Gossip Girls

While my 7th period class was sewing their pin cushions today, I allowed a few of them to sit with their friends so they could work and talk. A table of my 3 most talkative, outspoken, back-talking girls were gossiping about almost every person at the school.
"He's soo ugly! Why did you go out with him?"
"No he's not. I think he is sooo FINE!"
"She is one of those girls who _______ !"
"I hate her!"
"She is so ugly!"
"Oh my gosh, can you believe that?"
"So at the party this past weekend, guess what so and so did?
I can't even repeat what else they said because it would not be appropriate.
Between comments like these they were laughing histerically and making fun of people who were not even there to defend themselves.
As I was listening to their conversation, I said:
"Y'all make me so glad I am not in junior high anymore! Y'all are so mean!"
My most mouthy girl in the class retorts:
"I bet you didn't even have any friends in school! No would want to be friends with you!"
"Vanessa (that is what I will call her, it seems fitting), you are about to become best friends with the Assistant Principals and they will be your only friends at school!"
Don't you just love middle schoolers??

Thankful

As some of you already know, my car broke down on the feeder of I 10 West on the way to school this morning. I had to wait an hour for the wrecker and basically miss this day of school. I did not have much prepared for the day that a sub would be able to do. I took my seating charts home specifically to get them ready just in case I ever had a sub. Miss Kinison had even told me a few weeks ago that I should have things ready if I ever woke up sick one day. Well I took my time doing that and here I am, sitting at home, waiting for my car to be ready. They did already inform me that I would have to pay over $800 for the repairs (mostly labor). Dang it. I have been saving money to pay down my credit card debt, I have been budgeting my money, I have been tithing consistently for once, and basically trying to be a good steward. Why is this happening now? I was for a moment frustrated with God. You know how it goes. We always ask why me Lord? But this time I am changing my attitude. I have come up with some reasons to be thankful:
1. I did not stall on I 10 and cause an accident.
2. I actually own a car.
3. I have friends who love me and responded right away to my text messages with help and prayer.
4. I have not had time to do some laundry, cleaning, and other misc. things. It just so happens that I live accross the street from a small shopping center that houses my dry cleaners, in which I got to take my clothes, a convenience store, where I bought dryer sheets, and an Argentian deli, in which I got a sandwhich.
5. I had time to update my blogs.
6. I was able to email Miss K the seating charts and instructions for the sub for the rest of the day.
7. I have the money to pay for this as it was sitting aside to pay my credit card bill.
8. Rest in the Lord.

I am reminded of the ever so popular Scripture:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you now that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.
James 1:3,4

I am currently enjoying Jesus Paid it All by Kristian Standfill off the Passion: Everything Glorious CD check it out.

Too much visual

Adolescence is such an awkward time for middle schoolers. They put way too much value into what others think about them and they start wearing clothes they would not normally wear. They also act in ways their parents would be appalled at! Some of the boys in particular have a hard time figuring out how to socialize with the girls and just how to be mature.
A few weeks ago one of the assistant principal's announced to the student body that any boy caught wearing baggy pants or shorts worn below the buttocks would be given Saturday detention. It is about time, I thought to myself!
Well I had 3 boys in my Advisory class decide they would be funny and pulled their shorts way up over their waist and stood up so the whole class could see them. You can only imagine what that looked like! The girls were disgusted and demanded they pull their shorts back down. That was a visual I could have lived without!

Creepy

So last Friday a student was transferred into my 8th period Skills for Living class because the counselor changed his electives. We will call him student X. X is this big boy who is half Puerto Rican half black. And boy does he have a personality! The counselor informed me to tell him that we follow the rules in my class and if he gives me a problem to call his grandparents, whom he lives with, and they will be very supportive. Well of course that insinuates that he has behavior issues. Yep, right away he was talking up a storm to his table and I had to quiet him down. The lesson of the day was discussing different types of child abuse. Once we got to sexual abuse (they were surprised at how often this happens) my student decides to tell a little joke:

"One time I was at Michael Jackson's house playing games and he asked me to spend the night in his bed but I said no."

He definitely had the class, including me, roaring with laughter!

Last Thursday I had him sit at the desk next to mine so he would stay on task and he asked me:

"Can I sew a dragon onto my pin cushion? Because I really like dragons. I like all the kind of dark, evil stuff. I am creepy. I am really creepy."

I was trying to show the class some sewing stuff and overheard X and another student talking. X was being really elaborate in his stories so one of his classmates called him a drama queen. To this he replied:

"Drama Princess! Get it right! I am a Drama Princess!"

Yesterday I was trying to show him some sewing techniques and he busts out in a dance move and tells me he is dancing like Michael Jackson.

Me: "So you like Michael Jackson huh? He is your personal friend?"
X: "Yeah I go over to his house a lot to play games but I don't spend the night."

