Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!....but please hurry up and plow it up so we can get back to the grind that is/was/and always will be. This should be how the song really goes.
I am not saying I am not enjoying having the girls PP and PP around 24/7 fighting, laughing, fighting, crying, hitting, pushing, laughing, crying, laughing, and generally just being themselves. I am not saying that I have not enjoyed listening to the girls fight about who is going to be Mrs. W and who is going to be Mrs. G (Peppermint's teacher and the intern in her class right now) as they play school. I am not going to say that I am not enjoying watching hours and hours and HOURS of Dora, Olivia, Dino Dan, Sesame, and any other show that comes on PBS or Nick Jr. I am not saying I am not enjoying ALL time it takes to get the girls dressed and undressed just so they can spend 5-10 minutes outside before wanting to come in because it is bitterly cold. I am not saying I am not enjoying Facebooking endless times during the day. I am not saying I am not enjoying hanging out, slacking off, and doing whatever I want. I am not saying I am not enjoying not having to drive PP and PP to and from school and whatever activity that is going on during the day. I am not saying I am not enjoying the snow.....but I am over it. OVER IT. OVER IT!
At this point school will be in session until the second week in June. At this point we are eating into lake/raft/camping time and everyone knows how much I LOVE lake/raft/camping time. At this point we are eating into SUMMER. SUMMER....so as much as I love the to sing "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow," I am OVER IT....and THAT IS what I am saying....
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
The Weather
"If you can't change it, go with it." - Kristin
This is my weather motto. I know my parents (Gigi and Popi) and Big Grasshopper's parents (Nana and Papa) think I have something to do with the weather and what falls from the sky....I will say that just because I dance outside naked at night to The Weather Goddess from the North Pole under the moon and stars, this does not mean I have anything to do with what falls outside. I just like to dance naked outside at night under the moon and stars and I think that should be fine. (TMI I know....sorry....and if you believe any of the above, please let me sell you some ocean front property right on Beaver Lake.) Anyways....
My real weather philosophy is very simple. "If you can't change it, go with it." We can't change it. If I were in charge it would be 90-100 most days and all of us could live on a body of water and hang out all day fishing, swimming, and floating in our rafts as the drink man brings us cold drinks when needed. We would also have private chef's that make us breakfast, lunch, and dinner and we would never have to lift a finger. But, because I seem NOT to be in charge, please note that their is an EPICALLY HISTORIC snow storm coming and you better get ready....or go out and do a little naked dancing of your own to your own weather god/goddess under the light of the moon and stars....but you better hurry....because snow is coming!
Happy Dancing!!
This is my weather motto. I know my parents (Gigi and Popi) and Big Grasshopper's parents (Nana and Papa) think I have something to do with the weather and what falls from the sky....I will say that just because I dance outside naked at night to The Weather Goddess from the North Pole under the moon and stars, this does not mean I have anything to do with what falls outside. I just like to dance naked outside at night under the moon and stars and I think that should be fine. (TMI I know....sorry....and if you believe any of the above, please let me sell you some ocean front property right on Beaver Lake.) Anyways....
My real weather philosophy is very simple. "If you can't change it, go with it." We can't change it. If I were in charge it would be 90-100 most days and all of us could live on a body of water and hang out all day fishing, swimming, and floating in our rafts as the drink man brings us cold drinks when needed. We would also have private chef's that make us breakfast, lunch, and dinner and we would never have to lift a finger. But, because I seem NOT to be in charge, please note that their is an EPICALLY HISTORIC snow storm coming and you better get ready....or go out and do a little naked dancing of your own to your own weather god/goddess under the light of the moon and stars....but you better hurry....because snow is coming!
Happy Dancing!!
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Birds And The Bees
As I was changing last night Peppermint Patty came in. I am pretty open and find nudity really not that big of a deal (and I can tell you after pushing out two babies, babies don't find nudity that big of a deal either). I do try to be discreet with some things but if I am changing my clothes and putting on my PJ's and one of the girls comes in I don't really think it is that big of a deal. Anyways, PP comes in and the following conversation takes place.
Peppermint: Mom. (looking at me in a weird wondering way) Where do babies come from?
