Well there haven't been any Erin T weeks in my life since I last wrote a blog. Nothing just real exciting is happening in my life right now. Its kind of sad, but good at the same time. We won our first flag football game of the season last week. Is it weird that I find some of my most favorite moments in the middle of football games? Yeah your right...it is normal for me. The Steelers are playing right now and I told my first graders that I would give them extra credit if they watched the game tonight. I almost lost my patience with those 6 year olds today, but I held it together. Then I read something this afternoon that made me rethink the way I teach. It said, "Anytime you devalue people, you question God's creation of them." The worst thing I can do is devalue someone, not just 6 year olds but anyone. I probably devalue people way more than I should. 

I am going to start applying for OT schools at the end of this week and this weekend. All my stuff has to be sent in by Oct. 15. I am so nervous. And Schro was so right about all of us just being scared of the future. I want to apply to a few schools and see what happens. But what if I don't get into any of them? What if I get in to all of them? Do I want to stay in Lubbock? Move to Dallas? Are these even options? Should I waste my time and take 9 hrs. next semester and then find out I didn't get in to OT school? Why can't I just move to the lake and teach kids how to wakeboard and make millions? Life would be so simple. 

Oh and apparently the stock market crashed. So if I ask for money...its because that is where my family's money is...or isn't anymore. Haha. 

I am so excited that my friends want to plan a roadtrip for Christmas. I am so excited. Even if it is just to the windfarm....ok I am going to X the windfarm, it needs to be a little bit farther away. 

This morning on my way to school I was sitting at a red light and a girl pulls up next to me. The first thing I notice is she is drinking coffee. Then I noticed her windshield wipers were on high, and it was not raining. She continued drinking her coffee and eating her granola bar while her windshield wipers just kept going and going. I couldn't help but laugh. Then I thought about the conversations me and Missy have had about windshied wipers, and how I should call Shayla and tell her what was going on because she loves my stupid stories. And how if anyone in the world would be doing this I can see Erin just doing it to make someone laugh, and Schro doing it just because she forgot they were on...

My first graders continue to be pretty good entertainment most days. Tuesday morning we were short a sub in first grade so my teacher covered in a different room while I was THE teacher in first grade, with no lesson plans. Well except math, but that wouldn't keep them entertained from 8-2. We all survived. 

Thursday of last week the mayor of Lubbock announced the city was in a state of emergency because of the 7 inches of rain that had fallen since that morning. I was already finding trees and putting my plans together to build a boat. I figured two of each animal would show up if it continued to rain as much as it did. It made waking up in the morning and smelling rain very enjoyable though. Much better than the feedlot. 

Ryan came for a visit on Saturday afternoon and he met all my crazy friends and we went to the football game. It was good to see him, hangout, and prove to my friends that he did exist. He only stayed for the day and drove back that night. But thank goodness FAMILY PICTURES are this weekend, so excited, so I will be travelling to Amarillo. 

I am still working on consistently reading the Word. Last night I was stuck on the verse in Job that says, "Am I not enough?" And I realized He hasn't been enough for me in the past, probably not even right now, but that is what I want. I also read that the things of this world are like spiderwebs, we just get caught in them and they fall down, so do we. We get tangled in things that don't even last, that are so thin, and not worth trying to hang on to. I really enjoyed Schro's post about the simple things in life. Trust me, I am simple. I enjoy the smell of the air in the morning when the sun is just coming up. And watching the sun start to rise when I go to school. I also completely agree with the post Bick wrote about actually listening to songs or actually understanding what you are praying to or for. And Erin's graceful post. They all seem to be posted at a perfect time. 

Erin I watched the whole Cowboys game on Monday night and I realized once again how much I love football, even though it was the Cowboys. I saw a poll that ranked the Cowboys 1 and Steelers 2. Superbowl party anyone? 

Guns up.

Go Steelers.

Have a great rest of the week.  

Funny things that happened today:

1. Well since two of my first grade boys got in a fight Friday after school they spent today in ISS. 

2. I am teaching math this week.

3. One of the boys told me that Snoop Dog sold his sole to the devil.

4. Another boy told me his teeth were tickling...? 

5. We had hot dogs for lunch in the cafeteria.

I feel like I am part of a large family when I hang out with my friends. We have been having family dinners and sitting at the table. Recently we have been working puzzles together. I have taken over the blue recliner at Matt and Corey's house. Its my favorite place to be. I purchased a lamp from goodwill the other day and painted it black and put on a new shade for it. Good as new, and it sits next to my blue recliner. Life is good. Willie Parker scored 3 touchdowns and Big Ben had 2. Both of which are on my fantasy football team. I also had Green Bay's defense, which did not disappoint me. It does disappoint me that Chad Johnson changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco...retard. Tony Romo busted his chin open and Jessica Simpson asked him if it was wing sauce, isn't that right Erin? GOOOO STEEELLLERRRSSS!

God has continued to teach me new things everyday. Its probably because I am actually reading and retaining His word instead of looking over my highlighted verses. Don't act like you've never done that. It rained today and I made my first graders stand outside and smell the rain. And then I remembered someone told me that if God had a scent they thought he smelled like rain. I completely agree. God created recliners, football and rain for me, I just know it. Why he created Monday mornings, mesquitoes, or the Yankees I have yet to figure out. Hope everyone had a happy Monday!

Tying your shoes

So I am officially the student teacher in a class with 15 boys and 5 girls. Not a single white kid. Right in the heart of the ghetto of Lubbock. And for some reason...its perfect. I feel like I have been in the classroom with them for an entire year already. Today on my way to school I listened to the song on K-love that says, "I am every man." So when I showed up I kept thinking to myself. These are the faces of God. These kids are made in His image and no matter how obnoxious I feel they are being I have to remember they are God's creation and I need to show them God's love. Four or five of the kids in my class have a mom or dad that is currently in prison. The majority of them come from broken homes, have a number of brothers and sisters, don't get breakfast and sometimes don't get fed until breakfast at school the next morning. The part that gets me is they still show up and have a smile on their face. I continue to thank God for the opportunity he has blessed me with this semester. Yesterday morning I prayed that I would seek Him throughout the day and be patient and show His love to my students. After lunch my friend Steven was sitting on the carpet trying to tie his shoes for the 100th time that day. I sat down next to him and asked him if he wanted to learn how to tie his own shoes, and he did. So 30 min. later Steven tied his shoe for the first time. Oh MY GOSH! The look on his face and the excitement it brought not only to him but to me was awesome. He may not know how to write all of his letters in the alphabet but yesterday it didn't matter. All that mattered is he had been sucessful at something, and someone had taken the time to be patient with him and help him be successful. And that's all those kids need, is for someone to sit with them and give them attention for 10 min. of their day. Same with God. That's what I have decided. God wants us to just give him 10 min. of our busy day. He wants to sit with us and give us His attention, but he wants our attention as well. I read in Ps. 2 last night that if we ask Him he will give us the nations. What? Yeah, all we need to do is give Him some of our attention and think of the amazing things He has to offer. 

I have enjoying seeing God work in the little 6 year olds I have in my classroom. I have enjoyed seeing God in the small things in life. And nothing has made me as excited as I was yesterday when Steven tied his shoe. Nothing makes God more excited than when we spend time with Him. Just ask Him and He will give you the nations.