Monday, September 27, 2010

Fearless


This weekend I went with my sweet friend, Danette to her church's annual women's retreat. The food was delicious. The company was great. I met some lovely, funny, kind and supportive ladies. I got to reconnect with a couple of people I hadn't seen in a long time. I got to spend time with Danette, who is always so kind and encouraging. And the program was just exactly what I needed. It was all about knowing and believing that we are each created specifically by God with a purpose. That He loves me just as I am. That He gave me special gifts to make a difference in this world. That I do not need to fear any of the trials of this life because He will always be there.
This doesn't mean that things will always be wonderful. It is not a recipe for happiness. But it does give me hope. And with hope I can keep on living this messy life of mine. Doing my best each day to be the best me I can be. And not beat myself up too badly when I fall short.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Thankful Thursdays

Well, I almost made it on a Thursday! It's 12:01 as I type this, so just barely in to Friday.

I am so thankful for my understanding family. For them putting up with me working insane hours and being cranky and doing less than my fair share around the house the last few weeks.

I am also thankful for the beginning of routine and focus and lots of laughter and fun and learning in Room 6. The stress is lessening and I am starting to love it.

I am blessed by my sweet friend, Danette, who is taking me to a women's retreat this weekend. Almost 3 whole days of not thinking about curriculum and classroom management (not in the behavior sense, their behavior is good... just in the teaching of 2 separate grade levels in the same 7 hours you would get for one!) and especially for not grading papers over the weekend! And not having to cook and being treated to terrific food! And hearing Betty Chinn speak!

I will try to post back on Sunday... wishing you weekend full of blessings!

Love, Nancy

Friday, September 17, 2010

Moments of wonderful

So many difficult moments these last few weeks. Moments when my eyes filled up with tears and my heart squeezed closed in my chest and seemed to stay that way. When my breath was frozen and stuck in my throat. When the air seemed to push in around me and my brain felt trapped in a vice. But then between these difficult moments there were moments filled with wonder.
Like when my niece called me on the phone to let me know her science fair project was due in February so could she please borrow my incubator in January to hatch some chicks.

Or when a girl in my class brought me a beautiful bouquet of red tulips (my favorite)

Or getting to meet this adorable boy
And take pictures of his adorable selfAnd watching his sweet sister kiss him and dance around him and call him "Co co".
When I put up the vocabulary chart and students kept laughing and trying to work the words "predict" and "confirm" and "overseas" into our everyday classroom conversation. Or when I said "It's time to stop writing." And one of my hardest, least-interested-in-academics 4th graders moaned because he didn't want to stop. When one of my new colleagues said, "Thank you for staying here" after I was offered a position back in Ferndale (which I declined). Or almost everyday when Mark muted the political conversation on the TV he loves so much to listen to me talk about my day. It has been a hard couple of weeks. But each day there is joy and wonder and cause for celebration. And I plan to revel in the wonder of all of them.

Friday, September 10, 2010

My fantasy life

So I always had fantasies of getting a fabulous digital camera and wowing my thousands of blog readers with my spectacular photograpy skills combined with wit and humor. Not suprisingly, that isn't happening. First of all, I still don't know how to use my camera very well (even though I love it). Secondly, whenever I think of uploading pictures my brain gets all wiggly and agitated because I have to shrink the pictures so much to get them to load. I have 2 hilarious shots of the 17 individual letters the Employment Development Department sent me informing me that I would not be paid for unemployment the week I was unavailable for work while in Mexico. That cost our state $7.48 in postage alone. No wonder our budget is in such bad shape! I also have numerous wonderful shots of my cute nieces from Labor Day weekend. And the clincher is I have pictures of adorable, new, precious Colton Price Taylor at the age of exactly 14 days. But I guess you'll all just have to wait because I have no desire to attach my camera and fiddle with them. I am off to play Bejewled Blitz!
Happy Weekend! Love, Nancy :-)