I Just LOVE this time of year!

We've been putting up our tree now since Friday. Yes, it tends to be a process. Last night as I was unwrapping the last box of ornaments, it was like Christamas Day had already arrived! I couldn't wait for to unwrap the next one to see what memory was going to return with it. I love to sit and look at the tree and the many ornaments that have been given to me. My favorite are those that my children have made!!! I could look at them forever! My tree, to some, may look a bit chaotic because it has no general theme. However, it really does have a theme. It has a theme of memories. I can't wait to make more! I love Christmas and everything it stands for. I hope and pray that you and yours will take time this year to create some very special memories!

I Am So Thankful

I've had several moments today that have allowed me to reflect. My students wrote letters to someone important in their life today. I had one young lady who's Mother is deceased, her Dad is in jail, write to HIS girlfriend, thanking her for taking her in. She went so far to say that even though the girlfriend won't be around for Thanksgiving and that she (the student) would have no Thanksgiving, she was still thankful to her for all she had done. I had another young man tell his Mom that he was proud of her for working hard in school and that he understood why they would have no Christmas this year. He went on to tell her that he knew she wanted to find a man so that he would have a role model but for her to remember that as long as they had God, they had enough. Then...tonight on the news, I hear stories of how children in my very own community who are living in foster care and group homes will not be receiving gifts for Christmas.

You know, I love this time of year. It isn't because everyone around me has all the love, peace, food, etc. that they need. It is because God uses these situations to remind me of all I have. I am so thankful for....

The fact that my children don't have to worry about a parent being in jail;
The fact that my children don't have to be the ADULT in my life;
The fact that, although small, my children will receive presents this year;

BUT, more importantly...

I'm thankful for.....

God giving me a job where I work with amazing children;
a God that I know is going to bless these children;
and for a God, that reminds me through some of the toughest situations, that I am so richly blessed and that I need to share those blessings with others.

I encourage you to look for your blessings and to be thankful. I also encourage you to SHARE those blessings with others who need them! God Bless!

Happy Halloween!

Tonight the kids enjoyed lots of fun at our church Fall Festival. They went trick-or-treating at one house (a co-worker friend of mine) and then they just HAD to get to the fesival. Jonathon was an old man and Clarissa.....at 3:30 today informed me that she was not going to be the old lady that she had planned but that she was going to be a Texas Tech cheerleader. You've gotta love the female mind.....so free to change at any minute! I hope everyone had a safe evening! Can you believe Thanksgiving is just right around the corner???????? Run turkeys!!!!!!!!

Not Terribly Exciting but here goes.............

My teacher friend, Sarah, "tagged" me. I guess I have to play along!

Rules:

1)Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here it goes:

1. When I was growing up, we had a pet pig that we raised in the house! He didn't know he was a pig and I didn't know we ate him until just a few years ago!

2. I failed my first driving test. (NO comments please about this one!)

3. I can not stand to drink out of restaurant glasses. I must have a straw! I get to thinking about all of the people's lips that have touched the glass and it grosses me out. I'm about to have to start carrying my own plastic ware because I start thinking the same things about the forks.

4. I gag often (especially after eating out).

5. I love to look at pictures of my chidren. I could do that all day long. I could also watch home videos of them forever!

6. I love to touch my Mother's arms. She has that old lady flab (I say that in a good way). It is so soft. I of course am in no hurry to get it but I could spend hours touching hers!

7. I was invited to go on a 21 day tour of Europe with an honors band when I was a Sophomore in High School and I turned it down because I was afraid to fly over the ocean. Not that I wouldn't be scared today because I would but I'd strongly consider it!

8. I love snow. It puts me in the best moods. I am most productive when it snows. I want to visit Alaska and Switzerland.

I now tag Elaine and Cheryl because my other blogger friends....oh wait....I have not other blogger friends!!!

My heart hurts

Today has been a very bad day for Jonathon. As his mother, my heart has broken for him. Sal's car was broken into last night and all that was taken was Jonathon's backpack and Sal's cologne. Now, some may be thinking....Why were those items there? Let's just say that the men and my life like convenience. It was convenient for Jonathon to leave his backpack in the car on Friday because he wouldn't need it until Monday and I guess it's convenient for Sal to spruce up on the smellums throughout the day.

