An Unsung Hero

For those of you who sat under the teaching of Miss Ritchey and enjoyed her quick wit and sarcastic sense of humor, I hope this post provokes your thoughts and prayers.

She was hospitalized yesterday. And is not doing well physically. Please say a prayer for her today.

I was remembering the day that I walked into her office to demand an explanation for a C in psychology. I knew that I had gotten B level grades, and I couldn’t figure out why I had been given a C… She told me that I was and A student who gave her B work so my “participation” made it a C. After that I gave all my classes more effort.

As a teacher if I could be half the teacher that she was I would be happy. She was so wise at knowing her students and understanding what was best for them. Notice that I didn’t say what they wanted but what was best for them.

In my classroom is an old-fashioned school desk that will always hold memories for me, because it once belonged to her…

She inspires me and challenges me, and she has shown me what a deep love of God looks like. She is one of those people who have influenced me in my Christian walk. She is too modest to admit how influential she has been in so many lives. But like the Southern Gospel song “Faces” says I think that when the Lord gives her the reward she has earned there will be many faces to watch her receive her crown!

Love you Miss Ritchey!!

Happy Birthday Mom

I've always tried to remember 9/11 not because of any tragic event that changed the world as I knew it, but because it's my mom's birthday... (hopefully I'll post a picture of her after I have supper with them tonight)

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!!

My new toy

I can’t believe it!!!! It’s finally here!!!!! (can you tell I’m excited?)

Now that I have a wireless capable laptop, I’m hoping to blog more. Lol I know promises, promises…

Sorry if I’m bragging but I can’t help it… I’m just a little excited :-)

I'm back...

Wow what a summer! It went way too fast and was way too short! I did take pictures of my farm experience and plan on posting those later this week. For those who haven't heard I got a new cell phone as my old one gave up the ghost and lost all my numbers in the process! It is a very hard thing to have a new phone and no one to text... :-)

Also I'm finally getting a new laptop... My students will no longer hear my cries of dismay as my dinosaur of eight years was playing dead or erasing valuable student grades. It will also make blogging easier, cause I now have wireless! Yipee!!! Well signing off for now. School is on and lots to do today. God has blessed us with another opportunity to work for Him. May I do my best to please Him.

My students can say the funniest things...

Never fear students of mine you shall remain nameless to protect those who are very guilty.... ;-)

The other day I had informed my students that during the last period study hall(held in my homeroom) I would not be accepting questions... I had done nothing but answer questions the previous period (40 mins) and had gotten absolutely nothing done! So they would have to hold on to their questions. "If I get finished with what I need to grade, I'll answer questions." The students got busy with their work... One student anxious for help with some Bible homework, blurted out in the fairly quiet room...

"Miss LaVan, can I have dibs on you..."

Before he realized how that statement might have sounded, the whole class bust out laughing! He got teased for the rest of the day for wanting to call "dibs" on his teacher....

The very next day at the end of the day anticipating going out side (due to having all their homework done) A different student asked me,

"Miss LaVan, can we go out?"

Having been one of the ones who had laughed the hardest the day before, he had to endure being teased for asking his teacher to go out with him...

I told them that what they mean and what others hear/think that they mean are two totally different things... Oh well it made me smile and about 13 others.

My silence

Me, silent, I know it's shocking... but it does happen occasionally... This post is for those of you pestering me to post something... Now maybe you won't tease me about not posting once you see how boring I am... lol To be honest, I haven't had much to say... So much has been going on that I couldn't really talk about, or at least didn't want to talk about on a blog, lol... And really nothing funny has really happen in the last little while that isn't an inside joke that only a few would get...

So what to talk about... Hmmm... Well, I could talk about how glad I am that as of tomorrow I only have a month total of school left... I used to think that only the students were excited about that... But I'm pretty sure that teachers are just as excited if not more so... but why talk about stuff you already know... :-)

I could tell you all about my week of testing... "please make sure that the circles are filled in completely." "When you come to the bottom of page 72 you will see a stop sign. You may check your work on pages 63 through 72 but do not go on to any other pages." Lol boring...

One thing I will say is that God is so good even in the midst of confusion. Lately I have things come my way that I didn't understand and still don't. There are decisions that I will have to make that are serious decisions. Trying to keep up with everyone and my schedule makes my life interesting. But God didn't promise a life of ease, He promised us that He would be with us... And He has been so kind and gracious, and has made Himself so real.

God is good!

Tomorrow I will be turning, well never mind that... But I have been thinking a lot about how far God has brought me in the last nine years. How he has provided for me, and blessed me. Nine years ago this August I decided that I was going to serve God no matter where it took me... It's been so interesting so far, and He has been so good how can I not help but look forward to the next nine years....

A sunny graduation

(He is so going to shoot me for posting this picture... We couldn't get him to smile... Lol)

On Sunday I was privileged to go up to Walsh University to see my bother-in-law graduate from college. He graduated with his bachelor's in business.

Needless to say the day was hot... 90 degrees hot with barely a cloud in the sky... And this freckle faced red head fried... Lol... It was the first burn of the year, and my neck got the worst of it... But it was worth it to see Jer graduate...

Congratulations!!! We are all so proud of you...