Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
His face says it all...
...this is how he looked when I went to pick him up. So sad!!!! He wouldn't even go and play on the playground. He stood next to the steps waiting for me to come back. The drop off this morning was pretty awful so we'll see how today's pick up goes. I'm giving it two weeks and if he still hates it, then there is no point in making him go.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Pres' first day of school
****UPDATE****
Pres did okay at school. Ms. Amanda said that there were a lot of tears. He wasn't too interested in participating, but hopefully that will change.
This morning I dropped off one happy Preston for his first day of school. He didn't even cry and I was so glad for that! I'm not sure I could have left him there if he had been in tears.
We were able to get him into the Mother's Day Out program at Hillcrest Baptist here in Enterprise, Alabama. I had heard wonderful things about the program and was glad when I got the call that they were opening up a third two year old class so they had a spot for Preston. We went last Friday and met his teacher Ms. Amanda. She is very sweet and the classroom in adorable. He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-12:30.
For those of you that don't know, I taught preschool for years (in fact, it lead to me meeting Pete!). My standards because of this are a bit high and I was pleased to find that Hillcrest met them all! I love that Preston will have chapel on Thursdays and get art, library, story, and free play time! It is my hope that he will learn to play well with others (Megan-L will be glad about that!) and have something that belongs to just him. He's been such a great big brother to Ashlyn that he has more than earned something that is all his! This also gives me some time with just Ashlyn and since her big brother is very demanding of my time, this will be good for her as well.
I'll update this afternoon after I pick Pres up from school. I'm also going to try and get some pictures from his classroom. I didn't take any this morning because I wasn't too sure how the drop off would go!
Pres did okay at school. Ms. Amanda said that there were a lot of tears. He wasn't too interested in participating, but hopefully that will change.
This morning I dropped off one happy Preston for his first day of school. He didn't even cry and I was so glad for that! I'm not sure I could have left him there if he had been in tears.
We were able to get him into the Mother's Day Out program at Hillcrest Baptist here in Enterprise, Alabama. I had heard wonderful things about the program and was glad when I got the call that they were opening up a third two year old class so they had a spot for Preston. We went last Friday and met his teacher Ms. Amanda. She is very sweet and the classroom in adorable. He goes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30-12:30.
For those of you that don't know, I taught preschool for years (in fact, it lead to me meeting Pete!). My standards because of this are a bit high and I was pleased to find that Hillcrest met them all! I love that Preston will have chapel on Thursdays and get art, library, story, and free play time! It is my hope that he will learn to play well with others (Megan-L will be glad about that!) and have something that belongs to just him. He's been such a great big brother to Ashlyn that he has more than earned something that is all his! This also gives me some time with just Ashlyn and since her big brother is very demanding of my time, this will be good for her as well.
I'll update this afternoon after I pick Pres up from school. I'm also going to try and get some pictures from his classroom. I didn't take any this morning because I wasn't too sure how the drop off would go!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Maybe I can do this...
In this journey I've taken on of becoming (soon I hope) a psychologist, I have been working and taking classes non-stop. I've been challenged in every way possible and a lot of times have felt as if someone with my type of religious beliefs (being a Christian) does not belong in this field. Every class I take, I have had to challenge what is being taught as normal and go against the flow. I have held steadfast in my convictions and despite all A's I have been discouraged a lot of the time. This semester I had to get into the psychology of human sexuality. I was not looking forward to this class because I knew that once again my views would be the opposite of many of my peers. As we have tackled abortion, sex, divorce, and homosexuality I have respectfully been very different from a lot of my classmates (thank you Chrissy for letting me vent to you about them so that I can be respectful to them!).
Just before this Christmas break I had to assess three scenarios as a therapist might. They were tough and between trying to juggle what the book says, holding on to my values, and getting the format correct I was a big mess that I was going to completely bomb this assignment. I made Pete listen over and over again to what I was going to say (poor man knows more than he ever wanted to about elderly sex). I received my feedback today and was so excited and encouraged that I just had to share!
