Christ's Sufficiency on the First Day of School

Well, my husband and sweet children are at school now.

My sister, Emily, came over this morning to sit with Granny so that I could go be with them as they went to Alcorn Central for the first time. (Actually, they have visited the school many times this summer with their dad. I, however, have never been inside the school before except to go into a gymnasium.)

Ty and Tess slipped away from me without letting me give them a last hug and a goodbye. I refrained from chasing them down the hallway and calling their names. (Yes, I can display restraint when I have to.) They went to the gymnasium to get their schedules and have assembly before beginning their day.

Eric, Dinah and I walked Amelia to her class. She is in the new Mrs. Burcham's class. Maybe that will help them connect, with them both learning the school for the first time. Amelia was reserved but was not turning red (a sure sign that she is upset or nervous), so I felt better about leaving her. She was only the second child to arrive in the room so her teacher was able to give her attention that she might not have if she had entered at a later time.

I had planned on sticking my head into the middle school gym to make sure that Tess and Ty weren't sitting by themselves. (Probably far apart, not together.)  (Not sure what I planned to do if they were. I might have pulled a Papa and just taken them home. He's notorious for doing that with them in preschool if he doesn't think the teachers and other toddlers are paying HIS grandchild enough attention.) But Eric seemed to want to shake Dinah and I because he kept showing us exits and telling us goodbye. After 6 exits, I took the hint, peeled Dinah from him and carried her out while she yelled, "I need my daddy!" I didn't scold her because I felt like yelling, "I need my family!"

I suppose it was a successful start because only Dinah and I cried. I was doing fine until we prayed while we waited for Emily to get to the house. If I need to function without tears, it is usually better that I just rest in knowing that God knows our need, instead of trying to talk to Him. I fixed my face just in time to get outside and grab a picture before we left. I knew this was my only chance because I have never done very well at getting a snap shot of them in their rooms. I usually have a baby or toddler hanging on my arm and the children are trying to be cool and not notice me. So from prior experience, I knew just to be glad I was getting this photo.

As we pulled out of Deer Park, I turned my blinker on for the wrong direction. Thankfully, I was following Eric because if I had not seen him turn right, I might have gone on for a bit on autopilot without noticing. Poor Tess saw it and said nervously that I should have let the car continue toward the highway. Bless her.

I wanted to give them something encouraging to have their hands on to while they were at school today so I wrote out Philippians 4:13 on notecards for them. When I can't be with them, I love that God's Word can be. I (any probably you) have memorized the NKJV but I have been stuck on the Amplified Bible lately and this verse is a perfect example of why I am.

Philippians 4:13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹³ I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who^[a]infuses inner strength into me; I am ^[b]self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

I like how it is explained in the brackets. "Self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency", that is a word we needed today! I think I might need it more than they do but I'm glad it is there for all of us (you too). 

This is the shot I got before we all loaded up and drove to school. (Eric declined being in the pic but I can tell you he looked handsome and was smiling too.) I'm praying they will be wearing those same smiles this afternoon. It is funny that those same kids that gave me the slip this morning probably will be fighting with each other to tell me about their day. (That's why I don't mind the slip. I know they really love me and know I love them.)

Poor Dinah just had to go to Papa's because she was devastated to be left behind. He had a new Barbie puzzle waiting for her, so I think she forgot all about the pain. :)

Oh, and despite what I said yesterday,  I didn't take and hour, or two, or three to miss them. I wanted them back before I walked out of the building. What a blessing they are to me.

I'm Going to Miss My Kids!

Man, I love my kids.

I posted something funny this evening that my Tess told me. I don't think she was trying to be funny when she said it but it made me smile none-the-less. If I posted all of the moments like those that our family has everyday, I would have to hire someone to do it because there are so many of them.

Funny moments, sad moments, tender moments, difficult moments and crazy-mom-is-freaking-out-again moments make up my day. Lately we've added stop-everyone-be-quiet-because-Granny-is-confused moments. You know like when you were a kid and your dad was driving in bad weather so the radio got turned off and everyone sat still as stones until you got home because it was important that he concentrate? I get like that when Granny is confused and the children can tell when they need to go sit down, be still and keep Dinah entertained because my full focus has to be on Granny. (How great are they to know that and understand that? Pretty great.)

