A "battle" won...but almost lost

This week flew by so fast I am still thinking...."It's gotta be only Tuesday!" But I woke up bright and early and am still tying to convince my body that yes, it really is already Sunday and I am going to have to get ready for another week! :)

Last week definitely improved--way less drama than I had been a part of in the past few weeks, but don't worry--it's not drama free...leaving me with something to write about!

First, I have recently started teaching Sunday school again at our new church. I get to teach some kids and work with a friend--what more could you ask for?? Not much, by my standards. It is really a blessing to me more than to the church because teaching SPED sometimes means "forgetting what normal really is." Many morns and moons in the classroom often leads me to think, "Wow, so and so is REALLY smart!" or "Wow, he understands humor, putting him on a whole new plane!" But the truth of the matter is, my students are in high school SPED. Their lives will continue to be lived out in the frame of mind they currently have. When they are 50, they will STILL be talking about METRO buses and garbage trucks. I love them, and I want to help them have the best quality of life I can by training them in job skills, but at the same time, I also need to be around kids who are normally developing. This is a great blessing and a reminder of how to stay well-rounded. The way I share Christ with my students is through actions and love, words would not cross the barrier of mental capacity by giving a Sunday school lesson for those guys. I do speak to them about biblical truths like telling the truth, working hard, etc. in the classroom, but I do not speak to the extent that you could explain in a SS classroom.

So overall, I am thankful for a new outlet to be with younger kids (I love my high schoolers, but it really is AWESOME to work around younger kids....I have missed them!) and to experience a picture of what "normal" really looks like.

In other news, I have really been cooking/baking my brains out lately. Faculty meetings, birthdays, sick folks, parish group, supper club, my husband, etc.--all are great opportunities to cook, which is the thing that I probably enjoy most. I love cooking--you get immediate reactions, you are able to meet basic needs (whether that be hunger or just a "chocolate deficit" as one of my co-workers said!) as well as give something to someone that they will (hopefully!) really enjoy.

When we pass by empty store fronts in great neighborhoods, I think to myself, "That would be perfect for my place!" I have this passing dream of having a coffee shop/pastry place/southern casseroles place...who knows if it will ever become a reality, but I am sure that all of this practice is helping to get me closer!

So about my title--the BATTLE that I actually WON commenced on Friday, right after a very interesting phone call. For many months now, I have been battling and seeking assistance for one particular student who often becomes violent and needs to be removed from the room....problem was....I have no "time out" room and literally no where to take him aside from having his aide just remove him to the hall. A hall might not be so bad in some cases, but ours had lockers that could hurt the student, and he also was not contained so it was quite difficult to calm him in a place that simply wasn't calm.

Directly beside my classroom has been a counselor's office--poor guy! He has been counseling and holding meetings throughout all of my kids YELLS and the overall cacophony that IS my classroom.

It was suggested that his office become a time out room. The first issue was that it had a window, then it was an administrative decision, then it went on and on into drama.....

But you know what?

On Friday, I moved a huge desk where I wanted it in that very same office. My friend, the counselor, moved to his new office in a new building and I helped him carry all his goodies to his new "office with the view!"

So my SLP and I decided that overall this year, that is the third "big battle" I have won.

I moved things around and put up pictures and school work from my kids on Friday, pushing me to leave after 7pm! What a week!

I am so thrilled to be the new "owner" of the safe place. It is going to be such a great gift--if needed, I can have IEP meetings there....I can pull-out for small groups....I can pull out for testing!

All I can say is THANK YOU to God. I had experienced so many hurtful words about this Safe Place that I almost wanted to give up.

But God reminded me of His promises and my promise to Him--when the going is tough, I will lean on Him and do what should be done. I had to persevere. If I would've given up and stopping approaching the people that needed to be approached for this action to take place, then it may not have happened.

God, thank you for hearing my cry.