Here's what Dr. S (my instructor and sex therapist for the past 20 years had to say):
"I thought the paper was well written and you clearly demonstrated qualities of a therapist by outlining how a therapist would address each case. These suggestions were appropriate. I think you have the makings of a budding therapist:). Good job in this section."
So YEAH! There is hope that despite my utter disregard for a lot of the notions of psychology (such as people are generally good...NOT) I can logically and in an educated manner hold onto myself and still make a difference!!!!!
Just before this Christmas break I had to assess three scenarios as a therapist might. They were tough and between trying to juggle what the book says, holding on to my values, and getting the format correct I was a big mess that I was going to completely bomb this assignment. I made Pete listen over and over again to what I was going to say (poor man knows more than he ever wanted to about elderly sex). I received my feedback today and was so excited and encouraged that I just had to share!
Here's what Dr. S (my instructor and sex therapist for the past 20 years had to say):
"I thought the paper was well written and you clearly demonstrated qualities of a therapist by outlining how a therapist would address each case. These suggestions were appropriate. I think you have the makings of a budding therapist:). Good job in this section."
So YEAH! There is hope that despite my utter disregard for a lot of the notions of psychology (such as people are generally good...NOT) I can logically and in an educated manner hold onto myself and still make a difference!!!!!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Is Man good, or is man bad?
I am currently taking this course titled "What is Right with Me." Yikes...I know. I knew from the moment I saw the name on my school page that I was in trouble. This statement alone goes against every principle that I hold dear. For those of you who might not know, I hold dear to my saving grace relationship with Jesus Christ. This means, that there is nothing "right with me" and only by the grace of God am I not living in eternal darkness.
So...I'm in the first week of class and am trying to keep a low profile. I did not originally answer my discussion questions toting my faith as my argument. I used the principles of my faith, but I am well aware that there is a time and place for everything. Apparently my words hit home with some of my classmates. Two of them in fact came at me pretty aggressively. Frankly, for those of you who know me well, I am not one to back down and have terrible "foot in mouth syndrome". When I got the first one, I called Chrissy. She's the person who can reason with me and help me talk out what I want to say. She helped me and sent me on a search to make sure I would not make incorrect assertions.
Our discussion in class this week has been on autonomy and freedom; with this in mind, I was able to find these wonderful words from John Piper (if you don't know him, his website is www.desiringgod.org) and they were powerful. Some don't apply to what I need to do, but I think if you read the whole thing, you can see the point better.
What John Piper Said in Washington, D.C.
Download:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Piper November 24, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was invited to address a noontime forum called "Politics and Principle" in Washington D.C., sponsored by the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship. I thank them publicly here for that privilege. Since they do not tape the event, I promised my listeners that I would make some of my remarks available on the Desiring God website. The following remarks (with a few additions) were my introduction to a lecture on the life and ministry of William Wilberforce which can be read in its original form here.
More than ever since 9/11, Christians in America, and especially Christians in the U.S. government, should make clear that there is a radical distinction between Christianity, on the one hand, and American culture and the American political system, on the other hand. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, atheists, and all other non-Christians need to know this for Christ's sake.
They need to know that Jesus Christ-crucified for sinners, risen from the dead, and reigning as God from heaven today-was accomplishing his purposes, gathering a people for himself from every culture, and building his church before America ever existed, and will be omnipotently doing the same centuries from now, even if America becomes a footnote in world history. Christianity and American culture are radically distinct. It is possible to be a faithful Christian under any regime in the world-and may be easier to be a radical, cross-bearing disciple of Jesus in regimes less prosperous than America.
We should make that clear over and over in these days.
Nevertheless, Christian participation in, and support for, democracy and freedom is rooted in our supreme allegiance to Jesus Christ. This is true in at least two ways.
1. Because Jesus Christ is the only person who can be trusted with absolute power, Christians are very suspicious of any move toward the dictatorship of a sinful man-that is, any man. For the Christian, democracy is not rooted in the wisdom and trustworthiness of self-governing man, but in the sole right of Christ to govern absolutely with his supreme wisdom and trustworthiness, and in the folly, pride, sinfulness, and untrustworthiness of all other men.
