Once a Teacher!

These young fresh faces had just accepted brand new Education degrees and were ready to change the world one student at a time. Today we completed our 29th “First Day of School” as professionals, hard to believe that many years have come and gone, and we are all still in the business of touching children’s lives!

Lisa J., Lisa G. and I were sorority sisters. Susan H. (high school classmate of Lisa G.) often joined the Lisa's to work on lesson plans at our sorority house as they were all Elementary Education majors. I learned then and still appreciate all of the work it takes to run the classroom of the younger students. The prep time for each subject, creative bulletin boards and the patience of Job when your name is used a million times a day! These gals loved the classroom from the beginning and still do! 

Lisa G. had the daughter of a very famous country singer in her class while student teaching.  We begged her to schedule a parent conference so we could all meet the girl’s dad! Lisa is gifted at making Math easy to learn and she even tried with me!  Lisa J. has a fabulous sense of humor, is beloved a 5^th grade teacher and was recently named Teacher of the Year!  Susan H. left the classroom for administration a few years back and continues to impact lives on a greater scale.

While I had some of the same of the Education classes, my experience was much different.  With a major in Athletic Training and minor in Political Science, the State of Texas felt it would be safe to for me to instruct high school students in Physical Education, Health or Government!

Dale P. and I co- student taught in P.E. for Mrs. Abernathy and I still use lessons learned from her.  There was no rolling out the ball and then reading the sports section in the corner as she ran a tight ship.   Dale and I made a deal, he handled class discipline and I took care of the lesson plans. No body messed with Dale as he was the starting tight end on our college football team.  I would never teach P. E. again as my three years in the classroom would be spent selling the importance of U.S. and Texas Government to the rolling eyes of high school seniors, no small feat!  While the majority of past 28 years have been spent caring for thousands of injured athletes, I am still teaching every day and the subject is life!

What is your Anchor?

On a recent trip a billboard with the question, " What is your Anchor?" came into view along the side of the highway. As the miles rolled past my window, this question stayed on my mind. So I asked my husband, a man of few words about his anchor and he mentioned God, family and his faith. But what about the calm seas not the rough ones I mumbled out loud. He glanced my way and said " that is when you need it most!"


Never thought about anchors because on a boat I am looking for the life jackets, first aid kit, radio and is the gas tank full, you know once a Scout Mom! As with life and my career, being prepared for the worst and praying for the best is standard procedure. This anchor question, my husband's answers and events of the last few months in the lives of family, close friends and mine were weighing heavy on my mind.


So what is my anchor in calm seas? Am I as faithfully to God when there is no storm on the horizon? It is easy to give thanks for escaping an accident, receiving favorable medical results or winning the power-ball lotto (which I didn't)! Now it seems that same anchor of hope, faith and love should be a touchstone in my life's celebration of blessings and everyday gifts. My husband may be right, we must know where the anchor is when the water is like glass so we can find it when the waves are coming over board!


Next time I am on a dingy or cruise ship, I am looking for the anchor...how about you?


“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” – Hebrews 6:19

We Have an Anchor
 Priscilla Jane Owens, 1829-1907

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift, and the cables strain,        

Will your anchor drift or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul

Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,

Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love.

Still Thankful...

Today is February 29th, Leap Day and I can proudly say for the first time in my life I have maintained a New Year's resolution! Just penned my 60th thank you note and only have 306 to go!! Guess I will single handily save the US Post Office with all of the stamps I am buying.

Much to my surprise and grateful heart, finding people to thank has not been a problem. Taking time each day to do so is another story. Must try harder to write one daily because attempting to do 10 at once was not the goal. (OK, I admit got a bit behind) Stay tuned for more updates....

Appreciation can make a day — even change a life, Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.
— Margaret Cousins 

The Perfect Thank You Note

For John Kralik 2007 was a tough year as his marriage and business were both failing, so as a New Year’s resolution he decided to be thankful for the good things and people in his life. He spent the year writing a thank you note each day to family, friends, employees, even the manager of his apartment. The notes make up a book I read recently, A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life. “Things we write in cyberspace are so easily deleted and forgotten ... buried by the next 30 e-mails we receive," Kralik says. "In this day and age, a handwritten note is something that people really feel is special."

My Mother is the Queen of the thank you's, if we got a gift the note had to be written before you spent it or played with it! So my children do not bother to argue about writing their thank you notes or wearing sunscreen. Ok, the later was not around when I was kid! I enjoy writing a thank you for gifts and acts of kindness but one a day for a whole year did seem to be a huge undertaking. As I thought over this project for my own New Year’s resolution, it seemed I did have much to be thankful as I was able to find at least 30 things in November (one for each day)! What the heck, I started January 1st and am keeping a log of each card, the recipient and reason I am thankful. Should be fun to look back over in the years to come… I guess I will need to order some more stationary, wish me luck!

Thank you!

The Band Parent!

 Cameron's last FTAB halftime drill!

The 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl halftime began with  Col. Jay Brewer announcing   "now forming at the south end zone, the nationally famous Fightin' Texas Aggie Band!" The moment had arrived much sooner than I ever thought possible, my son would soon step off into his last Aggie Band halftime drill. Where did the time go, wasn't he just a Fish where everyday was HELL and thoughts of being a senior wearing the boots and ring were a distant dream. I cried tears of joy and happiness watching the drill from high in the stadium. Even from this distance I could  find my kid among the 350 plus khaki clad mob marching with military perfection. As the band left the field in the famous block "T", my time as a band mom was coming to an end.

Senior Night for Amanda!

Over the last eleven years I have found missing instruments, delivered forgotten uniform parts and brought more fundraising stuff than I can remember. Most importantly, I was given the gift of friendship with other band parents while enjoying the fruits of our children's labor at contests and concerts. While my job did not afford me the flexibility to be an official chaperon and ride the band buses, I was often in awe of the parents who did. This wonderful group of folks took care of problems we never knew about and provided a fun & safe time on trips. My kids had their favorites like the Webb's, Jackson's, Whitehead's and Mrs. Melinder, and 30 something years ago so did I.

WHS band Class of '80 in Ebenweiler, Germany, June 1979

 The band parents of my days at Westlake HS were a special group. During our band years we performed concerts in Japan, throughout Europe, and the United States. Trips such as these took  parents willing to trust the students! These unsung heroes took care of us as their own and got us out of a few unique problems such as rain soaked uniforms in downtown Tokyo before a concert! A long overdue thank you to the Niven's, Knepley's, Mrs. Joyce "Flash" Petersen and Mrs. Montgomery, you were excellent role models for this band parent!