Getting closer...

The whirwind is slowly coming to a gentle breeze... just 3 more school days until summer! It's really hard to believe that it's already that time of year. So much has happened in the last year and it's all gone by so quickly. Amazing how time really does fly when you have good things to remember and going on in your life. I remember this time a few years ago at my other school... just dragging the days out until relief was close and attainable. I've been fortunate enough to have been working at a place where the administration and the kids will let me do the job I want to do in the classroom. It was great! I think I may have given out 1 or 2 C's this semester! And my students weren't making A's and B's because I was GIVING them out... they were doing the work and earning the better grades. I'm happy where I'm at...

... I think, too, that Jeanise is happier because I'm coming home with smiles on my face. I really appreciate her sharing me with the school and the ball teams that I've been working with. I know that it's tough with 2 kids and trying to get some work done in between naps. I'll be helping with that a bit more this summer. I've got 2 kids to play with and do stuff with this summer and I'm pumped about it! And then Jeanise and I get to go on some vacations this summer... loving it!

Well... all is fun... OOOPS! It's almost 7 and I have to get to school to get my finals ready for today! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Getting closer to closer...

We're gettin' there...

Well... only 3 more weeks of school... ISN'T THAT EXCITING!?!?!?!? Technically... there's 2 weeks of class and 1 week of tests. This school year has really gone by fast. Guess that it goes quickly when you're enjoying your job and where you're teaching. I like that...

I found a few more pictures of Joel and Lindsay that I wanted to share. Have a great week!

Haven't added pics in a while...

Well... I haven't been updating my pictures in my blog... so here's my attempt to share.

Joel has a new obsession... an orphaned Yattzee cup filled with about 14 orphaned dice. We had taken the cup out about 2-3 weeks ago to look for our playing cards. Joel found the cup and now he takes those dice everywhere! He gets up every morning and says, "Dice... Where are you dice?" And goes around the house looking for them until the lost are found. I'M RAISING A GAMBLER! I CAN HEAR IT NOW! This is something that I HOPE he can grow out of.

Lindsay is still just as cute as she can be. People have said that she looks like a little Mike. It's cute... and now I guess that I'll know what I would have looked like if I had been a girl. Hopefully she'll have better looking legs :-) .

Jeanise has been pulling the OT since I've been at baseball this spring. We're almost done. It's the exciting time... playoffs and I've been gone a bit more than once thought. She's been pulling double-duty with the kids and she's just doing an awesome job! She's just AWESOME!

Time to go to bed... night! (Ok... having trouble with the pics tonight... I'll try later)

That was fun...

Ok... that was fun. Got a lot of funny comments (see previous post) and the answers just keep comin!

The kids are getting so much bigger. Joel had his first school program last night. He was really cute with the kids in his class there. The day before he had 'deer in the headlights' at the rehearsal before the entire school. But last night, he shined. He watched all the other kids do the song... then finished it out himself... then did the entire song going up the isle back to his class. It was great. I looked at Jeanise and said, "well... here's the first of many programs that we'll be attending." And I was also thinking... "Now I'm like that parent on TV who goes to all those programs!"

Lindsay has been just smiling and laughing and being a cute little girl. She's also been sleeping well too. She woke up at 6:30 am this morning, which was cool. Probably more for mom than me... but it was nice. I went in to check on her and she was on her side, sleeping. It was cute. When I heard her crying she had rolled on to her stomach and was just looking around like, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Now what!?!?!?! I'M STUCK!" It was cute and funny.

It's such a blessing to have a wonderful family. God has really blessed me!

This is too cool...

I found this on someone else's blog site and just thought I'd try it and see what happens:

1) What were you doing 10 years ago? I was about to finish my student teaching, getting ready to graduate from OC... and panicing about how Jeanise and I were going to come up with $4,000 to go to Japan for a year.

2) 5 years ago? Teaching at PCWest... about this time, I was the head boys soccer coach. Now don't get any ideas... I was filling in for a guy who quit at the beginning of the season and I was the only coach left who wasn't coaching a Spring sport.

3) 1 year ago? I was at Oklahoma Christian Academy and about to accept a job at Deer Creek High School.

4) Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Peanut M&Ms
2. Nacho Cheese Dorittos (probably my #1)
3. Funnoins
4. Peanut butter on a spoon
5. Oreos (or the cheap walmart brand) and milk

5) Five songs I know by heart but wish I didn’t:
1. Head-Shoulders-Knees-and Toes (thank you Joel)
2. Ice-Ice-Baby (Vanilla Ice)
3. Do-wa-diddy (2 Live Crew -- it was a high school thing)
4. Can't think of too many others...

6) Five things I would do with a LOT of money:
1. Give to the church
2. Pay off the house
3. Set aside $ for kids' college
4. Buy a sports franchise... and maybe bring it to Oklahoma!
5. Buy/Build a golf course or baseball youth complex

7) Five things I would never wear:
1. Dress
2. Ear rings or any other rings attached to part of my body
3. a pink shirt
4. bra or sports bra
5. someone else's underwear

8) Five things I should never have worn:
1. Plaid shorts under my white, baseball pants in high school
2. Basketball shorts that go below MY calves
3. An Epcot Center ball cap
4. a chain around my neck (it just wasn't me)
5. a psycho girl-friend in high school's class ring

9) Five things I enjoy doing:
1. Time with my wife, watching movies and eating out and going places
2. Playing with my kids... but mainly finding ways to make them laugh
3. Playing sports (golf, basketball, softball, volleyball, fishing) and/or Coaching Sports
4. Doing random, misc. stuff on the computer
5. Driving in a car at night, when everyone else in the vehicle is sleeping. It's just a really
cool thing to experience.

10) Five bad habits of mine:
1. Not 'really' listening to Jeanise when she's talking to me (need to work on that focus thing)
2. Jumping to conclusions too quickly and reacting too quickly
3. Speaking before I think about what I'm going to say
4. Leave dishes out without rinsing them
5. Talking too loud on my cell phone (that's what Jeanise says...)


Well... that was fun! Hope you all can copy that and maybe do the same thing. Let me know if you do.

Waiting game is over...

Well... that didn't last very long, did it? I found out today (story for another time) that I did not get the director's position for our district. I really had high hopes for that position, but I guess that God didn't want me thru that door right now. I took it pretty hard today, but thru some very encouraging words from a lot of supportive people, I've tried to put it behind me and accept it. I still have a good job at a place I like to be... just that it's going to be tough to look certain people in the eye for a while. My wise father told me today that I needed to "mourn" for this... never thought I'd have to "mourn" over a job like this... but he's right. But I also need to move on and do the things that I have been doing and enjoy what I've got.

Thank you all for praying for me on this (since OCT) and I appreciate it. I just have to trust that God will continue to move and place me where HE wants me to be... not necessarily where I want to go.

Night.

'Bout time?

It has been a few weeks since I've posted something. Sorry 'bout that... It has been a few weeks since Spring Break and the 4th nine weeks has shot through the gates (so to speak) and we're off and running toward that last day of school. It has really gone by fast! It's a little scary... I remember my first 3 years of school... this was the time when the school year just dragged and dragged. The end seemed so far down the road. I've really enjoyed this school year and a lot has gone on. Does time go by faster when you enjoy what you're doing? Just wondering... 'cause I'm in a place where I love to teach and that kids want to be taught! Is this a poster school for the nation? I don't know, but I like it.

I had my Director of Technology interview this last Thursday. I think that I wowed the socks off of them, but it's not what I think that makes the decision. I think that I have a good repore with the people who interviewed me and I think that I shared my thoughts and ideas with them the best I could. There is always a couple of things that I wish I could rewind back time and add to my interview (there always is), but I can't. It's all in God's hands now... and I have to rely on that or I'll go nuts worrying about it. And it's tough to do... what with my GREAT patience level and all. :-) It's all the waiting game now.

Family is growing and growing every day. Lindsay is doing a much better job of sleeping during the nights! YEA! She's just a very happy baby... smiling at everyone who holds her and is very attentive at her surroundings. She likes to look around (as evidence with the bald spot on the back of her head) and see what's around her. I really think that she's looking for her brother. Joel is doing a great job of the big-brother role! He likes to play with her and give her attention. I think that it's good for both of them. He is talking more and more everyday and we just praise God for that! He's figuring it out that if he asks for something... he'll get it (or at least he MAY get it). He's such a fun kid... I love both of my kids and it's so much fun playing with them. Hopefully, we'll get to go for a walk (weather-willing) and get to go by the park or something. I think that they'd like that.

Have a blessed week!

Spring...

SPRING BREAK! I love it!

