Language Lessons and Laughs

As a teacher, I know I will never get rich, but I can honestly say that I believe my job is a lot more entertaining than most.

This week especially I have laughed out loud, been awed by a child and shocked by another. These little beings we refer to as children really do think so differently than adults. Many times their wisdom is as poignant as their guffaws.

Case in point: A teacher in one of the rooms that I float into was discussing citizenship and what it means to be a citizen. The girl Iwas closest to leaned toward me and asked, "What is a citizen?" I answered that a citizen of a country is one born in the country who belongs there." I expected to get a nod of understanding. Instead, I got a shocked "Mrs. Stevens!!!!" complete with mouth hanging open and eyes bugging out of her head. I was confused. So I repeated it and sure enough discovered the little girl had thought I said "porn". I am still flabbergasted how this young child knew what porn was, but not the word citizen. It should also be noted that this child was not an ESL student.

Case in Point 2: The next day, I was sitting with a group of kindergarten students learning the H sound. We were looking at objects beginning with H and the next one on the list was a hook. I asked if anyone knew what the picture was and a little girl very confidently answered - "Yes, A hooker." After the porn thing, I couldn't help myself. I just laughed out loud and wondered what my world was coming to!

An about face: In the same class as the first story, I was teaching a prewriting strategy in writing. The class was creating a web. It is fashionable today for all work to be student led and therefore more engaging. I agree with this philosophy and was leading the children in a brainstorming discussion about their passions. One little boy raised his hand and said he was passionate about his belief in God. I wrote it down and went on with the lesson. The next part of the lesson was doing a class web and so I took a vote. Out of 4 different topics on the chart to pick from "belief in God" won. Suddenly the class was shouting at me all the reasons they believed in God. The room was pulsing with the energy of excited little faces all smiling brightly about God's promises to his people. God helps us, God loves us, God sent Jesus to earth to save us, the list went on. After the group lesson, I asked for students to work independently on a new web of their own. 5 students still wanted to write about believing in God...and who am I to stop them. I was awed by their delight in the creator and humbled that I sometimes take Him for granted.

It has been an interesting week to say the least. Teaching is tough work that sometimes lends little time for outside pursuits, like writing this blog. But at times, it is the most entertaining and rewarding of careers.

A Picture of the Beach

Growing up, I lived smack in the middle of our Great Nation. We were a minimum of 1000 miles from any beach and, therefore, I didn't see the ocean much.

Even with my limited childhood knowledge, I love the ocean. I love the dull roar of the surf and the thought that those waters are teaming with thousands of creatures. Pelicans soar up into the sky only to turn straight down and torpedo into the water. Thousands of fish are pulled out of the ocean each day, crabs scuttle across rocks. And occasionally, we even get to see a shark pulled up onto shore. It is both mesmerizing and intimidating to watch the ocean.

What goes on in the water is awesome, but what happens on the beach itself is sometimes humorous and always heartwarming.

Usually, Nathan and I lug all the stuff necessary for a day at the beach down to our spot and set up while the kids grab the boogie board and sand toys and begin their day. After all the work is done, I sit with a book to occasionally read and watch the beach goings-on. Nathan moves in and out of the surf with nets and fishing poles to try and get something hooked on a line. The children go to respective activities. As the day passes, we become like the ocean itself. My family moves apart and then back together in a smooth undulation. We join each other for walks, kite flying, sand castle building and fishing. But then we separate and move on to do something alone. The days are together, but not on top of each other.

Others, strangers that become friends-for-a-day, move in to check out what we dragged up with the seine net. They talk about ocean animals and comment on castles and sometimes help out with a net or join in on some digging.

This year, a group of older kids taught Aaron how to skim board and another couple kids helped in vain to keep the ocean from overtaking the sand castle my kids tried to make exactly where the tide was coming in. When the ocean won that battle, Aaron looked up at me and said "It was a good fight". He learned that nature is way more powerful than 5 children and a few shovels.

