BREATHE, BREATHE

My beautiful BRE is on her way for a trip away from home. Now, last year she went to an amusement park with her best friend, whose Mom I have known for YEARS. This time she is going with 7 other kids (ages 14-18) and one nun. Okay, there will be more people than that. About 22,000. Yeah, 22,000.

BRE is on her way to see Pope Benedict. Yes, it is a the opportunity of a life time. She is, however, the youngest from our parish to be going. She is the youngest from our diocese going with out her parent.

I don't think I am sleeping until she comes home.

I am officially old

Not only is my 47th birthday looming on the horizen, today I had to go on medication for hypertension. For some reason, I was proud of being able to tell DRs that I didn't take meds on a dauly basis. Now I do.
I also have to refrain from taking ibuprofin and benadryl. The latter I can take if I am having a severe reaction, like the kind I get from citrus, but other than that, I have to get some Claritin.
Of course, I have to avoid sun--- and I am Vitamin D deficient.
I feel old.

Stole this from Michelle's blog

1. What is your occupation? teacher
2. What color are your socks right now? No socks
3. What are you listening to right now? national news
4. What was the last thing that you ate? adry frosted miniwheats
5. Can you drive a stick shift? NOPE
6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? green
7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Dad
8. How old are you today? 46
9. Favorite drink? Milk or our wellwater
10. What is your favorite sport to watch? none
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? many times, many colors
12. Pets? Cookie Monster, Holly Dolly and Kiara
13. Favorite food? chocolate
14. What was the last movie you watched? Uh...part of Lion Kin 1 and 1/2
????where is number 15???
16. What do you do to vent anger? plot revenge...elaborate revenge... Don't carry it out, though
17. What was your favorite toy as a child? walking puppy
18. What is your favorite, fall or spring? Fall colors, but I want to see spring
19. Hugs or kisses? Hugs.
20. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberries-but only in muffins
21. Do you want your friends to respond in comments or in their own journals? YEP
22. Who is most likely to respond? Who knows
*** Missing ***
24. Living arrangements? Nice raised ranch with loving DH and 2 girls
*** Missing ***
26. What is on the floor of your closet? a huge pile of stuff
27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Not sure anyone will answer
28. What did you do last night? slept and worried about sick 4 year old
29. Favorite smells? baking chocolate is fun
30. What inspires you? almost everything
*** Missing ***
32. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? cheese
33. Favorite dog breed? mutt
34. How many years at your current job? 8 years at this job, 20years in the profession
35. Favorite place you've ever been? uh...too many to count
36. How many states have you lived in? 1
37. Favorite day of the week? saturday
38. Ever driven motorcycle or heavy machinery? Nope
39. Who's your favorite NFL team? Uh, none
40. Do you have a house phone that is not cordless? yes

New tenure law

I know some people may not agree, but NYS is on the right track on this particular law. An amendment has been added to an education law that makes it impossible to deny a teacher tenure based upon their students' standardized test scores. This is a good thing. No matter how hard I try, I cannot control what my students will do on their test scores.

Keep in mind, a teacher can still be denied tenure with NO CAUSE in NYS. So there is wiggle room for districts.