A Night to Remember

I am wiped tonight, but in a good way. I often stop and think about how blessed I am to have the job that I do. I can't imagine my world without the people in my life. Truly. God has had me on an amazing journey since I moved here to L.S. I honestly wouldn't trade any of it for all the money in the world. I'm clearly in a season with the Lord where I'm seeing what really matters to me in life: PEOPLE. (Yes, Jay is a person!) *grin*

I have a caseload of AMAZING kids that make my life better on a daily basis. Yes, some wear me out, but that's okay because I am doing what He made me to do. Period.

This week my building hosted our district's Young Author's Conference.

I attended one in my previous district, but I hadn't been to one here in L.S.. I'll admit it, last night was REALLY cool! I got to meet students from different schools and it was a lot of fun. However, that wasn't the highlight for me.

My highlight was afterward when we stacked all the chairs. I know, it seems like an odd highlight.

However, no one said that we had to do that. We just jumped in and did it.

It was so neat how we helped each other, and worked together.

Sure, others worked very hard for last night, as my committee worked hard for Judging Day. My committee had already completed our jobs. *grin* However, to be there for the event, and to help at the end was priceless. It was a night I'll never forget. At the end, we took a group picture. I plan on framing that pic and putting it in my classroom.

I love how God can take a group of adults who may not necessarily be close, but use them to serve others.

I am blessed.

*grin*
Life.
Is.
GREAT.

Open to His Leading

Today when I awoke, I was open to what the Lord had for me. I didn't have anything huge on the agenda, but God definitely had something cool in store for me. *grin*

I went and got a couple amazing young ladies and spent the afternoon with them. I was reminded, again, how people matter more to me than things. The two gals were entertaining to me as they played the Wii. I enjoyed the afternoon, more than those gals probably know. It will not be that long before I have them over again, as four months was too long to me. *grin*

At the end of their time here, I wound up texting with a friend.

God opened up a door for me, and I walked through it.

Long story short, I got to spend some time tonight with a family and a young man that I wouldn't have if I hadn't been open to His leading. Tonight is a night I won't forget. I realize this is a somewhat vague post, but that's okay because I know what I mean. *grin*

Tonight I feel blessed. Lately He's been sharing with me a lot about people, and what they mean to me. I've taken so much for granted, and tonight, I thanked Him for the people in my life.

I am blessed. Thank You, Lord.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AMAZING!!!

Camp Barnabas Big Party Marathon & 5K

I wrote this last Sunday night after I returned from Springfield. I wanted to go ahead and leave it the way I initially wrote it because I am blogging to remember memories. Your ability to read this memory, well, it's just a bonus for you. *grin*

While I'm exhausted tonight, I do want to write about what I experienced in the past 24 hours. Once again, I'm reminded of how PEOPLE are what's important in life, not things. *grin*

Two weeks ago when I was at camp, many people were talking about being at that Big Party Marathon this weekend, and I considered going. When I heard Lauren H. was going, I KNEW I was going. *grin*

So yesterday at 5:30ish, I left here and drove to Springfield. I met my friend Karen at Pizza House where we enjoyed a couple hours of talk time and AMAZING pizza. Pizza House is still my favorite pizza on the planet. Totally. However, the time with Karen was precious. I love how our hearts are connected to Him, and out of that flows deep conversations. I am blessed, beyond words, to have Karen in my life. Seriously. My heart was full leaving Pizza House last night. Truly.

This morning I was up early (not as early as I thought I would be though!) and arrived at the marathon at about 8:15. My job as equipment check-in wasn't until 8:30, so I got to visit with a lot of my Barnabas family. I grinned like a goofy little kid the whole time. The limp I have, was invisible, and I didn't expect that. I'm not sure why, in retrospect, it was a Barnabas event. *grin* All Barnabas events are like that, I just didn't expect it.

I danced to the music with the other volunteers for a while at the volunteer table, which was precious. The laughter and fun went on the entire time. Two main highlights occurred for me today, and lasted briefly. Lauren came in from the race, and I immediately went over to her and hugged her. She is precious! I got a picture with her too! I love it!

