Well I tried to post last night and the phone rang....I never got back to the computer after my phone calls. Then I started towards bed earlier than normal after that. My voice is still shot - scratchy. But at least my throat doesn't hurt - unless I cough. I'm quite certain I got the germs from Son1 - who is hopefully on the mend. However I'm going to wait until Monday before calling the Dr......I want to be sure it's not a virus. Anyway enough about this.
It's pretty funny to try to drive a school bus without much of a voice - I discovered this afternoon that I currently am unable to yell loud enough to get the attention of a child in the back of the bus. I'm limited to having the child to my right get the attention of who-ever I need. It made me laugh - especially when they said "use your PA system". I don't have one on this bus! And really hate to use them even when I do have them available.
OK......on to the real reason I have been thinking about bus driving. I am so incredibly blessed to have a job that I really truly enjoy - it has me outside rather than cooped up in an office. I have the chance to impact people for good or bad - and possibly for eternity - simply by how I greet them in the morning. If I bother to learn their names the kids learn that even though I'm strict I truly do care about them. And learning their names really isn't that difficult - just takes time at the beginning of the school year. It's really neat to be out in public doing something and having a kid recognize you and wave or say hi or even come up and give you a hug. Or to have a child get on in the morning and always stop and tell me something about their morning or life - whether that it's cold outside or the name of their rooster! This is a job that I don't dread getting up to do....though sometimes I don't enjoy the "getting up" part.
But there are drivers in our school district that really do not enjoy kids or driving a bus - they are in it just for the money. That honestly baffles me - the money really isn't that much for the responsibility we have. Actually I can't imagine a worse job for someone who thinks most kids are "evil" or doesn't like kids because of what she/he perceives as bad behavior/personalities. I would hate to have a job where I dreaded work because I really didn't like the people I hauled. I know that every job has it's drawbacks but I really think that if I was miserable at my job I should be finding a different one.
None of that probably makes sense but I don't know how to word it better. The kids are getting ready to want the computer for awhile and I need to figure out what to serve for dinner as Son1 ate the leftovers I was thinking about.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Just for fun - Two by Two
This is a "just for fun" quiz that I found in a scrapbooking magazine - "Scrapbook Shortcuts". Eventually I intend to get back to my scrapbooking and want to use some of these quizzes as part of my journalling.
"Two by Two"
1) Two Everyday things I couldn't live without: My journal and my camera. (Had an awful time just picking two things!)
2) Two of my favorite songs : Because He Lives and If You Could See Me Now by Truth. This second one talks about someone who's died and gone to heaven - how they are so much better off than they were here on earth - even though they are missed. "Because He Lives" is a hymn that I remember singing as a child - I've loved it most of my life.
3) Two things I want to do before I die: Ummm.....this one is hard. I guess one would be to travel and the other definitely would be to have the boys raised.
4) Two things I worry about: Money and probably school violence
5) Two stores I shop at: Walmart and Barnes & Noble (bookstore).
6) Two things that scare me: I really try not to think about things that scare me.....
7) Two snacks I could eat every day: Home-baked brownies and white chocolate.
8) Two people I'd be lost without: Jesus Christ (without whom I'd be eternally lost) and my sister.
9) Two nicknames I've been given: "Reddy" due to my tendancy to blush and "Goldilocks" due to the color of my hair - years ago.
10) Two Places I want to go on vacation: Australia and back to Kenya. Being as that is unlikely to happen - definitely not "next" - Yellowstone and DisneyWorld would be other choices.
"Two by Two"
1) Two Everyday things I couldn't live without: My journal and my camera. (Had an awful time just picking two things!)
2) Two of my favorite songs : Because He Lives and If You Could See Me Now by Truth. This second one talks about someone who's died and gone to heaven - how they are so much better off than they were here on earth - even though they are missed. "Because He Lives" is a hymn that I remember singing as a child - I've loved it most of my life.
3) Two things I want to do before I die: Ummm.....this one is hard. I guess one would be to travel and the other definitely would be to have the boys raised.
4) Two things I worry about: Money and probably school violence
5) Two stores I shop at: Walmart and Barnes & Noble (bookstore).
6) Two things that scare me: I really try not to think about things that scare me.....
7) Two snacks I could eat every day: Home-baked brownies and white chocolate.
8) Two people I'd be lost without: Jesus Christ (without whom I'd be eternally lost) and my sister.
