What a Garage Sale!

I want to go on record as saying that the faculty of Lake Jackson Intermediate School is the BEST faculty and family a teacher can be associated with. Danney Massey is also the BEST principal to work for.  I know many of you from other schools would beg to differ, but you would be wrong.  Enough said.  Seriously, folks, I feel so blessed to be working where I am  and with the people that I am.  I just wish they would quit retiring and moving me closer to the top of the "old teacher" list.  At the age of 51 I find myself one of the "elder" members of the faculty and I resent those so-called friends who have made it happen!  

Those who are familiar with our school know that the electives, especially the shops and homemaking labs, are in the far hall of the school and sometimes we don't see other adults all day long.  As a result, some of the newer teachers really aren't sure who I am and people often confuse me with my counterpart, Susan.  As well as  Anne Heard.  Despite that, our faculty came together and held a garage sale for my benefit.  Not only that, they held it the day AFTER  the last teacher work day when they were all officially cut loose for the summer.  Danny Massey was the driving force behind it and, once again, I had trouble saying yes when he asked me about it.  I found myself embarrassed that people might think we were destitute or something and it took a while for me to come around to seeing it for what it was -my work family finding a way to minister to me.  

David and I talked about it and decided to use any money raised to pay for gasoline.  Driving to Houston at least once a week is our biggest out-of-pocket expense right now and we think that would be the best way to put extra cash to use.  I shared that with the faculty at the luncheon on the last work day and then didn't hear another word from them for over a week.  I have to admit to being curious, but I didn't want to call and ask  "Hey, did you earn anything??" I really wasn't sure what Miss Manners would do in that situation and I didn't think I had time to write Dear Abby, so I waited.  

Honestly, I expected maybe $200 or so.  That's all I ever make if it's a GOOD garage sale.  Imagine my surprise when I came home from Houston today to find that Danny Massey had been by and delivered a manilla envelope stuffed with bills.  By the time Katie (the former bank teller) finished counting it the grand total was $1,806.75.  WHAT A GARAGE SALE!!  To say we are blown away is an understatement.  Thank you seems very inadequate, but it is very heartfelt.  Besides that, I can't wait to walk into Buccees and start peeling off one dollar bills to pay for my gas!  Remember the LJIS teacher motto - "We have to make our own fun".

I'm sorry I missed you today, Danny, but I'll catch up with you in a day or two when I feel better.  Today was a long treatment, so I can look forward to a better week the next two weeks. I am a little anemic, but not enough to have to do anything about it at this time.  The doctor told me there isn't anything you can eat to solve the problem because it's a side effect of the chemo, not a deficiency in my diet.  My nutrition science daughter will be disappointed.  I'm thankful no one said "liver and onions"!  As you can tell, it's getting later but the steroids have kicked in and Kevin and I are watching Jimmy Fallon.  Not much on late at night...

Thanks again for everyone's prayers and support,

Rhonda