About an hour later, Laura Edwards walked up to me, and I was excited beyond words. I can't remember the last time I saw her, but it was precious to see her and chat quickly before she had to leave. Combined, I think I spent a total of ten minutes with Laura and Lauren, but I will admit that the 2.5 hour drive each way was worth it. Those gals, as well as all of my Barnabas family, don't know how special they are to me. I'd do a marathon trip myself (5 hours in the car in LESS than 24 hours) again if it meant another ten minutes with those precious gals and the rest of the Barnabas family.

It's hard to explain, but that family means more to me that you'll ever know. Sure, I have a great family here, who would do anything for me. And, the more I've thought about it, I feel blessed double. I have both a biological family that is amazing, plus my Barnabas one.

How cool is that? *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!

"Are You April Foolin' Me?"

One of my least favorite days in teaching is April 1. The day is full of comments followed by, "April Fools." Most of the time I remember and they don't get me caught in it, but this year I did have one who got me. A student told me she had overheard her parents talking and she was going to be home schooled for next year. My heart sank until she said, "April Fools." The thing about that was, my heart was truly broken for a moment there, as I couldn't imagine my world without her in it. I guess I was reminded how much the little people mean to me throughout that day. *grin*

So, after school I had invited a friend over to help me change a few lightbulbs. Due to the fact I'm short and don't have a step ladder, I knew my taller friend could help me. So, we came back here and immediately got to work on the light bulbs. We started out downstairs in front of my coat closet and bathroom. She dropped a screw on the floor in the midst of it all, and we had to take time out to look for it. After we got the light bulb fixed, and I said, "Where is Jay?" She looked at me and told me she wasn't sure. We went ahead and looked downstairs for him. I looked under the couch, under the love seat, and he wasn't there. My friend even went outside and was calling for him. She said, "Jay, do you want a TREAT?"

I knew he wasn't outside, but I thought it was odd that he was missing. He's usually beside me to the point I need a break. My friend turned to me and said, "Are you April Foolin' Me?" My first thought was, I would NOT joke about Jay being missing. The second thought was, "After the day we've had, it's a valid question."

She went to check the storage room off my living room, and then she said, "Oh, I know where he is!"

I walked back in the kitchen, and It hit me where he was too.

HE WAS IN THE COAT CLOSET.

We both started laughing SO HARD, I was on my kitchen floor so that when he came out he would come right to me! My friend opened the door to the closet and he came out like nothing had happened. He never barked, scratched, or made a sound. He just came out with his tail wagging. *grin* It was GREAT.

I'm so glad April Fools is over, but I promise that April 1 will be one I remember forever.

All because my silly furry kid got locked in a closet on accident.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
FUNNY!

Falling, Stopping, and Looking Up

The week after time out at Camp is often Character-Building. No matter how much prayer I put into the week prior to camp, there's always an attack afterward. I know that's the enemy trying to drag me down. You'd think he'd give up by now, but he doesn't. *grin* However, in the midst of it, I never let him win. *giggle*

So, I could (and just may, we will see how this weekend unfolds) post a story for each day of this past week. Everyday something new was thrown my way. That being said, I think I handled it well. The coolest part of camp is that it draws me to where I have to lean into the Lord in moments with campers. It's hard to explain, but I always come back more in love with people, and the Lord, than prior to the trip. *grin*

Tuesday morning I awoke earlier than usual due to a before-school meeting. Tuesday was slated to be a crazy day with several meetings, and Kindergarten registration that evening. So, I got ready to go, let Jay out, and then went upstairs to put Jay in his crate. I did my typical, "Bye, Jay, love you, see ya tonight." I started down the stairs, rushing because I was going to be late at that point due to a furry kid being slow on his last time out before I left. Yep, I bet you can picture it, I'm about two steps down the stairs (which are split, thank goodness!) and lose balance, and fall the rest of the way down.

I fell hard, and just stopped.

I took time to just stop and be with the Lord.

I was clearly rushing, for what? A meeting. Ultimately, I am not late this year to things. I'm usually early. And, life will go on if I'm a few minutes late.

I was in pain, as I fell hard, but made it to work and made it through the day just fine.

The rest of the week has been a little weird, as every time Jay leans on my knee, I hurt. Or when I go to lift something, my arm hurts. However, I don't mind. In that fall, God reminded me of something.

Life is short.

It's okay to be late every once in a while.

