Restraining Order for HES!

***BEWARE!! This is long, but my heart is overflowing. I want to define HES. HES to me, is anybody I have ever had the privilege of meeting, working with, learning with, teaching with, eating with, laughing with or crying with in those walls. Most of those people are still there, some are working in other schools, learning in other schools or admin or staying home as Mommies. HES includes my former students and their parents.***

The people at HES are certifiably loonily tunely crazy HUGE Hearted! It's all their leader's fault, I just know it! I would know, because she is my 'old' boss and I just love her to pieces! Her name is Sherri Rector! I can talk all I want about her now because I don't know if I'll be able to teach again. Pack your bags, I'm going to take you on a journey into a place where learning occurs far more than teaching! (Don't worry! I'll explain this BOLD and BRASH statement soon enough!)

"Buy the house, I'll get a job, trust me!?!?" I meant to fulfill that promise to my husband. Here I was, walking into Hutto Elementary to make good on my words! There is something about going to the Principal's office that makes me so nervous! It didn't matter that I was 29+ years old and a pretty good teacher wanting to mold young minds. I still felt like I was waiting to see how many licks I would get for writing a VERY bad word on a piece of notebook paper to my bestie Julie Kaye Crawford after an English test! (Sorry, flashbacks are worse after chemo!)...back to HES...

The interview was an interview, but not like an interviewy kind of interview. Sherri oozes warmth, love, nurturing kindness. She definitely is a servant leader kind of leader. Anybody will do anything for her. It's not because she is manipulative or commanding, but the opposite. It is because she will do it too. She lays her life down in every way for the children, parents, teachers, staff, substitutes, every person on her campus (every person she comes in contact with really). She contagiously loves to learn. (This is that explanation to the bold and brash statement I wrote earlier!) That was evident to me the first time I met her. She proved my theory over and over through the three years I was able to work with her.

"That is the woman I want to work under and for and with!" I bursted out half-crying to Raymond over the phone. I had just walked through the doors of what would soon become my second home only 1.2 miles from my new home. My first interview with Sherri was only seconds old. She let me know that she would be scheduling a second interview for me.

The next time I walked through the doors of HES was for my third and final interview. I had to hitch a ride with the construction workers across the street to get there. I realized as I was walking into the school what I really said in Spanish to them, "I'm so pregnant and I have a date at the school right now. Can you help me?" Ooops! I meant to say, I'm so embarrassed to ask for help, but I have an interview right now and I needed to be there 8 minutes ago to be 15 minutes early! HELPPPPP!

Two words, one name, one crazy-mad, selfless, fun times teacher: Lauren Anshutz! First impressions are everything! "Hello! I'm Lauren Anshutz. I'm the professional paper shredder!" My thoughts were racing, are you kidding me? I just love this one. If she's the secretary, this is gonna be CRAZY FUN! I just knew I'd fit in somehow!

Oh and it was fun times during those 3 years! It's hard work, but oh so rewarding! The children at HES are really the best. I know all HISD kiddos are great, but these are our babies under our roof, you know?!?! All my students will always be my babies, even when they are towering over me in fatigues and scary military boots hugging my sick body. (Love ya, Lorie and Mason!)

We learn at HES. It's all Sherri's fault, I'm convinced of this fact. It's more than academics though! We become interdependent. That's her fault too! In the midst of DRA's, running records, TAKS testing, GPC's, conferences, meetings, professional development...there are people! There are real live people with real live families that are entrusted with real live children. The entire staff gladly pour their lives out for these real live children! In return, we learn from these precious little ones. As the we collaborated, we learned. As we taught, we learned. Seriously, I don't know who learns more there: the teachers, or the students?!?!?

Here we are in May 2009. I stayed home with my children this year. I have a new set of rules to follow in my little life now. I'm still learning how to stay in the lines. I don't know if teaching will be in the lines yet. I've only walked through HES walls 3 times this year. Everybody there is still taking care of, loving, and praying with our family.

These crazy people have been feeding our family home-made gourmet meals with snacks and fruit, brownies, and cookies...OH THE COOKIES!!!!!!! They have been e-mailing, facebooking, calling, and coming over to our house! We just received a gift-card-a-rama that will supply us with food and gas for at least the next 6-8 weeks! If I wasn't diagnosed with cancer and Ray layed out from knee surgery, I'd think they were stalking us!!!!! Oh but it gets better! Even my former students and their PARENTS have been sending flowers, buying books for our kids, making gifts, singing songs, and even playing with our Monkey and Princess!

Somebody needs to file a restraining order! I'm concerned that the effects of children's summeritis and every body's TAKS stress may be effecting them like chemo is effecting my brain. Something has caused a deluge of generosity, unconditional love, and ever increasing encouragement. Okay, okay! I know His name is Jesus, but He most certainly is using the hands and hearts of the people at HES. WE LOVE YOU HES, EVERY SINGLE ONE!