Excuse My Rant

I've been seeing this "inspirational" quote all over the place lately.

And every time I see it, it makes me mad. I don't see what is so inspirational about it. It really seems like a put down, a negative outlook on the human race. I won't deny that there are SOME people who this quote rings true, but, and this is just me and my own experiences, I find this to not generally be true. I have people thank me regularly for the ordinary things that I do, whether at the school, in church or at home. I feel like this quote is all about "Me" vs "Them". Like putting the blame on everyone else. Are we including ourselves in the "Them" group? Do "We" notice the things that "They" are doing for us? I like to think that I try pretty hard to acknowledge others for their ordinary efforts. However, I don't expect recognition for every little thing that I do, does the rest of the world expect a "thank-you" every time they do something for somebody else? If so...I think maybe you need to get off your high horse and start looking for all the things that are done for you by all the people you think aren't noticing what you are doing for them. Just saying.

End rant, thanks for listening. Continue on with your day.

Heartbreak, a hard painful lesson.

I was sitting at the computer desk this morning, still in my pajamas and folding a paper airplane for James when the phone rings. The caller ID said it was Kathryn's school calling. I thought it would be Kathryn asking me to bring her something she forgot. But it was one of her teachers, first letting me know that Kathryn was alright, which immediately made me start to panic, then she let me know that one of Kathryn's classmates had passed away the night before, and Kathryn had asked her to call me. Then Kathryn got on the phone, she was sobbing and my heart broke to pieces. Of course Daniel and I immediately got dressed and headed down to the school.

Kathryn's grade six class consists of 9 kids, 4 girls and 5 boys. It is a close knit group, because they have no choice but to be that way. They don't all like each other, but they know each other so very well. My dear Kathryn is everyone's friend and is always the peacemaker, the go to girl when a kid needs some one on one time, the class room relationship fixer upper, and likely the kid with the biggest heart. She cares deeply for everyone and is always the one to take the kid left out under her wing and make them her best friend for the day. This tragedy sucks. It sucks big time. It's no way to end the year, with only one week left of the school year, I worry about how some of these kids are going to cope through the summer. So many of them come from broken homes, and don't have very much family around. And with some, the family that is around...isn't really around much. These kids are going to get one week of supporting each other and the support of the school...and then they'll be left to fend for themselves for the summer. Oh it's just not fair.

It's events like this that will stick in a kids memory for years to come. For some it might be a turning point. I hope and pray that it's not a turn down a dark and lonely road but rather a chance to learn an important life lesson. I hope that these kids will be able to learn form all of this is to be kind to everyone, because you just never know when it'll be the last time you see them. Kathryn remembers seeing Ryan at his bike on the last day he was at school and teasing him about seeing him with pink hair (there had been a bet that if he could stay out of the principals office for the rest of the year then the teacher would have to dye her hair pink, but if didn't then he would have to dye his hair pink...he didn't even make it two days). He told her to be quiet, she laughed and she said "see ya tomorrow!" and that was that. The next day he wasn't at school, and the kids all laughed because they thought he didn't want to have to dye his hair pink. He wasn't at school the next day either. And then this morning, the news came that he had passed away the night before.

The scary thing is he was just sick. He had been at home for the past two days with a fever, and then last night a turn for the worse and he was gone. So far that's all we know. The school will let us know if there is a health concern when all the tests and stuff are done. But until then, all we know is to watch for a fever and vomiting and to take them in right away to the doctor.

My heart breaks for Ryan's family. For his friends. For the Grade 6 class. For the community.

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My poor poor Kathryn. She has a little black cloud hanging over her head and I just don't know what to say or do. I want to just hold her tight, wave a magic wand and make it all better. I've never experienced such a loss, so I don't even know what she is feeling. How can I ease the pain of something I don't completely understand? Aren't mom's supposed to be able to fix anything? I feel so helpless. This really sucks.

Funny things the boy says...again

I was reading scriptures to the kids tonight, and James wanted a turn. He said "I want to say 'And it came to pass...'. " So I said alright and started reading a verse for him to repeat after me, but there wasn't a verse with "And it came to pass". So before we would repeat what I was saying he first had to say "And it came to pass." Seems as though he is listening...at least to the first few words.