened then they should have asked for outside help.

NO child deserves this and I hope this is washed from his memory eventually!

This story makes a ball of emotions out of me and I can't believe any mother would do something like this.

I have no words as I am at a loss for this sweet boy and what to do about the adoptive mother.

Intimidation

Let me tell you that I am still adjusting to being back on a college schedule and craziness all day long. My blogging will eventually return to normal soon. My goal is to not stress this week as it is the first week back and I really don't need the extra stress right now. I will let you know how that goes :)

So now you may be wondering why I was intimidated and I am going to tell you. A little background is that I hang out with guy friends all the time and sometimes prefer them over girls. They just crack me up and are way less dramatic than girls and NO...none are anything other than friends. SO last night my Advanced Life guarding class had to take a swim test. You would think that there would be more girls than just me and another girl...but there was NOT! So I am stuck with 13 guys and me and another girl...fabulous! So we had to take a swim test which consisted of swimming 22 laps in a highly chlorinated pool with NO GOGGLES! Let me tell you it was plain heck after with the eyes but that's not where I was intimidated. I start my first two laps off really fast, too fast, and have to stop to breathe. My heart was beating so fast I could not breathe.

So I stopped. Let the boys swim. Did the brick swim test and then the boys left. I waited to redo my swim test until after the 13 boys left. My professor was totally cool about it but this feeling has never happened to me before. I have never been this intimidated by something like this. It may have something to do with the fact that I was in a bathing suit in front of some handsome young men...but it also was the fact that I had to stop in my swim test and redo. There are a few guys who are big ole boys and they finished. There are some guys who are totally adorable and that made me blush a wee bit. Then there are some guys who I have not decided on yet.

Let me just say...I passed my entrance exam to the course and am now enrolled in a class with 13 boys and 2 girls! I will let you know how the semester goes!

Comic relief...the the library

For some reason, I have no idea why; boys gravitate around my computer when I am in the library. I don't know if they know it or not, but THEY are my comic relief while I am sitting and working in my home away from home. The conversations I hear are sometimes hysterical and believe it or not, but I usually get asked questions on a daily basis. From spelling to formatting, I am usually asked!

Tonight one guy asked how to spell rabbi and the friends had no clue so they all darted their eyes to me. Without skipping a beat I spelled it and then one guy said..."it's like spelling rabbit without the t." Maybe it is because I am tired but I found this hilarious!

Another guy, who was working on his paper in Turabian, asked me for help. Apparently the teacher wanted something that is not stated in the style manual. Another football player walks by and says..."she [the prof] wants it her way man, just take the notes and do the corrections, or else." I felt bad for the guy doing the paper since he was right and the prof was off but poor kid got the message after the prof destroyed the paper with a green pen that he will have to do it the "prof's way" or else!

So yes...my homework may be prolonged a little later but at least I can still smile in the library even when school is stressful!

Laughter is the best medicine

Wordful Wednesday

Brother boy loves, I mean adores, the pool. Each day, during the Summer in Texas he is in THE POOL. He giggles and grins when he splashes you, dumps water on you, or even better...pushes you in the pool. But we all get a kick out of him. He spends hours in the pool and is so content. What a boy...brother boy!

To view more WWs, click on the button

PS...if you have not read the previous post, go ahead...it was an interesting day
at Wolly-world!

Life happens: the Update

WARNING: I have bunches to say and this will be a VERY long post. Grab something to sip on and pull up a chair.

Why is it that this semester (3 weeks down 13 to go) has been REALLY tough already? Seriously! My life has been turned upside down in a blink of an eye and I am actually adjusting well. Had an iceday on Tuesday and that kind of threw the whole organized and scheduled person off a tad. But at the end of the day, I enjoyed being able to chill!

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I have had a few thoughts this week about the teacher program that I am in and the students who are wanting to be teachers: (warning: venting will occur a little :))

** Stop being lazy...SERIOUSLY...if you want to be a teacher, then you have to stop complaining about the work and just do it! Do not make the work more because you don't like it. (Had a few students make the teacher change her mind more than once and I did 51 notecards for one chapter that I DO NOT need now)...ugh!

** Attitudes need to improve greatly. I have heard for the umpteenth time that Dr. H is awful or Dr. S needs to give it a rest. Give me a break people. The people who are preparing us for out teacher exams have taken them and are qualified. Yes some may be annoying or difficult to work with, but SO WHAT? Life is so much more than complaints.