I joke that every time I've had a child go to kindergarten, I have another baby because I can't stand not having someone with me. (I guess it isn't a joke because I've really had a baby every time one of them went to kindergarten. I don't have anyone going to kindergarten this year, so I'm not having a baby. Well, that and Eric says we can't have anymore because in all probability he is going to be attempting to draw his Social Security before Dinah graduates and he wants to retire before he turns 80) I miss them so much when they aren't here with me.

Yes, there are times when I think, "I've got to have an hour of peace or I'm going to go crazy." When they are fighting non-stop and I am tired and I can't take it any more, August and a new school year doesn't seem so bad. But I really want them with me, because an hour (maybe a couple of hours, or three) after they are gone, I am wanting them home again.

I don't know if you know it, but I'm a homeschool mom wannabe. Ever since Ty was a toddler, I have prayed that I would get to keep my children home with me. So far, God has not seen fit to grant me that request. Maybe He is protecting me (or my children) from myself. Maybe I would be a horrible homeschool mom. I don't know. All I know is that my babies are and probably will always be in public school.

My husband is a school teacher. Being around the teacher community for some time, I hear or have heard in the past other teachers or people from the community complain when a teacher's children are homeschooled or even that they don't go to the same school that the teacher does. I may have been one of those complainers at one time or another.

And then on the other side of the coin, (maybe because I want to be one of them) I have experienced feeling (real or imagined) that a homeschool parent didn't think I was doing the right thing for my children for allowing them to go to public school. It's kind of hard not to think that when they are telling you all the reasons they wouldn't let their child cross the threshold.

What have I learned from both of these sides and with years of experience being a mom? That each parent has to do what they think is best for their children by following the Lord's guidance in all things. It really isn't any of my business where anyone else's child goes to school. I should only voice opinions about my own children and keep all other thoughts to myself. As long as we have sought His direction for our children's education and have listened for His voice and feel we are walking in that way, I (I say "I" here because Eric doesn't feel guilty about it) shouldn't feel guilt either way.

So tonight on the eve of a new school year, I thank God for public school and the fact that we are able to be a part of what He has planned there. I pray for all of the administrators and teachers that will walk those halls and teach in those classrooms. They have a huge job before them and can only do it through the Lord's strength. Satan wants them to fail. He wants them to mess up. Our prayers need to be many for those who teach.

I pray for the parents who will watch their child go out the door in the morning and wish them back again. I pray for the parents who don't get to take their child to school and kiss them goodbye at the door. I pray for the children. I pray that they would each have an adult who loves them and cares for them and is able to clothe them and help keep them clean and keep them fed. I pray that each child will find a caring teacher on the other side of the door in the morning. I pray that we as parents remember that just because we send our children outside the home to be educated, it doesn't mean that we aren't teachers ourselves. I pray that we take up our responsibility as well.

I pray also for my homeschool friends. I thank God that they have the opportunity to teach their children at home because not everyone has that option. I ask blessings on their homes as they decide on and prepare curriculum. For those who are weary from being 24/7 caregivers without a moment to themselves, I pray for them strength and peace of mind and opportunities for rest. I pray for their children as well. That they will have focus as they take their lessons at home.

I hope that you see my heart about all of these things. I had no intention when I started this post that it would end up here. I just thought I was going to tell you about how much I love my sweet (most of the time) children and how much I am going to miss them (at least after an hour, or two, or three) tomorrow. Granny, Dinah and I will probably just sit and stare at the wall and wonder where the summer went.

I am so grateful that my children don't feel like I did about school. (I would have loved to have been homeschooled as a child. To be honest though, with my crippling shyness, I think that if I had been, I might still be living with my mother and looking a bit like Bette Davis in the first part of Now, Voyager.) But as they go to a new school in the morning I will have to pray for extra measure of peace to outweigh the butterflies for them and myself. If you have time, we would appreciate if you would pray for them also. Alcorn Central is a lot bigger than Biggersville. (Yes, that is a bit of a paradox.) I'm praying they won't be overwhelmed and they make friends easily.  They will be missing their other friends more as they go to school in the morning.

