Do You Have Your Dancing Shoes on?

As I have made known through my post and in my profile, I teach at a small rural school in Oklahoma. The school in which I teach is known for Basketball and Baseball. We are all a close knit family and most everyone knows everyones business. Sometimes, that is good and sometimes that is bad.

We started school early this year. August 7th to be exact. Crazy huh? There were a few changes to our schedule this year and my pre-k students would be getting a new coach. I was really excited Mrs. Tucker would be working with my little ones. She is married, to our schools beloved baseball coach. To know them, is to love them.

As any of you may guess the first day of pre-school is overwhelming. Crying kids, Crying moms, and lots of chaos. Just so happens this year I have 27 students. Yep, that is not a typo. I do have an aid but she was at the bus stop getting new students off the bus. Yes, some parents to send their 4 year olds to school on the bus the first day (gulp). I know I can't believe it either.. But it happens every year. Anyway, I am standing in my room surrounded by kids asking when we are going to paint, parents asking if they can stay all day and I am trying to mark down how each kid will be getting home that day. When in walks Mrs. Tucker. Her face is all lit up in a glow and she is all smiles. I thought you might need some help she says to me. I could of fallen at her feet right then and there but I thank her with a smile. She starts talking to my students as I talk with the lingering parents. She stays with me through breakfast. As I am talking with Cher, the lunch lady about who brought their lunch and who is eating in the cafeteria Mrs. Tucker leaves before I could thank her properly.

That night their precious daughter complains of double vision and in the telling her mother notices a slur in her speech. They rush to the emergency room only to be sent to another hospital. At St. Francis Childrens hospital Audra was diagnosised with a posterior fossa brain tumor: Medulloblastoma. Where she has since had surgery and the tumor was 100% removed. Now she is at St. Judes in Memphis undergoing rehab and chemo treatments. I keep thinking. Everything was normal. I seen her happily skipping down the hall with her 3rd grade friends that very morning. Her Dad joked with me in the hall about how early we were reporting back to school. Her brothers were rough housing in the hall as one just enter highschool and the other is a junior.. and her mom. Her mom was my life saver. Her mom helped me survive that first day back. Mrs. Tucker was so happy and so helpful and then that night her whole world was turned upside down.

The Tuckers have a website at http://www.caringbridge.com/ and the patient name is audratucker you all can check in to see the updates but mostly I would like for you to read the journal entries. It is a written account of a mothers love for her daugther and her savior. Many times I find myself crying as I read what she writes. Her family is going through such a scary experience but she remains strong and rooted in Christ. One of the things she said tonight has really got me to thinking, how would I handle a situation like this? She said, "Life isn't about waiting for the storms to end....It's all about learning to Dance in the rain!! Audra and I have our dancing shoes on......Do You?" I love this family and I hope that you all will say a little prayer for them.

This is a picture of Audra and her beautiful toothless grin. She is joined with another little girl in our community who was in my class two years ago.

Oh and Besty if you read this. Thank You. Thank You for helping me out that crazy hectic day. Thank you for being a smiling face amongst the tears and chaos of the day. Thank you for making my little ones laugh as I eased the parents fears. Thank you for being an extra set of hands and eyes. But most importanly, thank you for showing me a strong faith and the geniune love of a mother. You are a shining example and a hero to me. Your strength amazes me. I love you and your family. I am praying for you and sharing your story with everyone I cross. I am here lacing up my dancing shoes.. So that I can join in the dance of victory as Audra overcomes this battle.