9) Two nicknames I've been given: "Reddy" due to my tendancy to blush and "Goldilocks" due to the color of my hair - years ago.
10) Two Places I want to go on vacation: Australia and back to Kenya. Being as that is unlikely to happen - definitely not "next" - Yellowstone and DisneyWorld would be other choices.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
To Post or Not
I'm debating at the moment whether or not to post this -have wanted to do just a light-hearted fun post for awhile. However have just learned that my sister's father-in-law is not doing well at all - her husband is flying overseas to be with them. He will be gone for about a week depending on what happens. Please be praying for travelling safety for him, for my sister at home with the two little ones and for a miracle for his dad.
On a praise - another friend's father just accepted the Lord. He's recently been through major surgury and this is the result. Her mother knows the Lord already.
On a praise - another friend's father just accepted the Lord. He's recently been through major surgury and this is the result. Her mother knows the Lord already.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Bullying
Wow.....I learned something last night....definitely not a pleasant experience. I drove Son1's last middle school cross country meet last night. The students were wild on the way in - to the point that I actually pulled the bus over to teh side of the road for the safety of the students. I'm not generally as strict on a field trip or sports trip as I am driving my regular route. However nor will I allow students to sit in the aisle or on the top of seats - or to do backwards somersaults in their seat. So I pulled the bus over and had a couple of students change places so they were no longer sitting together and no longer sitting in the back of the bus. I'm comfortable doing that - though on a field trip or sports trip I would prefer that the coach handle discipline.
Anyway....we got there in one piece. So I'm walking back towards the bus to sit for a few minutes and work on some stuff when one of the mom's says "I need to talk to you". Long story short - she basically attacked me for encouraging my son to go to the school authorities about some issues involving her son(s). Her son(s) were not the only students involved in either case - and one of the cases had happened over a year ago. That one involved several students playing "keep away" with Son1's MP3 player that he used during off-season running. My issue wasn't with the fact that they were playing keep-away with it but that they were throwing it in other student's lockers. I felt that that was too easy a way to make something look like a setup - that a student could say "oh my.....is missing" and then Son1 would be blamed because he was the last one seen "in" the locker. So we together went to the principal. I knew parents were upset about that situation but didn't know which ones were - and though I cared I wasn't going to pursue it. So the second issue is that a new younger kid on the team has been picked on in the locker room - Son1 has stepped in several times in an attempt to get this stuff to stop and nothing has been effective. So I finally went and spoke to the head coach (who doesn't necessarily come to all the practices but he's officially the head coach) and without naming any names - except the child who was being picked on and my son's - let him know what was happening. I also let teh coach know that I could give him names if he wanted/needed them but I would prefer not to - which he understood and respected. He also said immediately that he had a pretty good idea of who was involved and that since the girls on the team had been fighting also he was aware there was some problems and that he would deal with the situation.
I left it go - put it out of my mind - not even connecting that there were kids from the same family involved both times. (During the team discussion names were not named - this mom learned about my son being the one to say something from another parent who I'd trusted and shared with).
I truly felt attacked - personally and publically and at the time did not have any adequate answers. She likely would not have listened anyway even though I attempted to suggest having a 3rd party listen in so it could be talked out - her words on that were "No I'm not a Tattletale!". I ended up walking away with a "Whatever" then turning back and letting her know that her son was one of the ones involved in the discipline issues on the bus. Now of course - hours later I can come up with responses though not always tactful ones. And I can completely understand why her boys are bullies - locker-room teasing may be "just kid stuff" but now a days it can't be ignored - and when it involves repeated put-downs, etc it is WRONG and is bullying.
I confess I'm still upset about the whole situation. It could have been handled much better and less publically then at a meet. However I am extremely proud of Son1 for standing up for the kids that are getting picked on - he knows the pain of being in that position and he's learning the right responses. And I personally don't believe that my actions were wrong in stepping in - in either of those cases. Unfortunately we will likely have to be involved with this mom for several years to come - and she is a "christian" also.
OK...this is long - and I had intended to not blog the painful stuff again - but any input or wisdom any readers have would be appreciated.