It's been nice being at home with Jeanise and the kids this week. It's only Wed. and... wait a minute... WEDNESDAY! IT'S 1/2 OVER! Oh well... I've been working on mowers for this season, playing around with Joel and Lindsay, gone out with the family to eat at Mazzio's (yum), worked out in the garage and yard some, watched some tv... Just trying to have a break, I guess. There are a few other things that I want/need to do before I get back to school, though. Guess it'll wait until later! :-)

I'll knock on wood now... knock, knock... LINDSAY SLEPT THRU THE NIGHT! WOO HOO! We put her to bed about 9:30 and she slept until 5:15. To us (mainly mommy) that's pretty good. She's such a cute little girl. She's going to be a laugher and a talker, I'm sure. She's always smiling and talking to her mobiles and toys. She also likes to check out what her brother Joel is doing too. Whenever they're in the room together and she hears him playing or doing something, she always wants to know what he's doing and watch. In the car, she's always watching him do... whatever he does back there. It's pretty funny.

Well... time to go get Joel out of "jail" as we call it... sounds like he's up and playing, so I'd better get him breakfast.

Getting Better...

Well... after about 2 weeks of fighting allergies/sinus infections, I'm finally feeling better. What started out as WONDERFUL Oklahoma allergies... ended up turning into a sinus infection. Great. And I think that it really started back when I wasn't doing well in our regional tournament finals for basketball. About 3 weeks ago. AH! Ain't OK great!?!?!? I stayed home from school a couple of Tuesdays ago... took some OTC stuff and thought I felt better. Only last Tuesday I had a 102 degree fever and decided to go in for "professional" help. The doctor gave me some really good drugs that cleared me up and got that battle going in my head for the sinus problem. After 5 days, I'm feeling a lot clearer... I like that. Hope that it stays that way for a while.

SPRING BREAK! I love it! Don't know what I'm going to do... don't know what's going to happen. I get to just let it happen. Nice. I get to spend some time at home with the wife and kids. That's nice. I'm excited about that.

GIRLS WIN STATE! Also... our high school girls team won the Class 4A State Champ gold ball this weekend with a 58-40 stomping over Ft. Gibson. It was so great to see our girls do well, after their disappointing ending last season. They've worked so hard this season on being a team, working together, and getting it done. We're proud of them!

OK... going to start that Spring Break now! Later!

Haven't posted in a while...

Well... let's see... where do I begin.

Last Saturday, was the last day of our basketball season. Our Varsity team finished at 11-15 and we lost in the Regional Finals by 12. The boys played really hard and finished the season by giving it their all and working hard. The 11-15 may not sound so great, but when they haven't won but 6 games MAX the last 3-4 years, that's a big deal. It's over...

... and baseball began Wed. for me. AH! Just a circle of life revolving here. Had a game on Sat. afternoon. My team lost 12-8, but for a first game and me not knowing a whole lot about the kids on my team, that was pretty good. We have another one tomorrow (monday) and we'll see how that goes. We play about 24-28 games total (including tournaments), with some of those getting cancelled for rain or other various reasons. And all of this goes until the end of April/beginning of May. Quick season, which really seems like forever (more for Jeanise than for me, I'm sure) :-)

Me, Joel, and Lindsay have all been sick the last couple of weeks. How Jeanise has been able to avoid it, I have no idea, but I'm not going to jynx her by mentioning it. OOPS! Joel is pretty much over it... I'm on the downhill (these OK allergies are KILLING ME! -- please pray for rain!) ... and Lindsay, poor girl, doesn't even know what hit her. But she's a trooper... she's still smiling and being her happy self. We're so lucky to have good kids.

Speaking of good kids... Joel has been in the tub for the last 20 minutes while I've been on the computer, so I'd better go check on him.

HEY! I made the news!

This is a neat article written in our OKCFriday newspaper. It's pretty neat, if I do say so myself. I thought they did a good job. Here's the link:

OKCFRIDAY

(it was really long, so I had to hyperlink it above)

Anyway, that was it.

Has this ever happened to you?

Ok... this comic was sent in by a supporter of "Hooked on Phonics." :-)

Let me know how many of you can relate to this? I'm really interested to know this one...

Regular season is over! (aka We're there, yet.) Now we start the play-offs... (aka we're getting there, yet) We play our first game against Piedmont (down the street rivals) on Saturday and we hope to make a run. Guess we'll see.

