community service hours

Have you ever had someone volunteer to help you and it turned into more of a project for you? There is a student at my school who has mandatory community service hours from the court (fill in the blank here___) and he needs them done this weekend. Like 24 hours worth. He is a really nice kid who did a really bad thing and it is one of those things where you want to help him out, but the project is turning into something that woke me up at 3am and I couldn't get back to sleep.

I've been up sorting fabric this morning so he has enough fabric to work on this weekend. I am going to teach him how to use a rotary cutter and hope that he doesn't cut his finger off. I hope his mom can teach him to iron :)

I wish I had a free weekend so I could supervise, but I have two quilts to make. One is start to finish by tomorrow afternoon and the other is the t shirt quilt for my principal that I finally have all of the shirts for. I have most of the shirts cut and interfaced, but still have 5 shirts to cut and all of the squares still need borders, the blocks need to be sewn together and the whole thing needs quilting and binding. I am going to be busy.

Plus, I have to clean my daughter's room. Maybe I should just stay home today. Yesterday felt like Friday. That is reason enough to take a day off. I thought it was Saturday. You can't blame me for getting my days mixed up.

Yesterday we got news that with the fiscal crisis in California, the school district has decided to increase class sizes and cut teachers. One science teacher will be cut from my school. Pretty much one teacher from each department will be cut. There was a lot of crying after school yesterday. What do you say to these young people? And what do you say to the student teachers, who face the reality that there will be no jobs for them next year? It is frustrating to say the least. And to come so close to the end of the year, when the students are not motivated to work and you aren't feeling motivated yourself and to feel like you just got socked in the gut, makes you want to get up and go to work...not.

But, we press on, because we must. And we count our blessings. I have a job and a house and wonderful children and a love of quilting that can give gifts that can lift other's spirits. I am truely blessed! Thank you Lord.