Ups and Downs

First: UP --I LOVE teaching in regular education!! The first week I 'taught' prepositional phrases...only they ALREADY knew them!! Never had that happen before...same thing happened the next week with Verb Phrases...Amazing....

Some of them actually get my jokes....and they ace the critical thinking questions in class. I love this year!!

Second: DOWN -- A dear friend died two weeks ago. I grew up with him at camp and spent every summer working with him. His name is Bill Wright and one of the most compassionate men I know. He died from cancer in League City.

Third: SCARY --Another dear friend from camp, is the Deputy City Manager of Galveston. Brad and I email back and forth, especially when a hurricane is coming. I knew from his comments that this one, Ike, was worrying him. Usually he makes comments like, "these folks down here don't know what high wind is....they didn't grow up in West Texas." This time, "My house is insured, and I will soon be living in a FEMA trailer. I am going to ask them for a double-wide DEELUX, cuz of my West Texas roots." He promised to contact me as soon as he could. He and the other city folks that had to stay were hiding out in old Fort Crockett below the San Luis hotel. It is a concrete bunker 50 ft high with no windows. Heard this morning that the top floors of the San Luis busted out windows, and debris fell. They evacuated the upper rooms about midnight.

Fourth: DOWN --My uncle, Pos, yes, Pos....he was a farmer and high school basketball coach around Weatherford, died early this morning. He is the man who introduced me to basketball. When I was in elementary school, he took my cousins, brother and dad to a North-South game at Tarrant County Coliseum. I have been hooked since then!! Never did I see Pos without a smile on his face, and up to something. He loved to pick on people! And loved to be picked back on!!

Fifth: DISGUSTED -- After I told my oldest son that my uncle had died, I got off the phone and walked into his room to ask him for a hug. His response, "Why?" me: "Cuz Pos died" His: "So?"

I really have tried to raise my sons to be compassionate human beings. I have prayed that God's love will flow through them...obviously I have done all I can. And it obviously wasn't enough.

God bless you all!!