Life isn't always fair

I started training my replacement yesterday. She is nice enough, but I think overconfident. Since she has a certification and has taught for the past few years in California, she seems to confident in handling the kids with no problem. She has limited experience with autistic kids. In all honestly, she probably will do an excellent job from the get-go with all but one who she is underestimating. Naturally, he was in a great mood yesterday until she wasn't around at the end of the day. I guess she'll figure it out soon enough.

I think today will be a much harder day for me than yesterday was. I'm really going to miss the kids. The teachers I work with were so supportive of me yesterday and disappointed I didn't get the position. Ryan was as bummed out about it as I was. I wrote up a "things to know" list for the new para and showed it to Ryan. He took it to the principal and showed it to her pointing out that by doing that I was demonstrating that for me it was all about the kids. My only snarky comment of the day was when I told him it certainly wasn't for the replacement.

So, now I have to go be nice and pave the way for a good experience for the new para. I really don't feel like it today, but I will. Sometimes life isn't fair. Sometimes life sucks. But it is what it is.

Life, Death and Life Again

Yesterday I went to the funeral of a boy who was in a class where I frequently sub. He was such a sweet, sweet guy. The minister did a wonderful service, but funerals for children are just so hard. The family spoke of how this child impacted their lives, but he impacted the lives of so many other people as well. This special needs child, along with the other special needs students, has taught me so much.  

When I first started working with these kids, someone commented that they couldn't do my job because they couldn't handle it emotionally - they felt too sorry for the kids. I understood because I used to feel that way  However, I quickly found out that I don't feel sorry for them. I must admit to wondering what they would be like if they didn't have their particular disability, but I don't feel sorry for them. For the most part they are happy, and they are blissfully unaware that they are "special" in the way we mean it. They just know, at some level, that they are special because they are loved.  

I am also a bit envious of the freedom they have to let the the world know when they are happy or sad or mad. Honestly, I just love it when one student says, "Go away, please" when she wants to be left alone. There are times I'd like to say that!

It's been a hard week for me.  It was even harder for this boy's regular teachers and excruciating for his family. The night I heard about his death, I had a dream that he was running, jumping, dancing, and laughing in heaven. God had made him whole. God is good. 

It's About Time!

Hmmm. I can't believe it's been ten months since I've written on my blog. It has been an eventful ten months. We've moved to University Place from Lynden and are all settled in. Mike is planting a new church and has been approached to start another one. The boys are happily back with their friends and are settled into their new schools. I'm working as a para sub in the schools, and find that I am enjoying it. It is a different assignment every day which suits me as it keep the monotony at bay!

Living History...

This would make the commute more enjoyable....

Scruffy's Big Day

It's been a year since Scruffy had a haircut. It finally got to the point where I couldn't brush out his legs and tail, so he had to go in. The local place starts at $55 and charges more if they wiggle. Whatever. So I took him into Bellingham. It took an hour to get there because of a wreck and road construction. When I went to take him out of the car, I found a huge pile of vomit right by the door of his crate. The car ride was just too much. Naturally, I forgot to take off his leash which was buried in the vomit. Naturally, he didn't want to walk in the vomit to come out of the crate. Sigh.

So while I got to clean up the vomit, Scruffy was treated to a bath and a hair cut. I then went shopping to take up the rest of the time while waiting for Scruffy. I think I was in the third store before I noticed the vomit on my coat. It showed up quite nicely on my black jacket. Sigh.

Eventually I decided to go to Petsmart to see how Scruffy was doing. The little rat was up on the table standing as nicely as you please. And he let her brush and groom his legs like he thought it was fun! If I touch his legs he goes all submissive. If I tough his tail, he gets snippy. I need one of those grooming tables.

So here are the befores and afters.

I like the chorus of this song today...