He Gives and Takes Away

I've been reading a blog for awhile that a woman named Angela about the loss of her daughter Audrey Caroline. You should check it out if you get the chance http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

She wrote recently about meeting another woman in a very similar position and it happens to be a person that Erin and I went to college with. In this post she talks about the line from the song "Blessed be the name of the Lord" when it says He gives and takes away. That's all I can think about today.

Erin's mom Cheryl, who is a super sweet super cool surrogate mom to me and all of Erin's friends, lost her husband of a little over a year today. We don't know why. The doctors have been struggling the past few weeks to get a handle on whatever was making him sick, and this morning his body just couldn't take it anymore. He went into cardiac arrest and the doctors at Memorial Hermann just couldn't bring him back.

I really can't imagine what their family is going through today. Barney's former wife died of cancer about 3.5 years ago. He had three daughters, the youngest of which will graduate high school in about 3 weeks. Both of her parents are gone.

I'm struggling with not being mad with God's plan. I know he doesn't mind. He is the protector and creator and always has a design in mind for our lives. I know his plans for us are to protect us and not to harm us...but really. What is this all for. Cheryl's life was falling into a beautiful place. Those kids of his have already dealt with so much.

He gives and takes away.

Strangely enough it gives me comfort to know that. As I pray for Erin and Cheryl as well as Barney's family I pray especially for his daughters that they may be blessed by Cheryl's presence in their lives. I know she will love them and help raise them now that their father is no longer here. I can't imagine the girls not having Cheryl in their lives after loosing both their mom and their dad.

Erin...thank you for letting me be part of your crazy family. Barney was such an amazing guy who always had a smile on his face and a special love for your mom. It goes without saying that he will be missed. My prayers are with all of you now and always.

Stressed!!

Praise God for Carrot Cake Cupcakes.

The month of May is so bittersweet. I've gotten more comfortable at TWCP and therefore reached out and gotten to know kids. I feel a lot more sentimental about graduation than I have in the past two years...so hopefully I won't be all weepy the day of. I will miss alot of these kiddos and wish them well.

May is so damn busy it's not even funny. Awards night, jeez it's crazy. Graduation isn't that bad. I've collected 6.25 million in verifiable scholarships that the kids have earned this year...stupid TWHS has 7.9. I don't know how. To put it in perspective we have 540 graduates, they have almost 900, so we really do have more money. I still think they inflate their numbers. As a whole, we will have the highest per kid ratio. It's truly amazing. I thought we would have 4 if we were lucky.

I'm a little nuts because of a weird dream about Eric that I had. (see WTF post below) It was totally PG-13, but it still bothers me to have a dream about someone else's husband, even if I've known him since birth...and 16 years longer than she has.

Totally crushing hard at school. Cutie coach...probably doesn't even know my name, but he's a doll. I know he isn't married, but I'm sure he has a girlfriend. Oh well. I am starting to have to avoid him because I'm getting that weird hot ear thing when he's around.

I'll be SOOOO glad when awards night is done next week. I swear it's going to be the end of me. It's a great night for the kids, but it's a lot of undue stress.

I have to move to a portable for the next year...which will suck. But we are getting a new building and I saw the architects drawings of my office....AMAZING!!! I'm going to put up with it only because I won the lottery with that new office...as long as it doesn't change. :o)

I got nominated by the seniors for most influential teacher/administrator. I really wish that they would split that category up. Then maybe I would have a chance. :o) I really think Smith will win, but it was pretty sweet to get nominated. I didn't tell any of the counselors for fear of ridicule. They love me, but I'm sure that one of them would have something smart to say about it. Oh well.

Off to microwave the dinner...and work on awards night. One day I will blog about the date from hell a few weeks back. This would all be better if the cutie coach would notice me...in a good way.