Tess shot down my offer to make a commercial with testimonials from her current friends about what a great friend she is. She is on her own now. I tried to help. I packed a stick (a small one--It kind of looks like a pencil) in Ty's back pack for him to beat the girls off. I know he's my kid but I think anyone would tell you he is handsome and he has a personality to go with it. It's killing me. Amelia told me that she was going to wait until the day after tomorrow (because she was sure that she would have friends by then) to let them know she was crazy. I let her know we might need to keep that to ourselves, especially with new friends, but she assured me it was the good kind of crazy, the fun kind. (So we know who to pray for a little extra.) As their mama, I know they are wonderful kids and my greatest comfort is as they walk into a school knowing very few people that they all 3 have the Holy Spirit going in with them.

So I hope you'll forgive this very all-over-the-place post and excuse me while I cry a bit before I go to sleep.

Prayers going up for all school people, home and public, (And Private!)

Anna

Letter From A Coach's Wife

Since Eric and I have been married, he has only coached at 2 schools. Rienzi and Biggersille are almost extensions of each other so its like it was only one. I had been a student at Biggersville and since we married 2 summers after I graduated, there wasn't much time for me or the school to change much before I became a part of it again through my husband.

I always kept the books for Eric's ballgames until sometime after Tess was born and I was able to finally convince Eric that I could not watch a 2 year-old and a 6 month old and keep the books at the same time. He thought I was more talented that I actually was. And apparently still had a notion that I could handle anything thrown at me because he moved me to the concession stand with said toddler and infant in tow. :)

As the years passed, more babies came, and I began to work outside the home more, I was unable to make it to all the ballgames like I wanted to. It just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to have young children out in the freezing cold (because most of the season is spent sitting outside at night in temps below 50 degrees) or to have them crying incessantly at home because they were sleepy when they had to take a bath at 10 p.m. because they had school the next day and we had been at the ball field.

We went to as many games as we could that coincided with the right temperature, location and my being off from work. This past year when we might have been able to participate more fully in being present to support our team, Granny came to live with us. We attempted to go to the games and just sit in the car a few times until it became apparent that while Granny did well on these outings, she became more confused after we came home. So, again, we became home cheerleaders.

I've struggled with this outcome and even though I have felt the decisions made were the best for our family, I have fallen into the trap of comparing myself to other coaches' wives. I know that some wives would never miss a game, no matter what the weather or how many children they have in tow. I know that some know all the players' names, their positions and their stats. Sincerely, my hat is off to them because I don't know how they do it. With homework and housework and a job, I am barely keeping up.

My insecurity about it finds me questioning Eric. "Are you really okay with me staying home tonight?" "Do you think I don't care about the team? Because I really do." "I hope the parents know that I don't just stay home because I don't feel like going."

Being the woman that I am, when he reassures me that it is okay that I am not there and that he agrees with me, I immediately question that too. "Is it not important to you that I am there?"

Yes. I have issues.

So now, as we venture to Alcorn Central with new people and a new team, my insecurities rise to the surface again.

I'm horrible at meeting new people. I have NO small talk. I try to just smile big and pray you don't think I'm stupid when I don't have anything to say. I try but the more I do, the more my mind just goes blank. I have trouble remembering names and it has nothing to do with how much I like you. And that's just when I am able to be present. I will hardly ever be able to come on campus. I'm absent more now than I have ever been because of Granny. I even have to miss some of my children's ballgames now.

I am doing the best I can trying to balance all the demands placed on me with the desires of my heart. So instead of listing all of the ways that I feel I may be falling short, I thought of the things that I can offer as a coach's wife.

I love my husband. 

Eric is a coach. While he is also many other things, the coach portion is one of the larger parts. Because I love my husband as a whole, that includes the coach part. I've never referred to myself as a baseball widow. I'm a part of his team as much as if I was a player or another coach. I listen. I ask questions. I comment. I am interested. I am engaged. I care.

When I don't get to go to the games, after the kids have gone to bed, I sit on the couch to welcome him as he arrives home and ask, "How'd it go?" I'll listen to his recounting of the game, inning by inning and then sit with him as he calls in the score.

How does that help you?  I understand that for a portion of the fall and from January to May, I will be on my own a great portion of the time. I hope that by being supportive of my husband in his calling and not complaining about the time he spends away from us helps him be the best coach he can be.

I love your children.

You see him at the practices and at the games but you don't see all the time he spends preparing. You don't see him talking on the phone with parents and grandparents about their kids. You don't see the hours he spends making cookie dough so that he can sell it to buy equipment for them. You don't know that he offers his time and expertise without renumeration for the benefit of the school and team. You don't see the hours he spends mowing, weed eating, and painting so that they can have a ball field to be proud of.

