Well, I went in to DS' room on Friday for his class play and also to say goodbye to the teacher. The replacement teacher was there, too. She is RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE! It turns out that our district hires teachers right out of college on a 9 month contract to be permanent subs. They can sub at a different school every day, or be granted a long term sub job like in DS' situation. This burns me even more - that there is a pool of teachers waiting to fill in, that the pool is replentished every year, and the districut still would not grant the teacher a leave for health reasons. I am also burned that DS will have a brand new teacher for the rest of the year. I know that everyone has to start somewhere, but we had a HORRIBLE experience in kindergarten with a first year teacher and we ended up taking DS out of private school after 3 months because of the teacher's ineptitude. Unfortunately, now that he is in public school, we don't have that option unless we want to move. I'm just praying for the best, maybe this new teacher will have it together a lot more than the one that taught kindergarten.

Good for you!! You are obviously many steps ahead of the game......This was in Dear Abby this AM - Dear Abby: I am the human resources director for a nonprofit organization. Please help me send a message to anyone searching for a job. Ninety-five percent of all the candidates I interview know little to nothing about the organization for which they are interviewing. Please let job seekers know that most organizations are less likely to hire an applicant who has done no research on the company he/she is interviewing with. I wouldn't. -- Shaking My Head Dear Shaking Your Head: That's good advice. Not only should the applicant know something about the organization or company but the job seeker also should be prepared to tell the interviewer why he/she is eager for the job and how hiring him/her will enhance the business.

morning! we are in Traben´on the mosel river, staying in another youth hostel. lauren and i ate breakfast, boys are still sleeping. we are leaving in a little bit to drive to koln to go to the zoo. this keyboard is driving me nuts...the letters are in different places...well, some of them. so excuse my mistakes. we are here for three days going to trier tomorrow and then frankfurt on wednesday, fly out on wednesday morning. it will be good to get home. lot of things have changed here, the base i used to work at is completely changed, do not recognize anything about it as they have moved the old gates and the main road has changed outside it. i also could not find the last house i lived in, used to be a tiny village with one main street and maybe 20 homes, now has 2 streets and no sign of the old house. cannot wait to get home and catch up on everyone here at the kt.

if u don't want to go the book route, how about a savings bond?? u pay $25 and in 15-20 (i forget which) years its worth $50., i know its doesn't sound like a lot but we did that for our kids since birth. for my oldest it paid half of her college bill in junior year. had the whole family on board and everyone did it when they were too little realize they really didn't "get" anything.. everyone always got them a little something to go with it, so when they we knew they should get presents, they had something to open.. the amounts go as high as $500 i think. did it for every occasion, it really adds up!!! $500 bond, $1,000 in allotted time plus interest if u hold onto them past the mature date....