Congratulations to my big little brother Justin on his graduation from high school last night.. We're all so very proud of him. For your viewing pleasure, I've posted a picture taken last night of the happy grad and his family.. from left to right: Myself, Justin, grandma, my sister Ashley. Way to go bubba!

Can you look at these two and deny that they are the most adorable little boys in the world? Look at those eyes!

I've been taking a lot of pictures with my father's digital camera while I have the chance... Once I figure out how to put a picture in here, I'll be sure to share some with you... ::ponder:: Ah! Thanks for the help zanny.. She's so smart!

Shiloh in heaven with her new toys ! 20 tennis balls for $4.47 at Wal*Mart. Did I mention I love that store? The yellow tennis balls even have smiley faces on them... which you can't see from the pic.

Live, from Eustis Florida!

As I stepped off the plane into the little loading dock tunnel, I felt my first blast of heat from the Florida sunshine, and it was wonderful. Humidity without a humidifier! And all the sun you could ever desire.

Yesterday upon reaching Eustis via Orlando, I travelled a little farther to visit Trent and Jake, and help put together their swing set. The babies were as dirty as little piggies can be (that's what happens when you live in the sticks and have all this clean country dirt to play in.. nature's sandbox) and they were so happy to see me, as I was to see them. They showed me all their puppies, and their cows named, Mavis, Agnus, and Brownie.... and we "winged" for two hours... well, they "winged" and I got to push them on the "wing".

When the afternoon thunderstorm arrived, we packed up, came back home where I spent some time with the parents and siblings and their friends. I watched my brother's baseball game on tv, and finally collapsed in a heap on the dreaded couch bed around 1am.

Today has also been eventful. I went to Wal*Mart (the greatest store on Earth) and purchased lots of No Boundaries summer clothes. I love that brand so much, but can never find them in NY. I even got a cool pair of sandals for ::drumroll:: $6.83. Rolling back those prices. Score.

This evening's agenda. A celebration cookout for the families belonging to the baseball team's players. That should be fun. Always good to have something to do.

More to come.

For those of you who don't know me well, I am the worlds biggest baseball fan for one man. My little brother, whom we fondly call Bubba (I couldn't say brother when he was born) is the best baseball player I have ever met. And tonight, he and his team, the Eustis Panthers, won their second state championship title in four years. My brother, No. 4, the utility man, is my hero today. Look for him two years from now in the MLB draft.

Bub, you were born to play this game. Congratulations! We love you :-) Great job tonight.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/photo/2003-05/7890847.jpg

I've been doing some thinking about today's society, and the environment in which we all live. And upon these thoughts I have reached the conclusion that we need a lot more fantasy and a lot less reality in this world. This may be why large groups of people find so many different ways to mentally detach themselves from this place at every chance they get.

Upon much consideration, I have decided that I am going to move to Lothlorien. Yes. The elven city in the trees in Lord of the Rings. I know this sounds a little far-fetched, and there are pros and cons... Let’s discuss a few, shall we?

Issues of concern:
1. I am not incredibly fond of bugs (especially spiders), which live in trees. Now I'm not sure how the elves of Lothlorien deal with this aspect of their living situation, but something tells me they either have it under control, or they just don't mind sharing their space with nature's creatures.
2. And let’s not forget the snakes... I'd have to have an elven male near my side at all times so he could remove the crawly things in a respectable manner that would not offend any of my fellow tree mates.
3. I am very clumsy. Climbing through trees could prove to be incredibly dangerous for one such as myself. Maybe the elves have a class to teach new tenants the skill of dexterity. But in the instance that I did fall, crashing through the trees, there is sure to be a healer on hand to nurse me back to health in no time.

Positive aspects:
1. Tranquility. I don't know about you, but being given the chance to exist in a world that is untouched by outside forces outweighs any negative aspect I can think of currently. Even in the midst of a war, the people of Lothlorien, although very concerned for the world, still seemed untouchable in their little hideaway. Safe and sound and tucked out of harms way (thanks to the amazing elven archers who would be receiving well-deserved chocolate chip lembas cookies for their hard work on a regular basis).
2. The elven language. You know, there's just something about it that drives me wild. It sounds so musical, and romantic. Do you think Aragorn would drop by for a visit and a lesson in the language often? Mmm.
3. Ever-present music from the trees. Did you notice that there was continuous music emanating from the treetops through the entire scene? The lament that was being sung was the most enchanting music I have ever heard. It just goes to show that you don't have to understand the words for it to touch your heart. Music is, after all, the universal language.
4. Personalities of the elves in general. I have never known a race so concerned with the welfare of mankind (for lack of a better word) than these people. They seemed so honest, understanding, sympathetic, and caring. What more can you ask for?
5. Beautiful surroundings. I would give up living in an apartment or a house to live in Lothlorien in a second. I'm sure I would get used to the inconvenience of it all (see above). Think about it, flowers to look at whenever you please, sleeping with the cool breeze blowing across your skin, having all those beautiful waterfalls everywhere.