Finally, I was reminded that it's okay to fall down from time to time. It's what I do when I get back up that matters.

THE ENEMY ISN'T GOING TO WIN IN MY LIFE.

Period.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

The Happiest Place This Side of Heaven

It won't surprise you to know that I have another Camp Barnabas post to share. Last weekend there was a Weekend Barn-A-Break held at the Purdy location. I was allowed to arrive a day late because I attended the Chris Tomlin concert on Friday night. I had previously told Sarah, volunteer coordinator, that I'd be there as soon as possible on Saturday.

I arrived at camp around 3pm. I had messaged Sarah ahead of time, so I knew where to store my stuff and where I'd be sleeping. Next up, I went for a walk around camp to find everyone. I had zero idea what cabin I'd be assigned to work with, but I was excited to be there to serve for about 24 hours. *grin*

I figured out I was with my fave camper, Ronni, and several other campers I had had before. *grin* It did feel a little odd to not know the cabin girls like usual at that point on a weekend barn-a-break. At the same time I was glad I was with Ronni. We had a rough moment here and there, but honestly, there were more good moments (by far!) than bad ones. Ronni loves people. Everyone. She's one of the biggest blessings in my life. Totally. *grin*

I didn't do a lot, other than serve Ronni, but it was an AMAZING time out there. *grin*

It is impossible to explain what God does in and through a person when you're at Barnabas. It's just something that you have to experience. *grin* However, I will state I am a different person today because of that 24 hour time there.

I had several of the campers I've had before. I even had two returner missionaries. That was fun.

I also enjoyed seeing visitors to camp for the day, such as Sarah and Mandy. I love how camp is an experience, but it's also friends for a lifetime. I've said it a lot lately, but, my Barnabas Family is very special to me. *grin* I am one blessed gal.

Also, as a side note, I learned that you can support Camp Barnabas by joining Amazon Smiles and choose to support The Barnabas Foundation in Purdy, Missouri. By doing so, a portion of the proceeds go to Camp. *grin*

From the non-verbal camper, to Ronni, to the non-stop walkers, and everything in-between, camp is one amazing place. I'm so glad God made me to serve out there. Not one camper is LESS than anyone else...they're just different.

Just like we are all different children of God. Loved by Him, and unconditionally loved out at camp.

I also love how I can show up, a day late, have a limp, and I fit right in. I told someone (and don't remember who) that I wish the world could see that little corner of the world. Not one person stared at the limp. I love that! And, it doesn't matter what the camper was diagnosed with, they are a person first out there.

Saturday night there was a talent show and many of the kids got up and sang. Truthfully, they weren't always on key or pitch, but the audience treated them like they were famous singers. We had arms waving, just like at a concert. We also clapped to the rhythm. I realize you'd have to be there, but it was a little bit of Heaven to see the campers shine. *grin*

This will be my ninth Summer serving out at camp. It never gets old. *grin* Truthfully, it's still Life-changing.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!

Random Thoughts, I Think *giggle*

My last post was a lot of fun to write, so I thought I'd do another one before I lay down on the couch and fall asleep. I tell ya, going back to work is really going to cut into my slacker schedule. *giggle*

1. I have a new favorite phrase around my house: "Jay, do you want to go for a walk?" HE GOES NUTS. It's probably the cutest thing I've seen all week. I'll admit, it has motivated me off the couch. However, I have also found that I walk better all the time if I exercise or walk often. It has been a gift from God, and I'm not even kidding. I feel better than I have physically since I moved here. Yeah, I'd like to shed a few pounds, but that's not even my motivation. This won't surprise you: I'm in training for CAMP. Out at camp, I walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, and walk. The past three or four years I have done it, but I've been VERY out of shape. This year I'm already preparing, and it's making a difference. All because of a little guy named Jay. He's been such a blessing in so many ways!!! Please note though, if you come over, don't say "Jay, do you want to go for a walk?" unless you're prepared to do just that! *grin*

2. I can now honestly say, I miss the kids at school. Yup, I'll be ready to be back at work Monday. Getting up at 8am tomorrow will be a good way to prepare for the 6:30am wake up on Monday. I'm not surprised, as I typically want to see the kids toward the end of each break. *grin* I think that is just even more confirmation that I LOVE my job.

