Super fun! We went w/ mom, dad, Ali, and Quinn to Jersey Boys downtown. We had a wonderful dinner before at Urban Elements. The show was amazing! Great times w/ the fam! Love 'em all so much!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Maui 2010
Amazing! My husband won a trip w/ his company, Charles Schwab! So proud of him! We went to Maui in Hawaii. It was absolutely amazing! Schwab hired Apolo Ono to speak and The Fray to play for us! We stayed at The Ritz Carlton- which was unbelievable. The whole trip felt super surreal. I was treated like a moviestar and hanging out w/ famous people! Everything in Maui I had to touch! I just couldn't believe the colors! Wow! It was a once in a lifetime kind of trip!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Subpoena...
Yesterday I came home and got the mail. The top envelope as addressed to me, from the Marion County Prosecutor. My heart dropped, I knew it had to do with my student that had been raped. I have been subpoenaed to court on March 15th! So scary. I just can't believe that my sweet student, Katie, has to deal with all of this. It really freaks me out that, I turned her journal entry into authorities, and from that- her brother is now looking at 60 years in prison. Poor Katie, today she had to go talk about his plea bargain. I really encouraged her not to take the plea. He would only get 20 yrs and by that time, she would be grown and possibly married w/ children. I just think that him coming out would rock her world and scare her. I also encouraged her to not take the plea, so that she can testify. I know, I know...why would anyone want a child to have to testify. But I really think it would be closure for her and give her the power back. She has been hiding this dirty secret for so many years, she has been scared to tell anyone, her mom blamed her for lying, he took her virginity, he took her innocence, he caused his family pain, he broke up their family, and I could go on and on. I told Katie that now is her time, her time, to tell the truth, in front of him- and then, no one would believe she was lying! Also, she would be able to make him own this- face to face. I really hopes she chooses to testify. That creep deserves to be humiliated in court. I don't want him to get off easy. We will see tomorrow, which she chose.
Now- to me. I can't believe that I will have to testify! When I walk into that courtroom and see that creep, I hope I can control my anger. What a filthy, dirty man. I might just throw up all over him! Wow! Court date is for March 15th. I will let you know how it goes. Just pray.
Oh- tomorrow is Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will see how many parents actually show up. Hopefully, they are all pleasant and don't get nasty w/ me like last time. Last time, I mom went off on me. The next day I found out she beat her son (my student) with her high heel shoe b/c of his grades!
Now- to me. I can't believe that I will have to testify! When I walk into that courtroom and see that creep, I hope I can control my anger. What a filthy, dirty man. I might just throw up all over him! Wow! Court date is for March 15th. I will let you know how it goes. Just pray.
Oh- tomorrow is Parent/Teacher Conferences. We will see how many parents actually show up. Hopefully, they are all pleasant and don't get nasty w/ me like last time. Last time, I mom went off on me. The next day I found out she beat her son (my student) with her high heel shoe b/c of his grades!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Cold SORE...
Ok, so I have huge fat cold sore on my lip b/c of the stress. This 1st week has been horrible. I had to take a half day Monday b/c Jackson had a fever. Wednesday, I had to take off early b/c Jackson was still sick. Thursday, Grace's school released early b/c we had a snow storm, so I had to leave early. And today, Grace's school had a 2 hr delay and so I had to go in late. Wow! What a way to start off the year! At least we are finally all healthy tonite. Oh and I just found out that if my school has a snow day, the teachers are still required to go to school! GEEZ! I hate my job so much! How am I going to get through this year? I guess with BIG, fat, ugly cold sores on my lip!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
1st Day Back with Kids
Today the students came back. It went pretty well! They all acted like they missed me terribly!! I set new rules and consequences. Some that are easier for me to be consistent with. It really was bizarre. They were pretty tame today and really no drama. Oh yeah, one thing, remember the girl that I told you that was raped?!? Well, she told me today that her sister just confessed that she had an abortion w/ her brother's baby a couple years ago! I had to call the detective w/ that one! Geez! Could her story get any worse?