Me: (thinking I can go one of two ways, I simply ask) Where do you think babies come from?
Peppermint: Your poo poo part?
Me: Close, your pee pee parts.
Peppermint: Ouch! That would hurt. How big are babies? (using her hands to figure out how big a baby comes out of a pee pee part....me trying to show her) Ouch! I don't think I want to have babies. I think that would really hurt!
Me: Good. I am glad you don't want to have babies. (me thinking - YES! because for the past 6 or 8 months PP has been talking about nothing but having babies and becoming a mom...immediately....which I know isn't possible but I would like to hold it off for as long as possible...)
PP: OK Mom....(goes away happy I answered her question and no other concern has she.)
I bring this up to bring up a story. The other day a situation came up with someone else with a student talking about where babies come from and we started talking about if we could or could not give "the talk."
I personally don't think "the talk" really needs to be "a big talk" at all if you are open and honest from the beginning. I think if you always answer the questions that are asked as honest, open, and on a level a child can handle, a long surprising talk never needs to take place. I also think most parents need to be talking to their kids way before they do. I am not saying PP needs to know about periods and all the mechanics of sex right at this moment, but if something comes up, I am very open to answering her questions in a way that will be on her level that will make sense to her. I also personally believe (because I matured physically very early and had no clue what was going on) that kids have the right to know what is happening to their bodies and that if honesty and openness don't happen they will go somewhere else to find the information...and in this day and age I really don't want my girls, PP and PP, to go to the internet or somewhere else to figure things out. (Remember the talks with other girls on the playground about what was happening with your body? If you didn't have THOSE playground talks, find yourself blessed.) I also have this theory that if you have a period, vagina, penis, and sex you can talk about it with your kids.
So....we have started "the talk" that I hope will not be a talk at all but a very long discussion about life as it comes....sorry if this offends or if your kid learns something from my kids before you think they are ready....but maybe they are more ready than we all give them credit.
Peppermint: Mom. (looking at me in a weird wondering way) Where do babies come from?
Me: (thinking I can go one of two ways, I simply ask) Where do you think babies come from?
Peppermint: Your poo poo part?
Me: Close, your pee pee parts.
Peppermint: Ouch! That would hurt. How big are babies? (using her hands to figure out how big a baby comes out of a pee pee part....me trying to show her) Ouch! I don't think I want to have babies. I think that would really hurt!
Me: Good. I am glad you don't want to have babies. (me thinking - YES! because for the past 6 or 8 months PP has been talking about nothing but having babies and becoming a mom...immediately....which I know isn't possible but I would like to hold it off for as long as possible...)
PP: OK Mom....(goes away happy I answered her question and no other concern has she.)
I bring this up to bring up a story. The other day a situation came up with someone else with a student talking about where babies come from and we started talking about if we could or could not give "the talk."
I personally don't think "the talk" really needs to be "a big talk" at all if you are open and honest from the beginning. I think if you always answer the questions that are asked as honest, open, and on a level a child can handle, a long surprising talk never needs to take place. I also think most parents need to be talking to their kids way before they do. I am not saying PP needs to know about periods and all the mechanics of sex right at this moment, but if something comes up, I am very open to answering her questions in a way that will be on her level that will make sense to her. I also personally believe (because I matured physically very early and had no clue what was going on) that kids have the right to know what is happening to their bodies and that if honesty and openness don't happen they will go somewhere else to find the information...and in this day and age I really don't want my girls, PP and PP, to go to the internet or somewhere else to figure things out. (Remember the talks with other girls on the playground about what was happening with your body? If you didn't have THOSE playground talks, find yourself blessed.) I also have this theory that if you have a period, vagina, penis, and sex you can talk about it with your kids.
