Christmas Day 2008

Christmas 2008. I just enjoyed reading the Christmas Traditions account from my niece in Memphis. She has some wonderful memories. :-)

I guess Bill and I have a few traditions as well. We are very involved with music - in our church and in the community. So there are the usual Holiday programs and Advent celebrations with choir, bells and/or brass. We attend at least one candlelight Christmas Eve service. Every other year we go to 2. Our church has their service at 5:00. The choir usually sings (Linda's - sometimes Bill fills in as well). This year we had the priviledge of helping with the readings. That was fun.

Every other year the Hallelujah Brass plays at Trinity Presbyterian Church (Bill's group). So we enjoyed a 10:30 service with our friends there. We do know quite a few worshipers there, in their choir and in the congregation.

Our tree gets put up whenever I haul it out of the closet. We inherited my parents' fake tree. I miss the smell of pine, but enjoy the tree just the same. As Bill and I hung ornaments we remarked how many of them tell a bit of our history. Even though we don't have homemade ones from children over the years, we do have ones that are gifts from former students, souvenirs from our travels, and others that were in Mom's old Christmas boxes.

When we are in town on Christmas Day we have a big meal with our dear friends, the Collas and Traughbers. This year it is here at our house! We will barbecue a standing rib roast and offer hors d'oeuvres. Our friends bring the rest of the meal. There is always plenty. :-) Of course we will have trays of goodies around for snacking. Then there will be a marathon of game playing - Phase 10, Trivial Pursuit, Mad Gab, and any other new games some of us may have gotten for Christmas. We always enjoy our day with these great friends!

I do love the celebration of Christmas. It is humbling to remeber that God himself came to live as a human - even as a new born baby. One of my new favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know?" The words and imagry are powerful:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy would someday walk on water? Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new? This child that you've delivered will soon deliver you. Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man? Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm the storm with his hand? Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod? When you kiss your little baby you've kissed the face of God. The blind will see the deaf will hear the dead will live again the lame will leap the dumb will speak the praises of the Lamb. Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation? Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations? Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am!

I am thankful to know this child, this Son of God, is my Savior and Lord. Praise be God for his most precious gift.

“What would I do if a bear ate you now?!”

Bill and I had been married for all of 3 days when we had an encounter with nature that revealed my insecurity to my new husband and has given him fodder for teasing over the years. We were enjoying our honeymoon in the wilderness of Alaska. We had arrived at the hunting lodge/honeymoon suite via float plane and had spent the morning rowing across the lake. After docking the boat, my new husband and I were hiking up the hillside to enjoy one of the spectacular views Alaska has to offer. Bill found a wild berry patch and had stopped for a “snack.” Being a city girl, and being well aware of the “bear stories form Alaska” I was concerned we would meet up with such a creature – especially in a berry patch! I mentioned my concerns to Bill (“Let’s go back, Bill, please?”), who brushed them off as being irrational. When we spotted some fresh droppings I just “knew” were bear, I was panicked. In my irrational fear I tried to appeal to his inner call to protect me – “Bill, we’ve only been married for 3 days! What would I do if a bear ate you now!?” His response was typical Bill – “What makes you think the bear would eat me?” I finally whined enough that he gave in and we returned to the boat and rowed back to our “safe” lodge.

34 years later I am faced with another “What would I do if a bear ate you now?” situation. Bill has cancer. It’s a bear of a disease that rears its ugly presence in many people’s lives and to varying degrees. Sometimes it just creeps up on you as you are snacking on the berries of life. My healthy racquetball-playing husband is in great physical shape – most folks don’t realize he is 60 years old! He doesn’t feel bad and isn’t sick. I am the one that is always coming down with colds, flu, whatever bug is in the area. Bill seems to avoid all of those! He is faithful about getting yearly physicals and, other than a few medications to control minor abnormalities, he really is in great shape. When his PSA count came back a bit elevated in August, the doctor wanted to have a biopsy of his prostate. Are these “bear droppings” near our berry patch? “Please Bill, can’t we go back?” Bill had the biopsy done and the results came back – positive for cancer. Wow – I didn’t expect that.

