Monday, March 24, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Sunday, March 02, 2008
A Cause Worth Blogging About...
Remote Area Medical
Please take a minute to be moved by what this organization is doing for so many, who are doing the best they can, but still can't afford the medical care they need....
Nolan and I are so very blessed to have access to medical care and prescriptions, whenever we feel the need to get them, as that are a part of his military service...
We are giving to this organization, to hopefully bring at least a portion of the care that we take for granted, to someone in need.... We encourage you to do the same. :-)
Just a bit of information... and links below to find out more...
"Past Expedition
At the expedition on Jan. 5-6 in Knoxville TN, RAM brought 1343 free services to people. There were 504 eyeglasses provided, 1066 teeth extracted and 567 fillings done. There were 276 volunteers. The total value of free care was $235,497.00.
He (the founder, Stan Brock) has no family, takes no salary, and has no home. Brock lives in an abandoned school that the city of Knoxville leases to RAM for $1. Until recently, he took showers in the courtyard with a hose. How does he pay for all the care and supplies? "In the first place we really know how to stretch the dollar. We operate entirely on the generosity of the American people. I'd like to say that we had big corporate support in America but we don’t. So it’s the little checks from those people who send in the $5 and $10," Brock explained. RAM operates on a shoestring budget of about $250,000 a year. Yet, last year, it treated 17,000 patients."
I can't help but believe Mr. Brock is doing God's work and what better way to help him than to donate; every little bit helps...
This is the link to the story that aired on CBS tonight....
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/28/60minutes/main3889496.shtml
This is the link to the organization's website....
http://www.ramusa.org/index.html
Please take a minute to be moved by what this organization is doing for so many, who are doing the best they can, but still can't afford the medical care they need....
Nolan and I are so very blessed to have access to medical care and prescriptions, whenever we feel the need to get them, as that are a part of his military service...
We are giving to this organization, to hopefully bring at least a portion of the care that we take for granted, to someone in need.... We encourage you to do the same. :-)
Just a bit of information... and links below to find out more...
"Past Expedition
At the expedition on Jan. 5-6 in Knoxville TN, RAM brought 1343 free services to people. There were 504 eyeglasses provided, 1066 teeth extracted and 567 fillings done. There were 276 volunteers. The total value of free care was $235,497.00.
He (the founder, Stan Brock) has no family, takes no salary, and has no home. Brock lives in an abandoned school that the city of Knoxville leases to RAM for $1. Until recently, he took showers in the courtyard with a hose. How does he pay for all the care and supplies? "In the first place we really know how to stretch the dollar. We operate entirely on the generosity of the American people. I'd like to say that we had big corporate support in America but we don’t. So it’s the little checks from those people who send in the $5 and $10," Brock explained. RAM operates on a shoestring budget of about $250,000 a year. Yet, last year, it treated 17,000 patients."
I can't help but believe Mr. Brock is doing God's work and what better way to help him than to donate; every little bit helps...
This is the link to the story that aired on CBS tonight....
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/28/60minutes/main3889496.shtml
This is the link to the organization's website....
http://www.ramusa.org/index.html
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Where to begin?
Well, I'm not sure where February went, but now it's MARCH!
Wow, it is hard to believe that we have lived in one place (well one state, Florida) for an entire year!
Nolan is continuing to knock out flights in his Primary curriculum. He is currently learning to fly in formation with another T-34 student pilot. He actually had two flights today, so he has done 4 of the 9 formation flights that are required during this block of training. I know I keep saying this, but we are thinking he will be done with Primary in April or May and then hopefully will move on to learning to fly helicopters over a period of 6 months. One never knows :)
Two weekends ago, I took off a Friday and we flew to Connecticut to attend Josh and Jill's wedding (Josh was Nolan's best man in our wedding). We got there Friday afternoon and of course I started to come down with a flu type illness that morning... It never fails, I take a 3-day weekend and get sick... I was just sick with strep in October, so I was less than thrilled to be sick again so soon. And the fact that Monday, was a holiday for President's Day and the Naval Hospital was closed. I didn't make it back to work anyway though, because we got stuck in Atlanta, after sitting on the tarmac for an hour and half trying to get out of Connecticut. The wedding weekend was much less than I was hoping for - for obvious reasons - I was so excited to visit CT and see Josh and Jill, whom we hadn't seen since we moved to Florida and I am coughing up my left lung/feeling like crap the entire time! Sorry Josh and Jill - I know you guys had a great weekend - sorry I wasn't myself! We will have to get together again soon!