Hope everyone's Valentine's day went well. Due to basketball season, I'm making mine up... not a surprise, since Jeanise has really not had a "good" Valentine's day in several years, due to "basketball season." It that's not "love" I don't know what is. Thank you, Sweetie!

Gotta run!

Loving February...

WOW... it has come to my attention that I have not posted a blog in 2 weeks! AH! I've been busy finishing up with basketball season and trying to get thru this last little bit of school... well... the 3rd nine weeks at least. A good friend of mine took this picture of me at the last basketball game... don't I look "coachy"?

We lost the game by 5 points, but the boys fought really hard. We've got our last regular season game on Tuesday... then the playoffs start! A long season is finally coming closer to an end. It's been fun, but a lot of work. I'm ready to see my beautiful wife and kids again on a "normal" schedule.

Lindsay is just growing and growing. She's so beautiful. She's got a smile that would light up a major city and she's just a happy baby. Joel is growing too, and I can't believe how tall he's getting. He's been sick with brochitus the last couple of days, but is just now getting to the point where he's acting "normal." Hope that he gets better soon. It's tough to see your kids getting sick. Especially when you have to give them medicine and they don't like it. You try to tell them that it's going to make them feel better, but how can you feel better with that "icky" taste in your mouth!?!?!? I mean, who are the pharmasutical companies trying to kid?

Well... better be off. Have a wonderful week!

Aren't they cute?...

No really... are we there yet?

Can't believe that we're 1 day away from February! It's so hard to believe how time has just flown the last 4 months and what all has happened since then. I'll have a daughter that will be 3 months... basketball season will be close to post-season play... Joel will continue to amaze me... and Jeanise's routine with the kids will hopefully get to a norm.

Basketball has been a struggle for me this year... kinda. I didn't realize how much high school boys basketball could really drain you in a night... and I'm just the assistant! Can't imagine what Rob does during the season (Rob Seat--former OC player/grad and head coach). I know that he was planning to go home and work on practice today... after last night's game. WOW! Eventhough I love basketball, the season, the competition... I've missed seeing my family. I need to do a better job of taking advantage of the time that I am home with them and doing a better job as a husband and as a dad.

Just saw the clock... it's 10 after 7... and I have a teacher's meeting at 7:30! I'd better get!

Got proof that brothers and sisters can get along

I just had to share this. It was bed-time for Joel and daddy had Lindsay in one arm and our nightly book in the other. And so the "trick-question" you're asking yourself right now (if not, well here's a little help)... "HOW DO I TURN THE PAGES? So I had the idea that I'd put Lindsay in bed with Joel and read to both of them. Well, Lindsay ended up snuggling right next to her big brother and she was head butting him and pushing her fist up against his cheek and he was just cackling up a storm. So we got pictures of it.

We have got some pretty sweet kids. Lindsay is just a growing little girl. Hard to believe that it's been almost 2 months since she was born! WOW! Means that basketball season is on the down-swing also. WOW! WOW!! Joel is a good big brother... he has been a really good boy and helps out around the house with his sister. Would be nice if he'd pick up the toys, though. Guess we'll have to work on that one.

Well... I'm going to close and get some sleep. Finally got all of my papers graded from last week and am done! Ah... education.

Off and running... again...

Well, it's a new year... and I could have sworn that I had posted something in the last week or so... but I guess that it's good that I didn't "sworn".

This year has started off very well for us in the Morton household. I have a wonderful wife, and 2 kids to start the year off... what could be better than that? God has blessed me and my family and I am so thankful to Him for all that he's blessed me with.

I'm also very blessed because our daughter slept thru the night for the first time last night!!!!! (mom is pretty happy too) 8 weeks into her life... and we think that she finally may have her nights and days flipped correctly! We can only hope and pray that this continues. :-) Lindsay is a growing girl... it's amazing to me how fast she's growing into a little girl/child. Reminds me of when I thought of Joel like that... and now I'm looking at my son going, "he's a little boy, now!"

Basketball season is going quickly for us at DC. We've got a record now of 4-7... but we've played a really tough schedule. The boys are working really hard this season and we're real proud of the season so far. We've lost about 3 or 4 games by less than 5 and we've been in every single game. Can't ask for more than that... but we'd sure like to finish a few of those.

Well... better run to bed. It's late and I must get my zzzzzzz's.