A huge advantage I have now that I didn’t have 34 years ago is a long relationship with The Lord, the creator of all life. I have walked with the Lord and he has proven over and over again how faithful he is – every day and in all times. My days have not been all wine and roses, but my joy is in the Lord, not in my circumstances. I know that God is using all the circumstances in my life to grow me into his child. He is teaching me about himself and his sufficiency in all of life – bears and all.

My husband has cancer. It is not a path I would have chosen for us to walk down, but it is with unwavering faith given by God that I know we do not walk it alone. We have each other, wonderful doctors, good insurance, work places that can work with us, loving and supportive family and friends. But most importantly we have Jehovah Jirah walking before us, beside us and behind us. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord….to give you a future and a hope.” We put our days in the Lord’s hands. I know he will be able to conquer all the bears in our path!

As I signed on to read blogs today, my sister Molly's writing really struck my heart. I had forgotten the significance of today until I read her message. I hope she won't mind if I copy it here:
Today would have been my Mom's 82nd birthday. As my sister reminds me: "She has been gone a staggering 14 years (I can't believe it has been that long). Before she got sick at the young age of 45, she was athletic, a golfer, a tennis player, a leader in the Girl Scouts. She raised 5 daughters. I use to be amazed at the thought that she used a whole loaf of bread to make our lunches. My mom was one of the strongest, most persistent people I have ever met." I was 15 when my mom was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. She eventually passed away from complications from that disease. I was 37. I watched her struggle at times with her health, but she always seemed to have such a positive outlook that nothing would deter her from living a full life. She spent the last few years of her life in a wheel chair, but could still draw a smile from all those that knew her. Her grand kids loved to 'ride with grandma on her wheel chair'. :-) She didn't like having all the health problems, but that didn't seem to discourage her. She just kept on going.... kind of like the energizer bunny. :-) That was my mom. I hope I am 1/2 the woman she was.

I think each of my sisters would probably say much the same about our mom. She really was an amazing woman. I know her faith in God and assurance of her future kept her going until the end. I remember she faced many challenges in her life with, "Okay, what are we going to do about this? How can we make it better, or at least livable?" I loved the times Bill and I could visit with her. I enjoyed so much making us coffee and sitting with her in her room talking. I would prop my cold feet under the side of her bed to warm up (her house was so cold!), and we would just chat. Even though she's been gone so many years, I still wish I could call her up and talk at times. Happy birthday, Mom. :-)

Mourning in Modesto

We are in mourning....our beloved Cubs lost to those stinkin' Dodgers and are out of the playoffs. Not a fitting ending to their marvelous season....Wait til next year! :-)

This and that for today.

Here it is October already! We had our first day of rain since last April. It sounded really nice pattering on the roof last night. The high was about 70 and when the clouds cleared this afternoon, it was a gorgeous day. Love that clean air!

I attended my Bible Study Fellowship leaders meeting this morning. I am enjoying the study of Moses. I am appreciating how God's word is so relevant even today. Some of the same objections I read Moses giving God in response to God's calling him to return to Egypt, I hear from me! "I can't do that" "I don't have the skills" "Send someone else" etc. God answered Moses with some tremendous guarantees as he also has promises for me and you.

I love my teaching job this year. 1st grade is a kick. Those little ones are just precious. I am trusting God that he will help me with the teaching part and all the unknowns. I met with each child's parent(s) last week for conferences and they went well.

Bill and I are getting ready to watch the Cubs/Dodgers playoff game. It is a must win for our dear Cubs. I don't want to be around if they lose tonight, again!!!

Update on me - 1st grade is going well. I am feeling more and more ocmfortable with the little ones. My morning is going fairly smoothly (Language Arts). The afternoon has a little ways to go. Math after lunch is difficult as the students don't feel like concentrating too well. It would be better in the morning, but there is not time!

