Why are there Christmas decorations next to Halloween displays?

The boys at the pumpkin patch.

1 dead in the attic

The other day, a co-worker saw my New Orleans bumper sticker and asked me if that's where I'm from. Apparently she's from New Orleans too. And taught at the preschool I attended.

Here's some pictures from last time I went back home:

A plantation that we visited.

The fish the next door neighbor caught...he was very proud!

At my Grandmother's house. Above her sink she taped a picture of my nephew laughing. Under the picture she wrote: You can do it!
On rough days she says she likes looking at the picture because it makes her smile and she remembers that God will help her get through the day.

While unpacking books at my new place, I came across a book my mom had given the last time I visited called 1 dead in the attic. It's a collection of comumns that Chris Rose wrote after Hurricane Katrina for the local paper, The Times Picayune. Here's some excerpts:

"You probably already know that we talk funny and listen to strange music and eat things you'd probably hire an exterminator to get out of your yard." (p5)

"Of course, try telling some poor sap down in St. Bernard Parish who has never heard of Southern Decadence and who goes to Bible study every Wednesday night that he lost his house and his job and his grandmother died in a flooded nursing home because God was angry at a bunch of bearded guys in dresses over on Dumaine Street.

Collateral damage, I guess. The question that arises, of course, is that if Shanks' prophecy is true, how come Plaquemines, St. Bernard, the East and Lakeview are gone, but the French Quarter is still standing?"(p34)

"He was from Atlanta and had moved here to be with her because she is a New Orleans girl and New Orleans girls never live anywhere else and even if they do, they always come back." (p67)

It's about time

I've been silent on here for awhile mainly because free time is scarce.
Here's some updates:

1. My new job: I love my kids. I like my co-workers. My job would be much more manageable and enjoyable if all I had to do was speech therapy. Instead, I spend much of my time sitting in meetings and filling out paperwork.
For example this week(which is typical) Monday: IEP meeting 3-5 Tuesday: Staff meeting 2:45-4:00, Wednesday: IEP meeting 2:30-3:30, Thursday: New staff meeting 2:45-4:30, Friday: bus duty: till 3pm. Technically, I'm supposed to be able to leave work by 2:45pm. This has never happened.

2. I am moving this coming weekend (I found a roommate!). We were going to get some guys from our church to help us move. Except I realized yesterday all the guys from my church will be at the men's retreat.

3. I got my hair cut. It hasn't been cut in over a year, so I got quite a bit chopped off. Most people at work seemed to like it. I sent Thomas a picture and he told me that "it looked better than I thought it would".

4. I have been trying to improve my attitude (maybe I should take out my comments about work meetings) through prayer. I've been praying for the kids at work. I've been making lists of everything I'm thankful for. My attitude has actually changed a lot for the better, specifically in the morning. I actually wake up in a good mood and am happy to start my day.

This had been a long post and not terribly exciting. I am exhausted and brain dead. I'd love prayer:
1. Thanks for God's answer to prayer (finding a roommate, joyful mornings)
2. Less work/stress ( I asked my supervisor if I was slow and that's why I'm putting in 45-50 hour weeks. She told me no, I wasn't slow, but that I have a difficult school and a hard caseolad)
3. Moving -people to help
4. That I'd be a better friend.