Backing Up
I handed out candy with my next door neighbor Amy on Halloween. Bill was present on skype. All the trick or treaters loved talking to him and seeing him on the computer. It was pretty fun. Some friends here in Abilene threw a baby shower for us, which was great. We are so glad and thankful to have a good stock already of baby supplies and cute outfits. It was fun being with family and friends.
We were disappointed with the election results, but will continue to do our part as citizens, while trusting in God.
This weekend was I went to Scott and Amber Bryson's wedding reception. It was very sweet seeing the smitten couple. I also got to visit with a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a long time. Its interesting seeing the different challenges and experiences people go through and how their life is effected with and without the gospel. I just know I'm grateful for the Savior being there with us all through it all, and for my great husband. Everyone needs someone to love. Its great when your relationship with them strengthens your relationship with God and the Savior.
I talked to my brother Troy a few days ago, and am happy for him because he got a new job and seems excited about it. I talked to another brother Travis and got an enjoyable review on Manifest Destiny.
Presently
Bill gets to leave Connecticut for sure by November 26th. We hope he leaves sooner. He finished the A/C portion of his coursework, cleped out of some of the electronics course work, is going to try to clep the math part of the coursework, and will only have the analog and digital parts of the course left. Please keep praying for us. We are doing research on Kings Bay and have been making some contacts in Georgia thanks to members of our church in Connecticut.
I'm attending birth classes with Mom, and reading all about the end of pregnancy, labor and being a new mom. I had an OB appointment yesterday and an ultrasound today. Both doctors said the baby and I are doing fine. Josiah weights 4lbs 10oz today!
Today at Hobby Lobby God placed us in the path of a friend I haven't seen in a long time. I'm trying my hand at knitting and crocheting and she is much more skilled in these areas. It was such a fun reunion. She's so willing to help and gave me some great tips and direction. Thanks Liz!
SPECIAL SALUTE TO OUR FAMILY VETERANS
Thank you to: Randy, Uncle Mike, Uncle Steve, D.T., Grandpa Fortune, Pappy, Grandpa Hal, Great, Great Grandpa McDaniel, Philip, Josh for your service to our country. We apologize if we've overlooked any of our vets. Please let us know. We are proud of you all and greatful for your sacrifices and dedication.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Football and Academics
SUMMARY-Submitted to Abilene Reporter NewsHere comes football season as the budget gets reduced for special ed. The recent meetings for AISD faculty announce reducing the number of special ed teachers and special ed students. Football's funding is acquired differently than educational funding, but the Big Country’s support for football over academics is clear. AHS’ 2007 graduation ceremony speaker covered mainly football. AHS grads were going out into the world. Hopefully, they've been given more preparation than pep rallies.CHS football staff has fourteen members, CHS special ed. faculty has only thirteen. CHS’ football motto: "Where we go one we go all" should really include all. We must correct the focus of athletic values. Is it necessary to sacrifice future business executives, government administrators, and research developers for the game? There are other athletic programs, each with faculty. There are numerous learning conditions, yet the number of educational faculty decreases when compared with athletic staff. AISD boasts of ranking seventeenth nationally. Are we celebrating by minimizing education and maximizing athletics? I haven’t heard of changing the football budget. The disproportion of support here is already visible. Our nation already depends on others for producing our consumer's goods. Reports from our national center for education statistics look grim. What effort will we spend on young peoples’ academics? Get football tickets before they’re sold out. Express your academic support at AISD’s board meeting September 08, 5:30pm, AISD One Center (241 Pine Street). Emily BoyettCHS Alumni- Class of 99
