My Golden Birthday

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments wishing me many happy returns of the day on my birthday! The day was a singular experience.

First of all, it was the Brown family Christmas. Never a dull moment there. Whew.

And then came the most memorable part of the day. We all charged down to play volleyball, and we were having a grand time of it. In fact, I haven't played such good volleyball in ages. It really was a blast! Then there was one of those wild and high balls that could be anyone's, and I made the mistake of going for it with another, larger, taller, stronger person. My forehead made sharp contact with his elbow, and sent me flying un-gracefully to the ground. My my. I leaped up again, only slightly the worse for wear, when I felt something wet. Bother, I was bleeding. I departed the game (right across the other team's court - talk about interference!) and ran to the women's dorm upon discovering, in the gym entryway, a distinct lack of anything to staunch blood. By the time I got down there, blood was dripping off the end of my nose. What is it with me and head wounds? I looked in the mirror and saw a cute little stream of blood that neatly divided my head with a scarlet stripe from the top of my forehead to the tip of my nose. It was pretty funny. Anyway, I got some paper towel and cleaned my head and the sink as best I could before heading up to see Uncle Lewie.

Ah the joys of a grand entrance. Most of the adults were still up there, you see, waiting for the pizza to arrive. In I walked, asking for Uncle Lewie, and the throngs of horrified faces made the perfect gauntlet. Several aunts/uncles/cousins are in the medical profession, being EMTs, nurses, etc, so some were quite interested in following the proceedings and warning me of scars (right in the middle of the top of my forehead - I hope no one gets any wrong apocalyptic ideas), and looking on with joy as the butterfly bandages were applied.

How's that for a good birthday event? I was actually kind of pleased. There's no risk of this birthday being forgotten, and it's going to make a GREAT story when I get back to school. Aunt Debbie suggested I tell some wild tale of gangsters and brawls and stuff just to make it more exciting:)

Also on my birthday I got several lovely e-mails, blog comments, phone calls, and the like which made me feel remembered and loved. One highlight along those lines was a voice mail message I got of a huge crowd singing Happy Birthday. I had some guesses, but couldn't quite figure it out. Then I heard Lisa saying it was the whole Springer clan! Now how's that for a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I loved it!! Thanks, Lisa:)

I also had a lovely time with my family, opening presents (Mama prepared 26 separate presents for my golden birthday! Wow! This meant, of course, that some were stretches - I got some canned goods from the cellar for instance - but that made for some good laughs, and I was actually quite happy to get said canned goods!), hearing nephews sing happy birthday, and getting prayed for by people who love me.

Also, I was awakened at three minutes of midnight to a banging outside of my room. Outside, as in outside the house. I was half asleep still, and couldn't figure out what it was, except for perhaps the wind blowing ice chunks against the house. But that didn't really make sense. Then I thought perhaps gangsters were trying to get in (huh? you might say - but I have been having quite active dreams lately - I've already saved Dad from being murdered by pushing him off a large yacht of some kind before the bad guy could stab him). Finally I realized someone must be throwing snowballs at my window! I leaped from my bed, and promptly knocked by newly injured head against the window in an effort to see out. Yessss. But then I got the window open and saw KATIE! I hurried downstairs to let her in. She'd gotten in from GA earlier, and then remembered it was my birthday and came racing down to see me before it wasn't my birthday anymore. We've never seen each other on my birthday. She even came bearing gifts! It was the crowning touch to my birthday, and I headed back to bed very happy.

So there, my friends, were some events from my golden birthday. Hurrah for 26ness! So far so good.

Merry Christmas from me, too!

Merry Christmas, dear friends! I had a wonderful day with my family, and I'm feeling very thankful. I wanted to give some public worship to my Jesus before the day is done. I'm so unutterably glad that we have a Savior who KNOWS -- One who came and lived a complete life here on earth, a life with all its human ups and downs, experiences and limitations, and hurts and pleasures great and small. I found this quote from Charles Spurgeon tonight that I really liked:

"Immanuel, God with us in our nature, in our sorrow, in our lifework, in our punishment, in our grave, and now with us, or rather we with Him, in resurrection, ascension, triumph, and Second Advent splendour."

Praise the Lord for His unspeakable gift, which we've only begun to open!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to One and All!

I love Christmas so much every year, and especially in recent years when I have begun to grasp what it's all really about. The Wonder of the season is fresh each year, most often conveyed to me through a Christmas Carol. In light of that, I thought I'd share some of my favorite Christmas Carol phrases of this year:

A thrill of Hope, the Weary World Rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
- From O Holy Night

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King!
- From O Holy Night

Son of God, Love's pure Light.
- From Silent Night

Light and life to all He brings,
Ris'n with healing in His wings.
Mild He lays His glory by,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
- From Hark the Herald Angels Sing (this year's favorite)

May the Joy and Peace and Love that is Christmas, be yours today and all year!

What a Day!