Day and Night... Night and Day

Our Christmas Weekend was awesome! We were able to spend Friday night with my parents... eating dinner, playing with the grandkids, opening gifts, and playing with the grandkids some more. It was a lot of fun! Joel is finally getting into the "present opening"... he now knows what "gifts" are when they are wrapped and what you do with the paper. It was a lot of fun. Saturday, we then had Christmas with the Wynns at our house. Joel walked in and saw a basketball goal that adjusts from 3 to 6 feet and went right to it! (that's my boy!) He also got a learning little desk of his own, that we'll put in the office, so that when mom is in the study working... he can too. Cool deal! Lindsay and Joel both also got a lot of toys and "kiddy stuff" to play with and they just love them all. Joel had to play with all of Lindsay's toys, though... so he could show her how to play with them when she gets bigger... ya' know.

Lindsay still doesn't quite have her nights and days switched yet, although she is getting close. She's awake at several different times during the night and sleeps a few hours during the day. But she definately isn't following her brother's sleeping patterns, for sure. It didn't take him long to sleep thru the night... SHE... on the other hand... wants to eat every 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Hungry girl!

Life is fun around here and it's great! Well... I started this post about 8 this morning... it's now almost 5 pm! so I'd better close it.

I'll try and include pictures soon!

Too long...

14 days! WOW... it's been 14 days since I've posted anything. Sorry about that to all of you who check this and are awaiting the "Morton Days of our Lives." Today's post is going to be short, because usually I've left school by now, but I'm running a tad late.

I just wanted to let everyone in cyber-world know that I'm the luckiest man alive! Not only do I have a God who loves me, a Savior who died for me, a family who raised me, a wife who loves me and is my best friend, a son who thinks I'm just the greatest dad in the world, a daughter who... well... just thinks I'm a bit goofy and still trying to figure me out :-) , in-laws who accept and love me ... life is good! I can't complain with how I've been blessed this year and I just know that God's hand is leading me down the path where he wants me to be used to do his work.

I'll try and finish this later. (it's that 30 minute pause in the show, where the commercials seem to run 2-3 more minutes longer)

America's Team...

A dream come true... I SAW THE BOSTON CELTICS PLAY!... Even better... THEY WON! It was cool. Dec. 7th... Celtics vs. Hornets! I was there... center court... 200 level... all I can say is WOW BABY! I even caught a t-shirt! It was a great change from how my day was.

My truck took a turn for the worse yesterday... it died. I was on my way home last night from our basketball game and dropping the bus off, when my truck stalled out completely btw. Portland and May on 178th street. For those of you who aren't quite familiar with that part of the area... it's DARK and NOTHING IS OUT THERE! Long story short... my dad came out to keep me company while the tow truck came out. Had it serviced today and the technicians said that I would need a new engine! OUCH! Can't really do that on a teacher's salary, but... before I panic (too bad) I had it towed to Bob Howard (where I purchased it and have it serviced) and I'm going to have a Chevy guy give it a 2nd oppinion. I'll let you know how that dabocle turns out. Even worse about last night... we lost our game by 1 point. AH!

Going to go to bed now... been a busy day.

Just the 4 of us...

Ah... family life is awesome! Can I just say that? I have a wonderful wife, who has been my best friend for 13 years... 1 1/2 of those, she was just making sure that I was worth it. :-) I have a 2 year old that thinks I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread. He also has this thing that I'm the human jungle gym. It's great! And then there's my new little girl... she's so peaceful and beautiful! Can't even begin to talk about her. And then there's the grandparents... warm, loving, caring, families that support me and Jeanise in all of our endeavors. BTW... my parents are THRILLED to finally have a girl! They got one with Jeanise, but this is just different for them. It's great. God has really blessed me and I have so much to be thankful for.

Ok... so I have a joke... and believe it or not JEANISE ACTUALLY LAUGHED! Now it could have been the pain meds but it goes down in Mike's book as a memorable moment. I've been wrapping up Joel in a towel after baths and calling him my little "burrito." It's cute and he loves it. The other night, I'm swaddling Lindsay in her blanket and I called her my little "burrito", too. Then I stopped and looked at her and said... "you know, it's probably my little 'burritA", huh? You know... those whole mascolino y feminina things from Spanish 1 and 2. Won't my teachers be proud. Needless to say... Jeanise got a chuckle from it and that's all that matters! :-)

I'll get some pictures posted soon of our return to home! It's kinda' nice being at home... next week's going to be tough returning to school.

L8r