So....we have started "the talk" that I hope will not be a talk at all but a very long discussion about life as it comes....sorry if this offends or if your kid learns something from my kids before you think they are ready....but maybe they are more ready than we all give them credit.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Not Your Mama's Kindergarten
After a semester of Peppermint Patty being in kindergarten I can tell you a lot has changed since you and I (supposing you were born before 1990ish) went to school. First, I went to half day kindergarten. I arrived, put up my stuff (I think I had stuff but don't really remember), got my crayon box, and tried to sit at the girls table. I am sure Mrs. Bell did interactive things, we sat on carpet squares, and were interactive but I really have no clue because I honestly can't remember. I think my biggest achievement was writing my name, saying my ABC's, and tying my shoes. We had recess, PE, music, art, library, and probably something else. Before lunch I was picked up by La Petite, went and ate lunch, and then took a 2 hour nap. I am not sure we actually "learned" something but then again, I have already said I can't really remember. It was a LONG time ago.
Today PP is at kindergarten all day. She is learning way more than tying her shoes, skipping, and just saying her ABC's. This week they are learning punctuation. Really? My child, who can't write a sentence without a tremendous amount of help, is learning about punctuation. By the end of the year I have been told they will be reading basic sentences, know how to read simple sight words, and be able to write a paragraph. Really? A paragraph? WOW! I don't think I wrote a paragraph until at least 2nd grade and I probably remember that because it was with Mrs. Branson, second semester, about President Lincoln or Washington (not sure why I remember that...but whatever).
In some ways I am happy they are doing more than tying your shoe, skipping, having 3 recesses, taking naps, and coloring a few pages. I am glad they are pushing PP to learn more than I did in kindergarten, first, and probably some second grade combined. But really? Really?
I guess she is ready.....but don't know if I am. Going to go tie my shoes and skip now.....and maybe later I will call Mrs. Ball (the best HS English teacher I know) and see if she can teach me how to write a paragraph correctly.
Today PP is at kindergarten all day. She is learning way more than tying her shoes, skipping, and just saying her ABC's. This week they are learning punctuation. Really? My child, who can't write a sentence without a tremendous amount of help, is learning about punctuation. By the end of the year I have been told they will be reading basic sentences, know how to read simple sight words, and be able to write a paragraph. Really? A paragraph? WOW! I don't think I wrote a paragraph until at least 2nd grade and I probably remember that because it was with Mrs. Branson, second semester, about President Lincoln or Washington (not sure why I remember that...but whatever).
In some ways I am happy they are doing more than tying your shoe, skipping, having 3 recesses, taking naps, and coloring a few pages. I am glad they are pushing PP to learn more than I did in kindergarten, first, and probably some second grade combined. But really? Really?
I guess she is ready.....but don't know if I am. Going to go tie my shoes and skip now.....and maybe later I will call Mrs. Ball (the best HS English teacher I know) and see if she can teach me how to write a paragraph correctly.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011 Resolutions
I don't normally make New Year's resolutions. They seem kind of silly to me and for some reason I know I am going to break them no matter how big or little they are. This year there are some things I would like to accomplish so maybe I will just put these out in the universe and in a year come back and see what has stayed out in the universe.
1. Read the Bible more. Any reading would be more than I am doing now most days so simply to read the Bible every day, even just a verse, would be a huge improvement. I also want to put out fleeces and see where God takes me, not where I take God.
2. Feel better. Part of that would be to lose weight but I am not writing that down....Feel better sounds much more all in compassing. Part of the feel better is to eat better, move more, and hopefully that will lead to losing weight which will mean I will feel better.
3. Take more chances. I am not sure what that means but sometimes I need to step out of my comfort zone and go with the flow a little more.
4. Not be so loud. I know everyone who knows me knows this probably isn't possible but....maybe.....
5. Not cuss so much. I only have a few words I really like. My youngest child, Pig Pen, has decided she likes one of the words as well. (I know, I am a great example.) So, for the sake of everyone I am going to try to get those couple of words out of my vocab.
6. Do more for myself. I think I am itching for something because I don't do enough for myself to keep my inner spirit going. Maybe I will take a cooking class or two, or another cake decorating class, or try to learn to knit again, or learn to sew. I don't know what the something is but whatever it is I hope it is for myself.
7. I want to not be so scared of the unknown. I am always worried about the unknown. I hate that. I really would like to - in the words of Nike - Just Do It.
8. I want to Facebook less. I know, I know. Facebook queen. I know. If I could hold myself to checking once in the morning and once at the evening or afternoon that would be a great accomplishment.
