Surprise... (if you ever wondered what it feels like to have Malaria...)

Since most of my readers will never have this unique opportunity... I thought I'd let you all "live" vicariously...
(if you don't want to attend my whining pity-party... now is your chance to close the page...)

So yesterday morning I woke with up with a stiff neck and back, after a fairly sleepless night. I ached all day long. It was a busy, and somewhat hectic day of teaching. We did some special activities that were a lot of fun, but did not fall into the regular schedule of class. That, of course, means that the kiddos were just a little discombobulated and out-of hand. But, all in all, it was a good day. As I left the classroom, I told my T.A. "I think I could be asleep the moment I walk in the door and sit down." I walked in the house, thirsty beyond belief. Drank a huge glass of water and re-filled it and drank half again. I was SO hot. It started to rain and I told my housemate, "I've always liked standing in the rain, I'm going to go out in the back yard and do just that." So I sat in the rain for 5-10 minutes. By that time I was SO cold. I went inside and took a HOT shower. As I turned off the shower, I was so bone-tired, I wanted to lay down in the bathtub instead of get out and get dressed. And I was still so cold. I got out, got dressed and laid down on the couch for a nap. Within about 1/2 hour, I realized that every joint in my body was screaming in pain, along with every muscle. Not just my back... even my knuckles and my toe-knuckles ached. And I was actually shivering with cold. At our new staff orientation they had told us that if we experienced a rapid onset of fever with flu-like aches, we should go to the clinic to be tested. I had been home less than 2 hours, I considered that pretty rapid. So I dug out my thermometer, took my temp, (a full 2°F fever) and texted the nurse at the clinic. "She said come and get tested."

Yep... I have Malaria! I hold the distinction of being the first ABC staff member this school year to get it. (You all know how I like to be unique!) Fortunately, we have a pill for that. (Or rather, a barrage of pills.) So, she gave me the meds, told me to go take something to break the fever, and sent me home.

I immediately took 4 Advil and 2 Alieve. (If you know me at all, you know how drug resistant I am.) within 1/2 hour, all that remained were the aching joints. About 3 hours later I could feel the fever returning (which brings with it the shivering cold, screaming muscles and head trying to explode.) I took another 4 Advil and tried again to sleep. I did manage to keep falling asleep, but with my aching back and joints, I am unable to stay asleep for more than an hour and a half. So, 2 hours later, I took another 3 Advil.

(Thank God my house mate waited on me hand and foot last night. She brought me back dinner from the staff potluck. She got my Advil and put it on the table by my head. She brought me a pitcher of water and a glass. She even turned up my music for me because she knows I need it to sleep and it was too far away to reach.)

2 hours after my bed-time dose of Advil, I woke up shivering, my teeth chattering so badly I had bitten my tongue (which is actually what woke me). Even though it had only been 2 hours, I took 4 more Advil. About 1/2 hour later I felt better and slept for another hour and a half. I woke up feverish again and took 2 more Alieve. By this time I just wanted to lay down and die. Even though it is completely insane, I just wanted someone, ANY one to come and put their arms around me and tell me it would be all right. Any human contact at all would have saved my life. Of course, I live on the other side of the world from anyone who would actually go 10 steps out of their way to comfort me, so I just cried. And cried. And so goes the day. I'm alternating the Advil and Alieve. As long as I keep the fever down, I just feel achy joints. That I can actually deal with... just sit on the couch and don't try to move, it's okay. But the fever comes back SO quickly! And I am SOOOO thirsty all the time.

The medication is only a 3 day process, so I'm hoping that means that by the end of the 3rd day I'll feel better. In the mean-time... could someone please just give me a hug?

Reading Day at ABCCA

ABC Christian Academy's first Headmaster instituted a fun tradition that we still celebrate...

Today was Reading Day!

It is a day to celebrate and encourage and reward reading.

Everyone comes to school dressed as a charachter from a book

I became...  



 

Pippi Longstockings

Mr. Gray transformed into...

Mrs. Mc Nosh and the Giant Squash

As the kids arrived, they showed off thier costumes

and played in the playground...

We had a parade...

We started at our end of the school and picked up each new classroom as we passed... 

We ended in the Pavillion

where we had a school-wide chapel service. 

Our Headmaster Bilbo Baggins (aka Mr. Carlisle)

There were a few skits by staff and students... 

We presented costume awards to 3 students from each class...

Best Dressed 

Best Home Made 

And Most Original 

It was SOOOOO hard to choose!

I made extra certificates for everyone just for dressing up!

We went back to our classrooms...

had snack...

and after all that sitting, we needed to move,

so we went back to the playground to play...

I had 4 Spider Men in my class alone...

Then back to the classroom where the mother of one of the kids came in and read to us

  

We all sat at our desks to draw pictures to thank Joy's Mom.

(By this time, my camera's battery had died...)

Then wandered over to the other Reception class where Mr. Owen read us a story...

And back to the classroom to pack up and head home.

 The day was a total success...

And what A LOT of exhausting FUN!!!

Life goes on...

It's been a while since I've posted.
Not because there is nothing to post...

More because there is SO much, that I can't really figure out how to include it all...

So, I've got a plan...

I'm making a list...

I'm checking it twice...

I'm gonna decide

which posts would be nice...

Then I'll be a posting fool!

(3) A day in the life of Miss Chris

A half-hourly diary of my gruelling day as a

K-4 Reception teacher:

7:00m - 8:30: Free Play Time

Mr. Gray - my right hand man in the classroom.

7:30 - 8:00: Group time:

We take attendance by hanging all our fishies on the board...

We learn about the calendar, dates and seasons...

What we did over the weekend, or what fun plans are coming up...

...And any random thought that may pop into a 4 year old's mind...

We sing our memory verse...

And a fun action song or 2...

♪♫ "Hip-Hip-Hip-Hippopotomus..." ♪♫                         ♪♫" I've got a river of life..." ♪♫

We read a book or 2...

8:30 - 9:00, Activity Centers:

This week we're learning the letter E/e, the color yellow, the shape triangle, the number 2,Sorting, lef-to-right, top-to bottom, The story of Joseph, Eph 6;1 and "All About My Family"...

And today's gross motor skill developement?

Picking up colorful feathers with clothespins, of course!

9:00 - 9:15: Snack Time!

9:15 - 9:45: Recess!!!

Check out all the fun things we get to do...

Swinging on a rope in the "tree house"...

...or out over a 4 foot drop...

...sliding down poles...

...or giving a friend a push on the swings...

...or on the tire swing...

...or just hanging out with my best bud!

...Whew... That was exhausting!

(10:00 - 10:15) - Nap time

while Miss Chris reads "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. ...

10:30 - 11:00 - Time to draw a picture of "Who's in my family?"

11:00 - 11:30 - End of the day closing review...

Gather on the carpet to discuss the day...

...another action song or two...

.and Miss Chris's family tree

 11:30 - 12:00 - Time to pack up and move out...

Time to clean our desks, put up our chairs, gather our belongings and line up to get a sticker on our hand if we were good today.

Have a great night, see you tomorrow!!!

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it!

(Thank God that somebody is ME!!!!!)

Now is when the real work begins:

Cleaning up...
Setting up...
Lesson Plans...
Prepping tomorrows projects...
Prepping tomorrows supplies...
Writing communication notes to parents...
etc...
etc...
etc...

Thank you for dropping in on us today!!!

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