UBIQUITOUS

I found a new word. I really like when words fall into my lap.  My new word is "UBIQUITOUS".  Ever heard of it?  I heard it on a movie...... a movie that I have seen 4 or 5 times.  Can you believe it took me this many times to finally "hear" this word.  It is another word that makes me feel taller when I say it.  It is a pretty word.  

This word is an adjective.  Here is the meaning.... "Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time."

Why do I like this word?  I like this word because it reminds my of my kids.  They are everywhere....  their stuff is everywhere.....  in every room.  When I look around my living room right now I see so many items that need to be put away..... put in their rooms.  Looking at my front door I see 3 pairs of flip flops, 2 pair of muck boots, and 2 pairs of crocs.  I am not finished....  there is also a BB gun and a plastic bowl with live worms in it.... don't worry... there are holes in the top so they can breathe.  There are clothes that the kids need to put away....  but we can do that later.  I can look in every room and see evidence of my kids..... evidence that I have happy, healthy, active kids.... and for that I am thankful.  Do you hear me yelling to put them away?  No.  Maybe I should but I am not.  I actually enjoy that my children are "ubiquitous".  It reminds me of who I am.... who I was meant to me.  I am their mother.  I want to have a "home" not a "house". A home they want to return to when they are older.

One of these days their stuff will be gone and I will be wishing I had those "ubiquitous" days back.

Fried Apple Pies

It is the night before Father's Day and I should be making fried apple pies for my Daddy.  But I am not.  That was his usual Father's Day gift from me.  Most of our gifts that we always gave Daddy were appreciated but not needed and seldom used.  He was a very simple man with very simple taste.  But he did love fried apple pies. 

I never gave Daddy his gift on Father's Day.....  it was always the night before.  I would wrap each pie in aluminum foil and put in a container.  When they were all done, I would be on my way to deliver them to him.  I would hit the door and he would be up out of his recliner because he knew what I had.  Of course we did the usual "Happy Father's Day" and "Thank You" routine but I knew he was ready to unwrap his "present".  He never ate a fried pie that was not topped with vanilla ice cream.  I always stayed to see him enjoy his first "present".  Seeing him enjoy something that I had cooked just for him made me happier then buying him the most expensive present I could find.  The days following Father's Day he would enjoy warming up the other fried pies and eating them but I am sure they were not as yummy as the first one.  I think on occasion he was nice enough to share his pies with Momma.  One of my favorite memories I have of him before he got sick, was him and Laci in the kitchen sharing a fried apple pie with ice cream.  A bite for Pops..... a bite for Laci......  a priceless moment for me as the daughter and the mother. 

There was not a single store around here that had the perfect present for my Daddy.  Nothing was good enough for him....  nothing I bought could ever equal to the love he had for me and the love I had for him.....  except my homemade fried apple pies.  I hope one day I can make them again.

Here recently I have realized that I have so much in common with a certain animal.  You want to know what that animal is?  Well, I will tell you.  It is a duck..... even more specific.... a Momma duck..... a momma duck with 3 little ducklings.  Do you think that is strange?  I revealed this great revelation to Loren and he did not think it was strange at all. He responded like this.... "Well by gaw, that is the way it should be."  Typical "Loren Crow" answer.

I explained to him why I feel like a mother duck.  My kids and I spend a lot of time during the summer at home.  But we also do occasionaly get out of the house and make a grand appearance in pulic.  When we are out and about, I tend to look back over my shoulder quite a bit.  I am looking for my "ducklings".  There they are....  following right behind me.    Every once in a while one will stray but never out of site.  My "ducklings" are pretty good to take care of each other too.  I often hear "Come on Laci".... "Hayes you better put that down" or "Stop staring Evan and come one".  I smile.... because that lets me know they are still with me.  I have a need to know where my children are at all times.  I know that gets on some folks nerves but I don't really care.  God gave me the job of protecting my "ducklings" and I plan to carry out his command.  That is why I have recently began comparing myself to a mother duck. 

QUACK QUACK!!!!

Top 10 reasons I know it is summer......

How do I know that it is summer vacation?????

1)  The coffee in the coffee pot is cold when I wake up!!! 
2)  We raid the change jar at least 3 times a week to go to Hobo Joe's.
3)  We have breakfast around 10:30am.
4) Most of our laundry is beach towels.
5) There are so many empty cans of vienna sausages and packages of ramen noodles in the trash.
6)  My throat is a little sore from all of the singing we do at the top of our lungs when we are going anywhere.
7)  I can update facebook between the hours of 7:40 am and 3:30 pm!!!!
8)  I get told a bunch how lucky I am to have the summers off.....  I already know this.
9)  My boys have to take at least 2 baths a day if not more.
10)  I wear 2 different flip flops out in public and I am not even embarassed about it!!!!!!

:)

12 years.......

Today I completed my 12th year of teaching.  Each year I look forward to summer just a little more.  Is it because my babies are so much fun to hang with all summer long?  YES! or...... Is it because teaching gets a little harder each year?  YES!  I totally LOVE what I do. 

Can I ever imagine doing anything else?  NO!  I really cannot not.  I teach at a GREAT school!!  I was very blessed to become part of the faculty at BHS.  I work with OUTSTANDING people who NEVER hesitate to offer their assistance. 

Change in education is a never ending process.  I really hope that the "officals" figure out the best plan one of these days.  When I was exiting college and entering in to the world of education, I never imagined all of the changes that would occur in my 12 years.  I can imagine the stories that our "Master" teachers can tell us.  Somehow though teachers do manage to get the job done year after year. 

Since I have been in education I have dealt with comments that have hit a nerve with me such as:

1) You are a teacher....  you must make a lot of money!
2) You are a teacher?  You work from 8-3......  why are you tired?
3) Don't you get to sit at your desk all day?
4) You are pretty much a highly paid babysitter.
5) How hard is it to push play on a dvd player?
6) You only work 9 months out of the year.  (that is my personal fave)
7) How hard is it to get a kid to do his homework?
8) Do you get paid overtime when you take work home with you?
9) What did you plan to do before you became a teacher?
10) Your discount on your cell phone plan will be 18%.....  If you worked for Frito Lay or Pepsi it would be 47%. (REALLY??????))))))

 I am glad this year is over. 

I wonder......

I wonder what they are doing in Heaven today?  I wonder what my Grannie is doing in Heaven today?  I wonder if she fried something?  If she did, I am sure she drew a crowd and I am sure she made a pan of cornbread to go with it.  I wonder if she played the paino today? She loved to play and sing.  She loved for me to play when her eyes got to where she could not see the songbook anymore.  She would sing.....  her favorite was How Great Thou Art.  I wonder if she worked in her garden today?  Some of my most precious memories were of her and me spending our summer mornings working in her garden.  When we got hot we went inside and drank cold water from the jug she kept in the icebox.   I wonder if Grannie saw Telisa today?  I hope so.  I wonder if they spent time together, rocking in their rocking chairs talking about us.  I wonder how much they laugh together?  I am sure it is a lot.   Maybe they had lunch together today.  Telisa was famous for knocking on Grannie's door and saying..... "Come on Grannie.... lets go get a burger" and Grannie's reply would be "ok sister.... let me comb my hair".  Grannie was always on "go".   I do not have to wonder if they are happy.  I know they are.  I do not have to wonder if they hurt.  I know they are pain-free.  Pain left their bodies a while back.  I do not have to wonder if they miss me because I know they see me.  I do not have to wonder "if" I will see them again.  I know I will.  I know they are taking care of my Daddy.  Until then....  Grannie and Priss will save a place at the table for me.    See you at the house.