9. I want to find more balance at home. I am really bad at doing laundry, cleaning on a regular basis, and keeping things going as much as I should. I have made lists in the past of what to do on this day or that day, but this year I hope to just do a little every day and keep it up so it isn't as much as a struggle as it has been.
10. I want to be a better wife and mother. I know this is number 10 but it very easily could be number 2. I need to be a better partner for BG and a better mama for the girls. I think part of this is doing all of the above.
11. Stop biting my finger nails. I know...it is gross....I know....I know....I have tried....I am going to try again....I know.....Yes.....I know.......
I could keep going because there is A LOT to improve but I think we are all that way (If you aren't, please take me to lunch - you can buy - and tell me your secret). We all have things we want to improve, want to stop, or want to fix. I am no different. I am just putting these things out there in the universe. I don't know if any of these things are really possible but I am putting them out there in the universe and next year this time I will look back and see how the universe and I have done.
1. Read the Bible more. Any reading would be more than I am doing now most days so simply to read the Bible every day, even just a verse, would be a huge improvement. I also want to put out fleeces and see where God takes me, not where I take God.
2. Feel better. Part of that would be to lose weight but I am not writing that down....Feel better sounds much more all in compassing. Part of the feel better is to eat better, move more, and hopefully that will lead to losing weight which will mean I will feel better.
3. Take more chances. I am not sure what that means but sometimes I need to step out of my comfort zone and go with the flow a little more.
4. Not be so loud. I know everyone who knows me knows this probably isn't possible but....maybe.....
5. Not cuss so much. I only have a few words I really like. My youngest child, Pig Pen, has decided she likes one of the words as well. (I know, I am a great example.) So, for the sake of everyone I am going to try to get those couple of words out of my vocab.
6. Do more for myself. I think I am itching for something because I don't do enough for myself to keep my inner spirit going. Maybe I will take a cooking class or two, or another cake decorating class, or try to learn to knit again, or learn to sew. I don't know what the something is but whatever it is I hope it is for myself.
7. I want to not be so scared of the unknown. I am always worried about the unknown. I hate that. I really would like to - in the words of Nike - Just Do It.
8. I want to Facebook less. I know, I know. Facebook queen. I know. If I could hold myself to checking once in the morning and once at the evening or afternoon that would be a great accomplishment.
9. I want to find more balance at home. I am really bad at doing laundry, cleaning on a regular basis, and keeping things going as much as I should. I have made lists in the past of what to do on this day or that day, but this year I hope to just do a little every day and keep it up so it isn't as much as a struggle as it has been.
10. I want to be a better wife and mother. I know this is number 10 but it very easily could be number 2. I need to be a better partner for BG and a better mama for the girls. I think part of this is doing all of the above.
11. Stop biting my finger nails. I know...it is gross....I know....I know....I have tried....I am going to try again....I know.....Yes.....I know.......
I could keep going because there is A LOT to improve but I think we are all that way (If you aren't, please take me to lunch - you can buy - and tell me your secret). We all have things we want to improve, want to stop, or want to fix. I am no different. I am just putting these things out there in the universe. I don't know if any of these things are really possible but I am putting them out there in the universe and next year this time I will look back and see how the universe and I have done.
Friday, December 31, 2010
2010
This year has been one crazy ride! We have made more memories and done more as a family than I ever thought possible.
In February Pig Pen turned 3. Being 3 is a lot harder than being 2 and she has had some growing pains this year that I am not sure any of us were ready for. She is the funniest child you have ever met who is obsessed with animals, her tricycle (she rides it in the house), and getting her way. In early September her sister gave her a hair cut so she went from having beautiful long blond hair to short short light brown hair over night. That change is the hardest for me because I still can't believe her hair is so short. She isn't as far along academically as Peppermint Patty was when she was this age, but I know Pig Pen is smart and will get it in her own time. She is stubborn like her mama (who would have thought) and she doesn't like to be pushed to do anything she doesn't want to do. I am excited to see where God takes her over the next few years and how her personality continues to develop. She truly is a special little girl and I am so proud that she is mine.
