Big white collars and wooden necklaces...

Well all teachers started back to school on Tuesday; our whole school district convocated today (and the squiggly little red line tells me that convocated is not a word but I really don't care tonight); and we are all exhausted and already counting down the days till summer 2013. So I guess it's official...my 22nd year in the profession is well underway.

22 years.

Twenty-two years has come to pass in an instant and I know I sound like my grandma when I say this, but my...how time flies! And I can recall my very first ever day of teaching. It's as vivid as what I did today. Ok...well...I don't remember what I did 5 minutes ago but that is neither here nor there. But anyway...my first day of teaching was memorable to say the least and I even remember what I wore. A blue t-shirt dress with white flowers all over it, a white doily detachable collar, white lace hose, and navy blue shoes with a big gold button on top. Oh...and my wooden schoolhouse necklace and wooden apple earrings. It was quite picturesque. Really. I wore units on the second day! Anyone remember those?

Now...the actual teaching and interaction with the kids isn't so fresh anymore. It was the after school fiasco that haunts my memory.

I happened to be living with my mom and dad when I got my first teaching job. My rookie salary did not afford me the luxury of renting an apartment AND having transportation. I had to pick one. So I chose transportation. But because it was only my first day, I had not received a paycheck yet so I was still driving a piece of work. To and from work. My dad also drove that car sometimes.

As you are well aware, MUCH has changed in 22 years. It may come as a shock to some of you yunguns, but back then we did not have cars that told you how many miles you had left on your tank of gas. And there was no sound alert or gas light or digital anything. I know. Crazy. The little meter needle would just rise toward F when you filled your tank and fall toward the E as you drove around and burned gas. But sometimes they did not work so well. And the tired little needle on the gauge would just rest in one spot for a while. And when you are not the only driver of a car, you may or may not know whether your tank is full, half-full, or dry as a bone.

My dad thought I put gas in it. I thought he put gas in it. And the sad little teacher with her white lace hose and big doily collar walked all the way home in the Texas heat on her first day of school.

22 years ago.

The ABCs of warming tostada shells...

If there were a gold medal for acting quickly to save the house from burning to the ground, my husband would have won it. Hands down.

It happened quickly...in the blink of an eye. Which...I'm pretty sure fires in most homes are impromptu and don't occur with time to prep for it. But anyway...I literally turned my back to the toaster oven...the one that was supposed to be warming my tostada shells...for less than a minute in order to pour the lettuce into the bowl. And when I turned back around to see what the smokey smell was, my toaster oven was on fire.

FIRE!

All I could do was yell, "Bra Bra Bra Bra"! I couldn't even get the d on the end of his name. And when he heard me he came running. And I'll tell ya...it's a good thing he was home because I totally panicked. And in my panic, instead of leaving the toaster oven closed, I opened the door and gave it a little oxygen. I thought it needed a little help growing into huge flames that reached quickly for my cabinets.

Brad turned the faucet on, pulled the sprayer out as far as it would go and took a shot. Thankfully, it reached exactly as far as the flames...and not a smidge further. It sizzled, died, and smoke filled the room...and I...well, I lost feeling in my legs! That's the closest I've ever come to something like that. And, ummmm, I'm fairly certain that's the closest I ever want to be to my house burning down.

Now I need a new toaster.

And a fire extinguisher.

But not a new house. Phew!!

Desperately seeking structure...

I'm thinking it's time to get back to the world of the 3D people. I only say this because of the cartwheel I tried to perform when I realized a couple weeks ago that it was Wednesday...and that means one thing. Wednesdays = Dallas! And there's only one thing that could be better that might make me turn a cartwheel AND a roundoff...and well...that would be if they brought back Knots Landing. Oh yes...that...would be a good day. And the fact that I've given time and space on my blog to talk about this makes me KNOW that it's time for some structure in my life. Time to put things in proper perspective and deal with reality.

So...because I'm so badly needing structure, I will blog in list form today. It's tidy and orderly, don't you think?

1. The Olympics. I have loved watching the Olympics this year. Swimming, in particular, is my favorite mostly because two people I love very much are swimmers and I know some about the sport. But...Missy Franklin...OH MY WORD! She's a beast in the water and it has been a joy to watch her spank the rest of the world. And...of course...Michael Phelps...now the most decorated Olympian in history. Who doesn't love that? I cannot watch an event without crying. I'm a mess over the Olympics.

2. Garden Ridge. I love that place. I mean...you have to kinda dig through all the stuff...but they have some great inexpensive home decorations. And lots of other stuff, too. And best of all, I found some great decor to finish out my mantel. No...this is best of all: IT'S NEVER CROWDED!

3. I received the ultimate consequence for texting and walking the other day. Ok...maybe not ultimate. I didn't fall into a fountain or anything. But pretty dadgum embarrassing. I was in Walmart. And I had to go to the bathroom. But I also had to let the hubs know that I was there and needed to know if he needed me to get anything for him. So...lost in my texting...I looked up and found myself in the men's bathroom!

Crickets.

Horrified, I ran out.

And if you happen to know the guy who watches the surveillance videos in Walmart, please tell him not to send that to America's Dumbest People!

4. I woke up at 3:00 Wednesday morning with a stomach virus that took me down for two days. Yuck! It was not pleasant...for anyone...in our house. I laid still for 2 days...because...well...if I moved...I.tossed.cookies! And I have not been that sick since the year 2000 when I was so sick that I had to be taken to the ER because the nurse on the phone thought I had meningitis. I had two spinal taps done. Turns out I was just really dehydrated and my body sucked in 4 bags through an I.V. rather quickly. Oh...and then later that week, the spinal tap didn't close up and they had to go back in a do an epidural blood patch. Phew!!! I guess things could've been worse this week.

5. My nephew packed up his precious little family and moved them...today...to Louisville, KY. To start seminary. I'm SO excited to watch God's plan unfold in their lives.