Sarah and Aaron both spent time fishing with Nathan. They would strap on life jackets and move out into the waters with him until all I could see were little kid heads and Nathan's big floppy hat. They stayed out with him like that for a long time, just spending time with their dad. And the look of joy when they snagged something was incredible. My children get very excited about catching a fish!

We go every year now, after I got that real taste for the shore, I just can't help taking them to the ocean. Each year the trip changes just a little, each year we see something new and each year we build memories that are not tied to things but to each other.

My child's Idea of the word Whore House

Tonight I made lasagna. It is one of my specialties and is eaten with gusto and true joy by my husband and children. They always ask for seconds and do not restrain themselves during lasagna eating dinners. Tonight was no exception and Sarah was covered with red sauce all over the mouth cheeks and nose.

Being a girl, she decided about half way through dinner to ask for a napkin. I was surprised to see she was such a mess. I guess I had my attention on my lasagna, too! Immediately, I handed her a napkin and made an exclamation of mock horror at her face. She giggled.

It was at this exact moment that Aaron very loudly stated that she looked just like a whore house. I wasn't exactly sure I had heard right.

Whore houses are not normal Stevens family topics of discussion. I asked him to clarify. Now Aaron is my child most likely to get into trouble and therefore, might have found out some how what a whore house actually was. As I asked for clarification. I was silently debating whether I should be angry or educational in my response.

Aaron also looked as if he thought that maybe he had made a mistake and was about to get sent away from his lasagna dinner. But sheepishly he said it again and sure enough he had said whore house.

"Do you know what that is?" I asked in my mostly calm but teetering on highly emotional voice. It was at this point that Isaac jumped in and said yes with great confidence. Isaac explained that a whore house was a scary place. You know like Halloween scary. Aaron at the same time is nodding his head in agreement with a look of complete agreement and assertion in his belief.

After a moment of deep thought, I said "No, I think what you are talking about is a Haunted House. It is not at all like a whore house." Nathan disagreed with me there, but for the sake of the children's senses didn't allow that conversation line to continue.

Needless to say, we had to have a vocabulary lesson about that term and hopefully we will hear it no more at our dinner table.

Harriet - The return of the Lady

About three weeks ago, the dogs got out. Marley and Harriet saw an opening and sprinted through the door. It was scorching hot outside. I had somewhere to be and I didn't really want to chase dogs around the block for their amusement. So, I let them go.

I figured that they would come back. Sure enough, Marley scratched on the door about 15 minutes later and we went on about our day.

At 10:30 that night I wanted to put the day to rest and go to sleep. I started calling to the dogs in order to put them to bed for the night. That is when it dawned on me that Harriet did not come home like Marley. She was gone.

The children were sad. The next day, I went looking for her and couldn't find anything. No one called to say they found her. After a week, I was sure she was gone forever.

I was saddened by this turn of events, but was resigned to the fact that somehow the one dog that I would have been fine with losing was still at my house and my little cutie was gone.

9 days later, I was finishing my morning exercise route when my walking partner (mom) gasped loudly. I startle easily and began yelling "What! What!" and searching for the giant attack dog that was, I was sure, bearing down on us. I turned my head and there she was.

HARRIET! My English Spaniel Beauty was running straight toward us, her ears were flying straight back, a look of pure joy in her eyes. She ran right to me. When I picked her up she was smelly, wet and gross.

I was astounded that she was back. I think she was astounded to find her family again.

She got a day at the doggie spa and we go out sweet little Harriet back.

Where did June Go?

Here it is July 4 and I am thinking what I do every year. Summer is half over and I don't know where it went.

June for us was spent sending the boys to camp and Sarah to swim lessons. We've seen cheap movies, gone fishing, rode bikes had fun times with friends and family. We have even torn out carpet and are in the process of redoing floors in the kid part of the house.

In all it has been a June filled with summer type stuff. I am including some pics of the boys at camp below.

