First Amendment Writes

As a sixth grade English teacher,  I spend a considerable amount of time introducing and stressing the importance and power of choosing the perfect, tailored word or words to communicate one's ideas or feelings.  The power of words is astounding - it amazes me, encourages me, cuts me to the quick, inspires me, and comforts me daily.

And so, in that same spirit of challenge, I would like to amend and redress something I said in a post a few months (or what feels like a lifetime) earlier.

When Koby and I first found out that our son Hayes has a neurological condition that affects his eyesight (called Optic Nerve Hypoplasia), I wrote this regarding my anxious feelings prior to the diagnosis:

 I was afraid there was something we'd be discovering about Hayes from the moment I held him for the first time.

Let's talk about inference.  From the tone of that statement, you, the reader, would probably infer that I was anticipating 'discovering' negative things.  Learning negative things.  Experiencing negative things.

And you'd be right.

Despite my optimism there existed underlying fear as, together, our family faced the unknown.  I don't think the subconscious negativity was exactly harmful: in fact, I think it sprang from pure ignorance.  As we genuinely didn't know what to expect, I focused on the upsetting discoveries we'd be likely to encounter.

Let me tell you about Hayes and discoveries.

Hayes began therapy through Early Childhood Intervention in May.  Since then, he's had weekly sessions from a wonderful occupational therapist, monthly visits from a speech therapist, bi-weekly check-ups with a vision specialist (through the Clay-Jack Co-op), monthly visits with an ECI case manager, and spent occasional time with a coordinator from Division for Blind Services, who also secured an iPad for him and keeps us abreast of new technology, toys, books, resources, and get-togethers for families like ours.

In May, I sat with the ECI ladies and our vision therapist and we set some motor skills goals for Hayes, who also has what's called hypotonia, meaning low muscle tone.  Hayes' first goal (set when he was six months old in May) was to raise his head when lying on his stomach and change position or turn his head to face people or objects at least five times daily.

As we sat in that room and put those words to paper, I remember thinking Will this ever really happen?  I looked at my son, and I hate to admit to you that I doubted him.  Our reality at that time was that our six month old son wasn't rolling over and still didn't visually track objects well, or indeed seem interested in things much at all because of his crossed eyes (strabismus).  To me, that goal may as well have been to build Hayes a rocket ship using paper clips and bubble gum and fly him to Venus by his first birthday.  It seemed equally hard that day.  I couldn't get past our reality.

Hayes had the strabismus corrective surgery in July and it went 'perfectly' according to plan, according to the surgeon, who is also our ophthalmologist.  Around that time (and perhaps because of the surgery and its effects) Hayes was catapulted into a time of advancement.  He began rolling over, he began tracking.  It was awesome.

He plateaued for what felt like eons, but was actually a few weeks.  Teeth sprang from his gums in the nick of time to reassure me that nothing too alarming was happening with his hormones.  His genetics test results came back and found only one very small loss of material on one something of a chromosome, meaning that he's got no known 'syndrome'.  (Obviously we haven't been to that appointment yet because that's as specific as I can get and I'm not even exactly sure what I've just said.)

And then, y'all, the best thing happened.  Hayes met his goal.  He was rolling over, holding his head up steadily, and changing positions to look at things and listen.  In early September, we set a new goal.

In May, I looked at my son and thought Are we crazy to be this hopeful? and within three months, we were beginning to plan for new goals.

And so, my amendment is this: while some discoveries have tested our foundation, some have solidified and strengthened it.  I regret that I felt that way about the discoveries I'd make with Hayes, but I know so much more now.  I am learning and discovering a new kind of hope and perseverance, and my eleven month old son is my teacher.

Grace Camp Times Two

Last week and the week before were devoted to one of my favorite summertime activities- Grace Academy Art Camp at The Grace Museum in Abilene. I taught a weeklong camp for first and second graders that coincided with the Dr. Seuss festival going on downtown, and so we enjoyed a week of very silly Seuss-inspired art projects including a silly sentence book, Lorax masterpieces and mustaches, Cat in the Hat hats, balloon cars, relief prints, Samburu necklaces and other things. I also taught a two day camp for wee ones going into kindergarten, and we somehow managed to finish fish sculptures, bird watercolors, owl weavings, One Fish Two Fish paintings, and giant sombrero hats. Here are some iPhone shots from the two camps.

