Letter from a student

A student brought me a note yesterday. She's a nice girl, but struggles with attendance as well as with math. Although she has failed the last two terms, she has decided to start out the new semester with a fresh, revitalized attitude and told me she wants to start doing well. The note is very sincere, but funny. I thought I'd share:

Thank you letter to Mrs. Binggeli:

Dear Mrs. Bing,

I just wanted to thank you for being so patient and caring. I appreciate how you never let people slack off and to be honest with you, I detest your class. I figure when I get my grades up & stuff though I'll really start to like it more though. You're a fantastic teacher and I'm sorry that the [less competent and responsible students] in your last semester's class would just stare off like lobotomy victims. I'll get to math time eventually.

-J

Its A . . . . . . .

GIRL!

James and I went for our second big ultrasound yesterday and found out that we are, for sure, having a girl. She wasn't 100% cooperative with everything they were looking for, but was a least in a good enough position that we could see she was a girl.

She wiggled around a little bit and had her hands up close by her chin. Oh, how cute!

We stopped by Penney's later on and I could finally buy something that didn't have a duck or a frog on it. I think this may be the first time in my life I have ever purchase anything pink. Look at the little lamb!

Reflective Ramblings

I've been a little weird lately. Maybe it's hormonal. Maybe it's a chemical imbalance. Maybe I need drugs besides just vitamins. I don't know. James gave me some new music for Christmas, including a John Mayer album that I had, but had lost. I've had it in my car this week and have been listening to this particular song in a more contemplative way. I liked the song before, but now it puts me into this strange melancholy mood.

Life is changing, for the best of course, but just changing. I worry about our baby (who hopefully after tomorrow will no longer be gender-neutral to the outside world). I worry about my grandparents. I got all choked up one morning driving to school at the line "Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go." I don’t think it was a reaction to my parents necessarily, but my grandparents, or rather my grandmas. One is definitely looking after me and taking care of things on the other side, but I don't know how I'll ever cope with the other one leaving.

Life just keeps moving and I guess I hope that I’m doing the best that I can and doing what I should be doing. It just seems like there’s more to accomplish in one day than is humanly possible and yet, are all of the things on my “to do” list really things I should be doing. Are my priorities straight? I don’t know anymore.

Stop This Train lyrics

No I'm not color blind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind but...
I just can't sleep on this tonight
Stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly won't someone stop this train

Don't know how else to say it, don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off and go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't but honestly won't someone stop this train

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game to find a way to say that life has just begun
Had a talk with my old man
Said help me understand
He said turn 68, you'll renegotiate
Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
Don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
John, honestly we'll never stop this train

Once in a while when it's good
It'll feel like it should
And they're all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
'til you cry when you're driving away in the dark.

Singing stop this train I want to get off and go home again
I can't take this speed it's moving in
I know I can't
Cause now I see I'll never stop this train

Awkward.

There are some things that you just shouldn't have to discuss with your boss . . . like, "My husband and I are expecting a baby."

I decided to have that conversation with my boss today. I thought I'd be proactive and let him know, even though I still have a few months. However, it felt very strange. James and I couldn't even "tell" our parents or my grandparents. We sent them a strange ultrasound picture in a Christmas card back in October and hoped they'd draw the right conclusion. The rest of our family was alerted via e-mail because we didn't really want to have that conversation with them either.

Anyway, my boss now knows. He's a nice guy. It wasn't really that bad. I then sent an e-mail with some questions to the HR secretary at the district office and now I need to personally send an e-mail to the HR director and start filling out some forms.

When you think about the people closest to you who you share certain pieces of personal information with, your boss just doesn't seem like he should be on the list. Oh well. I guess in this case, he really does need to know. We talked about planning for a sub for 3-4 weeks, finalizing grades, and perhaps coming in for a day near the end and going through the year end check-out process.

The conversation ended with him saying, "Now this is your second, right? You have that older boy?" Um . . . . . . . . no. I guess bribing my brother with french fries to come lug boxes once or twice at my school gave the wrong impression. Oh well. It wouldn't be the first time someone thought Willie was mine. It's okay. I'll keep him. He even got his braces off today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY #15

Happy Birthday Lil' Brudder!!

You're 15!
You know what that means?
It means your 15!

Willie, you are a good boy. I'm excited that you're 15 today, but all that does is make me feel really old. I was 14, almost 15 when you were born. I'm sorry for dropping lotion on your head when you were 2 days old and I'm sorry for banging your head into the wall on your blessing day. I promise I didn't mean to do it. It was just an accident. Mom was plenty mad.

It was a little strange, I have to admit, when Annie and I found out you were coming, but I'm glad we kept you! You are smart, talented, responsible, a good basketball player, a good student, and good young man. You also sing quite well, but I don't know if you want anyone to know that. Just remember to stand up straight, use the glass, keep hitting your free throws, and keep being a good uncle (or an aunt if this next one is a girl). And remember, it doesn't matter how tall you are, I can still take you!

Happy Birthday from your favorite shorter sister!!