Why Them?

I have had such an interesting morning. I have cried several times just thinking about the events that I am about to describe. As many of you know, I co-direct colorguard at Springville High School and am a consultant/technic supervisor and American Leadership Academy (ALA). ALA has tried their hardest to pay me. I asked to share a bus with them back in January and they said I either get paid or my kids ride for free. If I had gone through the Nebo school district for buses, both Lindsay and I would not get paid. So, I decided it would be a good trade. I teach and my kids get to competitions (while still getting paid at Springville). So, every competition, my girls get ready, meet at Springville, load the bus and take off with me usually following them in my car behind them. At 1am this morning, I received a frantic text message from the director AND bus driver at ALA...she broke her ankle and can't drive the bus again until...NEXT WEEK. So, I am now thinking "okay, I will just head on over to the district office and request a bus" which is exactly what I did. Little did I know you need to give a weeks notice to get a FREE bus. If I wanted to get a bus for my kids today for the Saturday competition, we would have to fork over over $1,000 (this is to get someone last minute, pay for gas AND mileage, pay the driver, a service fee, a late fee, pay for bus maintenance, as well as a few other little fees). Well, that plan fell by the wayside. Plan B was to get parent to drive the 2 hours and 15 minutes to Garland, Utah, but none were too keen on that idea so that got shoot down very quickly. Now, I wait...wait for a phone call from the Maple Mountain High School and Payson High School director telling me whether or not we can share a bus. If nothing pans out, we have to pay a $150 fee, withdraw from the competition and cannot compete in State Championships in April. Now, I am still looking for a way to get my kids to the competition. All this made me ask the question...why them?

My kids have had a successfully rough year. I know that doesn't make sense so let me explain. When the winter season started in November, Lindsay and I had so many goals for our girls. We had asked them if they wanted a very easy, simple show which would give them the opportunity to stay safe and be about mediocre in the circuit or risk a lot and have a difficult show and possibly do well. They choose the later and had their show staged in under four hours. Since then they have had such success getting their show on the floor. However, that is not to say there haven't been bumps along the way. They are never given ample gym time, the district refuses to fund a team that has not come home with a championship medal, and every coach at Springville High School has made sure or road to success has not come easily. We even had one girl quit and have spent the last week furiously re-staging their show and giving them harder work. Everything that could go wrong with the program has and does. I cry all the time for them hoping that one of these days, they get the break they need. I am hoping to get them out of sixth place and into the fifth place slot this Saturday but we shall see how that works. I always ask why them, because they work so hard to get what they want and deserve...respect from their own school, a chance to prove themselves to the district, funding and a day where they don't need to fret about transportation.

I love those girls to death and would do anything for them. All nine of them are MINE AND LINDSAY'S kids. We stand up for them, show them how to be successful and in return that respect and love us and give us there all.

I love being a teacher...even if they have some disappointments in their journey.