I think that your children are important. Their lives have meaning and are valuable. Eric's impact on them will be far-reaching so I feel that sharing my husband is worth it.


I love Jesus.

I pray earnestly for the administrators, the coaches, the players, the parents and fans. I pray for the other teams. I pray for the referees and the umpires. I pray about the uniforms that you'll wear. I pray for safety. I pray about attitudes and sportsmanship.  I pray for wisdom for all of us. So that we'll understand what is really important and what is not. That we'll stand up for what needs to be defended and know when to let something pass. That we would be thankful for the times we get things right, and learn from the times we get things wrong. That we would be honorable in the winning and in the losing.

You know those insecurities I mentioned? (I would have loved to have left them out of this post, but I'm trying to be honest here.) They seem to be my major struggle in life. Jesus is trying to work them out of me. But no matter how my head runs away from me, I know in my heart that He holds us securely in His hands.

Loving Jesus, however imperfectly I do it,  helps me love my husband and love your children.

Well, I'm afraid that is all. It is only 3 things but I promise to be faithful in them. And I look forward to the time that I get to know you all. You will be able to go from wondering if I'll ever talk to wishing I would hush up and let you get a word in edge-wise.

My First Day of School Blues (i.e. Five-Year-Old Agony)

With school starting in a few days, I have been thinking of my years in the classroom. For most of the 13 years that I attended public school, the first days of each year were nothing less than a nightmare for me. Let me explain. I know you want me to. :)

I like to be at home. People who aren't my family scare me a little (or a lot) before I get to know them (or learn to avoid them at all costs). This is not new. It has always been.

Kindergarten messed with that. Big time.

Come to think of it all of the other grades did that too.

I remember visiting kindergarten for the first time clutching my mother's hand. The kindergarten classes were held in what I can only describe as a house trailer pulled onto campus. We climbed the steps together and we walked in the room. I remember hula hoops in a box under the windows that were letting in bright sunshine to our left. I loved hula hoops and sunshine as long as they were at HOME. Here they mocked my pain.

We made our way to the front of the room. I tried with all my might not to break down like the girl who was crying so hard that she was hiccuping. If she was that upset, it must be as bad there as I thought it would be. Maybe Mama wouldn't leave me.

Even though I ended up loving my teacher, I didn't know her yet and on that first day it did not help matters that she penciled on VERY arched eyebrows. Like there was no real eyebrow left. Just enormous arches above her eyes. My mom hardly wore any make-up so to see this face fully and deeply painted was a bit shocking to me. She might as well have been green because this is the image I saw:

We were introduced and then I was shown my desk. And then the unthinkable happened. My mother left me there. All alone. Well, the 25 other kids and 2 teachers didn't count.

I couldn't help it. I began to cry. I was silent though. No wails or hiccups. Just restrained misery.

Somehow I made it through that day.

Guess what?

My family expected me to go back.

I know.

Horrible.

Guess what?

This time I had to ride a school bus.

Yes.

Horrible.

The only help was that my big sister, Emily, was with me. We stood at the end of our long driveway waiting at the crack of dawn for the large yellow bus to come and take us to the torture chamber some referred to as school. We would turn back and wave to my encouraging, smiling mother (whom I now know being a mother myself had to be the most stouthearted mom alive to pry me off of her leg everyday. I'm so sorry, Mama) and my oh, so fortunate little sister, Rachel and brother, Seth. How good they had it. Home. All day. Bliss.

Ms. Tammy was a great bus driver. She turned out to be a long-suffering one as well. Because we were some of the first riders on, and probably because of my pitiful look, I got the seat right behind her. She probably regretted that move later. I felt I had no recourse but to stand behind her, cry and beg her to take me back to my mama. I knew how I would handle Mama if she would just take me home. I could walk in and say, "Well, I had to come back. The bus driver wasn't going to take us to school. Now let's have no more of that nonsense. Who wants to go play?"

Now that I'm grown up I realize how patient Ms. Tammy was and how kindly she dealt with me. It was an hour long bus route--one hour to drive a filling school bus and to listen to me blubber behind her. God bless her.

