Currently Listening 12 Songs By Neil Diamond see related

The blogring is ready!  Finally after all these years of teaching, I have the opportunity to check something enjoyable!  Good luck.  See you Monday.

(For those of you who don't know, all you have to do is scroll down to my blogrings section and click on "I take Honors English."  You will then be able to subscribe to the blogring.)

Currently Reading Predator (Kay Scarpetta Mysteries) By Patricia Cornwell see related

Pressure has forced me to take the time to complete a quick update.  I cannot believe that I have waited almost a year. I do read the comments you have taken time to write; I just have not had the time to use this creative outlet in a while.

Life on Lilley hill continues at a hectic pace. (For those of you who don't know, my screen name comes from where I live, not a reversed combination of my maiden name and married name.  I do live on top of a hill!  For years the area has been referred to as Lilleyhill.)  School/work takes up more and more time, and yet I feel that I accomplish less and less each day.  I sometimes feel like old age is nipping at my heels and I won't be able to accomplish in this life what I had hoped.  I think the recent deaths of a student at SHJHS and my aunt have me realizing that we each have a limited amount of time and better make wise use of every moment.

Through the fall I worked with the CHS band as a volunteer. Over the next couple of weeks, I will resume that activity as the band prepares for spring festival and the trip to Atlanta.  Oh, by the way, those of you who are presently in SHJHS band and my classes, we get to spend the whole band trip together!  I know you must be overjoyed at the thought, but try to contain yourselves! 

Johnelyn and I continue to teach a Sunday school class of four, five, and six year olds.  They make me appreciate the simplest things in life -- those things that can easily be overlooked -- the joy of looking at a bug through a magnifying glass, the sensation of a cool wind and the sun's warmth against skin at the same time,  the feel of love disguised as chubby little arms wrapped around a neck (or leg, or arm).   

Since I have about five sets of ungraded papers scattered across the family room floor and expect Johnelyn and Nathan to return from an afternoon of leaf raking, J.B. and whoever to come looking for food, and Frank (that's Mr. Lilley to some of you) to want to watch the game shortly, I will close this entry with a promise to update again soon. 

In the meantime, take pleasure in the little things in life!

Currently Playing Come Away with Me By Norah Jones see related

I'm baa-ack!  I hadn't realized that I had allowed so much time to pass since I had last updated.  Thanks to all of you who have kept leaving messages and checking on me.  I will try to do better.

The new year has not brought much excitement to my life.  I guess when you stop and think, that could actually be good.  Over the last couple of weeks, others I know have been hit with hardship -- a death of a sibling, a diagnosis of cancer, children injured in accidents.  If I have a choice, I think I will take BORING anytime.

MOM'S UPDATE  (If you don't want to hear about my kids, scan down!) 

Smith is back in Ireland.  Classes have finally resumed (February 14th) for the second semester there after a lengthy "winter break."  The broken collarbone has healed, and he's back to his running.  He's actually planning to run a marathon.  My legs ache just thinking about such!  I can't even make myself keep up with a daily walking routine.  

J.B. has entered Mississippi College and is still working for the Hinds County Sheriff's department.  He missed school last week and will miss again this week while he attends training class for deputies.  He really seems to have taken a more serious turn in his education.  I don't tell him enough how proud I am of the choices he makes.  I will have to do better.

Johnelyn is, well, Johnelyn.  I say that with pride.  I'm glad she doesn't try to be anyone other than who she is.  She and I began teaching a Sunday school class together back during the fall.  This month she took on the responsibility of teaching her own class.  She just adores the little ones!  She has some really good ideas about teaching the different levels of kids we get each week.  I see a natural-born teacher!  However, I'm sure that she would not want to follow in my footsteps since she knows all too well the demands of my profession. 

