Homecoming 2009

On a happier note...I meant to update the blog sooner, I hated that last post being there so long but I've been crazy busy. Homecoming went well at OHS. I didn't go to the game but the interclass games were fun and the weather was perfect for the game. Life at OHS has returned pretty much to normal and here's hoping for a downright boring rest of the year!

Grand Marshall - Mrs. Cotcher. She retired last year but we weren't ready to let her go, she is an amazing teacher!

I love the Trojan Marching Band! No offense to the football team intended, but the crowds at the game are largely there for the band, they rock!

Your's truly taking one in the face for the interclass games. We teachers took second in this game - stick cheese balls to the whipped cream on your face. I had flies circling my head by the end though!

Back to work on Halloween costumes. I will post pictures as soon as I can! First round of trick or treating is this weekend at Sleepy Hollow State Park. Z is The Man in the Yellow Hat and M is Curious George. George we bought but I'm acutally making Z's costume. So far, I'm quite proud of me especially since I sew very little!

Bad Day

The ironic thing about yesterday was that I brought my camera to work to take pictures of the pep assembly and instead caught some images that I never in a million years thought I would see outside my classroom window. Never in a million years did I think that someone would be murdered just yards outside my classroom or that I would experience a teacher's worst nightmare of knowing a gunman was shooting where there were kids or that I would return home to hear about it in the national news. What happened at OHS yesterday was NOT a school shooting but innocent kids where put in danger and had some of their innocence taken and for that reason, it is every bit as tragic.

For those who don't know the whole story, a local anti-abortion protestor was shot and killed outside the high school yesterday morning. I had been in my room for about 10 minutes when I heard gun shots. It was a horrible few seconds of knowing what I had heard but not wanting to believe it. I then opened my window and heard screams of "call 911" After I called it in to the office and notified the other teachers in my hall, we began getting kids in the building. That part was the worst. It was foggy and we didn't know who was shooting or why. The rest of the day I had a crime scene outside my window. While it scared me, some of the kids who were outside at the time, had a much worse time.

I'm sad for the the families of the two victims. I'm sad for our freshmen who had to start their first week of high school like this. I'm sad for the many students who saw a man murdered right in front of them. I'm sad I actually had to see a day like this in my career. I'm sad for my friends who work in much more violent districts and see this kind of thing a lot more often.

But I'm also thankful. I'm thankful all the students and staff are OK. I'm thankful our staff worked as a team to lockdown and keep kids safe so flawlessly. I'm thankful that I work with some great administrators (in the middle picture from the AP) who worked amazingly to control the situation all day. And if you work in a place where you don't have to worry about crazy gunmen, be thankful.

To all of you who texted, called and emailed me yesterday checking on me and wishing me well, thank you again! You helped me through the day. Monday will be the true test but we will have a great 2009-2010 year! Go Owosso!

1/2 A Year Old

This month's themes - eating and crawling. Yes, crawling. She started a couple of weeks ago getting up on all fours and now she can slowly move where she wants to go. It seems slow when you're watching but leave the room for a minute and she moves about 5 feet. I've never heard of a baby so young being so mobile. It makes it even harder to get her to put on weight, she never stops moving. She also decided that solids where her thing and now she expects to eat right along with the family at mealtimes. So far she's only had banana, cereal and melon. Next up- avacado and squash!

Hard to believe 6 months has already passed. It was fun being home with her so much, Z was only 3 months old when I went back that fall. Believe it or not I really will miss being a stay at home mom. They've been exhausting but fun. Now Papa gets to have all the fun!

She loves the backpack! Falls asleep most times and I let her keep on sleeping!