On March 7th Peppermint Patty turned 5. The baby that took 9 months and 14.5 hours of labor with 3.5 hours of pushing before she would come out turned 5. The baby that I still don't know where all the time went turned 5. I am still not sure I am over her turning 5 and she will be 6 right around the corner. She loves fishing, riding on the tube, swimming in the pool, getting tickled, and playing with Nylah the dog. She is still timid when she is in big crowds or around people she doesn't know but that doesn't slow her down for long. She is funny, smart, quiet, bossy, and a good friend. She has grown up so fast and I can't believe I have a kindergartner! She is a girly girl who Big Grasshopper is already trying to figure out how we are going to pay for her expensive clothes and hair some day! LOL! She is one of a kind and I am so glad that God has put her in our family.
The weekend in between the girls two birthdays we had a joint birthday party on the Tumble Bus. That is one pretty cool ride that I would definitely recommend for small parties. Everyone had a great time and the girls enjoyed having their friends at our house.
In April Big Grasshopper turned 36 and I turned 32. We are old. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I don't even think I should have mentioned it here, but it is definitely a milestone that must happen in order to keep the dash going. Getting older is one of those strange things in life. I look back at when I was the girls age and think I thought my parents were so old at the age I am now....and guess what....I think I was right.....they were old and now I am kinda feeling old. 32 is not THAT close to 40 but it is way farther away from 22-23 than I feel possible. I am hoping the closer I get to 40 the less old I will feel....maybe?
The Summer....aaaaahhhhh.....the summer that was 2010....filled with camping, boating, swimming, tubing, hanging out with friends, fishing, more camping, more swimming, more hanging out with friends, more enjoying 100 degree heat, eating, drinking, camp fires, and more hanging out with friends. What an amazing summer!! I am really not sure summer 2010 will never be beaten in my mind. Peppermint learned to swim without her life vest or floaties in the pool. She still has to always wear her life vest in the lake, but she is so proud of her swimming abilities in the pool. We camped out so much that I think we were camping more on the weekends than we were home. The girls and Big Grasshopper really love fishing and I have bragging rights that I am the only one that caught my limit when we went Stripper fishing while BG's sister and her boyfriend visited for a few days. We enjoyed the boat more than any people ought to....but my mind still goes back to those days of rafting and having fun as a family on these cold winter days. It truly was a magical summer that will not soon be forgotten.
August 19th. The day I have been dreading since March 7, 2005. The day that Peppermint Patty started to school. I cried most of the summer when I thought about PP going to school. She didn't get into the school near our house due to over crowding so we have to drive her across town to the overflow school. I may not like the drive but I like the school and her teacher is absolutely amazing!! I can't say enough about the experience PP is having this year. She is learning so much and has come so far. I can't believe by the end of the year she will be reading and writing in complete sentences with some accuracy. I am almost in tears just thinking about my baby who isn't a baby anymore going to kindergarten but she loves it and loves her teachers so I am so proud of her. (Thank you Peppermint's teacher....you know who you are and you know I LOVE YOU!!!)
Sometime between September and the end of October we lost our camera....with A LOT of pictures on it. Still hoping to find it and this is the one low point of the year that I can think about. If you want to get us a gift...now you know what to bring us. :)
Between August and now is just a blur of driving everyone to everything every where. My car is always completely trashed out and always smells of milk, fast food, or some chap stick that Pig Pen thinks she needs to coat her lips in. BG and I are trying to keep up as best we can with all the demands of having 2 crazy girls and a life that seems to be getting faster. Don't get me wrong...it is crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way!
I am not sure what 2011 is going to bring. I am having an itch for something but not sure what. I am going to be putting out fleeces and letting God lead me through this instead of me leading God....well....I am going to try anyways....Whatever happens I know this.....Geoff and I love each other, love the girls, and the girls love us. Nothing is better than that and I am so proud of the family we have built. Ups, downs, whatever happens, we have each other in 2011.......Happy 2010....Hopeful for 2011.
