wow

 In my "second grade teacher" opinion, this is not your typical first grade story.

Just saying...

ballet girls

This is a bitter sweet time of year.
All her hard work has been adding up
to the big finale- the ballet recital this weekend.
While we don't like the drive every week to
Moundridge (it really isn't all that bad), we
love to see her in the ballet recital with
all the other girls from her class- including
her best friend, Sophie. 

 

(I really wish Abi would have been here at 

my house the other day getting ready for

rehearsal because there really are three of them

that love each other so much.)

This Saturday and Sunday we'll be
proud parents of this ballerina on stage.

Introducing... The Amazing.... Gymnast!

The chairs were set out.
Chad and Trey on the porch.
Jody and Jada on the sidewalk.

We took our seats (well,  most of us did)
and watched the 
AMAZING GYMNAST climb
one of the trees in the front yard
and...

After watching her swing from the tree, 
The AMAZING GYMNAST showed us her
skills on the mat.

Pretty cute, huh?


Meanwhile, Jada found some nice rocks in
our beautiful (a-hem...) landscaping...

...that Trey also liked, and put them into the
secret compartment in the car he was pushing.

And when the "show" was over, 
Gracie, Jada, and Chad went out to see
how their flower garden was doing.

I love spring evenings.  So relaxed.  And once in
awhile, you get to see a fantastic show by
your own kids!

My Thinking Spot

Everyone has a thinking spot where all of their best ideas, conversations, and A-HA moments happen.  Mine happens to be this place...

The Shower.

I can't tell you how many brilliant (?) ideas I've come up with for my classroom, or lessons, in this place.  
Differentiated lessons... came from here.
Behavior plans.... came from here.
All the different things I had to remember about field trips... came from here.
Ideas for campfire day... came from here.


Even this "conversation" I'm having with you... came from here.  (Hey Jess, at least it wasn't to a stuffed animal this time!)
And here's the view I had during that conversation.

Lovely, right? (Well, I did promise you pictures of the newly remodeled bathroom and since that was ages ago, here's the best I've got.)


Someone needs to invent waterproof paper and pencils, so I can jot down my thoughts while I'm showering.  That way, I can get all the ideas, and not have to remember.... because any one of my students will tell you that I am NOT good at remembering all the details of things like brilliant ideas, or promises made.  Call it short-term memory.  (Geez, I'm only 33.... this could get ugly.)


One more picture.  Here is me in my Thinking Spot.  I spared you of having a mental picture of the real deal, and kept my clothes on.  (wink wink)

(Sorry you have to wear sunglasses to see it.  My face is pretty shiny in this picture.  I need one of those fancy-schmancy cameras...)
So, there you have it.  Where is your Thinking Spot?  And what great things have come from it?

surgery

We're home.  Where have we been, you ask?
In the hospital.
I had a hysterectomy.  Not only did I have a hysterectomy,
I also had exploratory surgery (through my belly button)
for the third time in 7 years.  It's just really weird to think
my doctor could put a camera down through my belly button
and take a good look at my insides.

You might be asking- why did Jody have a hysterectomy
at such a young age?  (thank you... wink, wink)

Well, you may or may not have known that last year, at this time
I lost a lot of blood due to a piece of placenta left after having Trey.
To make a very long story short, I needed to have a D&C to remove it, which
caused me to get Asherman's Syndrome.  (You can read about it on the web.)
I was told by my baby doctor that I could go have surgery to take care of the
Asherman's Syndrome, but from what I could tell from the websites (and from
what the doc told me) it isn't guaranteed, and involves lots of doctor appointments
post-surgery.  So, I asked him if he would do a hysterectomy, and he said yes.

I feel really good about this decision. My surgery was around 7:30 a.m.  I was in my
hospital bed around 11 a.m.   And while it wasn't fun to be in pain, or not be able to
just get up and go whenever I wanted to, it's wasn't so bad either.

A few things I learned:
1.  Sleeping for a whole day without interrupting kids is NICE!
2.  Having a nurse come to hand you medicine to take the pain away ROCKS!
3.  I LOVE beds where your legs can be as high as you want them to be.
4.  My husband is the BEST (insert a word here including HUSBAND, FRIEND, NURSE, etc.)

Ok, back to my fog.  These meds are wonderful, but they make my head feel like it's floating.