C. S. Lewis put it like this in 1943:
I am a democrat [believer in democracy] because I believe in the Fall of Man. I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that every one deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they're not true. . . . I find that they're not true without looking further than myself. I don't deserve a share in governing a hen-roost. Much less a nation. . . . The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters. ("Equality," in C. S. Lewis: Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces, ed. by Lesley Walmsley [London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2000,] p. 666)
2. Because Jesus Christ accepts only uncoerced belief and obedience, Christians reject the use of the sword and the bullet to constrain religious faith, especially Christianity. Jesus said, "This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me" (Matthew 15:8). He also said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting" (John 18:36). Coerced lip-religion is vain. A kingdom built with bullets is not the kingdom of Christ. He alone will build his kingdom in the end, and it will be with the sword of his own mouth, not the sword of our hands (Revelation 19:15, 21).This leads to the position that for the sake of Christ, Christians support freedom and its inevitable correlate, pluralism, in politics and culture. That is, for Christ's sake Christians support the legal protection of many beliefs and behaviors that are anti-Christ.
In summary:
1. For Christ's sake we must radically distinguish Christianity from the American, cultural, political system of democracy and freedom.
2. And for Christ's sake we may support and serve the cause of truth and justice through that system.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Desiring God
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Desiring God.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
So...despite what was so rudely put to me in class, as a Christian, I am able to be a follower of Christ and still stand for American freedom! I only wish I could post this on my class page, but I will refrain. I do find it ironic, that they are accusing me of judgment, yet they were the ones to judge me.
So...I'm in the first week of class and am trying to keep a low profile. I did not originally answer my discussion questions toting my faith as my argument. I used the principles of my faith, but I am well aware that there is a time and place for everything. Apparently my words hit home with some of my classmates. Two of them in fact came at me pretty aggressively. Frankly, for those of you who know me well, I am not one to back down and have terrible "foot in mouth syndrome". When I got the first one, I called Chrissy. She's the person who can reason with me and help me talk out what I want to say. She helped me and sent me on a search to make sure I would not make incorrect assertions.
Our discussion in class this week has been on autonomy and freedom; with this in mind, I was able to find these wonderful words from John Piper (if you don't know him, his website is www.desiringgod.org) and they were powerful. Some don't apply to what I need to do, but I think if you read the whole thing, you can see the point better.
What John Piper Said in Washington, D.C.
Download:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By John Piper November 24, 2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was invited to address a noontime forum called "Politics and Principle" in Washington D.C., sponsored by the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship. I thank them publicly here for that privilege. Since they do not tape the event, I promised my listeners that I would make some of my remarks available on the Desiring God website. The following remarks (with a few additions) were my introduction to a lecture on the life and ministry of William Wilberforce which can be read in its original form here.
More than ever since 9/11, Christians in America, and especially Christians in the U.S. government, should make clear that there is a radical distinction between Christianity, on the one hand, and American culture and the American political system, on the other hand. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, atheists, and all other non-Christians need to know this for Christ's sake.
They need to know that Jesus Christ-crucified for sinners, risen from the dead, and reigning as God from heaven today-was accomplishing his purposes, gathering a people for himself from every culture, and building his church before America ever existed, and will be omnipotently doing the same centuries from now, even if America becomes a footnote in world history. Christianity and American culture are radically distinct. It is possible to be a faithful Christian under any regime in the world-and may be easier to be a radical, cross-bearing disciple of Jesus in regimes less prosperous than America.
We should make that clear over and over in these days.
Nevertheless, Christian participation in, and support for, democracy and freedom is rooted in our supreme allegiance to Jesus Christ. This is true in at least two ways.
1. Because Jesus Christ is the only person who can be trusted with absolute power, Christians are very suspicious of any move toward the dictatorship of a sinful man-that is, any man. For the Christian, democracy is not rooted in the wisdom and trustworthiness of self-governing man, but in the sole right of Christ to govern absolutely with his supreme wisdom and trustworthiness, and in the folly, pride, sinfulness, and untrustworthiness of all other men.