In February Pig Pen turned 3. Being 3 is a lot harder than being 2 and she has had some growing pains this year that I am not sure any of us were ready for. She is the funniest child you have ever met who is obsessed with animals, her tricycle (she rides it in the house), and getting her way. In early September her sister gave her a hair cut so she went from having beautiful long blond hair to short short light brown hair over night. That change is the hardest for me because I still can't believe her hair is so short. She isn't as far along academically as Peppermint Patty was when she was this age, but I know Pig Pen is smart and will get it in her own time. She is stubborn like her mama (who would have thought) and she doesn't like to be pushed to do anything she doesn't want to do. I am excited to see where God takes her over the next few years and how her personality continues to develop. She truly is a special little girl and I am so proud that she is mine.
On March 7th Peppermint Patty turned 5. The baby that took 9 months and 14.5 hours of labor with 3.5 hours of pushing before she would come out turned 5. The baby that I still don't know where all the time went turned 5. I am still not sure I am over her turning 5 and she will be 6 right around the corner. She loves fishing, riding on the tube, swimming in the pool, getting tickled, and playing with Nylah the dog. She is still timid when she is in big crowds or around people she doesn't know but that doesn't slow her down for long. She is funny, smart, quiet, bossy, and a good friend. She has grown up so fast and I can't believe I have a kindergartner! She is a girly girl who Big Grasshopper is already trying to figure out how we are going to pay for her expensive clothes and hair some day! LOL! She is one of a kind and I am so glad that God has put her in our family.
The weekend in between the girls two birthdays we had a joint birthday party on the Tumble Bus. That is one pretty cool ride that I would definitely recommend for small parties. Everyone had a great time and the girls enjoyed having their friends at our house.
In April Big Grasshopper turned 36 and I turned 32. We are old. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to think about it. I don't even think I should have mentioned it here, but it is definitely a milestone that must happen in order to keep the dash going. Getting older is one of those strange things in life. I look back at when I was the girls age and think I thought my parents were so old at the age I am now....and guess what....I think I was right.....they were old and now I am kinda feeling old. 32 is not THAT close to 40 but it is way farther away from 22-23 than I feel possible. I am hoping the closer I get to 40 the less old I will feel....maybe?
The Summer....aaaaahhhhh.....the summer that was 2010....filled with camping, boating, swimming, tubing, hanging out with friends, fishing, more camping, more swimming, more hanging out with friends, more enjoying 100 degree heat, eating, drinking, camp fires, and more hanging out with friends. What an amazing summer!! I am really not sure summer 2010 will never be beaten in my mind. Peppermint learned to swim without her life vest or floaties in the pool. She still has to always wear her life vest in the lake, but she is so proud of her swimming abilities in the pool. We camped out so much that I think we were camping more on the weekends than we were home. The girls and Big Grasshopper really love fishing and I have bragging rights that I am the only one that caught my limit when we went Stripper fishing while BG's sister and her boyfriend visited for a few days. We enjoyed the boat more than any people ought to....but my mind still goes back to those days of rafting and having fun as a family on these cold winter days. It truly was a magical summer that will not soon be forgotten.
August 19th. The day I have been dreading since March 7, 2005. The day that Peppermint Patty started to school. I cried most of the summer when I thought about PP going to school. She didn't get into the school near our house due to over crowding so we have to drive her across town to the overflow school. I may not like the drive but I like the school and her teacher is absolutely amazing!! I can't say enough about the experience PP is having this year. She is learning so much and has come so far. I can't believe by the end of the year she will be reading and writing in complete sentences with some accuracy. I am almost in tears just thinking about my baby who isn't a baby anymore going to kindergarten but she loves it and loves her teachers so I am so proud of her. (Thank you Peppermint's teacher....you know who you are and you know I LOVE YOU!!!)
Sometime between September and the end of October we lost our camera....with A LOT of pictures on it. Still hoping to find it and this is the one low point of the year that I can think about. If you want to get us a gift...now you know what to bring us. :)
Between August and now is just a blur of driving everyone to everything every where. My car is always completely trashed out and always smells of milk, fast food, or some chap stick that Pig Pen thinks she needs to coat her lips in. BG and I are trying to keep up as best we can with all the demands of having 2 crazy girls and a life that seems to be getting faster. Don't get me wrong...it is crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way!
