Thanks for joining me again if you want to join in the fun please go over to Jessica Turner's blog and see some of the other wonderful Project Life's That people are working on. If you read nothing else please read the entire journal entry for Friday, May 28th.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Senior’s Last Day: This is what the principal’s office looked like after the seniors got to it. The principal prides himself for a clean office. So that makes it even better.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Captain Obvious and his sidekick Nitwit: While subbing this is the presence that came into my class. The kid in the cape found both costumes in his locker. He had used them for spirit week in the past. I did get a flat tire today. My dad and a couple of kids went out to try and fix it no such luck. I had to call a tow truck. Not as much fun as you would think. Although the tow truck that came out only charged me $26 for coming out, taking the flat tire off the car, taking the tire back to the shop to fix where the nail had punctured the tire, and returning to put the tire on the car. I was thinking they were going to be jerks and add a bunch of charges that weren’t nessarry. You know the “girl charge” where you automaticly get charged more just for being a girl. Or the “emergency charge” getting charged extra for needing it done now. But none of that was done, PTL!
There are many things that I have learned as a teacher that they did not teach me when I was in college. For instance the first time a student asks you on a date, which now I respond with “July after you graduate!” What about if you are subbing a 2nd grade classroom and one of them pees their pants? Find the nearest paraprofessional they will know exactly what to do. And my personal favorite magic trick is catching a kid chewing tobacco. But you never reveal you secrets on how to do that so you can keep catching that disgusting habit. And I tell them every time I catch one of them that they are breaking my heart and they are eating worms. Eating worms never fazes them.
One of the other things they never teach you is how to say goodbye to kids. I mean you become so invested in their lives, work with them to succeed, cheer them on at their sports event, and celebrate with them when they accomplish something they never thought was possible. Tonight the class of 2010 went from being high school students to high school graduates. Some by the skin of their teeth others taking all Art classes their final semester because they had received all of their credits and where just biding their time. Things will never be the same again for anyone of these kids.
Tonight is a night to celebrate the accomplishments of the class of 2010, but that is not what tonight will be remembered for. Tonight will be remembered for the toughest goodbye of these kid’s lives. On the way to the graduation ceremony a high school junior was killed instantly. No one is releasing details at this point and to be honest I don’t know if I ever want details.
Her name is Debbie or as some people called her “D to the Ebbi.” She was going to be a Christian rapper just like TobyMac. She loved people and people loved her. She took the time to get to know why you were hurting and she listened to your problems. Her greatest fear was that her classmates would never know Jesus the way she did. She told everyone about Jesus. I had the privilege of challenging her on walk her walk with Jesus. I challenged her to pray for those her persecute her, all while assuring her that this was an area I struggled with as well. That my flesh usually took over and I pouted “But I don’t wanna….” She was never getting any condemnation from me just support on this journey, together, because we are all supposed to spur each other on in the Faith.
The first time I met her she was in 8th grade and she had something about her that made her stand out. She did it on purpose and that is what everyone loved about her. Some of her classmates gave her grief about her wacky personality but I think that was because they wanted to be that free and where unable to do so for whatever reason. From the girl I remember in 8th grade to the woman she was becoming I was excited. Excited to see who God was going to turn her into. Excited to see how God was going to use her for his Glory. I was also excited to see that she didn’t make excuses for that passion either.
I have a feeling that D to the Ebbi made the same deal I made with God. That her life was for him to use in any way he needed to show off his Glory. When I made that deal I forgot, or as my mom would say I choose not to remember, that it means death too. So I have no doubt that at the end of this tragedy God is at the beginning of his Glory.
This is my message to D to the Ebbi: Debbie is has been an honor and a privilege to get to know you. You are an amazing young woman whose life was cut way too short. And while I run the spectrum of emotions happy that you have gone home to be with Jesus and sad because I want you here with me, I know that it will only be a blink of an eye before I see you again. And there will be a few people I want to see and hug before I get to you, I do want to find you and hug you and say that it was so worth it. I do think that there will be a long line of people that will want to hug you and tell you how much they missed and loved you. Thank you for being an example to me and to everyone around you, your legacy will be one that will effect generations, simply because you loved.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Spent the day going to 3 open houses and ran into a lot of these kids and at the end of the day this is what grieving kids look like. At this point it had only been 24 hours since they had lost their team mate, classmate and friend. Huddled around and remembering the positive things that she brought to each and every one of their lives. And during the open houses they were happy and celebrating their friends accomplishments but at the end of the day they are still hurting.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Not a very exciting day church and 4 open houses.
Monday, May 31, 2010