She has had a rough go of it lately.... two ear infections in the past 3 months! Nolan has been awesome in helping take her to the vet - he has made both appointments and taken her to both too! I have by far the best husband EVER! My job is so time consuming and would only allow me to take her after work - which doesn't work because once I go back home to get her and drive back down to the vet's office, they would be closed. YAY for Nolan!
She has also developed "allergies" that are "common for dogs in this part of Florida." I put that in quotes because I just really have no idea if that is true.... These so called allergies are causing bumps on her back, under the skin, that she irritates by chewing on... Supposedly when we move this problem will go away... I sure hope so. She got a shot this last time to help - so hopefully it really does work and she finds some relief! Lately, but not often enough, we have been taking her to the middle school that is down the street from our house, to run around in the two soccer fields they have. It is wonderful to see her run herself around sniffing everything. She lets us know when she has had enough... it's crazy... she wanders back to the car, and waits by the door... that's our hint that it's time to go home. :-) We really miss not being able to take her for a swim and stroll on the beach every night after dinner... every house has it's perks!
There are officially 58 more school days, and I really think I am going to make it! :-)
Four other teachers and myself, who have no job satisfaction, have been getting together every other Friday for Girl's Night Out... It has been great - although we have only been twice! We laugh hysterically at things that only we could laugh about... it is a great stress reliever! And the 2 for 1 drinks are helpful too! ;-)
My students will take the math FCAT - Florida's state test - in 7 school days, but really I have 5 more days to prepare them.... All last week and this week, we are/have been doing nothing but FCAT type questions. Some days are very scary, because they don't seem to have a clue, but other days have gone pretty well. I honestly have NO IDEA how they will do, because lately they have surprised me in what they can do. They have worked fairly hard this past week, I am hoping that more candy bribes will encourage them to work hard for 5 more days. I have been rather lucky this past week, that my ESE teacher, who hasn't spent too much time in my room this year, simply because she has been helping the students with their science and history fair projects, has been in my room helping me help my students. She will be there again next week, which I am very happy about! I wish she could have been there all year - but I'll take what I can get. It has been only mildly frustrating, as the students play the "well if mom (me) says no, I'll just go ask dad (the ese teacher). We have mostly put an end to that...
Outrageous school events that have to be shared!
- An ESE student stole a lancet (used to prick diabetics) from the school clinic and proceeded to poke 4 kids in the neck and 4 other students in the hands... he received a 2 day suspension until they could come up with further punishment, which was never shared, so that probably means no other punishment....
- We had an IEP meeting for a student that we have all said from day one was VERY behind and could not do anything academically... well, they did an "emergency" (that means the morning of the meeting) reading test and discovered that he is reading on a K-1st grade level... and this child has sat in my classroom for 22 weeks, done no work, aside from guessing on multiple choice worksheets, and I have given him a 55 in 6th grade math each 9 weeks simply because he is an ESE student... Can I be more ashamed of what the "system" requires me to do? This child needs intensive help and I doubt he will ever get it... even now...
- About three weeks ago, a teacher on my team had $40 cash stolen from her purse - the student who did it has bragged about it and still has yet to be punished, although the teacher did press charges.
- Two weeks ago, a 6th grade student, on the other team took the credit cards out of my friend's purse... the school's resource officer sent an email that reminded the staff that if it wasn't nailed down, students would take it and that there was really nothing he could do when stuff was stolen. FANTASTIC!
