The Wash

a funny little title, I know, but alot of things come and go courtesy of the wash.

For example, socks-what in the WORLD is up with the sock Bermuda Triangle mysteriously hidden inside my washing machine?! And the phrase: "It will all come out in the wash..." certainly didn't apply to the load of laundry I woke up to on Monday morning that had gone through with a blue ink pen!

yup. scratch one entire load of Preston and Team Leader's clothing...it wasn't the best way to begin the week. In fact, it set the tone for my week, which has been VERY messy to say the least!

Before I begin, a disclaimer of sorts, I am very tired. I am missing Virginia. I am aware that one should always be careful of what they wish for-I just wish sometimes that somethings weren't so messy...and that the wash was simply, just the wash.

This week I "hung out" with my new 1st grade team mates. Fun, you would think, cautiously optimistic is more like it. I do have the most teaching experience on the team, but little if any of it, is helping me here. WHAT?! How can that be?! I've been doing this for 15 years-I may not have taught in Connecticut, but shouldn't I know everything by now?!
But you're never too old to stop learning, and,
I've learned this week that North Carolina is CWAZY!!!

After spending 3 days completing the reading assessments of the two 1st year teachers on the team, I did get the downlow from a teammate with 6 years of experience, who goes on Maternity leave in 5 days:
WHOLE GROUP BASAL READING instruction
say it again-
WHOLE GROUP BASAL READING instruction is MANDATORY and I'm not allowed to do author studies.

WHAT-HOLY CRAP-WHAT!!!

It's taken me all week to actually process this.
I actually think I might have made a mess of things by questioning the greater wisdom of Cumberland County when I asked my new boss:

e: "Um, whole group reading instruction...for real?!"
boss: "Yup." (with a bitten lip)
e: "no author studies?!"
boss: "not during literacy block." (with a bitten lip)
e: stupid look is coming across face
boss: "I want you to try this and then we will dialogue."
e: still stupid, and got nothing at this point

HOLY CRAP!

Taking my mind off of everything I am finding impossible to believe has been the amazing story of how Sam Angel came from Korea to Reston. (Kevin, you are a fantastic writer!)

I have cried everyday reading this beautiful story of thanksgiving, and love. I have thanked G-d at least 100 times for his life because I know how much the simple idea of him meant to his parents and now, how much his actual being has already changed them forever.

What a miracle!

I hoped when I called Hannah that she had made it to the airport to welcome him on behalf of K-1 (hee hee) but never expected to hear from her, my Rahnie, and Miz Candy about the heartfelt hugs and love that he received "Team Tang" style! I am SOOO proud of you guys for your Kindergarten crafty-ness!
Yay You!!

What you did was a perfect example of what can go RIGHT in the wash...all those unbelievable tang shirts, my $700 near death experience, neighbors who were stressing over a sea of orange, and breaking Jheri's washing machines when we let the bleach pens get the better of us...good times ladies, good times!
This is what those wonderfully ridiculous shirts now mean:
They mean welcome-
They mean unity-
They mean love-
They mean friendship-
They mean that babies DO come from the airport, and that, means everything!

Yay La! Yay Kevin! Yay, Yay, Yay SAM! G-d bless you three-and Sam, be the best little bumblebee you can be!

In the land of Oz, your dreams can come true

Day One as a WFTP...for those of you just tuning in, that means Working Full Time Princess...
and DRA is a developmental reading assessment-in Virginia...In NC, it just means that you can read.

I got to school with wet hair, and a scrunchy (thank G-d!) wearing my uber cute outfit from my days as a Yankee Candle Hottie-with the crazy shoes which I will never wear for an entire day again!
I also managed to have Ben and Dollie with me-ha
and we three all had lunches.
Nice.
We pulled in as Mrs. Mims pulled in-Ben greeted her with:
"MY MOMMA IS A TEACHER NOW MRS. MIMS!"
Very sweet!
Mrs. Mims took me around and I got to meet a few "need to know" folks.
It was very nice and quite humbling to FINALLY get to Rockfish, and hear how happy folks were that I was joining "The Rock!"
I got to meet the new OT teacher, who laughed when I told her that I thought a good OT teacher was like a personal McGuyver, but then I realized no one could EVER fill the shoes of the original McGuyver...I miss you SOOOO much my psycho sista, aka Yoda...
And Rahn, I think I'm actually going to be YOU at this school...holy moly- now I'm Robin!

