About today...

So, today hasn't been the best of days. Kinda rough. Some really good parts too. But it's funny how the bad can overwhelm the good.

It started out this morning by having to get up way to early, leaving the warm, strong, safe arms of my darling Forest. After getting ready, and running almost out of time, I left the house for a 60+ mile trip to New Hope, Alabama. For those of you not familiar with New Hope, it's a tiny little town, way far out of the way, that happens to have a high school. As part of my teacher training this semester, I must observe the way a specific teacher, who I was assigned to, teaches. I have to have logged at least 50 hours of observations before this semester is over. I don't mind. I rather like it. But the drive is rough.

I get to high school and found out that one of my teachers isn't feeling well and is cranky and the other is out sick and has a sub. Didn't make for a good day of insightful, reflective observing. But I did it anyway.

Big plus of being a student observer, I get to sit at the teacher's table at lunch. It is as magical as I always thought it was!

Well almost. Sitting with the teachers means you have to listen to the teachers and they are not always nice. I listened to a lot of discouraging stuff today. I attempted to change the subject and say positive things, but people would rather listen to bad things. So that was stinky.

But I got to leave after lunch! And instead of just going and sitting around waiting for class, I went to surprise mom at work! She gave me coffee, told me good things, we played with a silly little questionnaire from my darling, crazy Aunt Blynda, and just generally had a great time. It's so cool to have a mom and a friend all wrapped up in one!

I had to leave to get back to UAH to meet up with my partner so we could get started on a project~he stood me up. While I was waiting for him, I ran into another classmate who told me that our class was cancelled tonight. An email had been sent out but I hadn't had the time to check it all day. First, knee-jerk reaction: wohoo! no class! get to go home early! But that happy thought imediately left. We didn't have class because my profesor's 26 year old son, Patrick, died today. We were told by other professors that it was sudden and tragic, but they couldn't tell us anything else. Dr. Gail Pritchard and her family immediately went to the top of my prayer list.

Minutes after getting the news, mom called me. I told her about Dr. Pritchard and the family was added to the prayer list. Then she asked me if I knew someone, Mr. Rushton. Well yeah. He was my eighth grade history teacher. An amazing teacher. One of the teachers in my past who influenced me to be a teacher so I could be as good as him. He died today. I know that I have to work even harder now to ensure that I keep his memory alive by being an excellent teacher.

Time to cool down. Stopped by one of my favorite professors room to she if she was still around to chat with. Dr. Monica Dillihunt is great. Easy to talk to. Funny. Compassionate. And just good to be around. While we were talking, her cell phone rang. It was her sister. I asked if she needed to take it and offered to leave, but she said it wasn't a big deal. So we kept on chatting away for a while longer, then parted so she could finish her work and I could go home to do homework.

While I was trying to leave, a classmate who hadn't received the email came bounding up to me, ready for class. I passed the news on to her and stood around awhile talking. She asked if I wasn't busy, could I check over some work of hers. I didn't have a problem with that and we went into the classroom. So I helped her with some things that she didn't quite understand. In the back of my head, I was thinking that I should be o the road, heading towards home. But I'm glad that I wasn't. Dr. Dillihunt must have heard my voice from down the hall. She came into the room, put her head on my shoulder, and being who I am, I just hugged her. She half whispered in my ear that her sister had called because her cousin , a young man named Rodie, had died suddenly and tragically. I just kept on hugging her til she finally pulled away. She asked for my prayers, and I promised them.

I left the building shortly thereafter, afraid that more bad news might come my way.

My heart is heavy tonight.
My prayers are many.

I'll try to not forget some of the good parts of the day.
But I won't forget the bad parts either. As self-centered as it may be, those parts help me remember all that is good in my life.

Thank you God for all you have given me. And please let the grieving, sorrowful, and needy feel your comfort and grace.