Oh and Jackson had a fever yesterday and had to be picked up early. I had to leave my meetings and come home w/ him. Then Michael took off work today to stay home w/ him. Tonite, Jack still has a fever, so my dad will take care of him in the morning, and I will have to take a half day! This adds so much more drama to school life! The kids can't handle it when I leave- they get crazy and I get 4 page letters from whoever substitutes my class, on how bad they were! I will let you know how it goes.
Until then, pray for Jackson to get better and for me to hold onto my strength in the Lord, to keep me going. I know I can make it!
Court
Oh and Jackson had a fever yesterday and had to be picked up early. I had to leave my meetings and come home w/ him. Then Michael took off work today to stay home w/ him. Tonite, Jack still has a fever, so my dad will take care of him in the morning, and I will have to take a half day! This adds so much more drama to school life! The kids can't handle it when I leave- they get crazy and I get 4 page letters from whoever substitutes my class, on how bad they were! I will let you know how it goes.
Until then, pray for Jackson to get better and for me to hold onto my strength in the Lord, to keep me going. I know I can make it!
Court
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Journaling...
So, for those of you who don't know, I have been teaching in the inner city since the beginning of last summer. I'm teaching 6th grade and I HATE it!! I LOVE the children, just hate the person I have had to become. I've had a really hard time dealing with all the stress and emotional burden that this job has put on me. My husband says I'm a different person and I think my kids miss me. So... I've decided to start journaling my time while teaching inner city kids. This might help relieve some stress and tension- and give you some entertainment.
So, I started in August with 30 students and now I'm down to 16 students. Needless to say, I had some serious pistols! Some left b/c the parents felt that they were getting into too much trouble at our school (and their child has never gotten into trouble)! This is the mindset of some of these parents! GEEZ. And others were asked to leave. I had kids throwing chairs, cursing at me, starting fights, planting cocaine on my desk (so I would get fired), and gang activity. ALL in 6th grade! Oh and the parents are the worst of them all! Parents randomly come sneaking into my classroom, starting fights with other children about their own child! I swear, the just hate the world and they think the world is out to get them!! Oh, and they don't just come picking fights with other kids, they also come to fight me!!! B/c I guess, I'm out to get their child too!!! One parent, had to be taken off of me by our asst. principal. Needless to say, all of this makes me physically exhausted.
So, Yes, I have the naughty kids, but I also have the children that are being raped by their brothers, mentally and physically abused by their parents, and children who watch their parents do drugs and get drunk daily. All of this makes me emotionally exhausted. We have no counselor or anyone for these kids to talk to. So, I'm not only their teacher, I'm their mom, counselor, nurse, etc. The kids come in mal-nurouished and tired, with brown circles under their eyes.
One of the journal entries for the day, a few months ago, was something like: When was a time you have shown honesty and what was the outcome? (The purpose of this entry was to show that usually honesty brings good things! ) Well, one of my kids wrote that she told on her brother for raping her from ages 9-11. When she told, her mom got mad at her and yelled at her brother. Her brother then threatened her to never tell again, and if she did, he would kill her. When I received this journal, I was in shock, nervous, sad, angry, and didn't know what to do. I knew I had to call CPS, so I did. A long story short, I have been to the detective with my sweet student several times, helped her deal with her angry mom, and recently the brother confessed. He also confessed that he raped his 2 month old daughter. He is now going to prison. I will be helping my student get through speaking at his trial and her dealing with her "still" angry mom!
Another student, has been kicked out of schools her whole life. She is very angry and all the teachers hate her! I however really LOVE her. I teach the kids daily about integrity and building character skills with them. We were talking about peace seeking in all situations. She was very vocal during this discussion (which is very rare b/c she hates school), and she was getting so angry at anything I said about peace seeking. I took her in the hall later and asked her why she was sooo angry at everyone all the time. She said, b/c I ususally just don't like the way they look, or the some of the things people say! I said, there is no way that you are mad at someone just b/c of the way he/she looks!!! There must be something more, where does this anger come from? Out of no where, she opened up- crying to me, saying it comes from home. Her mom is terribly mean to her, never talks to her, never comes to anything for her, and lives with her boyfriend who beats her mom. I told her that I truly love her and care for her. I asked her, if I could find someone to talk with her about things, would she be willing, and she said YES! I was floored! So, bringing you up to date, she is getting counseling once/week through medicare. The counselor comes to our school each week and meets with her for an hour. You have no idea how shocking this was to the other teachers in our building when I told them about this student! She has been a completely different student since then. She is getting A's and B's, from straight F's before! This girl has kept me going each day!! I think she might be the only reason that I am teaching there this year!!