** RESPECT: When someone is talking, do not talk while they are talking. Also, while a teacher (TRAINED PROFESSIONAL) is teaching, LISTEN...I am so tired of future teachers giving little to no appreciation for education. Seriously!!! Remember the do onto others rule in early childhood, well it still applies.

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I have learned to reevaluate my priorities. Being someone who needs to stay busy; I tend to overlook my PACKED schedule and pile on so much. Well this week, I learned to say no and stick to my guns about it. Classes are going well this semester (so far)! I really like my professors and enjoyed an ice day on Tuesday as well. I am interested in how this semester will turn out since I am doing some of my major work (Early Childhood-6th and Special Ed). Some subjects will be more interesting than others-granted. But I am up for the challenge. This weekend's homework schedule will surely be my challenge and the procrastinating oppurtunity will be thrown out of the window this weekend :) Next week already looks busy and it's only the weekend before :/

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There is this guy in one of my classes and he flaps his lips at the wrong times. Well, I am learning to deal with him and his very UNIQUE personality. He mumbles, goes off topic, and is a normal, 20-something year old guy. Even though I get a little ticked when he goes off topic to stall, I am learning to deal with him and not let him get to me like he did last semester! This is my goal: Do not let Mr. W get to me as much this semester. I am learning that it does no good what so ever to get mad at him. It only stresses me out more, and I have no extra room for extra stress.

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** My heart has been deeply saddened with Tuesday's diagnoses and prognosis. Click on TUESDAY to pray for her family. Tuesday lost her battle today.

** One of my blogging friends Jen has quad boys whose 2nd birthday is on Monday. Well, one of the boys, Clark, is in the PICU with breathing difficulties. Jen has been a HUGE supporter of mine and now needs prayers for Clark. Suz, a fellow quad mama, has updated on her blog since the Murray Crew is in the PICU. Check out SUZ's blog for more information!!!!! Click on MURRAY CREW to find out more soon.

** Nonni is still recovering from being in the hospital and your prayers are very appreciated :)

** One sweet little girl, Abby, is fighting hard against leukemia and her struggle at age 3 is incredible. Click on ABBY to learn more!

My heart aches as children are having to fight off disease after disease. Hoping that EVERYONE gets well soon and stays well.

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One of my favorite quotes is by Winston Churchill and it states, "Never, never, never give up." Life is filled with CHALLENGES and STRUGGLES, but giving up will NOT solve anything. Thanks for all the sweet comments this week and supporting me! EVERY single one made my day so special!!!!

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Hope you had a wonderful Friday and have a great weekend! Not Me Monday will be in full swing at the beginning of the week and do I have a few things I MUST share then. So stay tuned for that on Monday!!!!

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Have a wonderful weekend

Baby Picture Sunday

BoufMom9 hosts Baby Picture Sunday and I thought I would play along :) I do not have any kiddos of my own, but do babysit!

This week's theme is: Snuggle Bugs. I am supposed to figure out what this means to me and post a picture. Here are a few little bugs who love to snuggle and look so cute. On the top is T, who was 4 at the time and J (bottom) was almost 2.

They are still SO cute and J still loves to cuddle, even at 3!! Do you have a snuggle bug who steals your heart each time? Share it through BoufMom9 and also let me know too!

Touchy rant/subject: Adderall

Today in Educational Psychology, we were discussing ADD/ADHD. Some of us were sharing personal experiences and good/bad information about Adderall. J decided that it would be funny to say that he "uses" Adderall occasionally to stay awake.

Oh my goodness, what is he thinking telling our professor/the whole class that? He does not take it for ADD, he just takes it to "stay awake;" he said that he does not have the disorder. The problem with this is that people who do NOT have ADD or ADHD can get high (like with drugs) instead of have the reverse effect of it. The reverse effect slows the ADD or ADHD down and calms the specific part that is effected.

He thought that it was a huge joke and even laughed at it. This is not a laughing matter and actions do eventually have consequences. My word was I fuming when I was done with this class. I have several problems with what J said in class. One he does not have the disorder and is using the drug for its effects on those that do not have the disorder. Two he does not see anything wrong with this. Three he laughed as he told the class/professor this. Lastly, he does not have a prescription and gets it somewhere else.

So as I know many who have this disorder and are prescribed this; J hit my nerve thinking it was all one big joke. Some college boys just need to grow up.

Sorry if I ranted too long, I just needed to get it off my chest. A nicer post will come tomorrow.

Have a great evening!!!!