What a day!

All I can say is THANK THE LORD it's the end of the day! Not that I wasn't thankful for the day, and there weren't highpoints, but mostly I am pretty tired of the attack on Miss Duvall day.

It started out like most normal days, I got up early for work, had a list ready of things to do, I get to school and it seems like all hell breaks loose!

I get a scathing not from a parent about her daughter and a friend spending money for stuco supplies (which they weren't given permission to buy) and she doesn't have $100 laying around, and she need reimbursement today. I had the two girls paged to my room and had a nice little chat (what you can't see is me saying this through clenched teeth!) and told them I was going to tell her mom that very thing... they didn't have permission! Praise the Lord I heard mom say to me... I knew I should have called you. Ok one problem solved (well not until 3rd hour really!)

I wish this was only the end of it.... ah, no.... I of course had to deal with all of this before I could continue to set up the lab I was demonstrating (praise... they loved it!) called baby hindenbergs. So I was scrambling to get things set up, and found out I was missing supplies. Thank goodness Jess (the other science teacher had her stuff) So I was rushed and anxious through all of this, and the bell had rung for the kids to start their half day of school, so they were all like what about this, and how long are classes..... ah!! I just wanted them to sit.... well I did finally, after taking a breath calm down to say... I am sorry, I have to get this stuff set up so that I can show it to you in class. (Praise, they really did shut up and at least sit quietly!)

Nope not all.... we had student council workshop this evening in Bethalto which had been rescheduled. sent home notices last week about kids going needing new permission because of the changed date. Well, some of the students who were going before didnt' get the new permission turned in, but I didn't contact the parents... silly me.... thought kids could be responsible.... well after talking to Mrs. Yagge, she says that I need to contact the parent of one of the students because she mentioned it (yet has a tendancy to lie to mom) so I end up calling all the parents of the kids who didn't return their permission slip. (which by the way had bolded the date and exactly what to do to get it returned!) Needless to say several of the parents either didnt' read the paper either, or their students didnt' tell them about it. I talked to two in particular who tried to make out like it was my fault, I passed out the slip, even announced for the past three days about getting information from me... did any of those kids come see me.... NOOOOOOOO!!!!! One parent kept interupting me, so ... I know... bad practice but I talked over her to get my statement out!!!!! I don't usually do that, but she wouldn't let me get anything out before interupting me. So when I finally got out that he never got it in, and I was confirming that they knew he couldn't go, she said so all you are telling me is he can't go.... (so I can't put in the tone she used, but trust me...the voice was dripping with attitude, sarcasm, and distain. Ug.... I do believe I actually had a colorful word for her after getting off the phone... good thing I was doing this during my lunch time and the kids had already left for the day!
(Praise, we had lunch provided for us today, and the kids were really, really, really good today!)

Did I mention in this novel that I am writing that this was only the first half of my day........

Second half: the score is TWO (bad shots at Miss Duvall) to SEVEN Praises I have had about my day.... maybe I don't need to go on... maybe I should have stopped to think of the good things that have happened today as well!

Well, short cap of the afternoon.... Praise, we got into our middle school teams for the new year!!!! I love my team!!!!!!! Not so good though there are several changes again to the sixth grade team, and I feel bad for the teachers today who thought one thing, were told one thing, and got blind sided today with something else.... I am having a hard time trusting everything about our adminstration right now... I am praying!

Thei had another parent actually show up in my room... thank goodness we were separated by a desk, I think it may have become physical. (well at least looks could kill... apparently looking at people like this gets her, her way! Not today sister!!!! I have had it... I asked to walk down to the office with me and I would get her her money back since her daughter didnt' get the form turned in on time!!!! (praise... she did say thank you, all be it some what uptightly, but she did say it... Thank you, as I handed her the check... if the truth be known she honestly didn't want to have to deal with a lying kid all night!)

Ok... next to last story.... if you are still reading...blink because your eyes need to be kept moist and there is more to read!

As we are getting ready to leave, I have two students missing. I mentioned... ok... repeatly told the kids to be there at 3:50, we were leaving a 4:00. We waited until about 4:05 and left... I thought 15 minutes of waiting and that was enough. We ended up being late as it was, but I did feel bad because if they got there just after we left, they were really missing a great evening with the student council workshop, and I just didn't want to leave them! Both of them could have really benefitted from going!!!

Praises... all of the kids, I am so proud of them it is making me cry, were so good at the workshop! They had the most fun!!!!! I did too, they were hilarious, enjoyed themselves, won prizes, met new friends, learned so much, and got enthused. When we got back on the bus, the kids looked like they had been to a carnival... well not a real one, but a mini one in the gym at Bethalto. They had all kinds of games like at a carnival inlcuding hillbilly golf, human ring toss, three point shoot, ball toss for gold fish, pick a duck, face paint, dance session thingy, balloon maker guy! The kids had a ball, and the bus driver could only laugh when she saw all of them get on the bus with all kinds of door prizes, face paint, balloon creations, and all hyped up on sno cones, soda, popcorn, and cotton candy!!!!!! They are so wonderful!! I melts my heart when I told them I was so proud of them for behaving so well, and they yelled, "We love you Miss Duvall" I love them too!

I can't believe how long it took me to write all of this out! I am so glad though because I was so focused on being time and all the gripes in my day, that I forgot to see all the good. Even though I went through all of that I got to enjoy the students tonight having so much fun! How amazing is God that for all those struggles he was there, and helped me to see that there was so much good in my day too! God is so good! He is my strength when I am weak, he is my all in all!

Good night!