Growth

For optimal results, 

view this picture of the amaryllis while humming, 

"...read your Bible, pray every day 

and you'll grow, grow, grow."

Just because...

I found the rip in the blind interesting

P.S. For you praying people, please beseech the Lord on my behalf today. I have a cold, complete with soar throat, sinus headache, runny nose, loss of energy...

Contrast

Positives

I had a "Garfield" Monday (as you might have guessed from my frustrated ranting). When I began student teaching my aunt advised me to "Keep your eyes out for the positive things that happen each day. You'll find them even in the midst of the difficult days..."

My list of positive things was short Monday afternoon--I could only think of one. But Tuesday was a much, much better day. Here's my list of Tuesday's positives.

• The eighth grade band went on a field trip, so I only had seventeen students instead of thirty. It was much easier to manage the class and I was able to work with individual students. 
• A group of Seniors are on their second day of self-imposed silence (they're protesting something--I'm not sure what since they won't talk). About half of the Yearbook class is participating in the experiment. Thus sixth hour was quiet. 
• I was able to resolve an incident that occurred on Tuesday with a student.
• The days are getting longer in Michigan. Each morning I see more of the sunrise.
• Wednesday I will be halfway done with my fourth week of student teaching.

Agggh!

I knew I would need this photo for a blog post.

Yesterday's emotion was frustration. According to SVSU's policy, I can substitute teach in my host teacher's classroom while I am student teaching. Yesterday one of my host teachers had a meeting, and I taught two sections of 8th grade math. However, my substitute teaching permit hasn't come through the system yet, so I couldn't officially sub. 

So, in the afternoon I called the alphabet soup name offices. The lady at the ISD said they hadn't receive my fingerprints from the ESA. When I called the ESA I listened to the pre-recorded message and then pushed the numbers for the correct extension. The phone rang a few times and then forwarded me to the pre-recorded message again. I repeated the cycle two or three times before I concluded it was impossible to reach a real person or a voice mailbox. 

Later I called the ESA again and was able to reach the person I needed to speak with. She assured me than my information had been sent to the ISD two weeks ago. After talking with her, I called the ISD. The lady there said she would contact another department to see if my fingerprints had been accidently sent there. If they can't locate them, they will have to send a request for them again. 

There are so many adjectives for bureaucracy. I am resisting the urge to be descriptive.

Did I mention that last week I had a conversation with people at the Registrar's Office and Financial Services at the University concerning a transcript request and an account balance error? And the week before I exchanged phone calls with the ESA because of a quirk in the State of Michigan's system? All of this for a substitute teaching permit.

Sister smiles

Saturday afternoon I was in portrait mood. Julie can always devise a reason she needs her picture taken, so she was my first subject. The younger girls declined the opportunity, but Betsy was willing to pose. As usual, after I took their separate portraits, Julie wanted me to take a photos of the two of them together. 

Sunday dinner

~ lace table cloth, good silverware and candles ~