Little Update

I thought I'd better update before my sweet mother gets concerned. All is fine here, busy, busy, busy but fine. (And I will never complain about self selected busy - to have the good health to do that, that is the most fantastic blessing!)

I chaperoned Shayla's "Preteen Church Retreat" down in Cincinnati over the weekend (over 1,000 preteens celebrating their faith and love in the Lord - wow). Shayla wanted to go and her parents (smile) decided the only way she was going was if I chaperoned. That burst her bubble, but when Shayne explained the options were 1.) go with mom 2.) stay home; she decided to go. She had a glorious time and I think I gave her a bit of freedom too.

We were also able to spend precious time with my sister and her family. Shayla just LOVES her cousins and all three were home - yippee!

I taught a literacy inservice for a group of middle school teachers one day after school this week. They were fun, receiptive to learning, and I look forward to going back next month to share some more strategies with them.

(PIC: March 2003 - my sweet, sweet friend with Christi at the hospital in NYC. Due to Spring Break, I was able to get together with Becky for lunch one day last week! There is never enough time for good friends!)

Wednesday, after classes, I went to the hospital to visit one of my students who is in ICU. It just brought back too many vivid memories (which is why I'm up at this ridiculous hour, unable to sleep with all of the horrors of those sickening memories). Please keep this wonderful young individual in your prayers. I can't imagine being so young and so far away from home and family in a strange, small hospital, very ill and alone. May God bless her with a full and speedy recovery. I am sick with worry about her. I wish I didn't live an hour away and that I wasn't terribly busy right now so I could do more for her. I just finished teaching my Language Arts methods class for the semester (yes - already, crazy!) so now those students are out in the schools and I have a HUGE pile of assignments to grade by Friday - yikes! Thankfully, now that this class has ended, it will free up my schedule tremendously and allow me more time to pursue my research agenda. And things are shaping up there! Praise be to God!