END OF MOM SESSION 

I presently have a student-teacher from MC assigned to my class at school.  She is bright, articulate, and full of fun.  I have always been pleased with MC's "product," but this young lady seems more dedicated than most I have had placed with me.  I am thoroughly enjoying working with her.  However, I really tire of people saying that now I can just sit back and do nothing while she is there.  Yes, having an extra teacher in the room does help with grading and some other elements of teaching, but it also brings more responsibility.  I can write lesson plans for myself much faster than I can oversee another person writing plans that meet the standards of CPS, SHJHS, MC, etc.  I still look at every paper the students turn in, but now I also have to be sure that the grading that has taken place meets my standard. Thank goodness, the young lady assigned is a good teacher and takes criticism well. I could go on and on; but what it really amounts to is that I find letting go of my students difficult.  Hey, God asked me to teach.  I followed His calling.  Teaching "teachers" instead of teaching my students never entered my mind.  I keep having to remind myself that He said "TEACH."  He didn't say who!  O.K., students, I hope you get the idea that I miss teaching you!

Hey, SHJHS, what's this I keep hearing about PDA in the hallways?  Yes, I read other xanga's, too!  Am I blind?  I have seen some hand holding and a few kids walking with arms around each other, but I can't say I've seen anything to an extreme.  Do I have blinders on?  Has the definition of PDA changed since I was a teen 942 years ago? Maybe you need to update me on what constitutes PDA because I seem to be missing something here.  Are you commenting to the offenders about their behavior?  Are you just considered "jealous" since you don't have a "significant other" holding your hand?  If you object to student behavior, you need to let some of us old-fogeys know.  Hey, journalism class, I see an article here!

I guess it is time that I end this rambling.  I stayed home from church today to try to get over my "flu that is not the flu since I have no temperature."  My cough has progressed to "tearing out the tonsils" stage.  The problem there is that I had my tonsils removed when I was nine. I keep wondering if I am turning into a "big-headed alien" since my head feels like everything from the nose up has been stuffed to the breaking point.   

I'm going to go read what my favorite teens are looking for in a mate while I listen to Bob's sermon on the radio. 

Love to all who put up with me!

I know you all have been awaiting an update to this site, but I have just been too busy.  In case you didn't know, Smith is now home for Christmas.  We are a whole family once agian! 

For those of you who know me well, you will know that I have been waiting for the arrival of a new grandstudent (that's the child of a former student).  This new arrival is more special than any other from the past since her mom has become a family friend/extended family member as well.  Congratulations, Danielle.  Destini is beautiful.

The next expected arrival at this Lilley household  is Brock.  Johnelyn is anxiously waiting to see him.  So far we have been able to keep her in the dark about the arrival date and time. 

My nephew, Benjamin, the marine, is expected any time now.  We feel really lucky that he and his wife will be here for Christmas.  It was only a few weeks ago that he was told that he would be shipping out to Iraq.  We didn't think he would be able to make a trip home under the circumstances, but they should be here sometime in the next twenty-four hours.  My neice, Emy, and her son and husband will be home from Ireland.  Plus Dell, Benjamin's sister, and her new husband will join us for the afternoon. This is the first Christmas in several years that all the Lilleys will be together. Do we hear the clicking of cameras?

If you folks in Clinton hear a lot of noice from the northern part of the county, it's probably just the party at Lilleyhill (that is what the area out here has been called for a long time . . .hence my screen name). 

I won't be so lucky as far as my side of the family is concerned.  I will see my parents sometime Christmas afternoon/evening, but all my sisters live out of town and have their own family celebrations.  If only I could be Santa for a little while . . . I would zip down to Petal, across to Meridian, and then zoom on out to Washington.  Now that plus seeing all the Lilley crew would definitely be one grand Christmas.

As I walked through the den coming to the office a few minutes ago, I heard the hostesses of TheView discussing aggression at Christmas.  I thought I'd share my Christmas shopping story. 

I always wait until school is out for the holiday to shop for Christmas . . .  partially because I am by nature the biggest procrastinator on earth and partly because we don't do the big Christmas routine of some other households so shopping doesn't really take very long.  Wanting to spend as much time with the family (especially Smith) as I could over the next week, I decided to make Saturday my shopping day.  I thought I could possibly complete the task before the arrival of all the family, thus leaving the rest of the week open for visiting.