BODYGet ready for another great football season! Abilene Independent School District is reducing the budget for special ed this year. The district’s in-service meetings for AISD faculty and staff have recently been about the changes for special ed in Abilene this fall. Among these changes include downsizing special ed faculty. Also, fewer special ed students will be able to have the specialized instruction they need. You guessed it, the number of special ed students allowed in special ed classes is being reduced. Fortunately for the students, there are several local citizens who recognize and are upset by these digressive changes. Unfortunately, the priorities and emphasis of our community, (in particular Abilene and Cooper High High Schools) are pulling far heavier for the athletics as usual. Take our favorite West Texas sport football as an example. Even though football's funding is acquired differently than that of educational funding, its easy to see what the Big Country supports. The administrative speaker at the AHS 2007 graduation ceremony spent the majority of this speech showing a football presentation and highlighting the football accomplishments of the year. These seniors were about to go out into the world, (not the world of football). Hopefully, they've been given a little more preparation than a bunch of football pep rallies. Are we all comfortable assuming our high school students and recent grads know that their chance of making a professional athlete is 20,000 to 1, and the end of that career will be at age 33? Jay J. Coakley is just one of many research sources who has pointed out such realities. But our AHS administration is not the only mislead leader.By going to the CHS website, anyone can find that Cooper High School's football staff alone have fourteen members, while the CHS special ed. faculty consists of only 13 members. It would be such a tremendous benefit to the football players as well as all of our students if the CHS football motto: "Where we go one we go all" really did include all. I appreciate the values that can be taught by athletics when its focus is kept in a healthy prospective. Physical activity is important in a day when our nation's youth are fighting the obesity statistics. But is it necessary to sacrifice this generation of future business executives, government administrators, technological and research developers for our love of the game? So far I have only talked about our overweight obsession with football. There are at least 13 other athletic programs with their own faculty members in each high school. There are hundreds of types of mental disorders, and still the number of special ed faculty keeps decreasing to far fewer when compared with our athletic leaders. I enjoyed athletics in High school here in Abilene back in my day. I support athletics still, as well as academics, ag, fine arts and the many praiseworthy opportunities available to the students here. The AISD homepage boasts a proud national academic ranking of number 17. Let me guess, we’re going to celebrate this next year by minimizing our education and maximizing our athletics. Honestly, I have heard nothing of changing the football budget yet, but the disproportion of funding and support in AISD is already quite visible, as before mentioned. Meanwhile the rest of our nation continues to slacken as well. We all know that the U.S. is not the world power we used to be. It is no wonder we depend on other nations for producing our consumer's goods. Nor should it surprise us that our national center for education statistics shows our 2006 international ranking as number 13. So instead of restating the obvious, I ask, how much energy and effort are we willing to spend supporting our young peoples’ academics and emphasizing the importance of learning for all AISD students (including special ed)? Get your football tickets before they’re sold out, and please express your academic support at the next AISD board meeting September 08, 5:30pm in the AISD One Center (241 Pine Street). Emily BoyettCHS Alumni- Class of 99
BODYGet ready for another great football season! Abilene Independent School District is reducing the budget for special ed this year. The district’s in-service meetings for AISD faculty and staff have recently been about the changes for special ed in Abilene this fall. Among these changes include downsizing special ed faculty. Also, fewer special ed students will be able to have the specialized instruction they need. You guessed it, the number of special ed students allowed in special ed classes is being reduced. Fortunately for the students, there are several local citizens who recognize and are upset by these digressive changes. Unfortunately, the priorities and emphasis of our community, (in particular Abilene and Cooper High High Schools) are pulling far heavier for the athletics as usual. Take our favorite West Texas sport football as an example. Even though football's funding is acquired differently than that of educational funding, its easy to see what the Big Country supports. The administrative speaker at the AHS 2007 graduation ceremony spent the majority of this speech showing a football presentation and highlighting the football accomplishments of the year. These seniors were about to go out into the world, (not the world of football). Hopefully, they've been given a little more preparation than a bunch of football pep rallies. Are we all comfortable assuming our high school students and recent grads know that their chance of making a professional athlete is 20,000 to 1, and the end of that career will be at age 33? Jay J. Coakley is just one of many research sources who has pointed out such realities. But our AHS administration is not the only