I kept looking at the Target shoes after being so mad at myself for NOT looking the other day, and gave in. I didn't want to spend another $50, but my shoes are in desperate need of friends. This is what I got:














I also got some pajama bottoms and some shorts for $3 each and some $5 tights to bring it up to $50 in order to get free shipping :) The boots weren't on as much of a sale as I like, but it's hard to find boots on sale, and these were just $23... and I don't have any brown boots (yes, I'm rationalizing :). I threw out my other pair b/c I had no business wearing them they were so worn out and I knew I would if I didn't toss 'em!
I'm gradually getting the blogger site (www.arkiebecca.blogspot.com) together. I started adding the blogs I read from xanga... though I haven't been very good at reading them lately. If you are one of my xanga friends and you don't see your blog listed there, it is probably b/c you don't have RSS feed enabled... at least, that is my best guess as to why it didn't work... though I'm not entirely sure.

Hopefully today is the last day I'll have to stay home.  I hate missing school.  David was able to stay home Tuesday, but that wasn't possible yesterday or today.  I've gotten a lot done while home though (school-wise, not home-wise).  Since I'm pretty much at school only when teaching, and Elijah naps while I'm at school... it leaves little time to do all the OTHER stuff associated with teaching.  I changed my mind on one of our pieces for festival... I decided I'm over-challenging my kids.  Not that they were already doing 4 pieces that either are level 5 or probably would be if they were on the list... SO... I felt like they needed something that was short... especially with me missing so much.  I'll be missing 4 days in February if I have students make All State... 1 for auditions, 2 for the clinic, and then the Monday right after clinic, I will probably have to miss in order to judge Southeast... I'm hoping I can teach and then make it there in time, but I'm not sure that will work.  SO not gonna do Soon Ah Will Be Done.
Elijah is doing much better.  His breathing was good last night, even when he got upset for about 30 minutes (with the way he was acting, I think it was a tummy ache... he seems to get those a lot at night).  I woke up in severe pain b/c for the past few nights I've been sleeping in a half-way sitting up position with him cradled in my arm so he can stay partly upright... killed my neck muscles.
This morning, I was once again looking thru music when David called at 9:30... I was still in pajamas, no make up, hair as it was when I went to bed with it wet... He called to tell me that the children's minister would watch Elijah while the praise team sang at the association meeting that was at our church this morning.  I was going to sing while David watched E b/c I was the only one on my part... he was singing the same part as another guy SO figured I'd better be there.  Except, I totally forgot.  Elijah was in his play yard watching Sesame Street.  I ran upstairs to get dressed snd throw my hair up... was up there for no more than 5 min, came downstairs... and found him sitting on the bar playing with spoons.  yeah.  He climbed out of the pen, up on top of the stools, and up on top of the counter.  Amazingly he didn't hurt himself or break any of the mugs that were sitting on the counter... including my brand new favorite.
I got a nice surprise yesterday... the surprise being that it came earlier than I expected :)  I actually went to Target.com to find David a birthday present.  I'd been searching for weeks but couldn't find anything anywhere.  Didn't find anything for him, but found lots for me... check out what I got for a total of $54, including tax... free shipping:
  (night shirt) (this one's for Isaac)
Check out Kelly's blog for GREAT news on Harper!

Elijah developed Croup Friday  night.  He had some rough spells, but that's all it was... spells.  When he calmed down, his breathing returned to normal.  Saturday he hardly seemed sick.  I knew Saturday night would at best be a repeat of Friday night b/c that is when croup is bad... unfortunately, it got worse.  He didn't really recover after the spells.  So, 6am this morning, David decided to take him to the ER.  I wanted to let Elijah sleep and go in a couple hours, but David thought there'd be less of a wait if they went ahead and left.  Didn't actually get out the door til 6:45 and by that time, Abigail was up and wanted to go with them.  It is a good thing she went.  David said she was the perfect daughter and perfect big sis thruout the 6 hours they were there.  They went to Children's.  A man from our church was their doctor.  Elijah got a few updrafts and some prednisone.  His pulse ox was in the 80s when he arrived, but it went up.  They got home around 3:30.  I sure was glad to see him!  I was stranded at home b/c David's battery was dead (not that it would have been a good idea to take myself and the boys to the ER anyway), but I couldn't even take Abigail food when she got hungry.  A good friend came to the rescue though and took her a double cheeseburger meal after church.  So, all was well... and David had his blackberry going non-stop.  Cell phones weren't allowed, but he was texting all the live long day.
Elijah went to bed around 7:30 fairly easily.  He's up now though.... watching Sesame Street of course.  I'm guessing it's the prednisone.  It isn't like him to go to sleep, wake up, and want to STAY up.  David went to bed around 8.  He said he'd take the night shift as long as he got to nap tomorrow.  So, when I go to bed, he'll take over. 
I'm glad there is no school tomorrow!

UPDATE:  If you haven't visited Kelly's blog, you should.  Harper is doing better!

My friend Kelly had her sweet baby girl today.  Her name is Harper and she is not doing well.  You can read about it here.  Please pray.

We're back to school and all is well.  I had some difficulty getting back into the swing of things... all due to my forgetful nature... but it wasn't too bad :)  I was ready to get back... excited about the music we're doing for CPA.
5th period will do Exultate Justi in Domino and I'm still not sure between Deo Dicamus Gratias and In Flanders Field (neither of those two recordings are very good though).  We'll continue working on Ubi Caritas .  They only have to do 2 songs, so if I don't feel Ubi Caritas is ready for judges... we'll drop it.
6th period is will continue working on There Is No Rose.  They're also learning a GORGEOUS piece called Sing Me To Heaven (that's the best version I could find... but it is nothing like the Kansas City Chorale version I downloaded from Amazon music).  The third piece is always difficult for me to settle on, after hours of searching, I found something in my church library... I think they have some of the first copies printed :)  They are nice and yellow, and stamped with the old downtown address.  I think I sang it in jr high all region or something... not sure.  It's called Soon Ah Will Be Done and wow, there are a LOT of REALLY bad versions of it on YouTube.
And if you are still with me... I'm also gonna combine 5th and 6th period... they'll sing All On a Starry Night that they did at Christmas and also Hark! I Hear the Harp's Eternal.  (I think that version is a bit fast, but otherwise good)
So that's what I've been doing :)  This is my favorite time of year.  I love working on festival music... especially when I really like the music :)