First Track Meet of the Season

No, this picture wasn't this week. It was taken at the State Track Meet last May, but I didn't take a photo on Saturday, just video. The new and last (sad) track season started with a meet at Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln. It's an inside track, so we don't have to worry about the weather, but it's LOUD! Everything is going on in one gym--long jump, high jump, pole jump, races, and the shot put. That's Andrew's event. He threw 48' 1 1/2" and got first place. He sets personal goals for each meet; this one was 48. He was pretty happy about it. He's only 5'8" and 175 so the big throwers tower over him. When he first started throwing people were so surprised. Now they've seen him for a couple of years, so they expect it. But it does look funny to see him standing in a crowd of six foot, 250 pounders!

Since our school is so small, the students do a lot of different events. Andrew also runs the 100 meters. At this meet, it was 55 (since the track is so small). However, that event took place while the shot put event was going on. Shot finished before he did, so they had to wait for Andrew to finish running before the girl's shot put could start warming up. He had the full attention of all for his final three throws, which happened to be his best. I wonder if it was because of the audience.....?

Ah, more of THE TREE

Yes, spring is coming! First the maple tree gets these lovely rose-colored buds/flowers, then the little helicopters. It's lovely against the pale blue sky. We had 80 degrees last Tuesday. It was lovely with the new daylight savings time. Felt like we went from winter to summer in a week. The "blizzard of 2007" one weekend, and summer time the next. Welcome to the Midwest, huh? We grilled chicken, cleaned out some recycling from the garage, began getting some of the willow twigs out of the backyard, AH! Enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I WOULD get called to sub that day. Poor kids, kept wanting me to cancel the class and run outside. One period did get done with things early, so we went out for 10 minutes. Anything helps. And it showed that I wasn't a complete ogre! *smile* However, it's back to chilly and windy. We have the day off--and Bellevue didn't call me--so I'm going to finish painting Linnea's room. Hey, don't laugh!

The robins are back

Last week at this time we had about a foot of snow. This week we have none, and the robins are back! Spring is here. It was in the mid-60's this afternoon. Denny and I walked for about an hour down by our creek. Made me think about childhood playing in the springtime woods in the dry matted weeds. It was so lovely!

Cono Choir Tour Begins in Omaha

I was priveleged to be the first to welcome the Cono choir to their first concert of the spring tour. They came to our school and sang for elementary chapel and our high school choir. The room was full and hot, but the concert was wonderful. It was great to see Maryanna, Andrew and Eric Duble again. Then I got to RIDE THE BUS to the next concert at a retirement center about a mile from our house. Made me want to hang out with the rest of the tour. After the retirement center, we went to Grace Reformed Church where Drucie and Randy (that's his name, right?) Carroll met us. Yea, for more alumni! (Her husband is crazy funny. Wish they lived nearby!) Of course I got to sing "None Other Lamb" THREE TIMES, and at the last concert, we all sang "O Sacred Head" as well. Andrew (director) has sooo much energy. Half the fun of the concert is watching him direct. He is passionate! Excellent music. Very worshipful. I've been waking up with the words of those songs going through my mind. Great way to wake up. They left for Salt Lake City right after the concert, driving through the night. Yeah, I'm old, but I don't think I'd be too old to go too. Maybe next year..... Thought you Cono friends would like to see our picture. Flickr has a couple more.

It was great to catch up with Maryanna. It's never long enough. Talked to Eric at the retirement center while the choir got ready. He has good stuff to say about his church and his work. It's such a blessing to see the evidence of God's grace in ALL of our lives. It makes working with young people a worthwhile business! I think of myself in high school, so immature, petty. And of course what we all thought and did. Then I see Andrew and Eric, not that they were like me, but they are great men doing great things now. When I talk to my Andrew about his high school friends, I encourage him that God does continue to work with us, even after, or especially after, high school. Hallelujah!

May Cono have a blessed tour!

First Grade art

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to post some of the pictures that the children make for me when I substitute in their class. This one is so sweet! This little girl had been sick the day before and didn't want to be in school that day. She lay down in a separate room in the morning. Her mom came in then to bring her snow stuff. After they talked, the girl came back into class. She was fine the rest of the day.

Now, which one is me? The car is there because we were walking around the parking lot next to the playground.

Junco

This morning I was reading in the living room and this little junco landed right outside the sliding glass door. A major snowstorm with high wind is going on outside. He kept hopping along the door, looking in the window and flying against the glass. Poor thing. He must've seen that inviting rosemary bush right there by the window and thought it would be a nice quiet place to rest!

Feminization of boys and other ideas....

I found this article linked to another blog. It's written by a British woman, so she's talking about the British school system. I think we have the same problem here. We have all kinds of crazy awards for students so no one gets left out or feels bad. Our school does the same thing. She says that this causes boys to not work hard to achieve because it doesn't matter anyway. I've seen that in my family. No one wants to go to those award ceremonies at the end of the school year. They are boring and really don't mean anything. We award compliance, not creativity.

I've discussed the development of leadership of our boys with other teachers and parents. All the way through school we tell them to sit down, be quiet, do as you're told, follow directions. None of that is bad, but where and how do we help them to become creative thinkers and leaders? Girls are encouraged to run for class officer positions. Many times when the boys become officers, the girls scoff and scorn them and don't listen to their ideas. I'm not making this up; I've seen this happen. Then we ask boys to take leadership positions, but they refuse. Can you blame them?

In churches we see women pushing to take leadership positions. As they move in, the men leave. Of course there is the argument that the men aren't there in the first place to take the lead. And that's true in some cases. But we need to be encouraging and training our high school boys, particularly to want to take leadership positions.

Anyway, read the article. She says it all far better than I can.

I probably didn't say anything like I wanted to but here's my two cents' worth.

PS A rescue squad ambulance is stuck in the snow in our street! Half the neighbors are out in the blowing snow trying to get him out. What excitement! The north/south street hasn't been plowed yet. It's probably over a foot deep in drifts.