I am not sure what 2011 is going to bring. I am having an itch for something but not sure what. I am going to be putting out fleeces and letting God lead me through this instead of me leading God....well....I am going to try anyways....Whatever happens I know this.....Geoff and I love each other, love the girls, and the girls love us. Nothing is better than that and I am so proud of the family we have built. Ups, downs, whatever happens, we have each other in 2011.......Happy 2010....Hopeful for 2011.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Just Be Human
Doctor's and Teachers are very much alike. Both have degrees, are professional, and deal with the public in both the best and worst circumstances. Both work hard everyday to make sure who they see is taken care of and should go beyond the call of duty when necessary to see that who they are taking care of is taken care of and they are the best "OK" they can be. Both also deal with more paperwork and bureaucracy than should be necessary and if given the chance to hold a bonfire and burn all the paperwork, most would not hesitate to bring the paperwork and lighter fluid and do a dance as it burns. I think for the most part both teachers and doctors go into their profession with a whole hearted thought they can make a difference and then find out that medicine is not like what we see on Grey's anatomy and teaching is not what is depicted in after school specials.
As a teacher on sabbatical I know first hand the carnage of teaching. (As I am not a doctor I won't say it is hard but watching from a far I am pretty sure that it is difficult.) It is hard. It is difficult. There are long hours. There are tears. There is heart ache. There is a lot of sacrifice of one's self. However....this is only if you are good....no great....the greatest....you are human. You care. You love. You laugh. You dance. You sing. You put yourself out there. You are yourself. You make mistakes. You are kind. You speak from the heart. You look people in the eye and are honest. You take time to explain what is happening with the other humans that you are dealing with. You treat others the way you would want to be treated; the way you want your kids, wife, husband, mother, father, etc. to be treated.
I think this is what a lot of doctors and teachers have forgotten. We have forgotten that we deal with humans and to deal with other humans we have to also be....drum roll please.....human!!! Since when did it get so hard to take a few extra minutes to feel for others? Since when did it get so hard to try to understand someone's plight?
I have struggled for the last 10-12 days being sick. I am not expecting miracles when I go to the doctor. I am not even expecting them to make me be better in one day. What I do expect is what is expected of me as a teacher when their child is in my classroom - I want a human. I want someone that is kind, considerate, compassionate, understanding, and takes an extra 30 seconds to be friendly and helpful even if there isn't much they can do. I also want them to look me in the eye and try to help me the best way they know how. Is this too much to ask? Maybe....but if I have to be a "human" when I am teaching their child, than I expect that of my doctor when they are doctoring.
Human...nothing more....nothing less...Human. Just Human.
As a teacher on sabbatical I know first hand the carnage of teaching. (As I am not a doctor I won't say it is hard but watching from a far I am pretty sure that it is difficult.) It is hard. It is difficult. There are long hours. There are tears. There is heart ache. There is a lot of sacrifice of one's self. However....this is only if you are good....no great....the greatest....you are human. You care. You love. You laugh. You dance. You sing. You put yourself out there. You are yourself. You make mistakes. You are kind. You speak from the heart. You look people in the eye and are honest. You take time to explain what is happening with the other humans that you are dealing with. You treat others the way you would want to be treated; the way you want your kids, wife, husband, mother, father, etc. to be treated.
I think this is what a lot of doctors and teachers have forgotten. We have forgotten that we deal with humans and to deal with other humans we have to also be....drum roll please.....human!!! Since when did it get so hard to take a few extra minutes to feel for others? Since when did it get so hard to try to understand someone's plight?
I have struggled for the last 10-12 days being sick. I am not expecting miracles when I go to the doctor. I am not even expecting them to make me be better in one day. What I do expect is what is expected of me as a teacher when their child is in my classroom - I want a human. I want someone that is kind, considerate, compassionate, understanding, and takes an extra 30 seconds to be friendly and helpful even if there isn't much they can do. I also want them to look me in the eye and try to help me the best way they know how. Is this too much to ask? Maybe....but if I have to be a "human" when I am teaching their child, than I expect that of my doctor when they are doctoring.
Human...nothing more....nothing less...Human. Just Human.
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