Anyway....we got there in one piece. So I'm walking back towards the bus to sit for a few minutes and work on some stuff when one of the mom's says "I need to talk to you". Long story short - she basically attacked me for encouraging my son to go to the school authorities about some issues involving her son(s). Her son(s) were not the only students involved in either case - and one of the cases had happened over a year ago. That one involved several students playing "keep away" with Son1's MP3 player that he used during off-season running. My issue wasn't with the fact that they were playing keep-away with it but that they were throwing it in other student's lockers. I felt that that was too easy a way to make something look like a setup - that a student could say "oh my.....is missing" and then Son1 would be blamed because he was the last one seen "in" the locker. So we together went to the principal. I knew parents were upset about that situation but didn't know which ones were - and though I cared I wasn't going to pursue it. So the second issue is that a new younger kid on the team has been picked on in the locker room - Son1 has stepped in several times in an attempt to get this stuff to stop and nothing has been effective. So I finally went and spoke to the head coach (who doesn't necessarily come to all the practices but he's officially the head coach) and without naming any names - except the child who was being picked on and my son's - let him know what was happening. I also let teh coach know that I could give him names if he wanted/needed them but I would prefer not to - which he understood and respected. He also said immediately that he had a pretty good idea of who was involved and that since the girls on the team had been fighting also he was aware there was some problems and that he would deal with the situation.
I left it go - put it out of my mind - not even connecting that there were kids from the same family involved both times. (During the team discussion names were not named - this mom learned about my son being the one to say something from another parent who I'd trusted and shared with).
I truly felt attacked - personally and publically and at the time did not have any adequate answers. She likely would not have listened anyway even though I attempted to suggest having a 3rd party listen in so it could be talked out - her words on that were "No I'm not a Tattletale!". I ended up walking away with a "Whatever" then turning back and letting her know that her son was one of the ones involved in the discipline issues on the bus. Now of course - hours later I can come up with responses though not always tactful ones. And I can completely understand why her boys are bullies - locker-room teasing may be "just kid stuff" but now a days it can't be ignored - and when it involves repeated put-downs, etc it is WRONG and is bullying.
I confess I'm still upset about the whole situation. It could have been handled much better and less publically then at a meet. However I am extremely proud of Son1 for standing up for the kids that are getting picked on - he knows the pain of being in that position and he's learning the right responses. And I personally don't believe that my actions were wrong in stepping in - in either of those cases. Unfortunately we will likely have to be involved with this mom for several years to come - and she is a "christian" also.
OK...this is long - and I had intended to not blog the painful stuff again - but any input or wisdom any readers have would be appreciated.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Ponderings
This morning I was thinking - actually I was feeling kind of down about being a single parent and wondering how I could ever demonstrate to my boys how a real man cherishes the woman he loves. Then my thoughs wandered to a friend of mine who is going through a divorce - and is starting over with her life. She recently lost some hours at a job and therefore lost income and she was/is concerned about how she is going to make ends meet. The Scripture from Phil. 4:19 "And my God shall supply ALL your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus." came to mind. I was actually thinking of it in relation to her needs for income. Then I realized that that includes my need for a way for my boys to see how a man truly cherishes the woman he loves - it gave me a sense of peace. God knows this need - I just have to trust Him to supply it. I'm not saying I won't ever worry about it again - that's an on-going thing - but I just need to trust Him.
On a different note - I saw 18 deer this morning during the bus route. 16 of those were while I had students on the bus - including one group of 7. It's so much fun (at least for me) to keep my eyes open to catch glimpses of them - and then to keep track of how many we see. I know that there are likely way more that we don't see because I have to keep my eyes on the road. Yesterday we saw 3 in the road - not sure which way to go - and even when they did cross they ran alongside for abit looking for a break in the fence. And again this morning the light was just glorious - beautiful pink sunrise - then the golden glow of the sun slanting across the ripening fields and the dark storm clouds in the west. The sun is now hidden behind those same storm clouds and we are having more rain and thunderstorms.
Guess I'd better scoot - got to run to the store this morning - have a big field trip tomorrow.
On a different note - I saw 18 deer this morning during the bus route. 16 of those were while I had students on the bus - including one group of 7. It's so much fun (at least for me) to keep my eyes open to catch glimpses of them - and then to keep track of how many we see. I know that there are likely way more that we don't see because I have to keep my eyes on the road. Yesterday we saw 3 in the road - not sure which way to go - and even when they did cross they ran alongside for abit looking for a break in the fence. And again this morning the light was just glorious - beautiful pink sunrise - then the golden glow of the sun slanting across the ripening fields and the dark storm clouds in the west. The sun is now hidden behind those same storm clouds and we are having more rain and thunderstorms.
Guess I'd better scoot - got to run to the store this morning - have a big field trip tomorrow.
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