She tried at first to tell me how much fun I would have. "Kindergarten is so fun!" I didn't buy that. I'd been there already. She didn't know how awesome home was. She would go on to say that she couldn't turn the bus around. The kids had to go to school. After that didn't work, she just said, "I'm sorry, sweetie" a million times until we got to school.

Emily would walk me to my class (as she did every school day until the middle of my first grade year when my teacher told her not to anymore--Insufferably mean woman) and I reluctantly let her leave me after the teacher told me to let go of her so she could go to her class. I can still remember the sick feeling that rose from my stomach and lodged in my throat. I would just try to stare ahead of me and not talk because the hot tears were spilling. (The hiccuping girl didn't cry anymore after the first day. So that just left me to be the big baby.)

Something miraculous happened during the day though. I must have had fun. Something took my mind off of the homesickness and when the day was over, the hard-hearted Ms. Tammy who wouldn't turn around that morning became the most wonderful woman in the world in the afternoon. She was taking me HOME!!

In recompense for the morning hysterics, I stood behind her and pulled out her gray hairs. It was ok. I just found them and then she would say, "Girl! Pull that out!"

I'm glad that I had some redeeming qualities (gray-hair plucker) and that she was a mightily understanding woman because even though the crying and begging only lasted several weeks, they returned with each fall. That's right. I cried for at least 2 weeks of the beginning of every school year until I was in the 6th grade. (That was the year that my mom became a teacher and taught across the road. Ms. Tammy must have had a shouting party when she saw her route assignments that year.)

All of you who love having my mom as a teacher can send me a thank you note. I feel like God probably said, "Sheesh! She isn't going to quit being a scaredy cat so I'll just have to send her mother with her." He's benevolent that way.

Yes. I cried when I went to college too. He sent me Kristen that time. 


(You must know that my kindergarten teacher became so special to me. I would never want to hurt her and I hope if she ever sees this that she knows that a 5 year old's perception of things can be a bit off. Also the "insufferable mean" first grade teacher has a little bit of my heart also. She knew I was the most scared kid alive and she hoped to help me by making me more independent. As you know by reading this, it didn't work, but God bless her for trying.)

I hope that this does not scare any parents sending their offspring to school for the first time this year. If it makes you nervous, just think about how well I turned out. 

Spreading hope. 

That's what I do.

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

The Move

By now you have probably heard that, Eric, my husband, is leaving Biggersville. He has taken a position at Alcorn Central High School. He will be coaching baseball there, but he will be assistant high school baseball coach. Not head coach. I know that some folks were confused on that point. He will be coaching jr. high baseball and another sport yet to be decided. He will teach 8th grade history as well.

I don't think that it is any coincidence or chance happening that God would have me declare my love for Biggersville schools a mere month before I knew that we would have to leave it. I had no idea that Eric would accept a job at Alcorn Central when I wrote that post. The way we feel about Biggersville hasn't changed. Eric has been a coach at there for 18 years. During those 18 years he had many opportunities to leave and go elsewhere. But every year he chose to stay. Until this year.

To those of you who have, without asking why, told us that you will miss us but will be praying for us and supporting us wherever we are, thank you. Thank you for loving us that way. To those who honestly ask and listen to what we say, we thank you as well. We appreciate that you took the time to ask us why instead of putting words in our mouths.

We have had some folks congratulate us and in the following conversation they state something like, "Well, no one should fault you for trying to advance yourself." or "Movin' on up, aren't you?" Those comments are well meaning. They are wishing us success. I guess they didn't realize how it sounded.  We have heard another more negative observation. I won't repeat it because it isn't only hurtful to Eric and our family, it could be upsetting to the students that he taught and coached.

We would like you to know that we don't see this as a "step up". Eric has chosen to "step down" in a way.  He could still be head coach at Biggersville or somewhere else.  As I mentioned earlier, in the years that Eric was coach at BHS, on average he got an offer to go somewhere else yearly, to places that others would have seen as "better" than Biggersville. He didn't take them because he felt he was where he should be. He did what he thought was best for the students, the school, and himself then as he does now. The BEST place to be is always in the place where God wants you. Success is measured in more ways than with trophies and accolades. The investment in coaching isn't just in winning. The investment is in the child. To impart a character that shines in the winning and the losing. I know he wants to do this at Alcorn Central as an assistant as he did at Biggersville as a head coach. 