Week in Review

* Gracie's been asking me everyday after school if we can go around our neighborhood and pick up trash.  She's our proactive one.  I've been telling her we can when we get [this] done.  She's been disappointed in me.  I've been thinking, "I don't have time to go pick up trash around the neighborhood."  Well... who should come to school today, but Clifford, the big red dog.  And what does he and the lady that was with him talk about?  Earth Day.  They asked the kids if they knew of something they could do in their own neighborhood to help take care of the Earth.  Guess who was sinking in her seat feeling guilty about having a daughter who desperately wants to do this, but can't because her mother is too busy lazy.?

* Good news= found out last Friday that I only had 9 more days of school left.  Bad news= the reason is because I'm getting a hysterectomy on the 23rd.

* We have ants in our shower.  REALLY frustrating!

* Favorite kid quote of the week comes from Jada.  For supper tonight I made tater-tot casserole.  After Chad told her what was for supper and that she LOVES that stuff, Jada announces, "I LOVE tater-tots and castles!"  

* This week I've learned you can't please everyone. 

* Trey has been walking around in the yard after school and in the evenings.  I love that for reasons.  1.  He pushes his "walker" so fast he has to lean over and sort of walk/run to catch up with it.  2.  It reminds me of the first time Gracie was put in the grass and when she would touch it, she'd pull her arm up with a scowl that looked like she was saying, "How dare you put me in this stuff!" 

Happy Birthday, Buddy!

We had a quiet party at home.
Nana, Papa, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Schrag.
Mommy, Daddy, Gracie, and Jada.

Silly singing rabbit.  Ears flapping, head nodding from side to side.  Light up egg on the tummy.

You had help opening your presents.  A small piano that sings nursery rhymes.  A tractor.  Clothes.  A singing boat for the bathtub.  A microphone.

And then, you had your first cupcake sugar.  And boy was THAT entertaining!

You weren't too sure of the cupcake, so you had help from your sisters.  Jada hand-fed you piece by piece until you decided it was safe to eat. 

 Mommy cleaned you up after the cupcake, into some new clothes, and you were off!  Our living room is not that big, but you pretty much crawled/walked on every piece of floor space there was.

And then you crashed in Nana's arms.
You're growing up too fast, Buddy.
Happy Birthday, Trey Hawk!

And baby makes 5

May 2008~
I'm walking with my girls, and some of my most favorite people in the world, around the Minnesota Zoo.  I see a family with a mom, dad, and three kids.  I get a strong sense that God is telling me- look at that family.  That is going to be you someday- you, Chad, and three kids.  I knew it was God talking to me then.

July 2008~
I'm pregnant.  Three weeks into this pregnancy and I already know I'm pregnant. 
Five weeks into this pregnancy I'm having pains.  I go to the doctor, and because of my history in previous pregnancies they do a precautionary sonogram.  Can't find the sac that baby is supposed to be in.  We wait a week, and go back for another sonogram.  They find the sac, but can't see the baby.  I'm given a choice:  be given a shot that chemo patients take that would "take care" of anything in there, or do exploratory surgery.  I choose the surgery.  Doctor goes in, feels for a "lump" in the tubes, stomach, intestines, gallbladder etc.  Looks in the uterus, but doesn't puncture it.  No baby.  I wake up in the morning thinking that things were taken care of, but doctor says she didn't find the baby and my pregnancy hormones are going up.  I'm pregnant, but they don't know where the baby is.  Given two choices again:  take the shot offered before, or wait a week and have a sonogram.  Go back for another sonogram.  Find baby.

April 2009~
Trey Hawk Edward Childs is born.  Miracle baby.

God was right.  We have a mom, dad, and three kids.  Amazing things happen when you listen to Him.
Happy Birthday (on Saturday), son! 

hanging out

We just chilled today after school.
No where to be at a certain time.
Our favorite neighbors moved across town, so
their friends weren't around to play with.
I was the girls' favorite because I let them watch tv. 
Aren't you jealous of how cool I am?
(Meanwhile their brains are fried just a little more
today because of me.)
I decided to take some pictures of them. 
This is what Jada looks like when she watches tv.

Ok, not ALL the time. 
But, you have to admit, it's funny.

This little girl hasn't felt well for the last few days.
Nasty cough.  Keeping her up at night.
Good thing she loves to nap because she's been
doing a lot of that lately- takes after her momma.

I love watching her face when she watches movies.
Her smile shows how kind she is.
I wonder if Max and Ruby teaches her to be patient with her siblings.

And then I found this turkey in the girls' room.
I tried to get a fun picture of just Trey and me,
I looked a little frazzled, so I cropped myself out.

He's looking a bit frightened as well! 
Mom, what are you doing to me?!
MAKING you take a picture with me!
Get over here!

stinker.

Can we say, "Precious Moments"!

Love these kiddos!