This is a long one. Read what you will, the choice is yours...


The School-Agers

For those of you who do not know, I work in a day-care center, most specifically the after-school program for two hours every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The children, as many of you know, were absolutely impossible to control at the beginning of the semester. They have calmed down since then. However, the past two days have been abnormally awful. Perhaps a storm or earthquake is coming. I did not get the F word thrown at me, or a desk, however, which are all positive signs and better than the first weeks of school. This one particular child had a fit of rage today and started injuring other kids...so I actually did grab him (what else was I supposed to do, let him kill someone?) and started talking to him about snakes (John, you're little snake is a LIFE SAVER, for real). When I want to get this kid under control, there are two secrets: talk about snakes or bring out the Legos. Works like a charm.

Part two of this topic: About four of the kids discovered it would be "fun" to throw each other, their bookbags, themselves, down the hill walking back to the college, hurting an innocent bystander (a sweet little kindergarten girl). This of course caused...great anxiety and frustration on my part. I do not plan on spanking my children, but if my children act the way these kids acted today, I just may rethink that idea.

Part three of this topic: The kids also discovered it would be "fun" to tackle each other in the gym. This of course caused several, nearly fatal, injuries. Okay, maybe not, but perhaps... It was mostly girls, would you believe? This one five year old overestimates her own strength and tries to clobber third grade girls and boys, who obviously have no mercy on the poor wild thing.

Please note: I normally do have better control over the class. For some reason, all these things just happened today out of the blue.

Possession, by A.S. Byatt

This is the book I have been reading for "Readings in the Contemporary British Novel." I am growing to love the book, now that I have been reading it for quite some time (it's long and very, very dense). Well, I was just tired of not knowing the end, so tonight I read the last chapter. And now, I am really happy because the end is SO wonderful and I can't wait to read what happens in between... :)

Please note: This is totally out-of-character for me to read the last chapter of a book before I've reached the end a novel.

Free Time

I have more free time lately than usual, probably because I am done with field experience and tennis class...I also have no papers or tests this week. This has allowed time for me to go to lectures voluntarily. Yes, I attended a lecture by Dr. Gosnell lastnight about the Apostle Paul. This was a privilege, Dr. Gosnell being an expert on Paul. I learned a lot, I think, and I've been researching what he talked about.

My Birthday

My family might be coming this weekend for my birthday, but my birthday really isn't until Tuesday. I'm really excited they are coming, but I'm sad that my birthday isn't until Tuesday. I am usually excited for my birthday but this year I'm not...All my other birthdays have been so extremely wonderful. Last year the Lighthouse girls threw this huge surprise party for me! I've never felt so loved! And Susan and Sharon made these amazing presents for me and sent me on this crazy scavenger hunt. It was so wonderful. And you know, I don't think I want any of that. Maybe this birthday is sad because I know now that no birthday will be quite as great...that none of my birthdays after this one will be celebrated with my friends here at school. Since my birthday falls on a Tuesday this year...how inconceivably boring. Tuesdays are the worst. I don't think I want anything to happen on Tuesday. I think I just want to lay in my bed and cry as I turn 22, crying because I am so happy and pleased with my life, but also because after this year, nothing will be the same. Things will be great, I'm sure, but not the same.