- So, of course more theft occurs... a substitute who has been sexually harassed with comments from students about trying to slap her on the ass, had her cell phone stolen... no resolve to that either
- Skipping class = Saturday detention is assigned.... Saturday detention = playing computer games (when they should be doing SuccessMaker) and hanging out with the counselor who is every body's friend... no wonder they keep skipping class...
- During a parent meeting, a teacher on my team was "out in her car, asleep" and she had the nerve to ask me why I didn't call her cell phone? I paged her throughout the entire school - I think that should have been enough...
Of course the parent wanted to talk to this teacher, since her child had cussed the teacher out and been suspended for it... And how stupid do I feel when I can't produce this teacher over a period of 30 minutes, at 10 o'clock in the morning...
- AND FINALLY...Students who did not earn at least a 60 for each of the first 2 nine weeks can make up the points they need by doing one hour of computer practice for every point they need... So what this means is that the students that we were told to give 50s to each 9 weeks (no matter if the child earned a 24) have to do 10 hours per nine weeks and they get to go to the next grade level... Because that makes PERFECT sense... you can learn 18 weeks of 6th grade math in 20 hours, when you are realistically on a 3rd grade level still struggling to recite your multiplication facts...
I don't know how much longer I can be a teacher if this is how the "system" is going to work.... we are FAILING these students by not holding them accountable for their lack of effort? When does accountability for ones actions ever kick in?
These are a few pictures of Madi... we have watched her a few times, as Angela has had a meeting for her home business and Jason has had a flight at the same time...
Well, I'm not sure where February went, but now it's MARCH!
Wow, it is hard to believe that we have lived in one place (well one state, Florida) for an entire year!
Nolan is continuing to knock out flights in his Primary curriculum. He is currently learning to fly in formation with another T-34 student pilot. He actually had two flights today, so he has done 4 of the 9 formation flights that are required during this block of training. I know I keep saying this, but we are thinking he will be done with Primary in April or May and then hopefully will move on to learning to fly helicopters over a period of 6 months. One never knows :)
Two weekends ago, I took off a Friday and we flew to Connecticut to attend Josh and Jill's wedding (Josh was Nolan's best man in our wedding). We got there Friday afternoon and of course I started to come down with a flu type illness that morning... It never fails, I take a 3-day weekend and get sick... I was just sick with strep in October, so I was less than thrilled to be sick again so soon. And the fact that Monday, was a holiday for President's Day and the Naval Hospital was closed. I didn't make it back to work anyway though, because we got stuck in Atlanta, after sitting on the tarmac for an hour and half trying to get out of Connecticut. The wedding weekend was much less than I was hoping for - for obvious reasons - I was so excited to visit CT and see Josh and Jill, whom we hadn't seen since we moved to Florida and I am coughing up my left lung/feeling like crap the entire time! Sorry Josh and Jill - I know you guys had a great weekend - sorry I wasn't myself! We will have to get together again soon!
Rehearsal Dinner
Wedding!
(not sure where the rest of my hair is... haha)
She has had a rough go of it lately.... two ear infections in the past 3 months! Nolan has been awesome in helping take her to the vet - he has made both appointments and taken her to both too! I have by far the best husband EVER! My job is so time consuming and would only allow me to take her after work - which doesn't work because once I go back home to get her and drive back down to the vet's office, they would be closed. YAY for Nolan!
She has also developed "allergies" that are "common for dogs in this part of Florida." I put that in quotes because I just really have no idea if that is true.... These so called allergies are causing bumps on her back, under the skin, that she irritates by chewing on... Supposedly when we move this problem will go away... I sure hope so. She got a shot this last time to help - so hopefully it really does work and she finds some relief! Lately, but not often enough, we have been taking her to the middle school that is down the street from our house, to run around in the two soccer fields they have. It is wonderful to see her run herself around sniffing everything. She lets us know when she has had enough... it's crazy... she wanders back to the car, and waits by the door... that's our hint that it's time to go home. :-) We really miss not being able to take her for a swim and stroll on the beach every night after dinner... every house has it's perks!
