It's Creeping...

I feel like I'm on HIGH alert and am vigilant about avoiding this nasty illness going around! 117 students were home ill today at Kent City High School. Wow. My colleague Jill had 15 students absent in one class! They had large dispensers of hand sanitizer at the middle school, and were monitoring to make sure each child took a squirt on their way in to lunch. We do this Capturing Kids' Hearts program, which is a program that helps connect and build relationships with teachers and students. One of the things they want us to do is shake hands & make eye contact as the students come in the room. I try to do this as much as I can. This morning I shook hands with many of them, and then one student said, "You don't want to touch me in this state."

Ewwww! So, I immediately went down and washed my hands thoroughly! I feel badly for all these kids....this illness is a 4-6 day time of misery - with fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, etc. One girl told me, "All I wanted to do was sleep, because it was the only thing that didn't feel bad." I gave my children a lesson in hand-washing last night at our sink and talked about coughing into your sleeve, etc. I also asked them to wash their hands LOTS! Hopefully we can keep it out of our home. All four kids plus me are getting seasonal flu shots tomorrow.

In other news, we had fun at the Country Basket orchard today with the Fishers. What a gorgeous fall day! We came back and had soup, bread, and cupcakes...kind of a "Happy Birthday Amy" celebration, but just an outing for fun, too.

I need a Halloween costume for Nathan - size 8 Boy - any ideas or help is welcomed....this creative costume making/figuring out is not my forte!

Ken and my brother Paul are building a shed this coming Saturday. We are putting it in the woods next to the grass. We need something to store all of our 'precious' possessions. (i.e. get the stuff out of the garage so we can put both vehicles in the garage!) Paul is a great worker and always has a ready smile. We are grateful for his expertise and willingness.

I bought a new piano book at Family Christian store this weekend. It mixes 'contemporary' worship songs with hymns in its arrangements and I look forward to playing them! Debbie Harrison and I are playing a piano duet on Sunday, so I'd better work on that before tackling the new solo pieces. Why is it that something we enjoy doing so much (playing the piano and reading for me) we don't just find the time to do, unless it's scheduled? (like having a Praise Band rehearsal) I admire people who find time to enjoy their hobbies frequently.

I painted a dresser black that we purchased off Craigslist...it was formerly a turquoise color. I love it!!! I am now looking for other things to paint, since I have some leftover paint! That was the impetus for decluttering and rearranging our bedroom, and oh - what a relaxing feeling now - clean, tidy, orderly, de-cluttered, new pictures in picture frames, new-to-me dresser, etc. Does your house accumulate tons of papers and just this-n-that (junk) like mine? It is a constant thing to be on top of so it doesn't accumulate! I work on this daily!

Nathan got new glasses recently. They have blue frames that go nicely with his blue eyes. He is a sharp boy. He said the MEAP went fine and when I asked him what he did if he didn't know the answers to the questions (it was the reading MEAP), he casually said, "Well, Mom, then you just look back at the reading and find the answer." That made this Momma so happy! That is what I teach and emphasize to my middle and high school students, and how great to hear this from my 3rd grade son! :)

Well, the meanderings should cease for now...time for bed.

Sleep well and peacefully. Isn't it nice to sleep when it's a little cooler outside?