Family

I wanted to take time and write about the funerals that I've been to this past month. I'm so glad that I was able to go with Bertie and Georgia to Idaho to Aunt Velma's funeral. I haven't seen so many on that side of the family for awhile. I have to admit that it was so noisy in the family room. I'm sure that the Bishop wondered what in the heck was going on in there. In our defense...Aunt Velma had lived such a long life (94 years)and had lived without Uncle Chance for since 1982. What a blessing for her to finally return to her family and our Father in Heaven and to be released from her aging body and it's problems. We were enjoying each other so much as a family, It was wonderful!! It was so great to see my Gisler cousins that I hadn't seen for probably close to 30 years. And of course my dear cousin Lisa Lackey. I grew up with these cousins and have such fond memories of my time with them in California. I also loved seeing my other cousins of course, whom I see more often. It felt so weird to think I wasn't seeing any aunts or uncles...we're now the next generation. It makes you think about how precious life really is and that family is such an important part of that life.
I then went in the very next Saturday to Salt Lake to my Aunt Eileen's funeral. She was married to my Uncle Lee for 18 years. It's a long story but even though they were divorced the reason for that being so didn't change that she was my aunt. Again I saw Roberta and Keith and I told her that we had to stop seeing each other for this reason. I was glad that we could support my Uncle and his children. What a special lady with special understanding with her health problems which made her have such a childlike disposition. It was great to see a few more cousins on my mother's side of the family. So between the two deaths I was able to see many from both parents families. What a wonderful week even with the sadness of the occasions. I couldn't feel bad for either one, that they had finally been relieved of these bodies that had kept them back. What freedoms they must feel at this time, and what wonderful reunions are going on in the next world.
Family is so important and I hope that my nieces and nephew will feel the importance of that also. I see what importance the Lord's plans of families being linked together really is. "FAMILY" What a wonderful word!! I love my family!!

An End to an Era

The first picture here is a picture of my wonderful portable that I lovingly call "The Ghetto". It has become my tightly packed yet wonderful new home away from home. I still want Brenda and I to take a picture sitting out on the stoop with our old lawn chairs, maybe grilling on the Hibachi. However, this afternoon after school, I went over to the old school, my GES, to get a brick and a piece of the gym floor. When I got there and saw it coming down before my very eyes it was rougher than I thought. The 3rd grade hall was all the way down and they were working on the gym. What a great old gym. It was the oldest part of the school. I believe it was built in the 20's and so it was about 80 years old. They don't make gyms like that any more. It had this wonderful balcony and really took you back in time. As I smelled the wood that I got from the floor it smelled just like being in the gym. I was amazed at the feelings. I've done 6 wonderful 4th grade programs in that old place. It is so much more than a building. It was like a family home. I had a wonderful family there. People that I trusted and worked with that I would have done anything for. I'm so thankful for the memories that I've been able to make there and it feels totally like an era has passed. As my fellow teachers and I talked and walked around it was wonderful to share our memories. I have to express some unbelief at the waste though. I went around to see my room for the last time, because I'm sure that it will be coming down tomorrow. In the window of my room I could see an expensive Califone CD/Cassette player just sitting there waiting to be plowed under. I could also see my box of Legos and many other things sitting there. What a waste of things. If I knew then what I know now I would have emptied my room and taken it to the junkyard myself rather than let it be plowed under like that. Like it meant nothing. When I think of all the time, effort, and money that I put into that classroom and the things in it and to know it is just about to become rubble I just shake my head.
I know that I must just take it in stride and move forward. I thought I had moved forward, and I think I have very well....but going back over there really took me back to this past summer with all the feelings that I had back then. The future is so uncertain, who knows where I will be the fall of 2011. Seems as though the district office just dumps the feathers in the wind and lets them fall wherever they will. Last week they moved our principal from being over with the 5th and 6th grade to a new school. I couldn't believe they would move him especially right before CORE testing after all these kids have been through. If I were retiring this year I would definitely be over to the district office at the end of the year giving them a piece of my mind of all the things they've done wrong. Making me feel less than a great employee which I know that I am.
However there will be a beautiful new building there come the fall of 2011. I think I'd like to be there when all is said and done, however I guess at this point it depends on who's the new principal and many other factors. I don't think I'll have a lot of choice of where I'll be since that is what the district has been doing anyway. Time will tell I guess. Wow that felt good to just get off my chest.
Not to have this blog be a total downer..I am so grateful that I have many wonderful memories there with many wonderful people. I'm also grateful that I still have many of those friends with me now and that we are getting through this year together. I'm sure that will only continue to go on and the bond be even stronger. Thanks for all the good times at G.E.S. and the people that I appreciate so much!! Good bye old friend.