Pictures

I'm not on the computer much at home. I tend to spend my time doing other things like cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids, and sleeping. So I rarely post pictures since my work computer doesn't have the capability to get them off my camera or disk. So I thought that today I would post some pictures from the last few weeks.

This is my class science project. Worms...awake ones...are in the cup. I actually learned a lot teaching my kindergartners about earthworms. Did you know they have 5 hearts? Or that that little band around their middle is where their eggs are stored? Me either. Until last week.

In the talent show, the boys were Darth's minions. They were bad guys, but very cute bad guys.

Light saber fighting is a talent. They choreographed the moves and practiced for weeks. It was very entertaining.

This is Josh's science project on crystals. He grew several different kinds of crystals and learned a lot. He also won first prize in his class!

Adam's project was on invisible ink. He used 8 different liquids to see which would make the best invisible ink. Surprisingly, milk worked the best. He won 2nd prize for his project!

These are Julianna's first pigtails. Oh my goodness at the cuteness!

One of the many blessings of my job is that I get to take Julianna to work with me when I need to. She hangs out with my class or in the pre-school class. She's actually learned a lot and loves to raise her hand whether she knows the answer or not. One of the hazards of having her in my class though is that she sometimes gets into things. Like the day I sat down at my desk and found this.

I guess she thought I deserved a whole lot of smiley faces and stars. Then there was this.

Her little collection of toys under my desk...snacks and friends to share them with. I never know just what I'll find after she spends the day in my classroom.

Then there's this picture from Christmas. Just 'cause, you know, my kids are so adorable.

Happy Saturday!

10 Things Thursday

10 things I am NOT doing today.

1. Driving on icy roads.
2. Having a minor panic attack from driving on icy roads.
3. Changing out of my pjs.
4. Missing my daughter.
5. Zipping 10 coats or putting on 20 mittens (3 times).
6. Worrying about the weather.
7. Digging my car out of several inches of snow.
8. Enduring middle of the winter recess duty.
9. Celebrating the 100th day of school.
10. Wishing I was home...because I am.

Gotta love a snow day!

Happy Birthday George and Abe!

I'm so glad that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were born. What with the whole American Revolution and Civil War situations. I'm glad they were around then and were able to lead our country in ways that changed the course of history. They were two amazing men whose determination and strength brought them from humble beginnings to the White House and into our history books and those of our great-grandchildren. So thanks, and happy birthday George and Abe. Oh, and thanks for the day off.

Because I love free days off. You know. The kind that have no ulterior motives. I don't have to buy any gifts or make any special meals. I don't have to be anywhere at any specific time. I don't have to do anything if I don't want to. It's just a day off. Which is just what I need today. My house is clean. My family is well. My taxes are filed. My blog is posted. So now I'm going to go snuggle with my daughter (the only other one who is up this early...and the reason I am), drink my vanilla chai latte, and read a good book.

Happy President's Day!

Old is in the eye of the beholder.

As of today, I am married to a man who is two years older than me. And he will be two years older than me for exactly two weeks, when I turn 39. Yikes. When did we get old? How did it happen? Actually, we were talking about it and neither of us feels our age. We still feel like the 20 and 21 year olds we were when we got married. Just a little more tired at the end of the day. And with kids. Which probably accounts for the tiredness.

I've loved my husband forever. At least for as long as I can remember. The crush in grade school and middle school eventually turned into young love and has over the years evolved into this comfortable, safe, wonderful life of memories and shared goals and parenting. He says I still make his heart skip a beat. And he makes mine skip two.

Is every day easy? No. Do we always agree? Umm, no. But even so, we are in this together. For the rest of our lives. And for that I'm glad. Even if he is old.

10 Things Thursday

10 words.

"awake"
worms
are
so
much
more
fun
than
"asleep"
ones

Wednesday WORD

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (various translations)

Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, doesn't have a swelled head, doesn't force itself on others, isn't always "me first," doesn't fly off the handle, doesn't keep score of the sins of others, doesn't revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.

Worms, and not the gummy kind.

