Weekend

 Friday morning, my class was seated on the kiva (which I love, btw) and a guy from the district came in with a big heavy ladder to tell me he needed to fix the speaker.  It was right next to the kiva and as he was setting up the ladder, right by my students, I said, "We have recess in 5 minutes, how about then?"

He agreed.

I took my class outside and he did his thing and was gone by the time we returned.

Then the volume no longer worked on my AppleTV/projector situation.

And it was kind of a tragedy because logging into computers for the first time was an entire ordeal (children were in tears) and some of the logins didn't work and some of the computers hadn't had their summer update.  (Don't get me started on school district tech people....)

To try to right the ship, I decided we'd watch an episode of Little Lunch.  They're less than 15 minutes and I thought it would restore everyone's good feelings.

Except the volume didn't work and it made everyone more upset.

So I told them stories instead for a few minutes.  My students always love the one about me getting a horse for my birthday when I was about their age.  It is just unbelievable to them and their eyes boggle.  I tell them about how he was old and used to belong to my grandma.  I tell them about how I tried to take care of him--I explain about curry combs.  It is all just way out of their experience.  Then I tell them, in very dramatic fashion, I might add, about the time he ran away with me when I was riding him and there was lightning.  They sigh in relief when I tell them he ran right to the barn and stopped.

After school, I went in search of help for the volume problem.  I found Matt and Riley out in front of the school, just finishing getting children on their way.  I said, "This is just the brain trust I need."

Riley immediately said not him because his immediate response to every request is a solid no. 

But they followed me to my classroom all the same.  (One thing I love about Matt as a principal is that when there's a problem he dives in to fix it.  Always.  He reminds me of my dad like that.)

On the way, I told Matt, "I'm still getting emails about the SCC (school community council) and since I'm on the leadership team, I'm off the SCC right?"

(I'm in favor of less meetings.)

Matt said, "SCC-"

And then he and Riley in unison said, "You know me."

I said, "You two are such nerds.  I take back what I said about you being my brain trust."

Riley stood on the kiva to reset the Apple TV and I said, "Aren't you glad I have that kiva?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "I would rather drag a ladder in here."

He will never admit that I made the kiva work, but I'll never stop reminding him it does.

I love my school. (And they fixed the volume.)

Our kitchen looked like this all weekend:

Because who has more fun than we do?

The drain in our refrigerator was frozen (did you know a refrigerator has a drain that can get frozen?  I've never had any cause to know how a fridge works).  Adam and Mark emptied it and stuck a little space heater inside to thaw it and it seems to be working now.

We had stake conference.  I went to a dinner with Adam before the Saturday evening session.  We had a visiting authority who was from Tropic, UT.  He was the stake president when Tabor was the bishop in Boulder.  We made that connection.  I heard him say to Adam, "He's really big and has a handlebar mustache?"

Yep, that's the one.

President Porter spoke on Sunday morning and I think he decided to give the talk that Thelma needed.  It was all about prayer and was so good.

Emma came over and we had a weird dinner of random things because we hadn't gone shopping (not the best idea to go grocery shopping when your fridge doesn't work).

Adam went bishoping and Emma and Mark and I played Monopoly Deal.  I annihilated them and then I said, "I don't want to play anymore.  I feel really anxious."

Emma immediately hugged me and said, "What can I do for you?  Right now?"

I said, "I guess listen to me."

I lay on the couch with my feet in Mark's lap and Emma sat on the floor next to me.  They listened and said the right things.  Then we started talking about extended family and laughing and telling stories.

It was what I needed.

I feel grateful.  I love my job.  I have a fridge that (hopefully) works now.  I have really great kids.  I have a husband who is everything.  I am OK.

Unfortunately nighttime Thelma has a harder time swallowing the I'm OK pill.  I slept terribly.  The one thing I need most!  Maybe when this diagnostic phase is over, I'll be able to sleep better.  

I need to remember that I am getting better at not freaking out.  I'm a work in progress.