winter blahs

It seems a shame to let days and days pass without a post, but there just seems nothing to write about. 

It is cold, but not snowy.  No beautiful snow pictures to post.  Haven't seen the first flake this year.

Actually, no pictures of any kind.  I don't think I've taken a picture since New Year's Eve.

The Saints lost their play-off game.  :-( 

We undecorated the church last Saturday.  I went to confession.  Not at the same time we were rearranging stuff in the attic and stowing nativity figures in the closet.  Later.  Although it was a little strange to open the door to the confessional... "Hi, it's me again..."  There are so many graces there.  But I touched on that last week. He is a wonderful confessor.  There was humor, but there was also a serious conversation.  He is a wonderful conduit of the Holy Spirit. 

Dear husband is making himself busy rolling our spare change.  And making me crazy as he rummages around for "six more nickels".  Must be a really slow night on television.

School is alright.  I emailed my principal this past weekend.  I have recess duty with the fifth graders. Usually pretty low-stress, but last week the girls found a new use for the tether ball poles that no longer have tether balls attached.  I'm not sure pole-dancing is one of those "life-long skills" we are endeavoring to teach.  I asked if there was money in the budget for tether balls.  I didn't hear back from him, and he hasn't been at school this week.  Probably has the winter blahs.  But on the bright side, our faculty meeting this week is canceled. 

My younger child had detention today.  First one this school year, so not doing too badly.  He was actually kind of bummed this time, although several of his friends were also there this morning. 

With him being at school so early, it gave me a chance to attend Mass at a different church - the one that burned last spring.  Please pray for their pastor - Fr. H.  I am not sure what is wrong, but he has not been himself the past month (or more).  He is distracted and seems to be in physical pain.  Could be the stress of the rebuilding.  Could be something altogether different.  He is a wonderful priest, and he has been on my mind all day. 

The battery of my laptop is about out, so that means it's time to end this post. 

And that, my friends, is my boring life!

gving thanks

It's fall here.  You can kind of tell by the leaves.  Actually, I saw the leaves in the second picture yesterday - in the treeline around the property, and grabbed my camera.   We don't really get the beautiful changing leaves thing here.  Never mind that it's been in the 80's the past few weeks.  A cold front is coming through tonight, and tomorrow night's football game will be in the 40's.  Brrrr...and I don't think long johns will fit under my jeans...




 We started off this morning with Mass.  I knew that I was going - alone if needed.  But dear hubby and older child ended up coming along, too.  There was a nice crowd there.  It was short - about 35 minutes, but it never seems rushed.  Everything we have or are comes from God.  We don't deserve any of it.  It has taken  me a while to wrap my mind around that.  We were raised to work for what we wanted, and to appreciate things as the fruits of OUR labor, not God's generosity.

At Mass we witness the greatest miracle in the world - Jesus coming to us in the Eucharist (which not coincidentally means "Thanksgiving").  Do we remember to express our gratitude for that tremendous act of love?  

 We celebrated with hubby's family this year.  His older son drove in from Texas last night with his wife and six kiddos!  We ate with SIL and her crew.  We were 20+ for dinner.  Afterwards was the Saints game.  We thought all was lost, because they really didn't play well the second half, but they managed to pull out a victory at the last minute! 

We have so many blessings to be thankful for.  Thank you, Lord.

kickoff

Got home from school today, and next thing I knew, one kid was dressed and waiting for the Saints game to begin (3 hours later). 

They have been waiting for a long time - obviously looking forward to the opening game of the new season.  Though I am not sure if anything will ever compare to them winning the Super Bowl. 

Schools in New Orleans closed at noon today (and I bet attendance will be less than impressive tomorrow).  There was a party in Jackson Square (or is it called Champion Square now?)  Not that New Orleans needs any reason at all to party...

GEAUX SAINTS!

week in review

It has been a week.

There was the amazing high of the Saints winning the Super Bowl.  I remember when they had their first winning season (after 20 some years as a franchise). That was the year of the "strike" teams.  I remember the fans in the Super Dome chanting "Stay on strike!" because the Replacements were winning!  I remember once - about 20 years ago - being in New Orleans in the French Quarter on a game day - the reason escapes me.  Under the windshield wiper of a car parked on the side of the street were a pair of Saints tickets with a sign that said "Take Me."  No one had.   I remember when they finally made it to a play-off game.  And then when they won a play-off game!  I remember 2005 when all of their home games were played on the road.  I remember the emotion of their real home game after Katrina.  And I watched the Super Bowl this year and watched them win!  They did NOT manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - something they have raised to an art form over the years.  We set off fireworks in the driveway.  On Monday, "Who Dat?" sufficed for a greeting.

On Tuesday, a parade had been planned for the Saints - win or lose.  New Orleans knows a thing or two about parades.  But I don't think they anticipated that this would possibly be the biggest parade the city had ever seen.  Close to a million people - it was said - celebrated Lombardi Gras/Dat Tuesday.  I would have liked to have seen it myself, but there was work....

The low of the week was my sixth grade girl students.  In the past 2 weeks, three of the four have been in a fight.  Seperate fights.  Teachers who have tried to stop the fights have been injured.  It is crazy.  One morning, I left one parent meeting in the office to see one of my students sitting cuffed and shackled.  She didn't want to stop fighting.  And like night follows day, paperwork follows fights -especially "big" ones like this. And so, paperwork must be completed with i's dotted and t's crossed, and more instructional time will be lost when we meet to decide whether this behavior was "related" and where the best "setting" for her is.  Why can't they just do what they are supposed to do??

Today there was snow.  But snow merits its own post!!