Remember the Game Have You Ever?

Ok, well, put up ten fingers. If it applies to you, put a finger down. The last person with the most fingers left....wins.

Have you ever gotten yourself into a situation where you looked around you and were amazed at how you could have possibly screwed up so horribly?

Have you ever tried to do the right thing and give service and be loving only to, not only get nothing in return but, realize that it didn't matter that you even tried, that it would have actually turned out better for you if you HADN'T tried?!

Have you ever been called on the phone with the worst news ever because the person on the other end didn't have the guts to say it to your face?

Have you ever been hurt when you realized that nothing that you say or do can change anything?

Have you ever protected someone's reputation when they didn't deserve it?

Have you ever wished you could rewind so you could make just one choice in the opposite direction?

Have you ever woken up and, when reality set back in, started sobbing?

Have you ever needed to talk to someone but no one was answering?

Have you ever had to pull to the side of the road because you were crying so hard you couldn't concentrate?

Have you ever had a hard time finding a good reason to get out of bed?

Have you ever wished for a happily ever after a million times and then stopped believing in them after the millionth wish?

Have you ever written a ridiculously depressing post on your blog because you need to get it out somehow?

I have.

As I've written this stupid post, I think about the few people who will actually read it most certainly have felt these feelings. I don't want to talk about mine, but if you want to tell me your story, give me a call or write me an email. I honestly don't know what my future holds at this point.

PS Please don't ask me to take this post down. It's how I feel. If you don't like it....don't read it.

Sobering Thought

I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

-Hiam Ginott

Create

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k

FIRE

HERRIMAN, Utah — A wind-stoked fire blazed across hundreds of acres Monday as crews rushed to keep it from reaching any more homes than the two authorities said had burned a day earlier.

The 300-acre fire moved in on the small community of Herriman on Sunday after flaring up at Camp Williams, a sprawling National Guard site about 30 miles outside Salt Lake City, said Captain Brad Taylor.

Some 1,400 homes were evacuated, and fire officials said at least 100 more were threatened.

A shelter for evacuees without lodging was set up at a local high school.

"We're going to keep our eyes obviously on the homes, and call additional crews out," Taylor said late Sunday.

Utah National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Hank McIntire told the Salt Lake Tribune that dry brush had caught fire during an artillery training session at Camp Williams, and soldiers did not have the manpower or equipment to stop it from rapidly spreading.

'Perfect storm'
"It was kind of a perfect storm scenario where once the fire started on the firing range at the National Guard base, the wind really kicked up," Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson, who saw homes catch fire, said.

"Literally, the fire was coming down into the backyards of many of these residents," he added.

Winds racing through the area at 40 to 50 miles per hour pushed the fire over a mountain ridge and into the Salt Lake Valley, he said.

"It was lifesaving efforts trying to get people out of the area because of a very, very fast-moving fire — literally moving faster than anybody could run," he said.

Several hours after the fire sparked, crews with the Unified Fire Authority crews were enlisted to help battle the blaze as it spread into Salt Lake County.

The first round of mandatory evacuations, which included 262 homes, were ordered at 7 p.m., Taylor said. Later, another 1,000 homes were ordered evacuated, he said.

All Salt Lake County residents were asked not to use their cell phones to keep lines open for emergency communication, and volunteers worked to evacuate animals from the area, which has a high horse population.

"We can see the flames at the top of the hill," Faith Ching, owner of Ching Animal Farm and Rescue, told the Deseret News just before the fire reached some of the houses. "I don't want to take a chance. It's really scary."

Taylor confirmed with The Associated Press late Sunday that two Herriman-area homes had caught fire, but added that smoke kept officials from fully assessing the damage in the area.

"It's moving rapidly," he said. "We're going to keep our crews on this."

I saw the smoke from the hill yesterday afternoon. I remember thinking about the huge fire in Washington along the Snake River, but then went to sleep not thinking much of it.

In the morning I got up, got dressed, and left my place quickly, as usual. Driving down the road, I tuned into 97.1 for their morning show. To my surprise, Herriman city was on a red alert. The high school was being used as an evacuation site. (The middle school was being used, but the fire got to close for comfort and those people had to be moved.)

"All Herriman schools are closed," one of the radio voices warned.

I look to my left as National Guard bull dozers drive past me, turning up 136th.

Grabbing my phone, I checked my messages. I had received, and missed a call from my team leader saying our school is closed for the day because of the fire.

Looking at the hill, I could see smoke and burnt remains. I know for sure several people lost their homes.

It's amazing to me how many people jumped into action to stop this fire. With the wind from last night, it must have been a hard battle.

I hope that the National Guard, the local fire department, the helicopters dropping water, and all of the volunteers are successful in stopping this fire. It looks like they are on their way to beating it.

Let's Talk for a Sec

So, a lot of crazy things have happened lately. I think that we all feel this way sometimes. I wanted to sit down for a second and think about all of the GOOD things going on in my life. You ready for my list off the top of my head?
Aaron
Avery
Mom and Dad
Stacey
Leslie
Kristy
Greg
Brittany
Sweet kids
Music
THE RADIO
The Repo Men Soundtrack
The smell of fall in the morning
A beautiful new school to teach in
A new ward that is supportive
A new look at how precious life is
Tums
Milk
Cereal
Good books to read
Comedy Brew
Funny moments with kids
Math
SLEEP
Waking up rested
Strangers Who Smile at Me
Blistex Silk & Shine Chapstick
The amazing things doctors can do now!
Science
Games
Being busy
Laughing
Holding Hands
Friends who really care

I love you guys!

You're the Pick of the Crop!

You know when you're a teacher when you get a cookie, see the title "You're the Pick of the Crop", and automatically think, "Hey! Crop was a spelling word this week!"


Ha. At least I got a cookie out of it.

My Classroom

The Bulletin Board
(My First)

Entrance

My Bookshelf
(All my books)

Desks

Random Wall Stuff I Put Up

My Desk
(...and reading table)

HAPPY 34th BIRTHDAY!

Here are some silly pics of Aaron and I.

KISS

I love you!

SO THIS IS LOVE

So this is love, Mmmmmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm
And now I know
The key to all heaven is mine

My heart has wings, Mmmmmm
And I can fly
I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky
So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of
Mmmmmm
Mmmmmm
So this is love