I try, every day, to not only teach my students what I'm supposed to, but to avoid doing anything that will hinder their learning in any way. Well, today I very well may have traumatized my whole class. We are studying earthworms for our science project and I brought in a dozen worms that I picked up at the gas station on the way to school. Part of today's activity was to watch the worms and draw a picture of them. Umm, there was no movement to watch. But there was this. "Awww, look. My worm's asleep." "Mine, too." "Mine, too." Yeah, I'm afraid they were all "asleep." Some of the kids did figure out that their worms were dead, but that didn't stop them from being interested. I guess I should have just passed out plastic knives and changed the lesson to dissection. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow. But this time I'll check the worms before I leave the store to make sure they're "awake."

Wednesday WORD

Philippians 4:6-7 (various translations)

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Just Because...

...there is nothing cuter than babies and puppies. (Especially these two babies.)

Alone

Some days I just want to be alone. But I'm very, very rarely alone. So the mere thought of it makes me sigh. The quiet. The freedom. I can only imagine.

But contrary to the norm, yesterday I was alone for a little while. Julianna woke up with a runny nose and watery eyes, so I wanted her to stay home from church so we didn't pass the cold around to all the other unsuspecting preschoolers. Arrty agreed to stay home with her and the boys jumped at the chance to spend the whole day at home. So off I headed to church by myself. I can't even remember the last time that happened. If it ever has. I got there just before services started and sat down in our regular seat. And did nothing. I didn't dig fruit snacks out of my purse. I didn't unzip a backpack looking for crayons. I didn't answer the question, "Can ______ sit with us?" I didn't scooch making room for four other people. I just sat. During the songs I didn't have to shush anyone or remind anyone to sing or take anyone out to the bathroom. I just sat and sang and prayed and listened.

And it was nice. For about 10 minutes. Then not only was I alone, I was lonely. I didn't know what to do with myself. It felt weird. I almost ate Julianna's secret stash of fruit snacks from my purse just for some semblance of normalcy. It became so very obvious that I am not complete without my family. Church isn't complete. Nothing is. They are a part of me. Not just a part of my life, but a part of me.

Yes, being alone is nice sometimes. But I'll remember that feeling of incompleteness the next time I long for a moment alone. And remember that alone turns into lonely really quickly.

What A Girl!

Julianna and I went shopping on Saturday. We went through the pink toy aisles in 4 different stores and looked at all the babies, Barbies, bunnies, and bows. It was so fun to watch her push buttons and ooh and aah over all the fun toys. I can't even count how many times she said, "Awww, that's very cute!" I'll tell you what's cute. My sweet daughter. (She ended up with a new winter coat for next year, a pair of Dora tennis shoes, a pair of silver church shoes, and a Belle doll.)

I don't know when the last time you potty trained a child is, but there is a lot of cheerleading involved. "Woohoo, you peed in the potty!" "Yeah, your pull-up is still dry!" "What a big girl you are!" Well, it seems like all that encouragement is rubbing off on Julianna. Today when we were in adjoining stalls in the bathroom at school, she said cheerfully, "Good job, Mommy!"

Sunday night I was washing dishes and realized that Julianna was awfully quiet. I looked around and she was nowhere to be seen. Uh-oh. So I went looking for her. I called down the hall for her, then opened the door to her room. I didn't think she was in there because the light was off. But then I saw the light from my phone shining from her hand as she stood in the corner. I turned on the light and looked at her. Before I could say a word, she closed my phone, handed it to me, and said, "I was saving it for you so Swiper the Fox couldn't get it!" Thanks, Jules, but I'm pretty sure a cartoon fox doesn't want to swipe my phone. (During the "saving," she called my mom, who by now can expect at least a few calls each week from her granddaughters.)

One of the hazards of having children so far apart is that the sweet little girl often hears, and amazingly quickly learns, older boy stuff from her brothers. For example, Julianna knows all the characters from Scooby Doo by name. And she is fully aware of Pokemon, video games and Star Wars (including how to use a lightsaber). The other night I was reminded of this hazard when I was putting laundry away and she walked into my bedroom and so, so sweetly looked at me and said, "Mommy, you're not a poop head."