C. S. Lewis put it like this in 1943:
I am a democrat [believer in democracy] because I believe in the Fall of Man. I think most people are democrats for the opposite reason. A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that every one deserved a share in the government. The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they're not true. . . . I find that they're not true without looking further than myself. I don't deserve a share in governing a hen-roost. Much less a nation. . . . The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows. Aristotle said that some people were only fit to be slaves. I do not contradict him. But I reject slavery because I see no men fit to be masters. ("Equality," in C. S. Lewis: Essay Collection and Other Short Pieces, ed. by Lesley Walmsley [London: HarperCollins Publishers, 2000,] p. 666)
2. Because Jesus Christ accepts only uncoerced belief and obedience, Christians reject the use of the sword and the bullet to constrain religious faith, especially Christianity. Jesus said, "This people honors me with their lips but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me" (Matthew 15:8). He also said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting" (John 18:36). Coerced lip-religion is vain. A kingdom built with bullets is not the kingdom of Christ. He alone will build his kingdom in the end, and it will be with the sword of his own mouth, not the sword of our hands (Revelation 19:15, 21).This leads to the position that for the sake of Christ, Christians support freedom and its inevitable correlate, pluralism, in politics and culture. That is, for Christ's sake Christians support the legal protection of many beliefs and behaviors that are anti-Christ.
In summary:
1. For Christ's sake we must radically distinguish Christianity from the American, cultural, political system of democracy and freedom.
2. And for Christ's sake we may support and serve the cause of truth and justice through that system.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Desiring God
Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be approved by Desiring God.
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
So...despite what was so rudely put to me in class, as a Christian, I am able to be a follower of Christ and still stand for American freedom! I only wish I could post this on my class page, but I will refrain. I do find it ironic, that they are accusing me of judgment, yet they were the ones to judge me.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Apples, "Na-na-na's", and Algebra?!
It's been a crazy transition the past few days. Pres has gone into this ALL FRUIT ALL OF THE TIME phase and I've been up to my eyeballs in the wonderful diaper related consequences of tons of fiber!
His favorite fruits right now are apples and bananas.
(Side note here...has anyone every had a crooked apple core?!)
I keep a bowl on the counter that has fruit in it. Pres has taken to walking in the kitchen and pointing up towards the bowl. If he wants a banana, he'll say "Na-NAAAN-Na". It is really one of the cutest things. I will always repeat the word back to him correctly, and he gives me this tolerant grin that seems to tell me: "Duh mom, that's what I just said!."
He is talking up a storm and will phonetically pronounce certain words. We'll say words to him like truck as "t, t, t, T-ruck, k, k" So now he will either say "t, t, truck" or truck, k, k"! It's all very cute and Pete and I have been joking that we should go a little easier on the pronunciation! He's only 14 months old and he'll get it as long as we don't speak back to him in baby talk.
Here's a pic of my little talker as he is being naughty with daddy's stapler. I love this, "what, I'm not doing anything wrong" look!
Here are some (I'm bound to forget as he is firing them off lately) of his new words-mainly the ones that he's super cute about:
tight (this is my favorite right now, it comes from his finger book and he will bunch his hands in a fist and grunt "tiiiiiiiight"
banana (nanana)
daddy
train (this comes from his OBSESSION with Thomas the Tank Engine)
truck
pig
nose
feet
His favorite game right now is chase. He wants you to run after him and scoop him up, then immediately put him down and repeat. This is his favorite, we get out of the car and he runs to a neighbor's doorway!
This game is fun at home, but not so much in public. Yesterday at Walgreen's he took off out the door as I was paying. I think the old lady checking me out almost had a heart attack as I continued to pay. (He won't keep running unless I am chasing.) I told her this, but she gave me a look like I must be some negligent mother. I always want to tell these people that give you looks, that I have a strong willed child. I must choose my battles carefully because some days EVERYTHING is a battle. I can't do that so I simply must smile and quickly grab my child before he gets too far.