Jonathon's binder was found in an alley nearby but his backpack, his Nintendo DS which had been INSIDE the backpack, and the cologne were not found. Jonathon was so upset that he could not talk to be on the telephone. I can't remember a time when he cried that hard. Actually, when I told him that his Papaw might have lung cancer was the only other time I remember him crying that hard. So, as I knew my son was hurting, I hurt too. Some have said "Well, he'll learn not to leave things in the car". Yes, maybe he will. Yes, maybe I had told him many times not to leave it in the car and much less, his Nintendo DS! However, that doesn't excuse someone getting into OUR property and taking OUR things! AND, to top things off, his lovely first year Social Studies teacher gave him a write up for not having his paper today in class! NO JOKE ---the kids had nothing!!!! So, I called the school today and tried to explain that it wasn't lost but stolen and the teacher proceeded to be very hateful with me and eventually hung up on me! OH NO HE DIDN'T!!!! Let's just say....I've removed the write up myself and this battle isn't over!

Unfortunately, Jonathon learned a big lesson about life today. He told his Dad that he had wondered what he had done, that God was punishing him for. Yeah, that one got me! We've spent the evening explaining to a once, very innocent 10 year old, that God doesn't work like that and how there are just some pretty sorry individuals in this world that need God desperately.

Jonathon also learned a big lesson about family. Tomorrow he will receive a special gift from someone who loves him very much and from someone whom I adore and admire more than they'll ever know. I had to tell him about the gift tonight and let's just say....it's good to see him smile.

So while my heart hurts, my blood pressure is still sky high from anger, my soul remains confident that God is STILL good and STILL in control and STILL moves people to do amazing acts of kindsness to small children and in my house....when you are kinds to my children, you are a blessing to me!

Here we go again!!!

Well, we're down to the bitter end. I really do not like the weekend before the school year starts. I feel rushed the entire time, all the while trying to remain calm for my kids. It seems as though I feel I need to give them my undivided attention before we're whisked away into many different directions.

I have gotten so organized and prepared in my own classroom that I feel like I am forgetting something MAJOR. I guess we'll find out soon enough! Most people get so excited about the first day of school. I don't. It's the middle-end that I love. I just had that last group trained and now their off to middle school. Monday morning I'll be met with 17 little strangers that are just as uneasy as I am. Don't get me wrong. I love my job but I really love it once I know the kids and they know me. We have so much fun together. I think I am having some weird feelings at the beginning of this year because the end of my year ended so rotten. I guess I'm having "rollover feelings".

Jonathon is trying his hardest to act like he's "kinda" excited about school starting. Knowing that this is such a hard time for him, (crying every first day of every school year so far) I am praying that Monday will be a good day for him. I know how mean kids can be to each other. This will be his last year in elementary school so soon we'll be dealing with visiting and selecting a Middle school. He's already looking forward to that. Jonathon does so well in school and I pray that this year will be no different.

Clarissa is so ready for Monday morning that I doubt she sleeps tomorrow night! She got her first grade haircut (8 inches cut off) today and it is adorable! Sassy just like she is. We've labeled all of her supplies and organized her NOTEBOOK! (Yeah, I couldn't believe that first graders had notebooks!) Her backpack is ready and hanging by the front door. She even knows what she's wearing for the week. Her year didn't get off to a great start last year because some snotty nosed spoiled little girls called her names. There is only one little boy from her old class in her class this year so I'm praying she'll have a better year. Her teacher is a male and she's super excited about that. I love her spirit and her "ready to take on the world" attitude. I pray she never loses it!

So, school starts in about 33 hours! It will be a hectic 9 1/2 months. Days filled with school, gymnastics, church, soccer, and my class at Wayland. We'll try to fit in as much family time as possible and before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here! I can't wait for November! Actually, to be honest, I'm simply looking forward to Friday! Off we go......

Kids Really Get It!

Today I was having a conversation with Jonathon, discussing how God is not a God of disorder and how He wants us to have order in our lives. We even got more specific and talked about cleaning. He said, "You know, it may not be a good illustration but it's kinda like this: all of the trash and things out of order represent sin and then Jesus comes in and cleans you all up!." No Jonathon, it wasn't a good illustration.....it was a GREAT one. Leave it to a 10 year old to really get what takes many adults a lifetime to figure out!