Growth and Decay

Let's talk about decay first, shall we?  More specifically, the steady decay of the English language.  I know that it's basically a goner because of how children choose to compliment each other/their elders these days.

I recently bought some new running shoes.  (The old ones were circa 2009.  Don't judge.)

They're cool, and I know this because my high schoolers told me so.

In as many words.

As best they could.

"Hey Miss, I like yo' kicks."  (Usually I don't respond to "Miss", which is the name for every female teacher according to every student in the school.  But I'll make an exception for 'compliments'.)

"Hey Miss, those shoes go hard."  You might be saying to yourself, "She's exaggerating.  Kids don't really talk like this."

Oh, how I wish you could come and sit in my room and observe the specimen in their natural environment.

More decay:  every tree on our property.  Remember when a tree fell victim to a thunderstorm and hit Koby's truck?  

Well, this is basically the same situation, except that it was the tree next to the last one, it was alive and not dead (green wood, leaves sprouted every where), and it fell over because of ???? at about 4:15 on a windless afternoon.  So really not the same situation at all except that we ended up with another 100+ lbs. of unusable firewood in our front yard.   Awesome.  I feel really safe carrying an infant to the car in a front yard filled with inexplicably suicidal trees.

I felt like this really needed a picture.  You're welcome.

As far as growth, I'm seeing major growth in some of my students because of a simple project they've been working on for less than a week.  (I tweeted about it awhile ago.)  I got the idea from The Memory Project, which is a program that matches advanced art students with a portrait of an orphan in a needy country somewhere in the world.  The art students create a likeness for a child who is likely lacking any items of sentimental value.  Intriguing?  Inspiring?  Right?  Only problem?  It costs $15 per student and I work at a Title I school, where $15 is probably necessary lunch money, electric bill money, food money, or nonexistent.  We could spend time writing letters for support to various philanthropists, clubs, etc... or!  I though, OR, we have a large orphanage in operation just an hour away, why don't I contact them and propose that we arrange something similar? 

It would be unfair to say that today's children aren't being taught the value of compassion and generosity, but it would be accurate to say that their absence has alarmed me since becoming a teacher.  I'm not saying all of my kids don't care about anyone but themselves because that's not true, but sometimes their actions and words startle me into thinking that they could have benefitted from a few more lessons on virtues in the kindergarten.  And so this project became sort of a vehicle for a lesson on compassion straight outta James 1:27.

And thus seven of my advanced students are working on portraits for orphans they don't know.  They were super hesitant, skeptical, and whiney at first, but they're growing.  What was an attitude of "this-is-going-to-take-forever-and-I'm-going-to-suck-at-it-and-why-are-we--even-doing-this-I-don't-want-to"has now become class periods where I am followed around by students constantly asking me "How do I do this?" or "Is this right?" or "What can I fix?" because they want the portrait of their chosen child to be just right.  And I have this sneaking feeling it's not just because they want a good grade.  One girl became angry with a boy in class and refused to talk to him for the rest of the period because he made a comment about her orphan's picture.  (In his defense, it wasn't even really rude, more of a "Who is that and why are you drawing him?" thing.)  But she furiously said "THIS IS MY ORPHAN DON'T YOU SAY ANYTHING ABOUT HIM!" and my heart swelled.  Check our Art Department website in a few weeks and I'll have posted the finished projects.

Other growth?  Knox is a crawling machine, pulling up on things (like rocking chairs - hello, heart attack with time to take pictures) and saying "MAMA".  A few days ago he looked up right at me and said those two beautiful syllables.  Do I think he knows the association?  I don't know, but I picked him up and we had an enthusiastic "Mama", "Mama" conversation.  He also says it when he's being fed or played with, so at least he's connecting it with things he loves.

Strong boy!  What about you, what flourished or failed during your week?

A Farewell to Arms

It's that time of year again: PROM is upon us, and gesticulation is heavy on the ground in high school classrooms every where.  Just take a look around (if you find yourself surrounded one day by high school heathens) and you'll see girls gesturing precisely and just-so with their hands and arms - you can literally watch the same conversation play out hundreds of times.

They're describing their prom dresses.  I noticed this phenomenon when I was in high school - I even did it myself.  I challenge any married woman to describe her own wedding dress and NOT use her hands.  It's taken me years, but I've finally managed to eliminate all hand/arm movement and I can successfully describe my own senior prom dress in two concise words: blue disaster.