3. How is it already March 21? Seriously? Didn't we just enter in the New Year? It's all going by SO fast. *grin*

4. It's officially SPRING. Ohmygoodness that makes me smile! *grin*

5. I've watched a few March Madness basketball games. At one point I was in first place in our family pool. Now I'm in second. Ah well, glad it was a small amount of money. *grin* Today was not a good day for my teams on my bracket. Ah well, it was fun. *grin*

6. I had a student tell me the Friday before break that I say "Oh My Goodness" a lot. I didn't even realize it. Over the break, I have said it a lot. Weird. *giggle*

7. I'm almost done with the work I had wanted to get done over break. I put in quite a few hours, but it will be worth it as we dive into the next work week. It will be a CRAZY busy week. *grin* It feels good to be done with what is done. I'll do more tomorrow and be in a really good place going into Monday. *grin* I like that!

8. I've been deep in thought this week about the skin we're in. I have written about this several times, but I have just thought about it as I've watched the tournament this weekend. There are people called to do things for seasons and then move on to other things in other seasons. I think part of it is because I am getting older, and I notice things from an older/wiser perspective (and I mean that in the most humble way ;-)). I have thought a lot about how hard these athletes have worked to get to where they are today. This year they have added commercials with former college and NBA players. Some of them I recognized, and some of them I did not. I'll refrain from telling you who I knew and who I didn't. I don't want to give you that kind of information. *giggle* However, it led to a thought I've been pondering, and am still pondering. I am a teacher, and LOVE my job, but the world isn't going to know me like they know those ball players. (I'll save my soapbox post for a different day about that.) My point is: even though I am not famous in front of people, I am still touching generations by teaching in my classroom. I LOVE THAT. Tonight I was doing things for my students and I was thinking, "I remember when that student couldn't do that, now look at where he is at!" That's the thing about teaching SPED, sometimes I see the growth when I least expect it. I have several students that I plan on showing them how far they've come on Monday. Sure, they're young people now, but one day it will be their kids, and their kids' kids that are better off because of what I did for them. No, they will never know that, but that's fine. In God's eyes, he knows. That's why He made me. The more I've pondered that, the more I've liked it. Kinda cool.

9. I'm not so sure it's a great idea to have so much technology at my fingertips. Seriously. The ability to upload the new PASSION, EVEN SO COME album, and the newest Big Nate book without leaving my couch is slightly dangerous. I'm slightly kidding and slightly serious. I guess it's good I have a dog at the moment. I'm good with my finances, so it's not like I spent money I didn't have, but I must chuckle. Spending money is easier now than ever before, and I don't even have to leave my house. *grin* Praise God I am a good saver! *giggle*

10. I have to set an alarm tomorrow. I mean, I will have fun doing church stuff, but really, all these days of being in PJ's until noon or later have been fun too.

I think I'll go read now. I'm almost ready for the new Christine Caine book I got! *giggle*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Deep Thoughts....Or Perhaps Just Random Thoughts Spring Break 2015

I had a rather deep post last time. Now I have some (possibly) not so deep thoughts.... Let's see where this takes us:

1. I love not having to set an alarm. This has been an unexpected gift of Spring Break. I don't sleep in later than 9am, but it has just been fun sleeping until I wake up. *grin*

2. I have actually done school work each afternoon. I have mixed feelings in this area, so I guess I will simply say that I know in the long run (meaning next week) I will be glad I worked this week. *grin*

3. I've been in prayer a lot here at home, as I've learned of a few friends who have recently lost loved ones. Sometimes that makes me ache for Heaven, where separation of loved ones is a thing of the past. *grin*

4. I was able to chat via FB with a person I got kind of close to last Summer at camp. I won't be able to serve during that week this coming summer, as they are full of volunteers that week. However, I plan to email and see if I can come down for a party one night. Connecting with that young adult was one of the highlights of my day today. *grin*

5. March Madness starts tomorrow (Thursday). I'M SO EXCITED. *giggle*

6. Jay has been a blessing this week. We've had moments where I have sent him to his recliner (he thinks it's his) because he's in my face so much, but he's still my favorite furry kid. *grin*

7. I'm usually at work during the day, so I'm learning the routine of day time TV. Today I got hooked on, "I (almost) got away with it." I can't even describe why I was fascinated by it, I just liked it. Weird. *grin*

8. I've read three books and started another one. That might be my favorite part of the entire break. Nah, March Madness will probably be my favorite.

