I Feel Old, but it's Good News!

Strangely, former students have come out of the woodwork recently bringing us their children to teach. Maybe it is because of the horrifying economy. I know at least one of the alumni has been laid off and had to move home. Our enrollment has been dropping, as it has many places, as the boomers’ children grow up and birth rate declines. So much panic and worry around me about what will happen to our tiny school. I think I worry less about it because I think my time for work is always on the verge of ending because of my lovely MS.

Anyway, it does make me feel old to see former students with children of their own. In our rural area, most every child grows up and moves away for school or work. But it is also nice to see them return, happy to reconnect with our school community. Maybe they will save us in the end!

I Surprise Myself

Boy, did I surprise myself today. I recently got a prescription for a power wheelchair from my neuro. My world has been shrinking and I have started to notice it. So, today as I was driving to work, I realized that if I do get this chair, I will be able to go outside at school again. It has been a long time since I could safely walk out there. Our old school grounds are very uneven and gopher holes abound. The driveway is gravel, and any variations in terrain are hard for me. As I reflected on this possibility, I was surprised to see I started to cry. Imagine, driving to work and wiping tears. When I went in the building, people saw my red eyes and asked about what was wrong. It was so weird to say that nothing was wrong, it was a good thing that made me cry.

I don’t think I have given a lot of thought to how much has changed in the last ten years for me. It creeps up an inch at a time. MS sux!

So, next week, we drive to Spokane and start the process. If I get insurance approval, it will be done. I find it unimaginable to celebrate getting a wheelchair, but I think I will. And I also plan to take it to school for the spring and go OUTSIDE for recess and my students’ PE. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Obama, Lincoln; Lincoln, Obama

Please read this quote:
“The rising intensity of the slavery issue and the threatening dissolution of the nation itself provided Lincoln and his colleagues with an opportunity to save and improve the democracy established by Washington, Jefferson, and Adams, creating what Lincoln later called’ a new birth of freedom.’ Without the march of events that led to the Civil War, Lincoln still would have been a good man, but most likely would never have been publicly recognized as a great man. It was history that gave him the opportunity to manifest his greatness, proving the stage that allowed him to shape and transform our national life.”
Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Wow. That is how I feel about Obama. If he can transform our nation like Lincoln did and fix some of what has gone so wrong, he will manifest his greatness. It is remarkable that she wrote these words over 4 years ago, before all the crises we are in. Before Obama came to the national consciousness. BTW, great book, too! Doris Kearns Goodwin, you rock!

The miracle of OBAMA

It finally happened! We survived until the abuse of the Bushies is done. I hope that he can do enough to save us all from the past years of lack of oversight and the foxes in charge of the chicken coop. Hail to the Chief!

Reflections on Bonding

I find it remarkable the level of bond between Mossy and myself. I think the turning point for us had to be when confronted with our daughter’s unexplained disabilities. Statistically, couples often divorce in such situations, but fortunately, we grew closer. It helped that we were in Nowhere Land, Montana at the time and had to rely on each other.

I also think this is why I can bounce back from setbacks generally. The bad side is that the unexpected loss of Mossy’s job was my undoing. I have come to rely on his steadfastness in hard times, but then it was his hard time and I had to find my inner strength. Like there was any!

Now with the snow breaking all the records and many buildings, I can new see some sunshine, anyway. Mossy is trying out a new job, to see if it fits. If not, we will make it to another day.

I also reckon this is why I have responded so strongly to the Twilight books. It is all about sacrifice for love and unbreakable bonding. Why do they keep saying it’s only for the young and females? Those theme apply to us all. Plenty of scary stuff for the truly macho. Mossy is finally reading them and enjoying them.

My favorite quote:

“Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars-points of light and reason. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn’t see the stars anymore And there was no more reason for anything.”
Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer

That struck a chord with me. We didn’t bond quick, like that implies, but it has grown so I feel like that now. So, whatever happens, I can cope. Love you honey, Sunny

Stuck in a Winter Wonderland

This is the view from my computer. This is as close as I will go to outside! It is snowing, but small, hardly visible flakes.

Snow, snow, and then more snow. We had no snow all through November and then it hit us sooooo hard. Spokane has been closed. Seattle is paralyzed. My little school, however, is like the Little Engine That Could. We didn’t miss a day. We even had our Winter Program. I expected a poor turnout, but basically everyone was there. Up here, we are used to crappy roads and snow.

It is hard though, so relentless. They have broken records for all time in Spokane. And the snow only lets up when it gets cold enough to freeze your nose shut in the first inhale. It was -15 yesterday in Spokane, with wind chill, -23. I think it was even colder up here. Today it is ‘warmed’ up to almost 0, so now we have snow falling again!

That was one of the reasons I hated living in Montana. It was as cold as -40 in winter, with constant wind. The snow would blow over the road and get as hard as concrete. You would have to bash through to drive anywhere. Everyone had engine heaters and cars had to be plugged in 24/7 if you had a prayer of getting it started.

So I am hiding inside, waiting for a break in the weather. School got out last Friday so I have no place to go. Happy for that! I need a haircut, but it will wait. My friend was going to Hawaii and the Spokane airport was closed, so it got cancelled. What an awful end to their plans. Good year to have no travel plans. I plan to eat too much, drink too much, watch movies and read, play games with the family, and keep warm.

This is a tree outside my window:

We are the RC

Recovering Christians. As we try to preserve traditions of our families and move toward new belief systems, we have expanded our traditions to include other cultures in addition to the one we were born into. Our tree has a wide variety of ornaments (I don't like boring ball ornaments).

We added a Festivus Pole last year (so funny if you are in the know) We don't have the airing of grievences or feats of strength parts, just the fun of the silly pole. If you don't know, google Festivus. It was from the Jerry Seinfeld show. Side note: I read Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell and she wrote at length about the Oneida Commune. They had a weekly airing of complaints meeting. I guess Seinfeld didn't make it up on his own!

We also have a menorah this year. We learn about the origins of Hanukkah in my class and the kids play dreidel and learn the meaning of the holiday. I have added the Dreidel Song to our holiday song books. Wish I knew more.

We could do Santa Lucia of Sweden, where the eldest daughter serves the family rolls with a advent wreath on her head with lit candles. But I think having G wear a crown of flaming candles would end in the loss of life and our home. So we will choose life.

This year, our Japanese intern moved to her next house right after Thanksgiving, so we put up our stuff early so she could experience it. It is so much fun to share traditions with guests.

Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Christmas, Happy New Year!