mislead leader.By going to the CHS website, anyone can find that Cooper High School's football staff alone have fourteen members, while the CHS special ed. faculty consists of only 13 members. It would be such a tremendous benefit to the football players as well as all of our students if the CHS football motto: "Where we go one we go all" really did include all. I appreciate the values that can be taught by athletics when its focus is kept in a healthy prospective. Physical activity is important in a day when our nation's youth are fighting the obesity statistics. But is it necessary to sacrifice this generation of future business executives, government administrators, technological and research developers for our love of the game? So far I have only talked about our overweight obsession with football. There are at least 13 other athletic programs with their own faculty members in each high school. There are hundreds of types of mental disorders, and still the number of special ed faculty keeps decreasing to far fewer when compared with our athletic leaders. I enjoyed athletics in High school here in Abilene back in my day. I support athletics still, as well as academics, ag, fine arts and the many praiseworthy opportunities available to the students here. The AISD homepage boasts a proud national academic ranking of number 17. Let me guess, we’re going to celebrate this next year by minimizing our education and maximizing our athletics. Honestly, I have heard nothing of changing the football budget yet, but the disproportion of funding and support in AISD is already quite visible, as before mentioned. Meanwhile the rest of our nation continues to slacken as well. We all know that the U.S. is not the world power we used to be. It is no wonder we depend on other nations for producing our consumer's goods. Nor should it surprise us that our national center for education statistics shows our 2006 international ranking as number 13. So instead of restating the obvious, I ask, how much energy and effort are we willing to spend supporting our young peoples’ academics and emphasizing the importance of learning for all AISD students (including special ed)? Get your football tickets before they’re sold out, and please express your academic support at the next AISD board meeting September 08, 5:30pm in the AISD One Center (241 Pine Street). Emily BoyettCHS Alumni- Class of 99
War Dance
Saturday I saw the film War Dance. I'm really glad I saw it. I cried and smiled through parts of it. That night I had a really hard time sleeping. Its documentary film that tells a story of 3 kids in Northern Uganda who were former captives of the rebels. They tell their stories of being kidnapped and made into rebel soilders and what happened to their families. It also shows what life is like in the Alchoci(probably spelled wrong) tribe refugee camp and follows them on their way to and during the national school music competition. I got to watch it at the paramount theater downtown here in Abilene. I'm really glad I could watch it. It was only $6 ($5 adult with military discount). The kids in the movie had such a love for their families. Of course no one would want our families to be tortured or destroyed but kids like this remind me of what blessings we have in the time we do have with our families. Also, the forced commands by the rebels on the kids were so horrific and the mental, emotional and spiritual pains were so severe, to see them afterwards, humble and doing good with their lives leaves little excuse for those of us with so many comforts and luxeries. I don't ever want my kids or anyone else's kids to go through what those kids went through but I am so impressed with those kids. We grow up in a society where people like Hannah Montana is the hero of our youth. Fashion and sexuality, drugs, long internet chating and worshiping sports or anything other than God are glamourized beyond education, development of useful virtuous talent and progressing spirutually. Virtue is a word our youth don't hear and rarely come across if ever on the TV, radio or internet. I left the movie wanting to talk to someone about it or recommend it to someone. It did not have the loud heavy metal and sexual induindos, implied military/government hatred of Ironman. It did not praise perverted or crude humor like any Adam Sandler or other recent comedy. There were only about 20 people in the audience when I attended. All but maybe 3 were over 50 years old. I hope I remember the longsuffering and love of the people in the camp. I hope I remember the hardwork and diligence and focus of the kids and their teachers. I hope more people will remember the good those before them have left for them to embrace and prosper by. We will only make it in this world and in this life with values like hardwork, love, and virtue. Like the kids in northern Uganda, we will make it if we escape from those that want to destroy us spiritually and physically. They pray, they love their families and they work and keep going even after tradgedy and destruction.