In other news, my 'race' is looming and I am 'ready'.  It pains me to call it a race because I most assuredly will not win, nor will I try.  I prefer to call it a 'run'.  In other other news, my sister could actually win it for her age group, though she keeps talking about 'running with me', a notion of hers I have been abusing hotly. 

And finally, to sum up what we've been doing lately?  Track meets.  Track practices.  Easter Sunday.  Senior photo sessions.  Sometimes running.  Sometimes cleaning.  Teething.  Crawling.  And of course, using every day objects as highly entertaining toys for our son.

Brain Vacated

Image courtesy of mollyflewthecoop.com

If you'd prefer to operate under the assumption that your children are taught by perfect people / you were educated by prime-specimen humans, disregard this post now.

Although, if you think that and still read my blog, you need your head checked.

Today that whole "positive thing" flew out the window.  Probably the most positive thing I thought of all day was "ONE AND A HALF DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK" or something similar or far more inappropriate to post for the world to see.

I became Art Nazi today.  Today I found myself wishing my students were adults and not teenagers.

Today, a kid pulled out his phone and started texting someone while standing

right
in
front
of
me.


You should know that teachers are 'supposed' to confiscate phones if they even SEE them.

So I say, "Put your phone away!  You're not supposed to be doing that!"

And he says,

HE SAYS

"But Miss, I need to text someoneeeeee..."

My brain exploded.

And then I verbally exploded all over the kid.  Then he says,

HE SAYS

"Why are you so angry?"

Did you know your brain can explode twice in one day?

But now I'm home and covered in a nice paint+charcoal mixture, my sixth period had a great success with a larger-than-life Frida portrait, Koby's making hamburgers and Knox is chomping down on some graham crackers and I've got some Cab in a coffee mug.  Life is good.

And Spring Break begins tomorrow at 1 p.m.  I think we can all make it.

2011: A Year in Review

Sometimes it can be overwhelming: how much God blesses me.  I'm married to my best friend, we have a beautiful son, we love our jobs and a T.J.Maxx was just built in Abilene.  Or I just discovered it.  Either way, it's spectacular.  You may not feel that last thing fits in with the others, but then again, you may not understand my love for discount shopping...

It's safe to say that, of all my years (1986-present), 2011 has taken the cake.  To be fair, since Koby and I started dating in 2007 every year after has been the best so far.  (I think that says a lot.)  I'm a firm believer in visual aids, so here's some proof that 2011 was pure heaven.

In January I painted the fox picture that would be my first subconscious indicator that the Blob would be a boy.  We celebrated Koby's birthday in Abilene with his whole family at Lytle Land and Cattle and we began the search for a new house.

House hunt successful!  During Super Bowl weekend in February, Koby and I took a leap of faith and made the move from Sweetwater to Colorado City.  I began to experience insatiable hunger.

Ah, March, you were a great month.  We found out that our little baby was a baby BOY while surrounded by family and friends at Knox's Gender Revelation party... it's probably one of my Top 5 memories of all time.

Koby and I departed on a Tennessee vacation (birthday present courtesy of Koby's thoughtful parents) the day after our party.  We really appreciated the FOLIAGE in Tennessee (it was green) ... actually it was just nice to see trees as well.  Definitely a place we want to revisit.

In April I noticed that I was becoming stupid, we unveiled KNOX as a name possibility, and I turned 25.  Oh, and I looked like this.

May brought the end of school and the next day my best friend Belinda got married.  It was special to be a part of her wedding day and I felt accomplished not to have keeled over in all my heftiness in the 90 degree heat.

My husband also scored his dream job in May.  Joy abounds!

In June I taught the 'Daring Drawings and Curious Colors' Art Camp at the Grace Museum for the second year.  It's one of my favorite summer-time activities.  I dare you not to laugh as you read about how one of my little campers felt on 'orange days'.  Ah, and I began to be very impatient to meet the Knox man (who was still unnamed) and Koby ever-so-happily said farewell to his temporary time in the oil field.

On July 10 Koby and I celebrated our one year anniversary.  I don't really have any good pictures of that because every time I'd set up the self timer on the camera and then try to 'run' away, my waddling would shake the house, thereby shaking the camera and messing up the picture.  We lived each day thinking "any day now" ... and Knox finally came one day before his estimated due date.  The 20th of July, 2011 changed our lives.

