Joy

This little image makes me smile and reflect and try harder.  I want to have people look at my life and know that I am joyful for the abundant blessings that I have been so undeservingly given.  Even through the trials of my life {this one especially}, I have often wondered whether I portray joyfulness.  I wonder how others see me.  I wonder if my efforts to be joyful in the midst of hardship have paid off.

I would love to say that they have.  But truthfully, there are many days that joy is not anywhere near the top of my list of feelings.  What I've determined is that joy is not necessarily the same as happiness.  Joy is more of a choice.  Much like love.  I have to choose to by joyful because although there are many things in my life that I would like to be different - there are SO many more things in my life I am thankful for.  I am so, so, so blessed.

And so are you.  No matter the circumstance you might be going through - I promise, if you look hard enough - it's there.  There is joy all around you, even in the midst of darkness.  Light will always beat out darkness.  Always.

Be Joyful today, Friends :)

Monday Morning Musings

Monday Morning Night Musings.

Well, for the last few weeks I've been trying to figure out how I was going to fit this little blog of mine in when life got busy again at the start of school.  It hasn't officially started yet, but this week is extremely busy with choreography at the studio and finishing touches on my classroom before the official first day back on Thursday.

Can anyone tell that I did a terrible job of figuring out how to fit this blog in since I haven't blogged since last Thursday?!  Wow, that wasn't so good.  I'll be better.  Promise.

• As I've re-read a few posts, it appears that I'm complaining about going back to work.  I wish my tone would come across over the blog because I'm really not complaining.  Here's the deal - I love my job.  Like really love it.  It is honestly one of the greatest privileges of my life to get to teach in such an amazing school district every single day.  However, I also really love the perks of my job - one of which being summer.  I very much enjoy summer time with my family and get a little sad when that is over.  But I am not complaining about my long summer break because I know that is far more than many people are blessed with.  {ok, sigh of relief that I got that out in the open}
• I am checking things off left and right from my to-do list.  Class lists came out, so I am labeling everything, writing notes to my future fifth-sters, printing and copying, planning, and decorating. I am starting to get in the groove of things and it feels good.
• The finale of the Bachelorette is killing me tonight.  Drew is just the sweetest and watching his heart get broken tonight on National TV was about enough to send me over the edge.
• The realization that this summer may be my last without children was a pretty big deal to me this week.  Not sure why this just hit me, but it was scary and exciting all at the same time.  {keep praying, friends - we totally appreciate you!}
• What is with this weather?!  Open windows in August?  Ridiculous.
• I'm excited to go to the grocery store this weekend to purchase "pack my lunch" foods for next week.  I'm so dumb.  :)

Alright, I think that's it.  I'll hopefully be back in the morning with another post.

Thanks for reading, friends -

Classroom Project Progress

Happy August, friends.  August is the month of back-to-school here in Iowa, so here's a little re-cap of the progress made in my home away from home - Room 91.

Earlier this week I spent another day in my classroom checking things off my master to-do list.  We go back to work one week from today for a few in-services before students join us on the 14th.  With each project I complete, I get more excited to have my new fifth-sters in my room - I hope they will enjoy being in this room as much as I do!  :)

I have really enjoyed making as much as I can for my room rather than buying everything or handwriting all of my labels - I'm by no means an expert, but I am liking the way it's turning out.

This is on my front white board.  When there is work time in my room, I will put up the cards of approved activities for them to work on when they are finished with the assigned task.  So far I only have 8 tasks, but I like that I can make more if I need to!  So easy, insert a square shape on a word or powerpoint document, insert your text box, clipart if you want it - print in color, cut out, back on card stock, laminate and slap a magnet on the back = EASY PEASY.  :)

Last summer I decided to make the switch to fabric on my bulletin boards - hello, best decision of my life.  {Kevin says I exaggerate, I have no idea what he's talking about...} Anyway, I really have loved the dark fabric with bright colors.  It makes everything pop.  I also feel really lucky to have one accent wall in my room - all classrooms in our building have one wall that is painted a color (green, yellow, orange, purple, or blue) - it really adds a lot to the room. 

This is my side whiteboard and it has housed 3 different things during the 3 years I've been in this classroom - but I think the 3rd one is the charm.  I basically re-created a big page out of my kid's planners - each section is a different subject and we will fill out our "planners" together as the day goes on.  I'm hopeful that this will allow for accountability for the kids and we will be able to scaffold throughout the year so they will be able to do this with increasing independence by the end of the year so they will be ready for 6th grade {and life!}

I found this on a blog or something a long time ago and I wish I knew where so I could give them credit.  I changed it up a bit so it fit the language we use in our classroom and then made it in my classroom colors.  I uploaded it to Vistaprint {LOVE} and it came in the mail a week later.  It hangs in the back of my room and serves as a reminder to the kids, but more importantly to me - I need reminders that we do a LOT more than just learn to read and do math from time to time.  :)

This is my back table and our mail station.  It's not a great picture, but here we go: the mailboxes are shoe organizers from Target.  They were expensive {$25 each maybe?} however I bought them my first year teaching, I use them every single day, and they're still going strong - so they were definitely worth the money in my opinion.  My philosophy with most things - but my classroom specifically - is to be as frugal as possible and only splurge on things you are confident will last for a LONG time and be used frequently.  You can see two of my labels on the wall pointing down to the two baskets - one is the "in basket" which is where kids turn in notes to me, office, etc.  One is the "outgoing mail" basket.  I put corrected papers or anything that needs to go home in there and then whoever has a moment (a kid done with work, a para-educator in my room or myself) just puts the papers in each student's numbered mailbox.  It works for me.  On the side of the table are two other baskets (one is for turned in homework and the bottom is for missing homework forms) and then a basket of highlighters because my kids have to highlight their name on all assignments prior to turning them in.

