It was the 5th day in the 3rd grade...

...And the 4th grade... "You could buy a zoo with all the doctor's bills he paid"  Just kidding, that's a Veggie Tales song.

I am working in the YMCA SACC program and this year I have the 3rd AND 4th graders... All 18 of them!  It's quite a mixed group.  I have half intellectuals who want to do homework and creative writing, and half hyperactive linebackers who want to run around and don't know how to sit still!  But I LOVE being with kids!  I am so happy to be connecting with them n a personal level, impacting their lives and education.  I feel a constant struggle between being where God wants me and being in a comfort zone.  And Nicole being in her comfort zone, too!  Poor girl comes to work with me SO early in the morning, goes to her school, goes to her SACC, then comes home for dinner, a bath, and bed... 

But today was a rough day.  I had to battle the 3rd graders who wanted to go outside and play and the 4th graders who wanted to finishe their homework before they went home.  I really can't stand those opposite-type struggles.  So many times I have considered leaving this job, then something pops up that I love and adore (and that's mainly the kids!).  

So for now, I'm paying my dues and hitting the daily grind.  Some days I enjoy it more than others... 

catching up on randomness

After a quick trip to MO to see a sister graduate from college and visit fam, returning to the daily grind, finish 2 weeks' worth of laundry in 3 days, and taking a Wii fit test, I now realize I am more than 'just a little behind.' My e mail and blogging communities have 'missed me' (although that e mail community didn't make me feel happy to be home!)...

On top of all of that, I have delved into a new creative endeavor... Altered Books. Kinda like scrapbooking without the cookie-cutter rules. (I think I may have found a new favored creative niche!)

I also invited a beloved friend over for BREAKFAST this morning! It was quite fun to host and it featured some of my favorite foods! And it was a totally random, earlier time, too!

Here are some random facts to add to my profile:

-I LOVE the bells in the themesong for Futurama, but I am quite annoyed by that show!

-I got more exercise and cardio and muscle-strengthening in my 15 minute Wii session this morning than when I had to bike all over town! I WANT to fit it in every day.... But we'll see how that goes!

-I really wanna do some Tae Bo right now, though.

-I had some leftover orange chicken, but I ran out of sauce. And I ran out of OJ to make the orange sauce.... So I used diet orange soda. Surprisingly, it was really good! And low sugar!!!

A Frustrating Frustration

*Names have been changed for posterity's sake*

Frustration is not only frustrating for the frustrated, but also for the free-standing friend, Long division, although it can provide a fair amount of frustration, is not a conspiracy formulated for the sole purpose of instigating frustration. I bet *Caty* would disagree...

Yet, I seem to have a hard time comprehending the frustrations of long-division, since I am no longer in the 3rd grade. I, too, remember questioning the random remainders, the supposedly logical methods for dividing by some random numbers, but that was 10+ years ago (okay, 20!!).

As the free-standing, faithful friend, I find that factors of division in themselves are invaluable to daily life. Only if I stop to focus on it, that is. They are engrained, invisible, understood, even part of the daily mechanics in basal functioning. But for some, especially those in the 3rd grade, I sympathize. I have a hard time seeing the simplicity of a misunderstanding in the mathematical world. Don't call me callous, nor ignorant, simply simple-minded in approaching the frustrating factors of mathematics.

In essence, if you are frustrated at my attempt to help, I will most likely become frustrated as well. The world does not have to come crashing down for me, just because it does so for you. We simply need to take one math step at a time. Together.

Pet Peeves

• when moms lick their fingers and wipe their child's faces..... I never did this with Nicole (But she did it to me yesterday before we left for school!)
• when Tink won't come inside after I let her outside... I call her and call her, but the lawn is covered with ice. I'm not walking out there to get her!
• drivers that do not understand the 4 way stop. If you can't understand it, don't go that way! I don't just think you're being nice if you wave me on when it's your turn!
• when a driver sits at a flashing red light in front of me for 2 minutes because he doesn't know what he's, supposed to do, despite the honking!!!