Now onto the Algebra. In my attempt to work on a whole different degree, I was given some bad news transcript wise. For my new degree, College Math and Trig, and did I mention the TWO Statistics classes I've taken, do not count. (WHAT!!!!) Seriously. Here I am having to take Algebra 1 & 2. It's been so many years since I've had to do this math that I am lost a little! I somewhat snootily informed my professor that as an adult, I am WELL aware that I do not need this class to work with clients. He then, in the same tone, reminded me that however true that is, in order to get the DEGREE to treat the clients, I must take these classes! Touche and score one for the boring math professor! Did I mention I think I'm going to really like this prof?!! Other than this little hitch, things are going very well. In 18 months, I will have my Master's in Psychology and be able to work with people. I am focusing on military families and post traumatic stress syndrome (shocker...I know) and am really looking forward to being able to take my personal experience and knowledge to make a difference. Keep me in your prayers as the work is getting harder, I am doing accelerated classes, and we are about to have a whole new life in 4 months!
His favorite fruits right now are apples and bananas.
(Side note here...has anyone every had a crooked apple core?!)I keep a bowl on the counter that has fruit in it. Pres has taken to walking in the kitchen and pointing up towards the bowl. If he wants a banana, he'll say "Na-NAAAN-Na". It is really one of the cutest things. I will always repeat the word back to him correctly, and he gives me this tolerant grin that seems to tell me: "Duh mom, that's what I just said!."
He is talking up a storm and will phonetically pronounce certain words. We'll say words to him like truck as "t, t, t, T-ruck, k, k" So now he will either say "t, t, truck" or truck, k, k"! It's all very cute and Pete and I have been joking that we should go a little easier on the pronunciation! He's only 14 months old and he'll get it as long as we don't speak back to him in baby talk.
Here's a pic of my little talker as he is being naughty with daddy's stapler. I love this, "what, I'm not doing anything wrong" look!
Here are some (I'm bound to forget as he is firing them off lately) of his new words-mainly the ones that he's super cute about:
tight (this is my favorite right now, it comes from his finger book and he will bunch his hands in a fist and grunt "tiiiiiiiight"
banana (nanana)
daddy
train (this comes from his OBSESSION with Thomas the Tank Engine)
truck
pig
nose
feet
His favorite game right now is chase. He wants you to run after him and scoop him up, then immediately put him down and repeat. This is his favorite, we get out of the car and he runs to a neighbor's doorway!
This game is fun at home, but not so much in public. Yesterday at Walgreen's he took off out the door as I was paying. I think the old lady checking me out almost had a heart attack as I continued to pay. (He won't keep running unless I am chasing.) I told her this, but she gave me a look like I must be some negligent mother. I always want to tell these people that give you looks, that I have a strong willed child. I must choose my battles carefully because some days EVERYTHING is a battle. I can't do that so I simply must smile and quickly grab my child before he gets too far.
Now onto the Algebra. In my attempt to work on a whole different degree, I was given some bad news transcript wise. For my new degree, College Math and Trig, and did I mention the TWO Statistics classes I've taken, do not count. (WHAT!!!!) Seriously. Here I am having to take Algebra 1 & 2. It's been so many years since I've had to do this math that I am lost a little! I somewhat snootily informed my professor that as an adult, I am WELL aware that I do not need this class to work with clients. He then, in the same tone, reminded me that however true that is, in order to get the DEGREE to treat the clients, I must take these classes! Touche and score one for the boring math professor! Did I mention I think I'm going to really like this prof?!! Other than this little hitch, things are going very well. In 18 months, I will have my Master's in Psychology and be able to work with people. I am focusing on military families and post traumatic stress syndrome (shocker...I know) and am really looking forward to being able to take my personal experience and knowledge to make a difference. Keep me in your prayers as the work is getting harder, I am doing accelerated classes, and we are about to have a whole new life in 4 months!
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