9. I message a good friend in Joplin quite a bit via Words With Friends (WWF). She beats me all the time, but I don't care. We swap TV shows, books, movies, and games. It's like I never left. *grin* She retired so, we've both enjoyed the time this week.

10. I have often thought to myself this week about cable TV. I know, I know, some people refuse to even have a TV. Meanwhile, I'm in awe of how far we've come. I remember living in Seminole, Oklahoma in third grade and I got my first black and white TV. I had 13 channels. And, you had to turn a dial. No remote. Meanwhile, today I basically have a computer to navigate through a gazillion channels. Okay, not a gazillion, but it is a little crazy how far we've come. Then I had another crazy thought: I'm now old enough to be able to see something like that evolve. Who knows what the next 5 years have in store for us? I'm sure there will be more good and bad shows to choose from, but honestly, we've come a long way. Kinda cool. *grin*

11. I am SO GLAD I grew up before the world of the internet. I've heard various stories of cyber-bullying lately. That opens a whole other dimension to the world of kids. I still see the impact of being bullied due to the limp (it happened, I'm stronger because of it, life goes on) and how I can use that for good in my classroom. HOWEVER, I could go home and get away from mean people. It makes me pause and think what my world would have been like if the internet had been around. God clearly knew, as that wasn't in my journey of life this side of Heaven. For that I am thankful. *grin*

12. I spoke at MSSU last week and LOVED it. I've spoken there for years, once per semester, to the teacher interns. It's fun teaching college kids for an hour, basically. It is always cool to share my life story to help others in their teaching journey. *grin*

13. I enjoyed seeing friends after I spoke at MSSU in Joplin on Monday of last week. We had an impromptu reunion of school teachers at Starbucks. It was really a neat encounter. *grin*

14. Spring Break is making me long for Summer Break. Camp. Outdoors. Walking Jay daily. Of course it's raining today and cold. Ah, well, it will be here before I know it. *grin*

15. I'm watching a Catfish Marathon as I type this. It amazes me low people view themselves at times. It breaks my heart. Seriously...

16. I have a headache. Again. Please pray. I need to drink more water. *grin*

17. I baked cookies yesterday. The interesting part of it all is that I have to eat them all too. Darn. *grin*

18. Jay is upstairs at the moment. I'm okay with that. *grin*

19. I wonder if my students are missing me. I'm not missing them. Yet. *grin* Give me until Friday. I predict I'm ready to go back to work by Monday. *giggle*

20. I'm not sure how fired up I am about the iWatch. I mean, I love my iPhone, but an iWatch? That's weird. *grin*

21. I am glad I am alive in this day and age. I like that I can keep up with friends of the past on FB. Some of my dearest friends have grown into amazing adults with adorable kids. That makes me smile. *grin*

22. I found out someone else I know recently died of Cancer. I hate Cancer. Period. I pray that one of my students grows up to find a cure for it. Seriously. I think that big for my kids.

23. I miss a student who moved in February. At that same time, I hear he's doing well. That makes me incredibly happy! *grin*

24. I hear a book calling my name, so I guess I'm about done here.

25. Go JAYHAWKS. However, this has been the most FRUSTRATING year for me to cheer on my team. They get behind every game and I want to throw things at the TV. I don't though, because my TV is nice. However, I may jump on the KY or Duke bandwagon. Stay tuned.

26. One week from Friday I will meet Chris Tomlin, one of my favorite worship leaders of my generation. I cannot wait. *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Lessons in Criticism

I've got about 3 different posts running around in my head. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to land on the end of this post, but I really want to write today. I'm loving this Spring Break gig. *grin* So, here goes... *grin*

The Lord and I have been talking about a lot these days. Not because anything is wrong, just because there's a lot on my mind. Some things are between me and the Lord. Some things I think are okay to share. Today, I feel like I want to share.

