It has been brought to my attention that my blog is outdated.  Yes it is.  But so was yours! ....you know who you are.... MOTHER.

Things here in Lafayette, IN. are good.  The weather here has been really nice.  It gets up in the 60s then the next day it is 10 degrees.  A week ago Friday we had a 2 hour delay.  I wasn't expecting it at all. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, but I didn't enjoy the 7 phone calls I got telling me it was a 2 hr. delay.  Did I mention they started coming in at 5 am?  So no sleeping in for me!

A couple of weeks ago it was really cold for out here.  All the schools around had a 2 hr. delay announced the day before.  I was hoping we would get one but it didn't happen.  The rumor is that the school district took a lot of flack for not posting a  2 hr. delay so we think last Friday was a make up day.  We don't have to make up 2 hr. delays.  If the whole day is cancelled however we have to have a makeup day.  THAT BLOWS!    Luckily my school hasn't had that happen yet.

I have been debating taking a new job.  It came out of the blue. It would have been a LOT more money  and I think I would have really enjoyed it.  It came down to do I want to work all year and make lots more money, or take my low paying job but really have a lot more freedom.  And I am thinking of subbing next year because I get several calls a week.

Well I have had a hard time deciding what to do.  Like really,  I had no idea what to do.  Living just of Brian's salary and putting LOTS of money in a savings account sounded so good.  Like SO good.  Well, Saturday I got the answer to my prayers.

I had been praying quite intensely and I kind of came to the conclusion that the Lord didn't care what I chose to do.  They are both good opportunities and I needed to just take a leap and choose.  Rewind to last week...

I have a little boy in my class that is the nicest kid.  He really likes me.  Not a crush, he just really likes me.  I have a lot of kids like that now that I think about it.  I think they really do love me.  Anyways, he has been begging me to come to his basketball game.  Last week he played at 8:30 and that was way to early for me to be out and about on a Saturday.  So back to this past Saturday.

His game was at 10 so that was easily makable for us.  We started the day at Mary Lou's Donuts.  We got a blueberry, 2 chocolate creme filled, a maple ring, and 2 glazed and a chocolate milk.  Don't worry, we didn't eat all of them.  We thought it would be nice to take a donut to him.  They play at Bauer Community center.  I have heard a lot of my kids talk about it and they LOVE to go there.  They have TVs, pool tables, basketball courts and lots of other fun things that they can go do after school.

We walk in to the gym and he sees me and runs right over to me to hug me.  The light in his eyes was something that I can't describe.  He had to introduce me to everyone.  Just proud as can be to know me.  It was fun because I saw 4 of my kids and several other kids I know from school.  They were SO happy to see Brian and I.  They all had to come sit by us.  They had to go tell their parents that Mrs. Allen came to watch them!  I had no idea so many of them played.

This little boy's mom came up to me and said I want to just thank you.  I know you have to be so busy especially on a Saturday and it means so much that you would come watch him play.  He comes home and talks about you every day and has been talking about you coming to his game for weeks now.  You have no idea what this means to all of us.

I don't know how to say this without being rude, but we were definitely out of place there.  Any other people noticed it as well.  We were the nicest looking, well manicured people in the whole place.  I don't say it judgingly. After the game we gave my kids their donuts and said bye to their families when a coach stopped us.  We watched these two coaches ref the game before and coach my kid's game and they seemed like very nice men.  They stopped us with a weird look on their faces and said, so who exactly are you here to see??  Like I said,  we didn't look like the people that would typically patronize a function like this.

We told them I work at the school up the hill and a bunch of my kids were playing today.  They were so grateful that we came.  We got to talking and it is so neat what they do.  These to men have 50 kids playing basketball.  They have practice every Monday night and they put together this league for kids for free.  Their company helped renovate the gym and get new back boards and score boards.  They said they grew up down here (meaning the hood of town,) and they wanted to give kids a good place to  be.

It made us both want to go back this Saturday and maybe get involved and help out with things.  We were in our gym clothes and heading to the gym next.  While driving I just had this moment.  I can't take this new job.  All the extra money I would make can't make up for the lives I am changing.  My kids love me.  I don't know how to explain the feeling that I had, but I knew that this is where the Lord wanted me.  My job at the school happened so quickly and I know that I am there for a purpose.  They need me.

My decision was confirmed again today when I get to school and every stinkin' one of my kids that I saw Saturday had to tell everyone that they saw that Mr. and Mrs. Allen came to watch them on Saturday and to see the light on their face couldn't be beat.  I can't afford to miss out on the blessing that I will get from serving these kids.

Yes, some days I just want to quit, and I just might one of these days.  But, on days like today I am reminded that they need someone to care for them and to be on their team.  That is what I do for my kids.

What a long story for me to realize what I need to do.

There is so much filth and wrong in the world today. Some days I can't believe that some of God's children have to go through what they do and why they came to families they did.  But I am so happy to report that this weekend I was able to see some great things and meat some truly amazing people.  There is still some good in this word.  I am honored that I can be apart of it.

And a shout out to the Sugar-Salem Diggers.  Well, maybe not.  I am watching the game online right now and they are down by 1 with 3 minutes left.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt though.  Brian and I have been to several volleyball, football and basketball games here in the Lafayette, IN area.  Our little spec on the map it top notch.  All of eastern Idaho deserves a shout out, but especially my Diggers.

You all have so much spirit.  You have great community support.  Great Cheerleaders.  Great everything!  You would think that living where we do there sports programs would be elite.  Not the case. The community doesn't support the teams. The student section is slim and the cheerleaders just stand there.  This year has made us really appreciate the quality of everything that Idaho has.  So be grateful that the sports programs are as good as you have.

And my Diggers are still down by 1 with a minute left!  AAAAAGH!