Bill and I went to the theater last night and saw Sally Struthers (All in the Family star) in a play called Nunsense. It was a cute, vaudeville style show. We had opportunity to laugh. :-)

Bruce is visiting us after returning from his 7 months at sea duty. He'll be moving to Virginia in December, so we will enjoy his being close for just a couple of more months. He showed us a recent photo of 15 year old Nick, who is 6ft 7in!! Patrick is tall too - 6ft or so. Nick is a sophomore in high school and Patrick is a senior! What happened to my little boys???

Bible Study fellowship is so good! We are studying the Life of Moses. I am already struck by God's faithfulness, preservation, and preparation in Moses' life. When I can apply the lessons we are learning in my life - now that brings blessings for sure!

Here are the little darlings and the "puzzle" we made the first day. Things are going very well, considering I feel like a fish out of water! :-) They have been kind enough to give me my first cold of the year as well. We all will be happier when we are healthy and have a regular routine.

Remodeling is nearing the end. I will post photos when we are finished.

God is good, all the time....

First Day of First Grade

Good day #1. 20 first graders "rode" the Fredericks train to room 14 today - including a train whistle and all. We got off to a good start. They are all very cute, of course. :-) We even had a classroom "visitor" - a dragon fly decided to take up residence in our room for the day. Talk about a distraction! Oh, those teachable moments: Do dragon flies bite, Mrs. Fredericks? What do they eat? Will it land on my desk? Can we catch it?

We made a jigsaw puzzle together - they were delighted each time we found a piece that fit. I'll post a picture when I take one.

Tonight was back-to-school night. 13 of the families were there (out of 20). Everyone seemed very friendly. They just didn't want to sit in those small chairs. :-)

I am looking forward to a long weekend, even though I will spend some of it at school. I just need to catch my breath and get some plans in my head. Thank you all for prayers and support from afar as this has been an extreme step out of my comfort zone.

Unexpected opportunity

School began a week ago.

A little background: I had a "rough" year last year. I struggled for a while as to what I should do at the end of the year - Should I retire? Should I change grade levels? Should I come back as a 6th grade teacher and tough it out another year? There was going to be an opening at my school for a 1st grade teacher - this would have been a dramatic change (I have taught over 20 years in the 6th grade) - but I thought maybe I needed that drastic of a change to work things out. After much prayer and talking with my principal it was determined I would stay in 6th grade, have a teaching partner ( I was the lone 6th grade teacher last year), and have a class of about 25.

I began this year with excitement. I had already established a good working relationship with my new partner, as we took a week's training together this summer. We began last Monday. I only had 21 students show up the first day, but knew more would come as we were the "overflow" site for 6th grade. My partner was at 20. I must say, it was "heaven" to have only 21 6th grade bodies for the week! Class size is usually between 30 - 32. By Thursday I was rejoicing in the decision to keep me in 6th grade. I was bonding with my new students and they with me. Mike, my partner, and I were excited about the plans we were developing for shared teaching units, etc. I shred with Bill that evening how blessed I was feeling......

Friday at lunch the principal called me into her office. With all the compassion she could offer, she informed me that the District was over staffed in 6th grade and we we directed to collapse my class. 12 students from the 6th grades would be transferred to another school and the rest of my students would join the other 6th grade class. I would get to stay at my school, but I would be teaching a 1st grade class! Even if you are not in the teaching field, I know you can appreciate many of the differences between 11 year olds and 6 year olds! This will be a dramatic paradigm shift for me!

The weekend has been spent moving out of my "old"classroom and moving into my new one. I have until Thursday to get the room set up. I'll meet my new students on Thursday. I really am vacillating between feeling overwhelmed, a bit sad, and excited. I know that God is in control and goes before me and with me wherever my path lies. "Fear not. I will be with you wherever you go."

By God's grace I press on .... more to come.

First Day of School, etc

I love the first day of school. Here I can enjoy the class being totally cooperative, smiles on their faces, eager to please, etc. This "honeymoon" period varies in length from year to year. I am hoping for at least a week. :-) Truly amazing - I had 21 students in my classroom. That's all that have enrolled so far. Last spring I was told they would max me at 25 --- I'll believe that when it really happens (our max is ususlly 32). I have a godly man as a teaching partner for the other 6th grade class. We have another Christian man teaching 5th grade as well. It looks to be a blessed year from that stand point.

