Reflections

I have just finished my spring conferences. I was not looking forward to this. Report cards and conferences are just busy and stressful.

As the end of the first 12 hour conference day wound down, even my more delicate conferences went ok. The most greatful and appreciative family was the family that just immigrated from Kenya. They were very respectful and gave great compliments. Really good boost for my ego.

This round of report cards and conferences was not as overwhelming. I am finding that the more I get comfortable with the curriculum and know my students the less stressful things have become.

I love to see students with their parents. It either answers the why question about some behaviors or shows a side of them that I don't get to see. I always walk away with a greater sense of compassion and care for them.

I feel good about teaching today. I have the next school week planned and materials copied. I am starting two new novel groups, which I love. I had my meeting with the principal about my evaluation. Also a good ego booster. I am finding that I feel better when I get to take some time to reflect on my teaching and have some uninterrupted work time.

thought you might want to know

I think January is my least favorite month. All the excitement is gone and its back to school with no break in sight. and state testing...yuck. I think i'd like to skip this month in the future.

Early

Moriyah has continued to wake up before 7am even though we have stayed up late the last couple nights. I think it was yesterday morning she flung the door open and proudly proclaimed, "Hey Guys!" My 6 am response was not as enthusiastic.

I think that if you stay up past your bedtime it should correlate into an equally, if not longer, sleeping in. Now, how to teach that to my children?

Wowza

Apparently I don't have time to blog while I teach! It has sure been forever since I have posted.

I am loving teaching the fourth grade. I had a bit of a rocky start as I learned to set up the community of my class and got to know the kids. I am truly enjoying teaching my class. It was music to my ears today when several kids commented that they wanted to stay and finish what we were working on rather than go home for the weekend! I was all for going home though.

The transition for our family to Portland and to new roles of working mom and stay at home dad has been much different than I thought it would be. We were gone from Portland longer than I realized and it wasn't that we could just pick up where we left off. Also I miss my big house with a big back yard. I am soooo spoiled by my husband. he takes the best care of me. It is the little things that he does, like buying me my favorite candy to take to work on Monday because I have to stay late for a staff meeting. Honestly who thought Monday after school was a good time for a staff meeting! The only worse time would probably be Friday.

Another amazing thing my husband just did for me: I just accidentally erased my whole blog post. while I initially thought of throwing the computer across the room, my husband just said hit control z. Guess what? It all came back! What a renaissance man.

I love Christmas. I love decorating, I love buying presents, I love turkey, I love ham, I love cold weather, I love Christmas break. 5 more teaching days! If I am lucky it could be less...LET IT SNOW!

Blessed

I had the privilege of taking my two nieces to church last Sunday. Lilly loved church. She was thrilled that she knew the songs and sang at the top of her lungs. Moriyah did to. We got done with a song and Mo said, "I sing to Jesus!!"

Lilly sat next to me and drew pictures to Hannah, all of which said I love you. Then she started a new one and leaned over and said, "I don't know how to spell God." I looked down and she had written I Love and then God.

Those were the two moments that I cried in church last Sunday. I cannot explain the difference I feel in hearing the faith of a child in song and in their trust. That faith often brings tears to my eyes. I love hearing how my children love God. Today I was blessed by a young girl who sat behind me and sang with gusto. She doesn't even know it but her worship was encouraging to me.

As a parent I have had the unfortunate experience of my kids saying something so embarrassing in public. They did not mean to offend anyone they just said what they had noticed. They have not yet learned how to filter their thoughts to be polite. Because of this I often think that compliments from young children feel more true. They don't know the social rules yet. I feel a little like that with faith too. They don't have to be excited or happy to be up early on Sunday at church, but they are. They don't have to write love notes to God or sing at the top of their lungs, but they do. Seeing that faith touches me, it seems incredibly genuine. I have been blessed these past two Sundays by children. Thank you Father.

NEWS, NEWS, NEWS!!!

Well it has been a while since I have posted. Since then our family has moved to Portland. We are staying with some friends because it is taking forever to get all the paperwork completed and verified so we can move into our town home.

I was having terrible luck finding a teaching job. So I had an interview on Monday afternoon. I got a call Monday night and was offered a fourth grade teaching job at Gilbert Heights Elementary school. I started work the very next day. Tomorrow is the first day of school! I have a huge list of emotions about it. I just can't wait to get past the first few weeks and settle in with the students.

craigslist

I love craigslist. We have purchased several things from there but this past week I have discovered the joy of selling things on craigslist! It has been so much fun to put up the post and wait. I have collected money on one item, have someone coming to get another item and a third person who just emailed to set up a time to get another item. I think i might be addicted. It both clears out clutter and provides income! Genius.