Emily's Favorites
Being with my husband wherever, whatever and whenever, (the rest depends on the circumstance) writing letters to my husband, horseback riding, running and working out, crocheting and scrapbooking, reading, visiting friends and family, cooking, going to the temple, dancing with Bill, swimming, playing golf, getting beat at chess by Bill, gardening, taking care of the animals, hanging out with my nephews and nieces, looking at my younger brother's portraits and other artwork, hearing my Grandad's stories and about how much he misses and loves Granny, looking at antiques with mom, writing in my journal, I really liked going to SOME of my undergrad classes and can't wait to take some grad classes, geneology, going to the temple, shooting guns, fishing, learning about animals, practicando espanol (especialmente con personas a walmart o un otra tienda), looking at old pictures of family, laughing with my family and friends and especialmente with Bill, visiting with people I just met,trying to learn the piano and violin/fiddle.
Favorite Music:"Wise Men Say" by UB40, "I'm Gonna Love you Forever", Randy Travis; The Judds, Don Williams, "I Get By", Beatles and the guy that sang it on the Wonder Years, Hymns, (ultimate favorites-Take Time to Be Holy with tune of Be Thou My Vision and Families Can Be Together Forever) Bluegrass, most George Strait songs, classical especialmente Copeland and Vivaldi, " The World I Know" by Collective Soul, "How Does It Feel" by Bob Dylan, Cheri Call, "Hurricane" by David Wilcox, "I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life" by Greenday, "Wildfire" by John Michael Montgomery, "Me and my Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
TV Shows:The Dog Whisperer, The Cosby Show
Movies:The Gods Must Be Crazy (I, II), Hidalgo, Jane Eyre (70s version), They Made Me a Criminal, Pursuit of Happiness
Books:Book of Mormon, Bible,Don Quiote, The Horse Doctor by Ben K Green, All Things by James Herriot, Tuesdays With Morrie, Autobiography of Fredrick Douglas, Davy Crockett an Autobiograpy, The Apostasy by Talmage (so far 4 stars)Last read: Marley and Me (2 1/2 stars)Quotations:"You all can go to Hell, I will go to Texas." by Davy Crockett,"No success in life can compensate for failure in the home" -David O'McKay"There is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh"- From the Hymn We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet"Hope"- The one word Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to leave with the nation when asked by young Frank Sinatra on tv for one word to help us get through it all. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"- Winston Churchill
Favorite Music:"Wise Men Say" by UB40, "I'm Gonna Love you Forever", Randy Travis; The Judds, Don Williams, "I Get By", Beatles and the guy that sang it on the Wonder Years, Hymns, (ultimate favorites-Take Time to Be Holy with tune of Be Thou My Vision and Families Can Be Together Forever) Bluegrass, most George Strait songs, classical especialmente Copeland and Vivaldi, " The World I Know" by Collective Soul, "How Does It Feel" by Bob Dylan, Cheri Call, "Hurricane" by David Wilcox, "I Hope You Had the Time of Your Life" by Greenday, "Wildfire" by John Michael Montgomery, "Me and my Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin
TV Shows:The Dog Whisperer, The Cosby Show
Movies:The Gods Must Be Crazy (I, II), Hidalgo, Jane Eyre (70s version), They Made Me a Criminal, Pursuit of Happiness
Books:Book of Mormon, Bible,Don Quiote, The Horse Doctor by Ben K Green, All Things by James Herriot, Tuesdays With Morrie, Autobiography of Fredrick Douglas, Davy Crockett an Autobiograpy, The Apostasy by Talmage (so far 4 stars)Last read: Marley and Me (2 1/2 stars)Quotations:"You all can go to Hell, I will go to Texas." by Davy Crockett,"No success in life can compensate for failure in the home" -David O'McKay"There is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh"- From the Hymn We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet"Hope"- The one word Eleanor Roosevelt wanted to leave with the nation when asked by young Frank Sinatra on tv for one word to help us get through it all. "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"- Winston Churchill
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