So, now, I have caught you up to date on some of the issues I'm dealing with at school. Stay tuned for more. Next semester starts at the beginning of January! Loving this Christmas break right now!! Please pray for my students and for me, if you think about it. I'm just having a super hard time.
Love,
Court
So, I started in August with 30 students and now I'm down to 16 students. Needless to say, I had some serious pistols! Some left b/c the parents felt that they were getting into too much trouble at our school (and their child has never gotten into trouble)! This is the mindset of some of these parents! GEEZ. And others were asked to leave. I had kids throwing chairs, cursing at me, starting fights, planting cocaine on my desk (so I would get fired), and gang activity. ALL in 6th grade! Oh and the parents are the worst of them all! Parents randomly come sneaking into my classroom, starting fights with other children about their own child! I swear, the just hate the world and they think the world is out to get them!! Oh, and they don't just come picking fights with other kids, they also come to fight me!!! B/c I guess, I'm out to get their child too!!! One parent, had to be taken off of me by our asst. principal. Needless to say, all of this makes me physically exhausted.
So, Yes, I have the naughty kids, but I also have the children that are being raped by their brothers, mentally and physically abused by their parents, and children who watch their parents do drugs and get drunk daily. All of this makes me emotionally exhausted. We have no counselor or anyone for these kids to talk to. So, I'm not only their teacher, I'm their mom, counselor, nurse, etc. The kids come in mal-nurouished and tired, with brown circles under their eyes.
One of the journal entries for the day, a few months ago, was something like: When was a time you have shown honesty and what was the outcome? (The purpose of this entry was to show that usually honesty brings good things! ) Well, one of my kids wrote that she told on her brother for raping her from ages 9-11. When she told, her mom got mad at her and yelled at her brother. Her brother then threatened her to never tell again, and if she did, he would kill her. When I received this journal, I was in shock, nervous, sad, angry, and didn't know what to do. I knew I had to call CPS, so I did. A long story short, I have been to the detective with my sweet student several times, helped her deal with her angry mom, and recently the brother confessed. He also confessed that he raped his 2 month old daughter. He is now going to prison. I will be helping my student get through speaking at his trial and her dealing with her "still" angry mom!
Another student, has been kicked out of schools her whole life. She is very angry and all the teachers hate her! I however really LOVE her. I teach the kids daily about integrity and building character skills with them. We were talking about peace seeking in all situations. She was very vocal during this discussion (which is very rare b/c she hates school), and she was getting so angry at anything I said about peace seeking. I took her in the hall later and asked her why she was sooo angry at everyone all the time. She said, b/c I ususally just don't like the way they look, or the some of the things people say! I said, there is no way that you are mad at someone just b/c of the way he/she looks!!! There must be something more, where does this anger come from? Out of no where, she opened up- crying to me, saying it comes from home. Her mom is terribly mean to her, never talks to her, never comes to anything for her, and lives with her boyfriend who beats her mom. I told her that I truly love her and care for her. I asked her, if I could find someone to talk with her about things, would she be willing, and she said YES! I was floored! So, bringing you up to date, she is getting counseling once/week through medicare. The counselor comes to our school each week and meets with her for an hour. You have no idea how shocking this was to the other teachers in our building when I told them about this student! She has been a completely different student since then. She is getting A's and B's, from straight F's before! This girl has kept me going each day!! I think she might be the only reason that I am teaching there this year!!
So, now, I have caught you up to date on some of the issues I'm dealing with at school. Stay tuned for more. Next semester starts at the beginning of January! Loving this Christmas break right now!! Please pray for my students and for me, if you think about it. I'm just having a super hard time.
Love,
Court
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Playdate w/ Ethan & Eli
Jackson had a day off school, so we set up a playdate w/ his cousins! We went to the Children's Museum! It was too cute!! Jack liked the "toddler/baby" area (the playscape) better than Ethan and Eli did! Go figure! Anyways, it was fun! So glad they live close enough now to hang!!
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