After whipping around First Grade, I spent the day with a First Year Teacher, who was having the day from hell:
Crazy behavior problem child left during lunch,
cutie patootie that I had DRA'ed (Louise tell Ann Gray I NEED HER!!!) throws up all over herself and the classroom carpet during Social Studies, newbiw teacher stands there, calls for help as I clean CP up, poor little disaster...
sweet Military Boy who is going to a new school and has to have all his records complete by 1:30 sits down with her to have his NC DRA done, she levels him at a 15 then at 1:15 REALIZES that he ended Kindergarten on a level 32.

Holy C-rap!

Okay, I did try to tell her that I really didn't think the day had been that bad, particularly when she was getting their afternoon folders ready for home and she saw that one of her cherubs had signed his own behavior letter as if he was his mother!
In purple crayon!!!!
That, I told her, was excellent!
I also told her she needed to make a smile file and put that in there.
I also told her to get the heck out of Dodge and GO HOME, before she hated Rockfish (her assistant was nodding her head in agreement, so I felt like it was fairly decent advice.)
So much for being a positive mentor!

In the land of Oz, your dreams can come true...

I wish my friend's husband would find a job here. I dont want her to move to KY...even with the jelly joke.
I wish I had written more letters to my cousin who passed away last summer. Random, I know, but I miss her.
I wish that I can be the person all these new people are expecting me to be. Um, yah, so I'm thinking that I should have taken EVERYTHING from HWES that wasn't bolted down.
I wish Samson would quit dumping his nasty ass bone chew on my lap. Yuck.
I wish I had thought to buy TiVo before today! I LOVE the new show The Nine, but can't stay up to watch.
I wish for my teacher pal and her husband and new son to have the safest, bestest, most fantastic trip back to the states from Korea EVER, and that life is happily ever after for them.
It just should be-they deserve a little slice of happy!
I wish, I wish, I wish...

I wish hugs and love for every single person I know who loves me, because I love them back!
xoxox
essie

'Round the Way girls unite!

Erika- you aren't leaving NC.
Lori "Savage-Buzz" next time the mail is late, you get boxes of candy for not telling!
LC-HAPPY BIRTHDY BUZZ (sorry I'm late!)
Bec-Where is that white fur rug anyway?!
Louise-this was my hip hop in college! hee hee
Rae-can you believe I found this song?!!
Fly Mama Rose-you are 100% around the way!!

There are so many of you; listen to the song and laugh at the hair, and know that I love you all!

xoxox
essie

FINALLY!!

I have a JOB!

No classroom, but a job!
Here's the skinny:
Rockfish is exploding at the seams, so 2 "learning cottages" have been requested.
That means that 2 teachers are moving into them...leaving room for me, and I'm assuming the Art teacher (who up until now, had been "Art on a Cart!")
I start on Thursday-yes folks, that's 2 days away!!

Can I get a "Holy Crap!" from somewhere out in cyber space!
The SAHP (stay at home PRINCESS as I have called myself) is freaking-but feeling very blessed!

For the time being I will act as Instructional Support for the 1st grade team, as I learn the routine at Rockfish and get to know the kids. VERY exciting change for me!

All the SPED experience is already being put to use on paper, as I believe I've got one or two very special friends that I will be working with and who will eventually be part of my classroom-when I get one!

Finally, finally, finally!
Woohoo!
Good things always happen right before the money runs out!
xoxoxo

essie

How do you know who your friends are?

We took Sierra from school and kept her for a wonderful weekend-Cooper arrived late Saturday afternoon for a sleepover with Ben, his "brother from another mother" as Angus was so informed!

The girls were fab-they are just fab-as the pictures will show:

I love these 2 children, and I love my girl
"Tie-Lee!" (Tell your momma that I'm saying it RIGHT, just don't let her know I'm not spelling it right!)

In the car going to dinner, this was the conversation between Ben and Cooper

Ben: Cooper, do you miss me?

Cooper: Oh yes!

Ben: Is 1st grade fun without me?

Cooper: NO. I don't like it without you.

Ben: Why?

Cooper: Because you not being there, makes me Bensick...

Ben: I miss you too...

OMG-OMS-OML-MM (that's "oh my stars", "oh my lands", and "mercy me") did Cooper just say he was BENSICK and am I driving the car CRYING now?!

Why yes.

I am.

The friendship these 2 little munchkins have makes my heart SING and cry because I wish we were closer...

But, we aren't, and my entire point is my kids have friends who have gone from Virginia to North Carolina back to Virginia and that is how they know who their friends are-distance changes nothing! Real friends travel with you-they are in your heart, your head, and shape who you become...HUGS and LOVE to you all! essie

new music-

this was for Ben, who came in while I was blogging, crying his eyes out thanks to his sister and a flair for the dramatic! He wanted Chingy "One Call Away" but the video...um no Mr. Ben, not for you! And for those of you who need an Esther Fun Fact: it is RUDY from the Huxtable Family who plays the "female lead" in Chingy's video...