Of course, my first stop was my store, Wal-mart.  After selecting several items, I had headed for the front to check out when I remembered that Johnelyn's alarm clock had recently been acting as if it were possessed by an invisible gargling monster.  I decided to see if I could find her a nice little "stocking stuffer".  Like everything else this time of year, the stock was rather well picked over.  I finally located a cute little black (is there any other color) clock with electric blue numbers and placed it on top of the items in my rather over-filled basket.  Deciding that I, too, needed a new clock, I turned back to the meager selection to see what I might like. I had hoped to find another clock like the one I had just selected, but as luck would have it, a second one did not exist so I continued to look for something that would fit my needs.   About that time, another shopper approached the clocks.  I slid over to give her room to make a selection, pulling my shopping cart with me.  After a minute or so, this lady (I use the term lightly. . .you will soon understand) turned around and picked up the clock I had selected for Johnelyn.  As she walked away, clock in hand, I politely said, "Excuse me, ma'am, I plan to purchase that clock."  She wheeled around, looking at me with an intense expression -- chin lowered, eyes glaring --and flipped me off!  For just a split second, anger welled.  Then I just shook my head in disgust at her action and said, "Merry Christmas to you, too!" 

Lesson here:  Very little in life is worth causing a scene.  I do hope that every time that lady looks at her clock she will hear my voice saying "Merry Christmas."  Maybe after a while, she will remember the real reason we celebrate this holiday season.

Wishing you all the peace and love of our Lord and Savior as you celebrate the season with your loved ones . . .

God bless you and keep you in His care!

Currently Reading Mere Christianity By C. S. Lewis see related

Hello, my Ladies and Lads.  I know that you have been sitting on pins and needles just waiting for the day that I would finally set up this site.  Thanks to the sweetest girl I know, I am now here. 

I do feel that I need to explain the banner just a bit.  Several years ago I had the experience of someone referring to me as "persnickety."  At first I was a little upset that such a word would be used attached to my name since I had always considered it having a negative connotation.  However, I really liked the sound of the word.  Every time I would say "persnickety", I became more fond of the way it felt as it rolled off my Southern tongue.  I also liked the sound of the word since it reminded me of a cat -- not only in meaning but also in the sound (thus, the spelling above).  I finally decided to consult my friend, Merriam-Webster, about the definition, and upon doing so, discovered the word to fit me rather nicely (the second definition, of course). 

Persnickety - 1.  a.  Overparticular about trivial details; fastidious.   b.  Snobbish, pretentious.  2.  Requiring strict attention to detail; demanding

(For those of you who need further assistance

Fastidious - Difficult to please; exacting (Anyone who knows me knows that I am not difficult to please as long as you do things my way.) 

Pretentious - Claiming or demanding  a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified ; outwardly extravagant; ostentatious (How can Wal-mart's favorite customer be labeled in this manner, I ask?)

Anywayz, as many of you say, (Do you know how that grates on my nerves?) . . . on with the story.  After looking at the word more closely, I decided that I not only liked the word, but I actually wanted to adopt the word and make it my own.  And that my children is how "Purrsnickety" came to be.

The quote "If I'm talking, you should be taking notes" also has some significance.  Many of you reading this know the health teacher at SHJHS. She has a fondness for sharing word plays with me.  When someone uses a good pun or oxymoron, she will write it down and send it my way.  Recently, she sent me a clipping of a t-shirt which displayed a cute oxymoron.  However, what actually caught my eye was the t-shirt beside the one she was showing me.  Displayed in a lovely shade of electric blue with the above quote emblazoned in silver, the t-shirt immediatly became my heart's desire.  I have asked Santa to please, please bring me one for Christmas since I have been such a sweet teacher.  I promised him that I would wear the shirt every Friday for the benefit of all my students. 

With that, my story ends, and I sign off so that the sweet girl who originally set up my site can use the computer for "schoolwork."  Hmmmmm . . . . exactly what course is she taking that requires so much computer time?