Emotional

I realize that being 13 weeks pregnant is a special formula for being extra emotional. I get it, but this week, I have experienced 3 instances in which I have been over the top. I believe with good reason too!

First, I came home from work on Monday and checked my Facebook to see a friends status say “Heidi, I am so glad your body is cancer free and you are walking with Jesus now…we miss you.” It was that moment that I put it all together. I friend of mine from college, Heidi from Texas, was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer at the age of 27, last February. She went through several surgeries and lots of Chemo and never recovered. The cancer never left her and she went home to be with Jesus at the age of 28. I haven’t been in contact with Heidi since college, but I have thought about her a lot in the last year and prayed for her too. This GOT me. I sat at our computer and cried, a lot! I just don’t understand the reason for her homegoing and all that she went through. It was hard. I know she is healed now and happier than ever. I know she is dancing with our Savior and bowing at his feet. I am happy for her, but my heart is heavy for her family.

Secondly, the news of the devastating events that took place in Haiti absolutely rocked me! Another event with no understanding. I know that “His ways aren’t our ways” and I have claimed that for a long time. My heart breaks for those people. I want to get on a plane, fly there and save the day, help in some way. Obviously, at this point in my life, that is not possible, but I did remember one way I could help. Other than Clint and I giving financially to help the rescue and clean up efforts, I prayed. I have mentioned before how my prayer life has changed drastically since finding out my friend Holly was trying to adopt (their baby is due any day….WOOHOO!). I pray all the time now. I am not “tooting my own horn” by any means, but this is the truth. I mentioned to my students this morning that we should be praying for the people of Haiti. I mentioned to them some of the headlines that I have been reading, like the expected death toll being in the hundreds of thousands. And then I did something that I have never done before with any of the classes I have taught. I told them that I would open in prayer and that any of them that wanted to pray, could just open their mouths and pray. I ended mine with “In Jesus’ Name….” and off they went. Out of 22 students, 12 of them prayed outloud. 3 of them went more than once. These are 6th graders….the same ones that can drive me bananas….brought me to absolute tears. (I was a mess) I know that God loves when children pray. I could see their hearts. They prayed for things I didn’t even think of. I did my best to not make it obvious that I was a blubbering mess, but I didn’t do so well. I want to try this again sometime, as my heart was touched.

Lastly, on a not so serious note, next week is Sweetheart Week. Basically like Homecoming for basketball season. The weeks that the teachers dread, but that the students dream about. The time where they dress up like crazy things and lose all focus. Yesterday the students had to nominate a boy and a girl from their grade to represent them on the Sweetheart court. As I collected the ballots, I saw the same names over and over again. It was a given. No surprises. UNTIL…I get to one “funny-man-who-cares-nothing-about-sweetheart-anything” and absolutely did not take this seriously. He handed me his ballot with a smirk on his face. So I peeked. And of course, the people he listed…how do I say this…were probably on NO other ballots. I hate it if that sounds mean, but I am just telling the story. They are two of the ones that are…different. They aren’t a couple and probably would never be. Anyway, for some reason, this was hilarious to me (I am so immature). I wanted to laugh, but KNEW I would only fuel his fire, so I did my best to keep a straight face. I succeeded, until about 25 minutes LATER while grading our Science quizzes. As I was calling out the answers, his little smirky face just popped into my head and I started laughing. I could NOT stop. I was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down my face. Getting a grip was out of the question. Of course since it is 25 minutes after the ballots, the 15 students in the class had no idea what I thought was so funny, they seriously were staring at me like I had lost my mind. (I think I have) I have never had an experience quite like that in the 6 years I have been teaching! Hilarious!

I hope you are all doing well and staying warm! I hope you are laughing some this week too!

Until next time,
Sam