For the first time in my life I turned on the radio this morning, heard there was no snow day after all (despite the sleet, ice, freezing rain, etc), and decided that that was okay - I wanted to go to school! The day, you see, consisted of the movies I'd checked out of the libraries, goofing off on the computer (aka typing class), reading Sherlock Holmes aloud (You're so on the right track, Aaron:)!), Pizza Day (a bi-weekly tradition at my illustrious place of employment) and then having a Christmas party!

In Classical Literature I told my students, after we went over a chapter of The Odyssey: "I am about to do something that I have been wanting to do ever since this summer! We're going to fast-forward through time to see how Classical Literature influences our own culture." There were instant groans! One student made a gun with his hand and pointed it to his head! I was mystified. Didn't they catch the excitement in my tone? I asked them what they thought that meant, anyway? And they said research/report or something. It occurred to me that I usually get pretty excited when I hand out paper assignments. So I didn't blame them, but instead knocked their socks off by pulling out four movies from behind my desk!

Isaac, and others who may be interested: They were My Fair Lady (based on the Pygmalion myth), Clash of the Titans (a terrible mutilation of the Perseus myth: not only does it twist the story into something almost unrecognizable, but the acting is awful and the special effects make one laugh/groan/cry all at once - I only showed my kids 2 little clips of that one), X-Men (because of the guy named Cyclops - again only a very short clip of that...), and (drumroll) O Brother Where Art Thou (based, of course, on the story of Odysseus - very loosely - although I'm definitely picking up more parallels now than I had before!). What a fun class!

But the climax of the day came at the time of the Christmas party. The kids were all out of the room scurrying about. Then suddenly the lights went out. And THEN they came in SINGING with a CAKE AND CANDLES. It was a SURPRISE EARLY BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR ME!!!!! I was TOTALLY surprised, and SO happy. I have never had a surprise party before! And they hate singing, but were willing to sing for me! And they had PRESENTS: tons of chocolate, a tin of mints, and rewritable CDs! (Yes, they know me quite well.) They bring me such joy on a daily basis, and with this they totally outdid themselves. Bless their hearts! I LOVE THEM!

And now I am home for my nephew's birthday, enjoying the Sabbath with my family (you should have seen us break into a fabulous rendition of "Way Down Upon the Swanee River" together - KJ was quite weirded out) heading to a Christmas party with friends tomorrow, and, once again, reflecting on the incredible blessing of such a job.

Happy Things From School

* My high school kids keep on casually asking me what I want for Christmas. Ahhh, so subtle. So enjoyable.

*Two of my 7th grade girls told me they want to invite me to their Christmas Party and Sleepover! Oy vay! But very flattering.

*I'm starting to make more friends in the 2nd grade class! It's really fun to slowly build up a rapport with them. Yesterday one of them spoke to me for the first time: "Will you be my teacher someday?"

*My 7th and 8th grade class are SO into the Sherlock Holmes story I'm reading aloud to them (The Speckled Band). They keep coming up with great theories of how it could have worked, and who might be to blame. None have hit on it yet. But they keep on trying.

*One of my girls wants me to give her guitar lessons! I assured her I didn't know that much... But that I'd love to pass on what I do know! We're tentatively scheduled for Tuesdays after school.

*I am in love with the RI library system. I can get books out of any library in RI with my card. Today I went to three different libraries to get movies (when you have a commute as long as mine, that's not too crazy). The movies are for "fast-forward through time to see the effects of Greek culture on our culture" day. Which is tomorrow. Yay!

*Now I have to go read and watch movies to get ready for tomorrow's class. What a life!

The Snow Day that Wasn't

Today Katie came to school with me!

Yes. We had school. Despite the small blizzard.

It was so much fun to see her experience my world, and enjoy it. She loved my kids! And they, I might add, loved her. She told my 8th grade boys stories about first hand encounters with sub-machine guns. They were devoted from that point on. She played Hebrew Simon Says with them.

Then the last period came (in which Katie was shocked at my lack of discipline while giving exams), and the small blizzard became rather largish. The electricity blinked several times, causing the children to hope desperately for deliverance from their exam. The Newport Bridge closed. I trembled. Just in time for the commute home. I was seriously worried.

I called dear Uncle Paul, though, whose light confidence inspired such confidence in me. I was relaxed enough that I was up for a 10 minute snowball fight with my students before I left. What fun! Katie and me against 3 high school boys and 1 junior high boy. My aim was abysmal. I was ashamed. But Katie assured me I had won their admiration simply by joining in. Nonetheless, I plan on calling for a rematch next time there's a good snowfall. We shall see.

The commute home took us 2 and a half hours. The last fifteen on the driveway! But it was a peaceful time. Katie read me a story! She's a good reader.

I love having others see into my world, and especially when they are so appreciative of said world! Ahhh, I am rich indeed.

I Am Rich

Needless to say, this card pretty much made my life. Michael made it after coming in from playing, while he was feeling on top of the world and hyper...hence effusive. The results of his labor made me cry when I got it, and make me smile every morning when I see it again.

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