There are officially 58 more school days, and I really think I am going to make it! :-)
Four other teachers and myself, who have no job satisfaction, have been getting together every other Friday for Girl's Night Out... It has been great - although we have only been twice! We laugh hysterically at things that only we could laugh about... it is a great stress reliever! And the 2 for 1 drinks are helpful too! ;-)
My students will take the math FCAT - Florida's state test - in 7 school days, but really I have 5 more days to prepare them.... All last week and this week, we are/have been doing nothing but FCAT type questions. Some days are very scary, because they don't seem to have a clue, but other days have gone pretty well. I honestly have NO IDEA how they will do, because lately they have surprised me in what they can do. They have worked fairly hard this past week, I am hoping that more candy bribes will encourage them to work hard for 5 more days. I have been rather lucky this past week, that my ESE teacher, who hasn't spent too much time in my room this year, simply because she has been helping the students with their science and history fair projects, has been in my room helping me help my students. She will be there again next week, which I am very happy about! I wish she could have been there all year - but I'll take what I can get. It has been only mildly frustrating, as the students play the "well if mom (me) says no, I'll just go ask dad (the ese teacher). We have mostly put an end to that...
Outrageous school events that have to be shared!
- An ESE student stole a lancet (used to prick diabetics) from the school clinic and proceeded to poke 4 kids in the neck and 4 other students in the hands... he received a 2 day suspension until they could come up with further punishment, which was never shared, so that probably means no other punishment....
- We had an IEP meeting for a student that we have all said from day one was VERY behind and could not do anything academically... well, they did an "emergency" (that means the morning of the meeting) reading test and discovered that he is reading on a K-1st grade level... and this child has sat in my classroom for 22 weeks, done no work, aside from guessing on multiple choice worksheets, and I have given him a 55 in 6th grade math each 9 weeks simply because he is an ESE student... Can I be more ashamed of what the "system" requires me to do? This child needs intensive help and I doubt he will ever get it... even now...
- About three weeks ago, a teacher on my team had $40 cash stolen from her purse - the student who did it has bragged about it and still has yet to be punished, although the teacher did press charges.
- Two weeks ago, a 6th grade student, on the other team took the credit cards out of my friend's purse... the school's resource officer sent an email that reminded the staff that if it wasn't nailed down, students would take it and that there was really nothing he could do when stuff was stolen. FANTASTIC!
- So, of course more theft occurs... a substitute who has been sexually harassed with comments from students about trying to slap her on the ass, had her cell phone stolen... no resolve to that either
- Skipping class = Saturday detention is assigned.... Saturday detention = playing computer games (when they should be doing SuccessMaker) and hanging out with the counselor who is every body's friend... no wonder they keep skipping class...
- During a parent meeting, a teacher on my team was "out in her car, asleep" and she had the nerve to ask me why I didn't call her cell phone? I paged her throughout the entire school - I think that should have been enough...
Of course the parent wanted to talk to this teacher, since her child had cussed the teacher out and been suspended for it... And how stupid do I feel when I can't produce this teacher over a period of 30 minutes, at 10 o'clock in the morning...
- AND FINALLY...Students who did not earn at least a 60 for each of the first 2 nine weeks can make up the points they need by doing one hour of computer practice for every point they need... So what this means is that the students that we were told to give 50s to each 9 weeks (no matter if the child earned a 24) have to do 10 hours per nine weeks and they get to go to the next grade level... Because that makes PERFECT sense... you can learn 18 weeks of 6th grade math in 20 hours, when you are realistically on a 3rd grade level still struggling to recite your multiplication facts...
I don't know how much longer I can be a teacher if this is how the "system" is going to work.... we are FAILING these students by not holding them accountable for their lack of effort? When does accountability for ones actions ever kick in?
These are a few pictures of Madi... we have watched her a few times, as Angela has had a meeting for her home business and Jason has had a flight at the same time...
wearing Nolan's "aviator shades"
getting some "kisses" from Sandi
(Sandi is a completely different dog around Madi, well most of the time, she seems to know she can't play rough)
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