Live from the Band Room

That's right we are live from the band room today. I thought I take a short break and blog while I'm enjoying my lunch. It has been an interesting start to the second semester and I'm not quite sure what to think yet. My younger students are behaving like older students should and the older students seem to have reverted back to early childhood. Only in a middle school classroom do you see this phenomenon!
Really what I wanted to blog about was one of my classes this morning. A student asked if she could as another student a math question. Being the smartypants that I am I told her no but she could ask me. She politely said I wouldn't understand the problem. I informed her I did teach math and suddenly I had a line of students wanting to ask questions about their math homework...in band class.
After I made that comment another student yells out, "You use to be a math teacher AND a preacher? What haven't you done?" That led to a discussion about how I still teach at church. The students had a thousand questions about that. I told them about GSM and they asked more questions. One student who had come last year went on for about 10 minutes about how much they loved DC Curry. So I just invited them all to come on Sunday. I loved the entire conversation and didn't even care that we didn't get much accomplished.
STRAIGHT FROM THE MOUTHS OF MY STUDENTS:
"What do you preach about?" (Hmmm...let me tell you about Jesus!)
"What kind of preacher are you?"
"When you preach are you filled with the Holy Ghost and bust it out on your trumpet?" (the student then tried to act it out)
"No she probably goes to town on the piano. (again student acts it out)
"One time our preacher said he was filled with the Holy Ghost and he started shaking on the ground. That ain't no Holy Spirit. That's a seizure!"
"I would come to your church Miss Koutz but I don't know where it is and I like mine." (I was sure to encourage that student to keep attending their church!)
"Wait so you are telling me you preach at Oasis?! No way!"

Cora is here!!!!

Let me introduce you to my new niece, Cora Marilyn or Cora Mae as she is being called. She was born this morning at 6:03 (CST) weighing an incredible 7 lbs 10 oz and measuring 20 inches long. As far as I can remember that is by far the biggest baby in our family. And her mommy happens to be one of the smallest.

Lois is doing very well. There was a short scare an hour or so afterward where she almost passed out but all is well now. I just talked with her and she sounds great. I got to talk to Cora as well and she smiled! I have a feeling it was a bit of a laugh too as she decided to come the day after I was back in Indiana.

This is the only picture I have right now. Obviously it was taken with a cell phone so the quality isn't great. Anna said she isn't very fond of having her picture taken as you can tell from the picture. She doesn't like the flash. Now I have to figure out when I can some time to head out west again.

Expectation

This is my brother-in-law, Ryan. He doesn't like reading but has been eagerly awaiting Christmas and the arrival of this present, 3 Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger.

He loves the Cardinals. Everyday since we arrived he asked if he could open his gift. Since then he has been reading every chance he gets.

As he was reading tonight I was think about what I expect out of 2009. What am I expecting? What am I going to do about it?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

On guard!

After a good swim the family is at Denny's for lunch. We love this place. Ryan and I are sword fighting while we wait for our meals. His sword broke and I won!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Friends! I loved laughing in the new year with my family tonight. There have been so many funny moments to share but no internet, except my phone, to use to blog. I'm sure deep down, you are all thankful.

Still no baby! We are all pretty sure Cora will wait until we are all back home to come. Lois is more than ready for the baby to come but I think she may have to wait for awhile.

After I get back to home, I'll be posting some reflections from 2008 and some thoughts looking ahead in 2009. I'll also post some pictures and stories from the crazy times with the family.