That Darn Cat (but we love him!)

Mr. Sophie, our lovable cat, has had a rough few days. He developed a urinary blockage last week, and had a reoccurrence this morning. Our vet is wonderful and has worked hard to solve his problem. Unfortunately, Mr. Sophie isn't the best patient. His file has a large, orange CAUTION sticker on it. He has a major case of "stranger danger".

Animal health problems are so difficult to deal with. The question of "when is enough enough?" always comes up. As I paid for his care today, I felt fortunate to be able to provide good care for my pet, but also some guilt over spending that much on our pet. There are so many humans who don't have their basic needs met, each day.

We love our little cat so much, and are hoping for some improvements in the next few days.

Encouragement and Support

During school conferences in October, a parent offered to support my classroom financially. He insisted, and told me that he expected to hear back from me. I wasn't sure how to react, and it took me several months to assemble a wish list of classroom equipment. No parent has ever offered financial support before. Last week I sent a letter and the wish list home with his daughter. The items ranged from $10.00 to $250.00. Shortly, I received an email. It was the most encouraging feedback I've ever received from a parent. In addition to the complements, he donated money to purchase a large number of the items on the wish list. With his help, I'll now have several expensive pieces of equipment that will allow me to expand the science and math learning opportunities in my classroom.

The supplies and equipment will be amazing, but the support and encouragement voiced in the email, and proven by the funds means so much more. So often, the result of my teaching and interactions with students is largely unknown. I hope that I've built a positive relationship, helped instill a love of learning, and built their confidence. The rewards of teaching are always so intangible, but this simple and generous act by one parent let me know I'm doing things right. Instead of a parent saying, "Why aren't you..." This parent said, "Let me help you..." Wow, thank you.