Monday, April 26, 2010

Monteray Aquiariuam

I am having some extreme spelling difficulties today, sorry so spelled the whole title wrong. This place was amazing and so much fun! The most beautiful view you would ever see! Mya had a blast chasing birds on the back patio part, than when they decieded to fly away she was visably upset why they left her.
 

 

 

 
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This place was so cool, only thing about it that was a downer was the 100's of people you had to fight to see anything. It was so crowded!
 

 

Mya and Roacha touching those things in the water. I would have no part in it. I cannot stand thing underwater, I would never ever go snorkling or under sea for any reason. Terrifying to me, to many things that are gooie and and teeth.
 

Cool shark in one of their tanks, I could have sat at this massive tank they had for hours. THey had several different sharks and fish all in one tank and they all minded their own bussiness.
 
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EASTER

The Easter Bunny dropped about 100 eggs everywhere out on the lawn for Mya to find! She went crazy running everywhere for these eggs. She did know what to do with herself. Marlee was content just sitting on the blanket going through Mya's eggs while Mya was watching her. Cause you know when Mya saw Marlee laying a hand on one of her eggs it was freak out time! ONe day my sweet 2 year old will learn to share with her 10 month old sister, maybe one day.
 

 

 

 
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Coloring eggs, which Mya thought was pretty cool!
 

 

Finding what the Easter Bunny left them, as you can see both thrilled beyond anything! Mya thought she had died and gone to heaven with all the DORA things that was packed in her basket. Thanks EASTER BUNNIES! You are too sweet to my kids!
 

 
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Aracade Place

One of the days we went to this Pizza/arcade game place, forgot what it was called. It was a lot of fun. Mya loved playing the games and driving in this car. She also made her own elphant and got to pick out the clothes and everything! Aunt Brit was so sweet to pay for the games and ride after ride Mya wanted to go on!
 

 

 

 
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PEEKING

THe chinese Gardens were closed by the time we got there, I am so bummed, they looked absolutly beautiful from what we could see peeking in. Todd was getting a kick out of me and Roacha and finding ways to look inside!
 

Poor Roacha is so short she had to climb up door a bit to even see in the slits!
 

 

 
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Walking up and down Peir 39. We tried to do the Alchatrez (really slaughtered the spelling) but it was all sold out!
 

We drove all over town to find this bagal shop I insisted on getting a bag of bagels, and it was so worth all the frustration of screaming at the GPS who kept leading us the wrong way, and a phone call to the bagal shop itself telling them we were out of towners and they had to stay open until we got there, and the man replying "Mam we will stay open till you get here, sounds like you could really use a bagal." While there Todd bought himself a Black and White cookie, something about Seinfield. I really have no idea, but my husband is obsessed with that show and I am guessing there was a black and white cookie show.
 

Golden Gate bridge. I know Lac, this pic is shameful compared to yours, it was just a fast drive by sticking my camera out he window thing. It works I suppose!
 

Lovely sign at a resterant on Pier 39! Hey at least their open about it!
 
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LOTS OF THESE

Car rides, the girls got their naps in the car to and from diff places. I think I was the worst. I complained...ALOT and kept asking when we were going to get there. I HATE driving, than to make it worse when we hit traffic my blood boils, something about being in a car, for hours sucks! I know mom I did not get this from you, you could travel the world in a car!
 

 

 

 
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TId Bits

Going for a fun ride in a basket
 

Snuggles with Roacha
 

Tackly daddy time
 

Mya is sad cause she went to Grandpa's shop and he had a big M&M man where you pull the arm and no candy came out. Grandpa got right on top of it though and got some candy in there for her!
 
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Wouldn't it Be Nice...

if we were all from good, wholesome homes? With parents that cared and loved us and wanted what was best for us? Wouldn't it be nice if this world wasn't so rotton and some kids got a break? I have just been feeling so overwhelmed with my job. Don't get me wrong overwhelmed in a good sense I guess you could say. I have the greatest job anyone could want, I teach, but I teach resource which is a whole different world than the general population. I get very very close to my students, I look up to them actually in so many ways. This year has been very challanging in the fact that my kids and they do every year come from very hard home environments. They don't go home to fresh cookies pulled out of the oven made by a loving mom who gets the opportunity to stay home. No not my kids. They don't have parents willing to help them on their homework like me and you had. Let me give you a sneak peak at what my students reality is. I speak for the majority of my students this is not to say everyone of my students have this life. Most of my kids are abused in all different aspects, mostly sexual. My kids come home to mom's boyfriends who are usually drunk and beat them, my kids go to bed hungrey, my kids live in poverty, my kids have given up hope, my kids think they are failures and there is no reason to try, my kids don't see the importance of knowing what a noun and verb are when they are just trying to figure out if they will get dinner that night, or if a beating is waiting for them when they get home, my kids don't know how to deal with the crapy life they were given nor how to love or feel loved so most of them turn to drugs, acholol, abusing others, and dropping out. My kids are broken, their damaged, their drug babies who didn't even get a fair chance at life. My kids have seen more horrible things than I ever want to experience, my kids are very unique and rare if they have a mom and a dad, my kids have watched their parents die from lung cancer due to smoking, being shot and so many others. My kids are bounced from one home to another, living in foster care not knowing where their next stop will be. I kids come with a past, with baggage and when I get to them when they are 10th graders they are usually pretty broken with no life left and no fight to give.
I was driving to school today to met with a parent who's kid who was having some problems at school and this song came on by Carrie Underwood.

Little boy, 6 years old
A little too used to bein' alone
Another new mom and dad,another school
Another house that'll never be home
When people ask him how he likes this place
He looks up and says with a smile upon his face

"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home."

Young mom on her own
She needs a little help got nowhere to go
She's lookin' for a job, lookin' for a way out
Because a half-way house will never be a home
At night she whispers to her baby girl
Someday we'll find a place here in this world

"This is our temporary home
It's not where we belong
Windows and rooms that we're passin' through
This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going
I'm not afraid because I know this is our
Temporary Home.

Old man, hospital bed
The room is filled with people he loves
And he whispers don't cry for me
I'll see you all someday
He looks up and says "I can see God's face"

"This is my temporary Home
It's not where I belong
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through
This was just a stop,on the way To where I'm going
I'm not afraid because I know this was
My temporary home."

This is our temporary home

I couldn't help but just cry the whole way to school. Those were not just words in a song, those were the kids I see and interact with everyday. Those are the kids I have seen ruined and have taught me lessons I will never forget. People will say oh you must work in a bad kid school type ordeal. No I teach at very normal, functioning public schools. You would never know the crap that even yes the school down the street from you deal with. All schools have these kids, even the rich schools. You just don't know it if you weren't them.

I get so close to my kids, think I am making progess I look forward to seeing them and I am very involved in their lives and what they are doing. Than one day they don't come, than the next day, than a week goes by and you really start to worry. You hear than that this kid you had grown to love with all of his flaws raped someone, or got caught with drugs, or got a new foster mom, or was arrested for several reasons. Those are the days I just sit at my desk and cry for them. You hope every year as you look at all your kids in the begining of the school year that they will all finish the year with you, that you can save them from the choices they will face. But I can't, and every year I lose students, more than I ever want to. I don't blame the kids, I don't, some are not given a chance from the day they are brought to the earth. Makes me think, that must be so hard on Heavenly Father to send these precious babies down to these families that are broken and messed up.
So next time you think life is a little rough, which I know we all have our rough times, if you were lucky like me and had great parents, who loved you, and helped you through this life, be thankful. I am reminded daily of just how good my life is when I look into the faces of my amazing students who fight life and death battles everyday!