Klep is cool with end of May.

Um...why does our blog look different? I'm not sure I like it...I can't find the buttons! Is anyone else having that problem? Maybe it's just my computer.



Sorry I've been a stranger...not much to say: school, volleyball, school, reading Harry Potter and loving it - does that spark any controversy?, school, and did I mention school?



Actually, Eric and I flew out to TX last weekend to see my brother Rory's graduation from ENJJPT (EuroNato Joint Jet Pilot Training) - along with my whole family. It's a very prestigious fighter pilot school and it seriously was like being in 'Top Gun'!! Rory got his assignment and he'll be flying the F15-E Strike Eagle. Darn sweet. Good weekend; we are all very proud. It's interesting to see how we all are turning out to be; Rory I know still believes in God but really doesn't want much to do with Him. Also, he and Mom had a issue in high school and I think he still harbors some resentment towards her for it...and it still shows which is sad when we all get together. He comes off as a major conceited ass (I guess it comes with the fighter pilot territory somewhat) sometimes, but I know deep down he still wants our approval really bad and it meant tons to him that we spent a lot of money to fly out there and see his big day.



Daniel is graduating from the Academy in May and we're driving out for that...had to save up for this year! He is also going to a fighter pilot school in the fall in Columbus, GA. Rory may be going to North Carolina to learn how to fly his plane; and it looks like East may try to go active in the Marines (instead of reserves) and may end up in North Carolina as well. So, I told my parents they needed to retire in Tennessee since we're all here except Molly now.



And there's Molly... :) Not sure what she wants to be - she says psychologist but I think she's a teacher of small children through and through. She'll figure it out. She's got a boyfriend and working at the YMCA and going to college (entirely via the internet - we'll see how long she thinks that was a brilliant idea). I think we're getting closer as we get older, which is cool.



Hmmm...no fun stories of children that are my own, but I do spend 6 hours a day with 12 year olds and i really really enjoy them!!



1. Yesterday I found a cigarette in the girls bathroom (unsmoked) and a student named Jessica said she knew whose it was. Today in fourth period, another student knocks on my door and says "Jessica's in the bathroom and she said to come get you - it's an emergency." I go in and Jessica's bawling and says she was up all night (we all were wondering why she literally was sleeping in all our classes) because she was so upset...she confessed to being the one who had the cigarette and said she had to tell me because she felt so guilty. I hugged her - her family totally does nothing for her and I suspect she's abused in numerous ways. Then of course we had to 'deal' with the issue.



2. We read an article about the underage drinking law and they had to write about their opinion of it. One particulary sheltered student wrote, ""I think American soldiers should be trusted with beer with the exeption that they can only drink 3 bottles. They can't drink it before and when they ride in their tanks...but they might win a battle or war and want to celebrate. If they don't get to drink, they will feel left out and might quit the army."



3. This is the same student who wrote in response to a sentence in that article about how one effect of binge drinking is underage pregnancy "You can become pregnant from sex?" !!?!



4. Apparently, to "irrigate" means to get on people's nerves according to Edward in 5th period.



I don't have much to add to the current issue Liz has brought up besides that I have totally felt that same way around those kinds of people - the gal Rory used to date being one of them. Totally not Christian, but spunky and gorgeous and had everything going for her. I wasn't sure deep down if I was 'cool enough' for her if I just acted like myself and sometimes I even struggle like this with Rory. He's got a sweet car, a sweet job, handsome, lives in a sweet house, has no student loans...and here's me and Eric - haven't bought a new piece of clothing except maybe once in the last four or five months, live on a budget, work with children which is the antithesis of glamorous, and just wondering how we're ever going to pay off our debt and maybe not live in an apartment our entire lives.



I struggle at school because I see children every day whose lives are in shambles and their parents don't care enough to help them. I'm on the phone with parents constantly, "Have you gotten your child to a doctor yet?" "Have you found a time to come in and conference?" and they say, "well, no, his doctor just can't get him in for two months, so..." I mean, if my child may possibly have a learning disability or ADD that's causing him to have straight F's, I'm pretty sure I'd be driving up and down the road and dragging him into every doctor until someone would see him and give me a diagnosis. I mean, duh!


And I so desperately want to share some truth with these mothers and children...but I don't know how to ride the line since I am employed by the state and I'm really not 'allowed' to say much. ?

Everytime I get on this blog, I am cracking up and reading everything to Eric and we crack up together. I have such great friends and I love hearing it all.
You're all in my prayers - klep

OOOOHHHHH!!! Byrd...when I read #7 on the list I was ranting to ERic for like five minutes - I can't believe he reads our blog!! I've said some personal stuff! Mr. Robinette!!?? What? and then i read #8 and cracked up. wow, you'd think we all spent some pretty major years of our lives together or something to know each other this well . :) (really, I don't care too much! I love Ryan, too!)