One of the good things that came from the responses to this move is that my heart and voice rose to defend my husband's choice for us. (I can talk about him but I don't want anyone else to. :)) I wasn't very happy with this decision at first. I cried and cried privately. I called out to God to ask Him to help me understand and to be able to move forward. I didn't want my children to hurt by having to leave their comfort zone, their friends, the teachers and the place they love. I had to admit that Biggersville was my comfort zone as well. Change is hard. But, in the process of "standing by my man", God helped me and I began to see the positives as well. 

Another valuable lesson that I hope we learn from this is how to respond to others' choices. It helps to be on the receiving end of criticism or have misinformation spread about you at times. "So this is what that feels like." I hope it will be mirror to help us see where we have failed in the past and how we can improve in this area in the future. 

Eric will be going to coach with Jarrad Robinson. Eric met Jarrad and his dad when Jarrad played at the park in his early teen years. Jarrad played for Eric on his Senior Legion team 15 years ago. Eric followed Jarrad through his college years and then his teaching and coaching ones after. He is excited about the opportunity to coach with his friend. He is looking forward not only to his coaching at Alcorn Central, but the opportunities he will have as a classroom teacher. His schedule, subject area and the grade level he will be teaching are suited to his strengths and tastes.

Please pray for us as we make this move. The children especially need your love and support. We have LOVED our time at Biggersville. We GRIEVED over the decision to leave. We will continue to MISS it for a long time. But now that the decision is made, we are EXCITED about what God has planned for our lives as Alcorn Central Bears.

The Pride of Lions (Humbly So)

Last night, we attended the Biggersville Elementary academic awards program and sixth grade promotion ceremony. My children make me blessed AGAIN this year. Ty had his awards program the other day during school. Granny wasn't well that day so I didn't get to go. He did really well also.  

   

But this post isn't to brag on my children. This post is to tell you about our wonderful school and the people who work there everyday to make it so. 

When I was in the 8th grade, I joined the students at Biggersville. I transferred after the school year had begun. My mom was a teacher there but I still didn't know many people. If you know anything about me, you know I was incredibly shy. I remember entering class that day, and all eyes turning toward the door and to me as I walked in. This shy girl didn't have to stay scared for long because I was immediately "embraced" by my classmates. 

It was different there than it was at my old school. On break, all of the students (7th-12th grade) intermingled in the hallway. It didn't seem to matter who was an upperclassman or who wasn't. No one cared what kind of jeans the other person wore. No one cared how much money your parents had. The students seemed to judge one another by who they were and not by their material possessions, what important relative you could claim, or even by the color of your skin. 

I graduated there, I worked there in the summers and I married a man who became a teacher there. As the years passed I became more and more vested in the school. 

After our children were born, I began to think about where they would go to school. We went to church in town, lived in town, and most of the children's friends would be going to Corinth. My younger sister and brother graduated there because my mom was a teacher there. I knew Corinth and the other county schools had better classrooms, better labs, better sports facilities and more arts programs. They offered a wider array of subjects to choose from beyond the basic, required curriculum. Several families that I knew who lived in Biggersville school district and were BHS alumni, chose to send there children to other schools. I became confused. I wasn't sure that Biggersville had enough to offer my gifted children.

When I complained about the science lab that was two times older than I was, when I complained about no drama program, when I complained about the fact that there was only one Spanish and no other language option, when I ranted about the fact that the school received nothing the other schools got, Eric reminded me that I went to school there and that I wasn't stupid as a result. He reminded me of the degrees held by many of the classmates I attended school with.

When it came time to send Ty to kindergarten, we had already decided that we wanted him to be with his daddy. All of the teachers seemed to already love my child. They were excited about him coming to be at school with them. I had heard nothing but kind words about Ms. Melanie and Ms. Janet. It was a good thing. 

As the years have gone by and 3 of our 4 living children have gone to school there, we have never regretted keeping them "home". They have been loved and nurtured. My children aren't limited here. They are challenged in ways they couldn't be elsewhere. They are building character. 

I love the fact that they see each other at school all day. With one class for every grade, they have shared teachers and the same 2 hallways for all these years. Ty is "across the road" now at the Jr./Sr. high school. He has some of the same teachers I had. Some of the teachers were my classmates. 

