March 6 2011

This week as been interesting.  On Monday I taught at Mountain Range and can I just say I am so glad Kellie isn’t there anymore! I know she would beg to differ, but the language at the school curdles my blood. Honestly, of all the high schools I sub at, it is the worst for language. 

In one class I over hear a conversation during work time and sit in on it and ask the boy to start at the beginning.  He tells of being shot in the arm while out with his gang banger cousin.  His father, not wanting to take him to the hospital, lines up shots of tequila and makes him take them and then digs the bullet out of his arm.  He has a nice scar. His dad buys him and his buddies keggers for the weekend. I know this goes on in other High Schools too.  The kicker was this kid was about 6’5” and totally a gentle giant.  As we talked in a group, one student asked me if I was religious. I said yes and we started talking about religion and how I act different. He asked if I was going to be teaching there again soon.

As a matter of fact, I taught there the next day. During passing period I was standing out in the hall when one girl jumped another, which began this huge girl fight. I was the only adult and I couldn’t get these 2 girls apart or to stop. I remember being a lot stronger (:  I was yelling for another adult and after what seemed like 3 minutes a campus security guy comes flying through the ring of onlookers (who are filming the fight-thank you very much) and slams one girl up against the lockers, breaking her hold.  I still had to hold the other girl back.  MY GOSH.  These kids had no shame.

Just after class starts and I take attendance, the fire alarm goes off.  Well, at least it wasn’t raining. The 6’5” boy stands next to me and asks me if I’m OK as he’d seen the fight and thought I’d been hit. (I wasn’t.) We talked all about being offended and how this easily could have been avoided if one person could have swallowed their pride and chosen not to be offended.  I swear pride is the root of all evils. Then I got pulled from class to fill out a police report and talk to admin.

In my next class kids are saying how the one girl planned it, so I call admin and they are pulling kids out of class to get statements. GEEsh.  I took the rest of the week off.  I went to the Chiropractor as my hip was out.  Crazy thing.  I also got a massage and my masseuse ‘used to be Mormon’. I think this is A.K.A I was raised Mormon but chose to go a different path. We talked about a ton of things and she complimented me on being able to keep my kids in the church. That got us on to personal testimony/revelation. This was the second time I’ve been naked and borne my testimony about the Book of Mormon and the gospel. (:

April 23 we have stake conference and L.Tom Perry is coming.  I think they may split the stake which would make me very sad.  I love President Johnson.  Jim is shaking in his boots.  He says it was bad enough to be called to the High Council, and now he has to be interviewed by an apostle.  Next weekend he flies to Dallas to attend the sealing of his friend Layne Mullin. It’s been some 30 years in the making and Jim has been an integral part of his coming back to activity and preparing to go to the temple. Jim is so real and connects with people on so many different levels. He is one big cream puff. Crusty on the outside and filled with goodness inside.

Nursery today was out of control. We had 18 kiddos- all under 3. Five who were screaming at the top of their lungs and inconsolable. I was short 2 people so I went into Primary and asked for help. I think the presidency member who came in will relay exactly what today’s experience was like.  She told me she told the Bishopric they needed to come in for the first 10 minutes of Nursery next week. I need 2 more people and she is convinced that if they could experience what it is like, Nursery would be staffed ASAP. We need to split and we need people called to do that.

Jamie is doing awesome. It's hard, but she is happy. It is brrrrr freezing there.