Coffee....

This aftenoon I went to the coffee club with my dear friend Peta and Mandy, Pam and Leonie. It was great to catch up with Peta, and to hear her tell the girls what she has been up to over her first 5 weeks with Cath. Ed. I can't beleive she still hasn't worked with any children yet! Of course it wasn't very long before we started talking school... What's happening with.... Is .... The questions went on and on. Why is it we can never stop talking school. I'm making a promise to myself that the next time we go for coffee in about a month's time I am not going to even mention school. Do you think I'll be able to do this?????

Any way thanks for a lovely afternoon tea girls! My class is very challenging and I miss working with you Peta... Working so closely with you was definately a highlight in my career. Cath Ed is so lucky to have gained such a wonderful, caring person!

6 days away from home!

For those of you who don't already know, I have been stuck in the hospital with my very sick child Tara. Just look at her -

And this is 3 days after her operation. Tara was sick on Thursday night, with the same sort of pain she has been exhibiting for the last few months where she would wake in the middle of the night with a belly ache and the feeling that she was going to vomit. Considering her age I put it down to maybe the beginning stages of getting her period. However when the pain didn't go away Ardal took her to the hospital. They did a urine sample and dicovered she had blood and protein in her urine. They did blood tests and gave her pain relief. By morning she was feeling sick but o.k. so was sent home. She didn't want to go home she wanted to go to school sooff to school goes Tara. By 10am she was ill again and came to my room and feel asleep under my desk. It was Liam's birthday so we had our family dinner, but Tara slept through it. She woke at 8pm and asked for a cheese sandwich. She only managed a bite of the crust before she started vomiting. Ardal insisted that I take her back to the hospital but I was reluctant as  Ardal had been the night before. So when she continued vomiting and crying and the time was 1am I thought I better take her.

As soon as we saw the doctor the surgeon was called and preparation started for Tara's appendicectomy. She was tortured as they put 2 drips in, and a cathetar (excrutiating to watch my baby girl having this done after all our talks about private parts). Tara was screaming in pain despite the morphine.

After the operation Tara has taken a very long time to recover. Temps still happening now 6 days later despite 3 different antibiotics. Today she was discharged and I have a discharge summary that states she had a 3mm perforation in her appendix and that she had acute gangrenous appendicitis. They had told me they were bad but that they didn't perforate, but now I have the results to see for myself.

I need to say a special thank you to AUNTY PETA! Peta sat with me each night and made sure Tara had everything she needed including some beautiful new p.j's. She also made sure that I was eating and drinking. She also took Declan out with her for a whole day. Declan loved it.Thanks Peta!

The most devastating news for Tara is that she can't dance for 6 weeks!!!! She will miss two competitions and grade exams. However I have already seen her dancing with her hands.

Tara's war wounds!

I'm so tired and feeling so alone!

I have never felt so worn out as I am at the moment. I come home and all I want to do is sleep. Tonight is dancing night and I opted not to go (so I really am tired).
The majority of my class is wonderful while there are a few that really need some moulding. Here I am at the same school as my friend Kristie, yet I never get the chance to talk with her. The fact that I'm teaching year 1 but am not in the same block as the other year 1 teachers is another isolation. I stood on parade this morning and reflected on the fact that I am one of the long timers now left at Caboolture East. This is my 8th year there. I am now being asked to present info for the initiation of the new teachers. I miss all of you, probably way more than you guys miss me.

I look at my class and Peta comes straight to mind. I look into the faces of some of my precious little students and know that they were placed in my class so that Peta and I could spend another year together. Oh, how I miss my dear friend Peta!

I hope I never have to use it!

Second day of PFD was definately a worthwhile Agenda. After a brief meeting, teachers were able to work in their classrooms until 12.30pm. Andrea, Peta, Jessica (Peta's replacement) and I sat down to decide on when we wanted Jessica to work in our rooms and when we would have our teacher aide (Pam). We also have a special ed teacher named Gaye. She is deaf and has an interpreter. She will be working with us as an extra teacher for 5 weeks. So once again that means lots of people in and out of my room, at least for the first 5 weeks.

While we had that time in our rooms I didn't get much in setup done because there was always someone that needed some information from me. I mean to say it is like over 1/2 the early phase teachers are  new. We have 2 new teachers in Prep, and new teacher in year 1 and one in year 2, 1 in year 3. We also have 2 new special ed teachers. But you all know how much I love being helpful, so I have been sharing planning, resources, smartboard activities, offering to help people set up virtual classrooms. So feel free to ask me for anything that you think I could help you with!

I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon session. We were trained in CPR. The presenter was very funny and entertaining. I found it very easy to remember with lots of acronyms. DRABCD - Danger, response, airways, breathing, compressions, defibulator. Easy 2 breaths, 30 compressions for any size person, no more different rates and ratios for different sized/aged people. Makes it so easy - But I really hope I never have to use it. However I would if someone needed my help!

Take care everyone. I'm looking forward to a day of FIRST STEPS IN MATHS - NUMBER tomorrow.

The end is in sight

Once again I headed into my classroom. When I arrived I couldn't beleive that the vinyl was down but the carpet was still pulled back. I thought that another day was wasted. Then the carpet guy turned up and fixed my end of the block. Followed by Dave coming in. He couldn't believe that the concertina doors were lying in the middle of my room. He promptly moved them out and then offered to move my furniture to where I wanted it. Thanks Dave!

My room is beginning to look like a classroom. I went to Kim and asked her if I could do some photocopying. She said yes, so I copied all of the pages for my sight word booklets, my first 3 sight word lists (flashcards -ready to perforate) and my homework for the first term. I feel so organised. Then Kim came and told me that the carpet in my block will be cleaned on Friday! Oh no, I just set up. Now I need to move everything except the big things back off the carpet. But it is worth the clean carpet as it is pretty filthy.

Here are my sight word booklets all bound and the back page in the school colours!

Our little friend was back again tonight. Very friendly and even does my headlice check for me! He is so young, his fur is fluffy and soft!

Surprise Visitor

Wow, what is all that commotion? Tara screaming and Liam yelling and running to try to get into the house. What on earth is going on? Then I see this baby possum trying to grab onto Liam's leg. Liam had long pants on and this little possum was determined  to climb Liam's legs.

We managed to convince Liam to stand still. The little possum climbed up his leg and tried to wrap his arms around Liam bottom. Liam freaked and the possum jumped over to Ardal and nibbled on a carrot until Tara the big brave girl, grabbed a towel and covered the possum. She picked him up and carried him out to a tree.

Now, I can come out of my room. I was hiding behind the door watching from a safe distance. I grabbed my camera and took some photos of our cute visitor.

What do you think? Is he cute?

Here he is hanging by his tail enjoying the carrot we used to coax him, so Tara could carry him outside.

Sea of purple!

Today Jessica was laid to rest. It was an absolutely beautiful service. We were asked to wear something purple as that is Jessica's favourite colour. There were well over a 1000 people present so the chapel was overflowing and as we walked to the gravesite, there was a beautiful sea of purple. My heart goes out to Janelle and Greg and I know I can not fathom the pain they must be experiencing. I know that losing one of my precious children would be unbearable. Butterflies were released as Jess was lowered into the ground.

May you rest in peace Jess!