Construction is continuing on the home front. Carpet installed today. Electrician will come tomorrow, finishing the wiring in the back part of the house. Then we should be able to move back in to our normal bedroom. We take the wall paper off the kitchen walls tomorrow evening. Then the following week the painters will return for the front part of the house. Little by little.....

construction dilemma

Note to self: Next time we have cabinets stained in the house, get a motel room! Especially if it occurs on the hottest day of the summer! Dilemma: open windows to "air out" vs keep closed with AC on to try and keep house under 80 for sleeping...We opted for a compromise - opened the family room up and closed the door to shut it off from the rest of the house. We were still warm and the odor lingered, but I finally fell asleep. (Thank goodness for Tylenol PM!)



Today they will lacquer all the wood. The painter told me this a less smelly, but very dusty. Our good friends, Rich and Ginger, are letting us have dinner and spend the evening with them. They would let us spend the night too, but with their cats in the house, I don't do well after about 5 hours. Here's hoping for a better nights sleep.



By the way - the cabinets are looking gorgeous and I start school today.

Remodel Saga continues. Today the painters are staining all of the cabinets which were installed yesterday. As providence would have it, this is the hottest day of the month - 104 - on a day that the house needs to stay open due to the obnoxious odor of the staining process. We have set fans for the workers and have a large jug of iced tea for them. I will escape and work in my classroom. Bill will go to the club to play racquetball. Hopefully we can sleep in here tonight. We have moved our sleeping bed for the third time - out of the office and back in the front bedroom where there are no cabinets to stain. :-)

This is the unfinished cabinet in the living room.

Picture to the left is in our master bedroom. Upper right photo is in the office.

This is how we found our bedroom when we returned from Oregon. The texture guys were not the neatest workers in the world. We slept in the front bedroom after some major cleaning there and have since moved into the office. Our "mobile" bedroom is determined by what work is being done that day.

Our "storage" room (aka, living room). There will be some built in oak shelves and cabinets on the back wall. Our mess doesn't prevent watching the Cubs! :-)

Our temporary bedroom set up in the office. There will be some oak cabinets and a work area built onto the wall you see and the one nezt to the lamp (our old computer desk area).

Remodel Day 9

The cabinets are to be installed today. They will be stained tomorrow. I understand that is a stinky process. It's going to be a stinky, hot day - so choice: keep windows open and melt or close house with air conditioning running and pass out from smells. I think I will work in my classroom at school and get out of this palce. :-)

Remodel vs Moving

I'm not sure which is more work - living in the middle of remodeling or just moving! :-)

birthdays

Last Thursday was my 57th birthday. I remember a time when that sounded so old - closing in on 60 you know! Talking with a friend last week I recalled how important marking my age with fraction was - "I'm 6 and 1/2!" or "12 and 3/4" ! Now, if I'm asked how old I am (how rude!) I actually have to do the math - "1951 subtracted from 2008....." to remember how old I am. What's up with that? Signs of aging are creeping in - can't quite recall those all important details - thank goodness for Outlook calendars! Aching feet and finger joints hint of approaching arthritis. We won't take about the middle age spread....! Yet hopefully God is granting some wisdom along with the camouflaged gray hairs. I am excited for the future - getting nearer to the end of my teaching career, wondering what God has for me next, and enjoying having Bill, my loving husband, by my side always! Hello, year 58 - let's keep going...the best is yet to come.

I've Just Begun!

Okay - friends. Here I go. I will try to be a faithful blogger!

Our house is a construction zone. As with most remodeling - the timeline is not where it should me (my time line). However all the inside walls in the back of the house were painted yesterday. Once I got "used" to the paint smell, I could enjoy the clean look. Now we are waiting for the new cabinetry to be delivered on Monday, then they will stain them (another odorous experience I am sure.). Carpet is to arrive a week from Friday - my first day of school. What timing. Fortunately Bill doesn't begin for another week after that, so he'll be "in charge."