Each Friday my students have Responsibility Recess for the last 15 minutes of school.  It is a privilege and not a right, which serves as a nice little piece of bribery throughout the week.  Students lose Responsibility Recess for not turning in work on time or making inappropriate choices repeatedly throughout the week.  I am admittedly terrible at remembering who has lost Responsibility Recess throughout the week and I needed something to help me out.  *Enter this little gem.*  Each student has a number (lovingly created and cut out by my friend Allie - she's AMAZE-BALLS) - when they lose their RR, their number (which is a magnet) will be taken off and put on the back.  One look at this frame and I will know immediately who owes me time during Responsibility Recess.  Problem Solved.  Awesome.

This corner is in serious need of a little TLC, but I took the picture to show you another splurge I made for my room.  That lamp is excellent.  It matches the colors of my room perfectly and is exactly what I've been looking for.  I spend a lot of time with my kids around this space whether it's teaching mini-lessons, reading aloud to them, or having class meetings so I wanted it to be cozy and fun.  I'm going to move that poster up a bit so it's not blocked and then I have a few other posters to put up in the blank space above the table.  I'll have to take an "after" shot.  Because probably nobody but me cares - but whatever.  :)

Alright, I think that's it for today.  I'm off to spend more fun time with Sam, Maicey & Kaitlyn today.  I hope you all have an amazing day!

So What Wednesday

This week, I'm saying SO WHAT if:

• I stay up until WAY too late simply because I'm trying to milk every minute of summer and when I go to sleep I know that's one less day until I go back.
• I am getting really excited about how my room is taking shape.  I was there with a good friend yesterday for multiple hours and it's really starting to look good.  I'll upload pics tomorrow.
• We have nothing of substance here to eat, so we've been just haphazardly figuring out meals one at a time.  It's not good.  I should really do something about that.  But SO WHAT. :)
• My OCD brain is beginning to itch for a normal schedule where I don't have to look at my planner each night to determine where I need to be at what time.  I've been living on the edge this summer without a set schedule.  I really know how to live on the wild side.
• Tomorrow is August.
• I am two weeks behind on So You Think You Can Dance and I am seeing a marathon in my near future.

What are you saying SO WHAT to this week?

Kindness

I just can't really express how much I LOVE this quote.  I have loved it for a long time, but it means even more now because every time I look at it, I think of Julie.  I can't explain how humbling it is for me to be on the receiving end of such an act of kindness.  Really, I'm not sure you could call selflessly offering to carry a child for 9 months and then give birth to said child without asking for a solitary thing in return merely KINDNESS, but I honestly don't know what else to call it.

It convicts me for sure.  I have always thought of myself as a kind person - but in today's world it is very rare to find someone who genuinely doesn't want ANYTHING in return.  Someone who does the right or kind thing simply because it's the right thing to do.  I want to be that to people I encounter each day.  I pray that my students see that in me.  I pray that the grocery clerk thinks that of me when I walk away.  I am so in awe of Julie.  She has been thru hell and back in this process so far - blood draws, medicines, shots, 45 minute drives across town multiple times per day - you name it, she's done it.  And she has never one time made me feel like she is being put out.  In fact, she's never made me feel anything besides that she is happily going about the business of making Kevin & I a baby.  I know that my calling is not to be a surrogate for another family - but I have prayed many times in the past few months that whatever my calling is in this world, that I can do it with the loving kindness that Julie has shown me through this process so far.

Most of all, I pray that I can instill this quality in my children one day.  I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to share this real life example of pure and intentional kindness with them.  I am hopeful that my miracle(s) will be someday be a constant and living reminder to anyone who knows the story of their conception and birth that kindness still exists in this world today and it's power transcends all else.

Never underestimate the power of kindness.

Monday Morning Musings

I spent quite a bit of my weekend in the car driving to or from St. Louis - but it was so worth it.  I loved spending time with Julie and her family in their own environment.

Julie and I talked for hours on Saturday night while Dan was at football.  She made a delicious Mexican dinner and we drank a few (too many) lemonade alcoholic beverages.  It was really nice to be able to just sit at her kitchen table and chat with few interruptions.

• Genevieve FINALLY came to me (I may or may not have bribed her with M&Ms) and I have an adorable picture of us however it's on my cell phone and I am too comfortable to get up and get that...so perhaps that will make the blog later in the week.
• My nephew and niece are coming to visit for the last part of this week and I can't wait!  It's my last full week of summer and I can't imagine a better way to spend it!
• The weather here in Iowa has been ridiculous this weekend - I'm not complaining because I do love sleeping with the windows open and having it be a tad chilly...but I wasn't really ready for pool weather to be over.  Didn't that just start?
• I'll be spending lots of time in my classroom this week trying to get things settled.  More picture updates to come.
• How is the end of this week AUGUST already?!  Wasn't it just May like two minutes ago?!
• I'm still a little confused on this whole Google Plus business.  It's fun to see people adding me to their circles and I did a little adding myself earlier last night, but I truthfully have no idea what I really did.  Whatever I guess.

I think that's about it, Ladies & Gents.

Have a great week -

Silent Weekend - St. Louie Style

Visiting these awesome people this weekend before the craziness of back-to-school hits.  See you on Monday  :)