September 13, 2005

mr. whiddon gets me again...

d-now was wonderful, as i expected. it did not disappoint. there's just something about 350 6-12th graders worshipping our Christ. we ended up with a group of 10 8th graders and they were just precious. our host family was great as well. it was young couple (late 20's) and the wife is pregnant with twins. she was just so genuine and fun. the girls were so amazing to talk to and lin, kara, and i enjoyed sharing our faith and experiences with them. great, great times, and so encouraging and inspiring (as always) to see God move.

so, i have started picking up some little girls after school and babysitting them until their mamas, who work at the high school, get done with classes. both little girlies come from families that we have been friends with basically forever. like dads playing together in the playpen kinda thing. i am very excited, they are extremely cute with their little country accents telling me about their friends at school and why they like to color. anyway, today i took them up to the high school and while i was trying to figure out where to park to take them in, i saw my 11th grade chemistry teacher. in high school this guy had a stare-down like you wouldn't believe. i mean, you better not even think about answering a question wrong or acting confused. he would lock eyes with you, and at the beginning of the year we all thought we were the dumbest people ever (i personally still kind of felt that way at the end, but that's just me). he was serious business, and to be honest her was kind of scary.

but, as time went on he grew on me as i realized he was extremely intelligent and knew an obscene amount about chemistry. hats off to all people who understand chemistry. if you have some feelings you need to sort through or want to be encouraged, call me. if you need to know how many electrons are in the outter ring of mercury or the definition of a kelvin, call mr. whiddon, i cannot assist you at this time, my friend. he was hard, but one of those teachers who you are really glad you have later and after having him feel much more intelligent--like you accomplished an unattainable dream of actually making good on the tests. yet, with that being said, when i saw mr. whiddon today as he stood on the breeze way ushering loud and rowdy teens onto buses, the old feeling of "i am the dumbest person in the world" just flooded back over me. i mean, yes, ok, i accidently went in through and exit and went head to head with several angry bus drivers, but these things happen. and there he was just staring me down as i drove past him. and all of a sudden i was just a little 17 year-old girl working in the lab, gloves and goggles securely in place, staring blankly at chemicals trying to figure out how not to blow up the classroom. in the end, we escaped the yelling faculty members and got to where we needed to be (thanks to a 5 year old in the back directing me where to go). but everyone lived, and as i pulled off of memory lane, i was just thankful that i will never have to have another chemistry class as long as i live.

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