August meant back to school - Koby started his first year of teaching at the Elementary school as the P.E. teacher, working also as the 7th and 8th grade offensive coordinator for the football teams and as an assistant to the varsity football team.

In September, Koby and I found ourselves juggling infant-raising, careers and coaching.  We also visited Midland when Koby was in friends' Derek and Kim's wedding.

BUSY was the theme of October.  I traveled to Alabama to be in my high school friend Helen's 'dream wedding' status-worthy ceremony and suare, then Knox and I visited Abilene for ACU's homecoming celebrations and he met some of my DT sisters.  Koby and I also enjoyed festive dress-up days at our respective jobs.

Koby and I spent Thanksgiving in Throckmorton in November.  I think it's pretty cool that we can all get together to do things like take four generations pictures!

Aunt M (Melissa, who hates being called Aunt M) had some basketball games in Abilene the weekend following Thanksgiving.  Koby, Knox and I watched the games with Poppa Layne... I'm so glad Knox was there for some games during Melissa's last ever season of basketball!

In December, Knox turned 5 months old and somehow escaped the stomach virus that got Koby, his dad, our childcare provider, her husband, two of the kids at Knox's daycare, and me... thank goodness.  We traveled to Graham and Throckmorton for Christmas and since I'm too lazy to re-upload those pictures, you can make an easy click and see them a few posts ago.

Phew! Did we really cram that into 365 days?! This post took me surprisingly longer to put together than I'd anticipated but it was completely worth it - I got to relive the highest points of an incredible year. The Andrews' have big dreams, ideas and hopes for this upcoming year: I think it's going to be unprecedented in joy and love.

122 Teenagers and Me

On some days, it's hard to be a high school teacher.

There's a few reasons for this.

The first reason is the one that comes from my frustrations, my inadequacies, the 'bad Christie' side of my brain.  And the reason is this:  it's really, really hard to be the most mature person in the room all day, every day.  Especially when one's 'co-workers' are hormonal, foul-mouthed, and tired teenagers.  (It doesn't help that by nature I am three of those four things as well.)  Some days it's really hard to stick up for the student the others are bad-mouthing, because everything they might say is true.  Some days it's really hard not to point out the correlation between their awful behavior and their insecurities.  Some days it's easier to take my frustrations out on them, like they do to me.  Some days it's challenging not to reciprocate the sarcasm.  (And some days I fail.)  It's hard to be a high school teacher on those days.

But the second is that I love hormonal, foul-mouthed, and tired people.  And the fact that the ones I work with every day are teenagers makes it hard to show that love.  When bad news just bursts out of their mouths because they need to tell someone, I can't hug them like I would my own baby when he was crying.  When they tell me they've never gotten anything they really wanted for Christmas, I can't buy them an Xbox, a car, or more time with their parents.  Some class periods I cannot give enough attention to all the kids who so desperately need and want it from me and I feel like a person being pulled from all sides.  When I see them hurting, some days I wish I was teaching kindergarten, not high school, and then I could hug them and hold them and wipe their tears.  It's hard to be a high school teacher on those days. 

The past few months have been the kind during which I felt a disconnect between what I knew was true (I am grateful for my job) and what I felt was true (but I am going to lose my mind if I have to go to first period for one more day).  Thank God (seriously, I'm thanking God here - I've been in prayer about this) I have finished the school days for the past few weeks with an attitude of satisfaction.  I can really feel my whole attitude has changed - my joy has been restored here.

Hopefully my incredibly honest post has not offended you, and if you have children in school, I'm sure your teachers are never thinking these things about your child.

Happy Halloween

I love that Koby and I both have jobs that encourage us to dress up.  Here I am as Harry Potter on Celebrity Day during Red Ribbon week, and Koby is a Rodeo Clown.  Explanation below.

Koby spent his week preparing his 3rd, 4th and 5th graders for the annual Clown Circus at the elementary school on Friday. It's a tradition and a big deal in town- the kids learn to juggle, jump rope, build human pyramids, and walk on barrels. (?!? Yeah, sounded dangerous to me, too). The parents come to watch the hour and a half performances. Needless to say, he's had entertainment on the brain. I tried to wake him up yesterday evening from a nap, and when he had halfway woken up, he looked at me and said

"Hula hoop?"

I laughed, and then may have egged him on a bit.

"Wh-Wh-where is the, where is the... Hula hoop?"