Aaron went to Camp John Marc for special needs children during the Spina Bifida week. He loved doing the crafts, swimming and cooking out on their "camping" night. His mosaic was especially beautiful and is hanging in our hallway.

Isaac went to both church and Scout camp and he like both equally well, I think. He did say there were less bugs at church camp, but then Scout camp had loads of snakes. I am not sure why bugs creep the boy out more than snakes, but that is the way it is.

Without further adieu, here are the cutest boys in the world.

Pretty Little Liar

Of course lying is abhorrent behavior and should not be condoned. However there are times when children try blatant lying and a parent just needs to take a moment and reflect on the events that occured during the lying because it was kind of humorous. - After the child has been disciplined, of course.

So a few days ago, I walked into my very clean bathroom to find toothpaste smeared all over my mirror. Ugh, I thought. I just cleaned this and what rugrat could be so insensitive.

I figured I knew which one, so I called in my beautiful princess. The child who always wants to please and can be so compliant that at times it is scary. (We don't come from compliant stock, you know)

I said, "Sarah, who did this?" as I pointed to the smeared mirror. Without blinking, without pausing or batting an eye she said...Isaac did it. Now, I was pretty sure this wasn't true, but I can't just call her out without investigating, so I had to get Isaac.

"Sarah," I said, "Go get your brother." She replied in a very sweet voice, "Yes, mommy." She smiled a lovely little smile and skipped out of the room sing-songing, "Isaac, mom needs you."

Soon Isaac appeared and I repeated the question. Now, Isaac is 11 and why would he put toothpaste on a mirror when he could simply wash it off his hands. Plus, Isaac is the only child I have that when directly questioned cannot get away with falsehood. Isaac denied his guilt and looked indignantly at his sister when told what she had said. Yep, we had found our culprit.

I turned to Sarah and told her that I knew she had lied and I was very upset. Immediately the waterworks got turned on and she sputtered out a little "I'm sorry".

Please don't get me wrong. I didn't succumb to the waterworks trick. Sarah was punished quite sufficiently for her wrongdoing. But I was amazed at the ease in which this complete blatant lie just flowed from her mouth plus she showed such happiness at the thought of her kindest brother taking the wrap for her.

Needless to say, my eyes were opened a bit. Aaron's response to all this was "See I told you, it's not always me". Ugh.

First Born

This year has been full of many firsts for Isaac.

He has more responsibility, more choices and more opportunities afforded to him because of his age. Yes, he is getting close to the end of his childhood, and I am trying not to think of it. Instead, I am concentrating on the many things he can now do for himself and me.

Here is the short list:
Pack his own camping gear - except for the socks. I don't know why he never has socks.
Camp without his parents
Clean his room - but this does take days to do because he is really messy.

Mow the lawn

Vacuum
Clean bathrooms
Do the dishes
Earn his own way to camp :)
Read books to himself
Help his sister with homework
Hoe a garden
Play piano very well
Sell a bizzilion boyscout cards and earn money for his pack

Retrieve dogs when they get out of the fence
Solve Wii and Computer problems

This is the part of older kid that is really great. I'm not going to mention the daily hormonal hysteria where he turns red and cries over very little things that won't matter at all in the next 45 minutes but at the moment seems monumental. Nope, I am not mentioning that stuff.

Graduation

I feel like I need to explain the hiatus I took from my blog. So please read below and know that we are well.

This is the time of year for many graduations. This year it is My turn!. This Saturday, if I chose to walk, I would be presented with a Masters Degree in Elementary Education. This represents three years of work, toil, pain, sweat, cancorous sores, ulcers, and pestilence. Actually, it really wasn't that bad until this last year when my classes seemed to demand more projects and kept me from writing in my blog.

So, in reality - I didn't quit my blog, but have been too busy to stop and write the stories. Unfortunately, I have probably forgotten most of the stories from this year too. Grad School mixed with three children have certainly fried my brain.

But I am looking forward to many wonderful, crazy experiences and hopefully some really funny stories too.

So stay tuned. More writing is coming shortly.