This music is ALSO for all my Momma Pals, whose children have taken "inappropriate cd's" to preschool for show and share!

xoxox

Today there will be record blog-madness!

Preston had NO CLUE about the surprise pizza dinner and seeing Laura and Kellen, who brought Erica, ex girlfriend of his best friend Luke! It was excellent! I'll let the snaps speak for themselves...

Preston and Laura have known each other since they were 3-it's an awesome friendship, and I'm very appreciative of Laura's mother Catherine who has also supported hours of travel in order for them to see one another!
Kellen came to us through Laura-another cutie patootie, whose mother also gets mad props for allowing a friendship to grow!

("Rock on" is Ben's contribution to Preston taking a photo with 2 girls!)











And, could we love Pres and Luke ANY MORE?!!!
no. nope. no way, no how.

As we left, Pres said to me:
"Mom, that was sneaky and underhanded and I will get you back one day, but it was cool, very , very cool."
And my heart exploded

WOOHOO

I just found out that I passed the PRAXIS test!!
YAY!!!

"Holy Friendship, Batman!!" said Robin

Okay- that was for you Rahn, b/c we didn't get to see each other!

Our "Surprise, you are THIRTEEN" trip to VA was a hands down fantastic success! We arrived late Thursday night, in time to celebrate the cakeness of Preston's bday with Gaia, GrandpaDad, and Dunc. GrandpaDad got the quote for the day: "Didn't we just clean all this up?!" after the kids ransacked their newly put away toys...
Oh so love that snap! So, we had cake, Preston got some new skater clothes and we all fell into bed, very tired Goldberg-Harrisons!

The next day Dollie and I woke up a "o-dark-thirty" and drove into Reston to visit friends-family actually-at HWES. It was tremendous-all the hugs and love-neither of us could have expected that much affection, but we got it and gave some back!

*side bar note: I owe my "fly mama rose" more than love, an apology actually, b/c I didn't get to see HER, which still makes me very sad and I am very sorry! Next time I come to you FIRST!!*

From the office, to Science, to Second Grade: MaryLou Flowers and DULCE, to Music, to the cafeteria, back upstairs to 5th grade and Molly Downs who had NO CLUE we were coming (as my honey Tylea keeps such a good secret and smashing fantastic Sierra who came RUNNING up to her best friend Dollie screaming her head off during a reading test...NICE!), around to GT and MY OLD CLASSROOM-holy smoke JUST doesn't seem to cover it. Tremendous, fabulous, wonderful, precious friendship and LOVE!

Wow.



Icing on the cake was seeing my Louise

- (no comments about the FACE photo-we were happy!)

and watching a certain 4th grade teacher reinact her heart exploding...

Wow.
And that was all before 2pm.

The face of thirteen:

is this boy!

And when I get some time-real momma time-to share all the little minutes of his precious life, I will.

For today, I want to cuddle him like I did, recall our days at Pooh Corner, and simply remember the beautiful Fall day that changed my life forever.

ILY Pres

xoxox

momma

ps-honey, this was our song, and it always makes me cry! Crazy long hair, grumpy "whatever's" smelly socks-you ARE my little boy and I'm always here for you. Always.

Happy Fall Ya'll!

It's Fall...It's Fall...It's Fall-YAY!

Still unemployed, but the VA retirement dollars got here YESTERDAY, so we're good for a few more months. Needless to say, I've started my holiday shopping-just in case! :) I think this might be a problem-a real shopping issue-any thoughts on how to stop the madness out there?
Or should I just accept the fact that perhaps this is a gift...
:)
I'm working that angle!

It's October 1-birthday shout out to my girl Karen who is officially THIRTY EIGHT! Woohoo-welcome to the club!

before I forget-Alex wants a "teachers really want THIS" list**
I'm on it!

How random is this post becoming?! What I intended on doing when I logged on, was honoring the "non pet" that has adopted our family...so what I'll do for now is let you know that it has 4 legs, and is living on my front porch thanks to the efforts of Dollie and Ben. A proper post will follow later!

I realized that after much gush about my pumpkin topiaries, I posted the wreath!
Nice one-
Here is the porch....and I'll get a real snap of the topiaries up because they are the "it" factor if I do say so myself! :) And now blogger is being stinky and it won't let me add new pics!
For now friends, this is it!

hugs and love!

essie