Poor guy. We're glad that's all over.

This boy didn't let being sick stop him from doing any of his favorite things this week.

Knox went to the doctor in Abilene on Thursday because he'd been throwing up more than normal and we wanted to make sure everything was okay. Koby took him in, which was awesome and sweet and ALSO gave me a chance to exercise my control issues (I still may have written down a list of things for koby to tell/ask the doctor). Of course, the next day Knox actually got sick- lost his voice, gassy and upset stomach, drainage, cough... the works. Why is it that when you take them in they're fine? Anyway, he's on some sort of baby antacid now, and hopefully it'll help. His voice is already back and his tummy does seem a bit more settled. My poor baby.

His worst night was probably Friday, which is when I was chaperoning (...is that a word?) the high school Halloween dance. (Thrills upon thrills.) A friend watched Knox while I watched my students do the stanky leg... It was probably not the best babysitting debut for Knox. You usually want your baby to be his normal angelic self the first time someone watches him.

 

Nana (my mom) came to visit for about an hour on her way back to austin from Lubbock, where she was visiting her mom. She got to see Knox's fox hat, which one of my very talented student made for him. And she brought the crib skirt she's been working on for Knox. It looks great! (Need a pic.)

Knox's first Halloween is almost over, which means it is completely acceptable for me to start listening to my Christmas music and watching Love Actually on loop. When do you think the Halloween candy will go on clearance? Because I should probably avoid stores until that business is all wrapped up.  I only just stopped myself from taking Knox trick-or-treating on Friday.  He's still drooling on himself - people would see right through me.

Share the pictures from your Halloweek!  Check out

Two Weeks In

Our first assignment in Digital Photography was a self portrait inspired by American Express ads from 2008 like Tina Fey's.  Each kid Photoshopped a picture of themself with his/her answers to the little survey.  Here's mine.

Photographer: Christie Andrews (actually, the photographer was a rowdy kid in 7th period and I am telling him to please put the camera away and get ready for the bell to ring, but I felt this one was a good one to print and hang on my door.  It says, "Don't give me hell," don't you think?)

Graduation Year: wouldn't you like to know?

Greatest Ambition: to be a good mom  (Last year I wrote 'to be as good a mom as mine' and little did I know I'd get the opportunity in a matter of months!)

Proudest Accomplishment: being responsible for one half of the WORLD'S CUTEST BABY!

Perfect Day: a thunder and rainclouds, read-a-book day

Can't live without: Harry Potter (books)

Favorite song: 'Your Hand in Mine' by Explosions in the Sky

Quote to live by: "When  I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead."  Neil Patrick Harris

Best friend: my husband

Reason why I like Photography: It gives you the power to freeze time.

Don't let the picture fool you, I.  LOVE.  MY.  JOB.  It's amazing that I get paid to do this.  I'm really excited about this year - I have inspiring, entertaining, creative and thoughtful kids, and I have a senior assistant to do my bidding.  I love being a coach's wife because it provides yet another connection I can have with my students.  I am really, really excited about his year.

Everyone needs to check our Art Dept. blog regularly to see what we're up to - I think we are going to have some stunning work created this year.  **Link should be fixed now!**

Life couldn't be better!

InstaFriday

First week of school... check!

Finally ready for the high school heathens... my art room!

My Jeep is filled with new smells courtesy of Hurricane Irene and this faulty back window.  Who knew we'd get rain in all the way out in West Texas?  I thought we were in a drought?  I'm not complaining...

I'm averaging about two of these per day ... One for the morning classes and one for post-lunch kids.  Today I got through the first one by 2nd period.  Not good.

Lovie kept Knox at our house this week so Koby and I could get some extra sleep this first week of school.  We are so blessed and thankful to have such a giving grandmother for our sweet (and constantly hungry) baby.  Knox loves his Lovie!

Knox loves his Mommy too!  He had these smiles for me when I got home from school today.  Precious!  (Can you tell he's been chowing down?  Lil' chunk :-)  )

Coach Andrews and the classic first day of school picture.  Also happens to be his first day of a new career picture.  So handsome!  He is my hero - he works from 6:30 in the morning to 8:00 pm at the earliest most nights, and he's still smiling when he walks through the door in the evenings.  What a great coach/teacher/dad/husband!

 I hope you had a fantastic week, and if you live in Texas, that you got some rain too!  (Though hopefully it wasn't in your car.)