Great Material

I ordered some beautiful apron material from The Little Cherub Heirloom Store. I can’t wait until it gets here so I can make some aprons.

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Karen’s Whirlygig

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Nathan On Guard

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Nathan in the Backyard

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How can I have a child if I can’t stand going to the doctor myself?

I am the worst patient and I squirm in the chair like an eight year old boy the moment anyone goes to examine anything important particularly sensitive my eyes, my ears and even my teeth. I wish I was a better patient. I mean I try, but I am so scared that I am going to die or like today, be worse off (lose my hearing).  Today, I went to see an otolaryngologist for my itchy ear.  An otalaryngologist is an eyes, ears and throat specialist. Why aren’t there just ear doctors anymore? It took me about ten minutes to find the right specialist on the GHI website because I wasn’t sure what the official name for an ear doctor was. Then I called five different offices in my plan because either the doctor was no longer working there, took the whole summer off or wasn’t in today.  There was only one female otolaryngologist in my area, but she wasn’t in for the week.

While I waited in the doctor’s office, I asked God to help me because I was scared. I didn’t think I was going to die, but I was so afraid that the doctor was going to hit my eardrum. I know he is a very experienced man in his 60’s, but accidents can happen, right? Finally it was my turn to go in the office. I sat there awhile while I waited for the doctor to finish with a patient in another room. As I sat there I just kept calling out to God – even God was tired of my crying. So the kind doctor came in, examined and then cleared my ear. I squirmed and moved away from him unintentionally. I just couldn’t take the sound or movement. I’m sure he couldn’t wait until I left.

But I am glad I went because my ear feels better.

So now I am wondering – how can I have a child and bring the child to the doctor if I can’t stand going myself?

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Our trip to Pier 1

Lee wanted to get new bowls. He is very particular about the shape of a bowl and has been expressing his lack of love for our current set. Last year, he didn’t like our bowls so he decided to go to the 99 Cents store and purchase us new ones. After microwaving something in one of his 99 Cent specials and seeing the bowl take on a whole new shape, I threw out the four bowls. They were white with a green stripe and not being microwaveable gave me an excuse to get rid of them. When Lee looked for the bowls, I would give excuses (they were in use, someone took them home with some food, etc.) Finally, one day he said, “You threw out those bowl.” I tried to keep a straight face, but he caught me off guard and I laughed. A lot.

So a few weeks ago, we decided we would pick out bowls that we both liked. We have been to several stores and didn’t find any bowls that we bowl liked. When we went to Pier 1 today, we found plenty of bowls which we both liked. We bought four of these bowls (not the plates or mugs though).

In the sale section of the store, we found the Pier 1 Four Seasons plate and stand which I have loved for two years. Yes, two years! I haven’t bought it because it was $75.00 and I thought that was a bit too pricey for a decorative plate. It’s also very large (16 inch diameter) But today it was on sale for 1/2 off. I knew I had to get it. Lee wasn’t too crazy about getting it because we don’t have room. So before we walked away from it, I covered it with a few items. Lee walked back over to see the plate and he saw that I tried to hide it with other things. He laughed so loud in the store that a saleswoman came over and asked us if we needed help. Lee said, “No, I was just thinking of buying this beautiful plate.” Lee reasoned out loud that I would come back to buy the plate and that would use gas. Then I would have to put the plate “in hiding” and he said the plate was too pretty to be in hiding. Yes, he knows I have some items for the new house in hiding. LOL

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My Favorite Piece of Furniture

My favorite piece of furniture that I own is the Pottery Barn Rhys Media Center. It took me weeks to buy it, but it was well worth it. The Rhys table is strong and very attractive. I love it!

I have the middle piece that holds the television. I don’t have room for the two bookcases on the sides. This piece is 65″ wide.

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Last Day of School

Have you seen four sweeter words than those? I haven’t. It’s summer and I am free. July is the best month of the year because there is no school the entire month. I return to teach a new group of students at the end of August. But for now, I will grab a margarita and relax.

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Olphine – How one child changed my life

This is Olphine. She’s eight years old. She lives in Haiti with her three sisters, a brother and mother. I have the pleasure of sponsoring her through Compassion. Each night before I go to sleep, I ask God to take care of this little girl, my friend and her family.Olphine can’t write in Creole yet, but her older sister, Milka writes the letters for her. Olphine draws me a sweet picture on the back of the letter. The translators at Compassion translate the letter into English for me. When I get a letter, I am so excited. I have read each of the letters at least ten times each. I was so excited to read that she got a solo at her church.

I send cards, letters, stickers, thin books, coloring pages and anything flat that I can find in an envelope to Compassion and they translate it and give it to Olphine. I hope to visit Olphine one day in the future. I don’t look forward to seeing the poor living conditions she may be living it, but I do look forward to hugging her and bringing her some things from the US.

I never though that sponsoring a child would make a difference to me. It’s $32 a month and it’s definately made in a difference in my life. No, I am not thinking about the $32 and how much coffee I would buy at Starbucks. I think I have more of an awareness about the world. Haiti is a hard place for a child to grow up. Many Haitians are struggling to eat and are making food out of flour, water, sugar and dirt. When I saw the video of Haitian woman making a flatbread “mud cookie” and using dirt as an ingredient, I winced. I know that the Martissant Child Development Center is making sure that Olphine is fed and looked after. Of course it is wonderful that Compassion teaches the children about Jesus, but it would be hard to learn about Jesus if they were hungry.

When I tell people about Olphine, they think I sponsor her through the Feed the Children Program, you know the commercials that Sally Struthers is in. I don’t know much about that program, except that the television show, South Park does a lot of spoofs on Sally which are mildly entertaining. I found out about Compassion online when some bloggers made a trip to Uganda to meet the children they sponsor.
Yet, Compassion is unique in many ways. When you sign up for the program, you choose the child you want to sponsor. They have many children on their website to choose from. You can choose the sex, age, country and even the birthday of the child you would like to sponsor. Olphine’s picture appeared on my computer and I stared at her red socks. Then I saw her name and noticed that the first four letters of her name were the same as the acronym for my church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help. And I felt that was a good enough reason to sponsor her.

Olphine’s picture sits on my desk and I smile every time I glance at it. I’ve never gotten that much joy from a Starbucks coffee – not even one with caramel and whipped cream in it.

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Karen outside watering

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Graduation……..from the teacher’s seat

Today is graduation. Hundreds of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings and others will overfill the school auditorium. My graduates will march in and the crowds will cheer. Then as a dozen speeches take place, I will zone out and remember every little funny thing that has happened over the past few years to my students. From the moment they started school in my homeroom, to their quirky seventh grade and then later their suave eighth grade year. Many of the memories will make me cry for these children have touched my lives. They have shared their family stories, their fears, successes and part of their childhood with me. As names are called, I will sit back and clap. Later we will all go and have dinner and drink to their future. Here’s to the Class of 2008 – I teach the best and brightest in Brooklyn and these are the people who are going to totally rock the future of this city.

And for a few short years……they rocked my life.

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Our Birdhouse

This schoolhouse birdhouse is where our birds go to get their food. Squirrels love to go there too unfortunately so the birdhouse needs to be refilled often.

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