Recently, the Mississippi Department of Education announced that Biggersville High School had been awarded a Bronze Medal on the "Best High Schools Rankings". 

Read how U.S. News and World Report arrived at these results:

"A three-step process determined the Best High Schools. The first two steps ensured that the schools serve all of their students well, using performance on state proficiency tests as the benchmarks. For those schools that made it past the first two steps, a third step assessed the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work."

(I am including the criteria for only the first two steps because the third step was inapplicable for Biggersville.)

• Step 1: The first step determined whether each school's students were performing better than statistically expected for the average student in the state. We started by looking at reading and math results for all students on each state's high school proficiency tests.

We then factored in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students (who tend to score lower) enrolled at the school to identify the schools that were performing better than statistical expectations.

• Step 2: For those schools that made it past this first step, the second step determined whether the school's least-advantaged students (black, Hispanic and low-income) were performing better than average for similar students in the state.

We compared each school's math and reading proficiency rates for disadvantaged students with the statewide results for these student groups and then selected schools that were performing better than this state average.

According to the report, 73% of Biggersville's total enrollment is "economically disadvantaged". Eric and I are in the other 27% there. I would describe us as "economically breaking even" as I am sure most of the other 27% would describe themselves as well. 

"The Poverty Factor" refers to Georgia public schools but Mississippi ranks higher than Georgia on the list of children living in poverty in the state at 32%.

The worst-performing public schools tend to be in the poorest zip codes, while most successful public schools are in more affluent zip codes. The dropout rate of students in low-income families is more than four times greater than the rate of students from higher-income families. In Georgia, economically disadvantaged kids are about four times more likely than their higher-income counterparts to score below standards on the almighty CRCT (Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests).

The report from U.S. News and World Report shows that Biggersville is bridging the gap. Being "economically disadvantaged" doesn't mean you will automatically be "academically disadvantaged". That is something to be really proud of. 

These results aren't because we have better classrooms. because we don't. These results aren't because we have better materials, because we don't. These results aren't because we have the best science labs, because we don't. 

These results come from community, hard work, and a WHOLE LOT of LOVE. 

To be a teacher anywhere and make a difference requires a lot of personal sacrifice. I know. I am from a family of teachers. I don't want to make less of teachers everywhere. But I suggest to you from the statistics from the report that the teachers at schools like Biggersville are going above and beyond the call of duty and that statistically speaking, MORE of their students have LESS. These teachers are doing MORE with LESS resources. This requires MORE of them to achieve these results; MORE SUPPORT, MORE TIME, MORE PATIENCE. They also get LESS thanks or at least thanks of a different kind. I would be surprised if an expensive piece of pottery or gift cards to nice restaurants land on their desks very often. (They might only get a long blog post dedicated to them from a sincere heart. Yes, a very different kind of thanks.)

These are just a few of the faces that make a difference in my kids every day. (These teachers were such stars we couldn't get to all of them to get our pictures made.) They do it everyday, month after month, and year after year. When I describe Biggersville to people who aren't from here, I always say, "It's like a small private school, except everyone gets to come." I often cry a little when I say it.  

Our children are to be taught at home, first and foremost. But often, the world around us wants to confuse what we have been taught at home. I saw what my parents taught me in action at this school. I pray my children see what we have taught them there as well. 

-You may not have what everyone else has but you have enough. Your achievement depends on your own personal work ethic and determination. 

-Everyone gets a chance to be your friend. You don't exclude them automatically because they aren't like you. 

-People are more important than things. Possessions do not define you.

-Always remember Whose you are and always strive to make Him proud.

-Rejoice in how far you go but never be ashamed of where you came from.

-You don't have to "go big, or go home". Being small or doing small things makes a big difference sometimes. 

-You can always come home. 

Kossuth and Corinth High schools were awarded the bronze medal as well. The percentage of economically disadvantaged at Kossuth High school was 50% and at Corinth High School, 52%. Biggersville does not offer AP or IB courses therefore were not scored on college readiness. And if you would like to argue with me about the difference in the resources of these schools and Biggersville's, I would love to accompany you on a tour of all three schools.

(Bronze medals: An additional 2,515 high schools that passed the first two steps in the methodology were awarded bronze medals and are listed alphabetically. A bronze medal school either does not offer any AP or IB courses, or its college readiness index was less than the median of 14.8 needed to be ranked silver.)