Where do I sign up?

Monday Monday. They told me in my education courses in college that I'd have to deal with the parents of my students, but I didn't really understand how troublesome this can be until I had to go through the process. I have several children in my class who are serious behavior problems. You know the ones, can't sit still, refuse to listen to their teachers, are way behind the rest of the students academically, and require most of the teacher's attention all day long in order to stay on task. One of my student’s mothers is under the belief that her child can do no wrong, and should never be scolded under any circumstances. Not in my class. You take something that doesn't belong to you, get told to put it back, take it anyway, and you get into trouble. That's how life works. Kids will be kids, you know. The thing that bothers me the most is that the mother heard the discussion I had with the child, listened as I told him to put back what he took, and still let him walk out of the classroom with it, laughing like it was humorous. Well, what a wonderful lesson to teach your child.

There was so much more to this story, but seeing as how I've told it about twenty times today already, I wanted to keep it short. It got me a trip to the director’s office, though, after I discovered that the mother is not only a thief, but a liar as well. In the end, I was the believable one, for my character does not need defending. It's a terrible thing that she has this attitude towards her child's teachers. Having the brains God gave a goose, she will never even begin to grasp the tiniest bit of what we do for and mean to those children on a daily basis. I don't yell. I don't even raise my voice, but I will tell a child when he/she is out of line, and help them to learn a lesson from their mistake, as any good teacher should do. And any good parent for that matter. (*ahem*)

On a brighter note, all of the fish in my classroom tank made it through their first weekend alive and well. I hope they're still alive when I get back from my week in Florida. I still have a few days to nurture them. Only time will tell.

News from the other side of the planet. I got to speak with my friend Jason today who is a Marine stationed in Iraq. It's been two months since I heard anything from him and I was beginning to worry whether he'd made it through the storm or not, but it seems as though he's alive, and very bored. Jason and I grew up together, for those of you who don't know. Our parents went to the prom together; his aunt is my godmother. It's a twisted situation. At any rate it was wonderful hearing from him, and who knows, he may even get the chance to visit me here in the city when he gets back to the states.

I find it interesting that the people I was closest to growing up all left the state of Florida after we graduated from high school and/or college as the case may be. Eustis is a great place to grow up in, but it doesn't leave much room for exploration. Sometimes you just have to put your adventuring shoes on and see where they lead you. I know just how Bilbo felt.

I ventured into the city with big brother Matthew today. One of those weekend I need to get out of the house and spend money trips. My purpose for the trip was to pick up the Yo Yo Ma/Bobby McFerrin cd called 'Hush'. I recently watched a show on PBS featuring both of the musicians, and after hearing a few of the pieces on the cd, I knew it was worth buying. There's something to be said about listening to a person speak who is driven by the same love that you find in your own heart. Just by listening, you share a soul for a moment, and it is as if someone else understands you to the core of your being. That's hard to come by.

I also picked up The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I enjoy visiting alternate worlds.

As you may or may not be aware, I could possibly be the least graceful person you have ever encountered. If I had a dime for each time I heard a family member mutter "way to go, Grace" I could pay off all my student loans and still have enough money left over for a trip to Disney World. My mother coined the term probably near twenty-two years ago, about the time I learned to walk, which is when I also learned to trip over things. Take today for example.

A few weeks ago I set up a fish tank in my classroom (currently teaching pre-K at a community center). I finally went out and bought fish for the kids today, and was putting the finishing touches on the tank. Now, let me explain the situation in the room. Packed into a room the size of a shoe box, are over twenty children sound asleep on their beds. As graceful as Grace can be I was carrying a large bowl (it held more liquid than I thought it did much to my dismay) of water from the tank. Of course, I ended up spilling some on the floor.

Now as we all know, wet floors and sneakers don't mix. The funny thing is, as I'm walking across the room to empty the water into the sink, I think to myself, 'Now Amy, be careful. The floor is very slippery.' and no sooner had this thought crossed my mind, than I felt the pain of my knees hitting the floor, the bowl slamming against the tile, and the surprise of a wave of fish tank water drench my shirt, and a rush of water cascade down the wall. If those children hadn't been there, I would have had a few choice words to mutter myself. The fish are still alive... does that count?

Oh the madness doesn't end there!

Later in the day I ended up dropping a small milk carton (the ones the children drink at lunch) onto a student's head... he's fine, no worries. 4-year-old boys are tough. And to top it all off, I knocked at least 4 boxes of cereal onto the floor during my grocery shopping excursion. I honestly don't know how I have managed to come this far in life with no broken bones.

I made it a point to stay away from the dishes tonight. Welcome to my world. You can stop laughing now.

Greetings!

A day in the life of Grace is a weblog created by...drumroll... me. It is here to ensure my sanity, but most importantly for your entertainment. More to come soon.