Show the children.

I really wasn't sure what would help me return to my past "efforts" at blogging, I even thought it likely I would never find the time so I would eventually give up. Today though, I feel a terrible desire to put my feelings down somewhere, anywhere about the massacre at Sandy Hook.

Friday began as a normal day for myself and my high school students. As the reports began to come through of the tragedy in Connecticut we shared information, shock and sorrow at the incomprehensible events that had taken place in another school - where life should have been as normal as ours. Some of my pupils immediately began to wonder aloud at "motive" while others verbalized their opinions that only mental illness would produce this type of behavior.. all though, were very, very heartbroken.

High school students - particularly those in an urban setting, often get a "bad rap" for being unrefined, indifferent and even violent. These are not the children I see. I see teenagers who weep at the news of slain elementary students. I see young adults who quickly want to find a "fix" for mental illness that would bring about such tragedy. I see human beings who will write letters, raise money and volunteer to help others in need - whether they know them personally or not.

I am so terribly, terribly sad today as I'm sure I will be for many days ahead - but want desperately to share with people that all the debate about gun control and school safety can and will have a time and place.. regardless of your stand on the issues. For now, remember there is an entire generation of amazing young people waiting to take over the running of our country... world even; and they need our leadership and modeling. Show them compassion for the mentally ill, show them how to make policy to help those in need, show them we can come together to mourn and support regardless of political party/opinion, religion or race.   And pray for us all.

They all grow up...

I'm FINALLY finished with school for the summer (we missed so much school with snow and then tornadoes this year it was a VERY long school year) and I am going to try AGAIN to blog, as well as catch up on reading some of my favorite blogs! So usually my bi-annual posts are about my children.. around their birthdays. And tomorrow just happens to be Jeremy's 23rd (with Jordan's 20th coming quickly) but today I'm going to talk about Nzuri.

My husband likes telling everyone that Nzuri is my "empty nest" dog - but I jumped the gun because the kids are still at home : ).

Nzuri is now a little over a year old and I can't imagine life without her. She's sweet, playful and has very soulful eyes - that seem to understand, or at least have compassion when I'm tired or down. She's been staying with me at Mom's lately while they are at Sager Brown and loves playing in the sprinklers. And she's terribly offended when you ask her to sleep on the floor (at 75 pounds she's just getting hard to share a bed with)! The first dog-love of my life was named Tessa (officially, Dutchess Katessa after her Dam). Tessa was a long-haired, solid black German Shepard bred by a gentleman in Pine Bluff who's name I've forgotten but had beautiful, fabulously smart dogs. She died at 12-years-old and has been gone almost 15 years now, and I miss her still. She was with me through some wonderful and some AWFUL times in my life.

As I think about how fast the year has gone since we brought Nzuri home from Missouri (thanks so much to Doran, aka Connell Lion Hounds), it's not surprising compared to how fast my sweet children have become adults.. it's sad and wonderful at the same time - this growing up!

Snow, and more snow...

Snow days for those of us that live in a perpetual state of high school are usually AMAZING things- I get so excited I hardly sleep, checking outside every time I wake hoping for even a tiny glimpse of those little, white flakes. The particularly glorious snow days are the ones when school is cancelled early the night before - giving me plenty of time to turn off my alarm clock, settle in with a good book my Kindle, and read until hours of the night I haven't seen since my 20's.

Then, the day begins with NO ALARM! Oh, I don’t usually sleep late (see: too excited to sleep because it’s snowing) – but it just FEELS better, waking when your body tells you it’s ready – not when the horrid, screeching electronic device scares you out of a previously restful state.

There is a tie for “next on my snow day” list: What movies to watch? and… What to cook/bake? More food is prepared in this house on any given snow day than the entire holiday season. I think it is the joy of knowing that were it not for the snow gods, we would be eating leftovers or sandwiches. And movies? Sometimes I catch up on those that have been on my list since school started - and sometimes I re-watch old favorites… Gone with the Wind, Look Who’s Coming to Dinner, Point Break (hey, don’t knock it – Keanu Reeves at his hottest).

This year - we've had a few more “days off” than I really wish for… make-up days in June are Yuk, at best. But we’ve been given a beautiful, white canvas one more time this year and I for one, am going to enjoy it while it’s here. So, I’m off to the last – but not least important number on my snow day list this year: playing in the snow with Nzuri!

Being Thankful.

I read this a few days ago and had to "copy" it to share. It's been said many times, by many people - but warrants repeating often. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on those things we are Blessed with - lots of people throughout history have remembered to do so when they faced horrors I cannot even imagine. This Thanksgiving I am again Blessed with a family I adore, a job I love (filled with MORE people I adore!), my health, the freedoms I am given as an American and many, many more (see 1000 Blessing list currently in progress in past posts). tammy

When our pilgrim forefathers came to this country, what they were up against was far worse than anything we face now. The first year, over half of their band of 110 died. Our pilgrim fathers dug seven times more graves for the dead than they built huts for the living. And yet during that same period is when they decided to carve out a day where they could say, "Thank you, Lord, for all of your benefits." One of their leaders, Edward Winslow, wrote of that first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621: "And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving in 1863, in the middle of a terrible civil war. He said the country's blessings were due to the "ever watchful providence of Almighty God... No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy." And he asked for the "Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it."

There would be no...

choice of vocation.

days off.

Facebook.

football games.

choice of religion.

public education.

... if not for our Veterans. Thank you to all those that have and continue to serve this great country, and their families. I for one, am eternally grateful.

My first pictures...

Well kiddos - if I'm going to ask you to put pics on your blogs.. I figured I'd better start myself. So here are the first pictures I've ever posted to my blog. Of Guess Who?

a few more Blessings...

Sunflowers
ATMs
Oldies radio stations
CD player in my car so I can listen to Elvis as much as I want
Air conditioning
Rain
Bette - a fantab-ulous dog trainer!
Police officers
Firefighters
Elementary teachers
Libraries
Students who say Yes Sir and Yes Ma'am to our guests
{You made me very proud yesterday Seniors Ace Ace!}
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