I could devote my whole blog to just what my students do and say! It makes the day so much more fun when I just listen to them. They are hilarious! I will be keeping you all updated on my infamous student...

NO THANKS!

I was enjoying lunch outside today at Quiznos with a wonderful friend when this white haired, 60 year old man gets out of his black Mercedes wearing sunglasses from the 90's and a huge grin across his face says:
"You are beautiful!"
What?? We were speechless! What do you say to some old guy who pays you compliment that makes you sick to your stomach? Um, yeah thanks pervert. You are old enough to be our grandfather!
After he realized were not going to say anything to him he goes, "You can say thanks"!
He was only inside for a few minutes, which I am assuming he went into pee because he had already been drinking throughout the morning. So on his way to his car he says, I love you!

What is it with weird men?? LEAVE US ALONE!

My kids

For many years now, the last thing on mind has been kids. I did not pass by that cute little baby with chubby cheeks and feel my maternal instinct take over or wish I could take home that tiny toddler in the grocery store. I rarely ever spend time with the children of my married friends (mostly because they live far away). The only child I am ever around is my friend's (who is a single father) daughter. I volunteered to babysat her this summer and let's just say I never really did enjoy babysitting!

All that to say, as I am now a teacher with 130 kiddoes, they are always on my mind!!
Thinking about the the things the crazy things that come out of their mouths and the sweet compliments they give me makes teaching them so much fun! Here are some pics of my little rascals:

Hair stylist

So yesterday I tried a new salon to get my hair cut and colored since it had been almost 5 months! I found myself searching on Craigslist to find someone affordable and somehow ended up on a Christian Business directory. That is where I found Eric Perez Hair Studio. I figured maybe he offers Christian prices! Well not so much but still better than most salons charge.
I arrived early Saturday morning to this quaint little salon behind Bo Concept that only had two chairs for people to get their hair done in. Eric's sister did my highlights and after that was over, she left. For a while it was just Eric and I. He had KSBJ playing in the background so of course we talked about that and what church we went to and when we got saved and what God was doing in our lives. This guy was really on fire for the Lord. He told me how he was single for 5 1/2 years and just grew in his walk with the Lord and God brought along his now wife. They met 9 months ago and have been married since July.
As he was cutting my hair, he asks directly:
"Heather, are you wanting a husband?"
"Um,....yeah I guess." (Keep in mind there is this guy sitting not too far from us waiting for a haircut)
"Seriously because I feel that you do."
"Well...yes I do."
"Okay, Heather, I am going to pray for a husband for you. Everytime I pray for my friends, things happen.It's just crazy but prayers are answered! I know the Lord brought you here today and it was not by accident. I mean I had been told by my cousin to post an ad on Craigslist and then through that you found my salon. I feel that the Lord is leading me to pray for you."
"Well thank you. I appreciate that." I am thinking he is going to be praying for me later...nope he busts in prayer right there! Which at first was a little awkward since there was another person there and I barely even know this stylist. If you have not figured out by now, he is quite charismatic.
Despite my feeling a tad uncomfortable, it was incredibly encouraging to have someone I do not know pray and ask for a husband for me. I was having a really tough week and going through some conflicting feelings. I know I was supposed to be there and that means that for sure I will be meeting my husband soon because my stylist said so!
If you ever need a hair cut, color or just encouragement, give him a call:
713.629.4100 directions

I know fashion

I am really beginning to love these middle schoolers and their squirrelyness. They talk about anything and everything. They tell me all kinds of things about their lives, probably things they should not admit, but sometimes I am taken aback when they say something directed at me.

Example:
Today I was wearing a cute brown short sleeved cotton top from Target with big reddish orange beads and denim pants. Well this is what my little student, who is quite the overachiever, said when she came into class:
Sofia: "Miss, why are you wearing a red necklace with a brown shirt?
Me: "Well, because it goes well together."
Sofia: Looking at me skeptically, "Well it doesn't match."
Me: "It does not have to match. It is fashionable to wear these colors together."
I cannot leave out the fact that she was wearing powder blue track pants with Carebears on them, tennis shoes, and a white and magenta t-shirt with some little characters on them! She also had to point out the typo in the quiz I gave them and also that I had not graded their warm-ups yet!

But the fruit fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, PATIENCE..........Galations 5:22

You're so lucky

Miss K and I teach in the elective wing and have gotten to know the speech teacher, Mr. Domingue, who is around our age and incredibly funny. He is extremely dramatic and can tell some elaborate stories. We have to stand outside our doors to monitor the hallway so we get laugh and cut up all day. Last Friday he came to visit Miss K and I on our off period to tell stories as he usually does. This is how his story went: "Y'all know the new Special Ed teacher? Well, he was telling me last week I was so lucky because I get to hang out all day with the 2 hottest teachers in the school!"
We'll take that ;)