I am a blessed gal. In my third year of teaching, the Lord brought a friend into my life that made an impact in ways she will never know. I was a healthy gal when it came to friendships, and didn't have experience with drama. Even in college, I was the RA that watched some drama, but never participated. It all seemed stupid to me. To this day it still seems stupid. I'm more of a loyal, honest friend. If there are things that aren't of the Lord, it remains a thought bubble. *grin*

So, when I was in my first couple years of teaching, and I overheard some adults talking about someone else behind their back, I was amazed. I thought that was stuff kids did. Not adults. So, I told Teacherfriend about it, (who is a little older than me) and she said, "Yeah. People talk. That's just what happens. Yeah, they'll probably talk about you or me at some point. Doesn't matter. You can't let those people get to you." Little did I know that one conversation would help me throughout my life. *grin*

I seriously doubt Teacherfriend realizes how that changed my life. I'm not insecure, wondering what people are saying about me behind my back. People talk. I don't talk poorly about others to others, but if people talk poorly about me, well, that's their choice. Life's too short to worry about what others are saying. *grin* My heart always breaks when people get stuck there, like they can prevent it or something. It's part of life this side of Heaven, it's our reaction that shapes our character. *grin*

At the same time, I've been deep in thought. Let me explain...

Lately, the church I attend here in KC has been under some criticism in the public eye. I've gone back and forth on the entire thing. On one hand, I think that some people have had a negative experience with my church, it ended poorly, and they are just talking (or writing on blogs) about their experience. I have had one main thought on it, "That's their story, but it's not the only story out there..." At the same time, I think about how my church has brought me closer to Jesus. I am so happy living here in the KC Metro, which includes being close to the Prayer Room. I did notice out of the three (and I'm sure there are plenty more, I just didn't want to waste my time with such negativity) posts I read, not one word was mentioned about the Prayer Room. Which makes sense, as it's simply a room where the Lord is worshipped. *grin* I will also admit, that friendships can be difficult to cultivate at my church, (sometimes) so the Lord has opened a door at a local one here that I like. See, my church isn't perfect, but there isn't a perfect church. Period. Trust me, I've tried to find one over the years. *grin* Perhaps one day I'll share my story of how the Prayer Room and my church changed my life. It's a VERY positive story. *grin* So often one side gets told, without the other side being seen or told. *grin* Which is fine, sometimes it's best to let things go. Life's too short to be stuck.

Once again, it all comes back to perspective. *grin*

In pondering the whole church thing, the Lord reminded me a real case example of this in my own life. In the past, there have been judgements made about me and my classroom. Some people walk in and see my students in their "free choice" time, and think that's all we do. My para and I say it all the time, "You don't get it unless you're in my room." The part most people miss out on seeing is the meltdown that lasted an hour to get the work done to get the free choice. Or the students that act like their work is a HUGE mountain and will do all they can to avoid it, when in reality it wouldn't take that long if they would just focus and do the work. (I tell them all the time they need to grow up and become actors because some of them have great acting skills!) *grin* Seriously, I can't make this stuff up. Criticism occurs, but I don't let it get me down, because I KNOW what I'm doing is right and some people simply don't see the entire picture. They simply see one side of my classroom. What they don't always see are the kids learning on a daily basis, meeting goals, and having fun somewhere along the way. So let others see the free choice, or perhaps talk to others about me and my teaching style. Life's too short to worry about it. *grin* It's all about perspective... *grin*

One of my favorite songs right now is "It Is Well" off the Bethel Album, YOU MAKE ME BRAVE. In it, it states:

Through it all, my eyes are on You.

I believe that is the key for me. It may be something else for you, but for me it's key.

If my eyes are on Him, nothing else will matter. *grin*

Criticism will happen again in my future, I know it. But with Him, my perspective will be where it needs to be.

What about you? Will you be a critic or choose to see the best in situations around you?

You never know, your next conversation may just be life-changing for someone.

Teacherfriend will never know how that one chat changed mine. *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Spring Break Eve

On my last post, I wrote about snow. I wanted one more snow day. Since then, my tune has changed.

It has gotten warmer, and now I'm ready for Spring! *grin*

I am walking more and enjoying being able to be outside without my leg tensing up! I LOVE IT! *grin*

I sit here on the night before Spring Break, and I am ready to rest a bit. Sleeping in sounds AWESOME. *grin*

Nothing's wrong.

Plenty of highlights in my nightly journal. *grin*

I'm just excited because Spring is almost here!

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!

Snow!

One of the reasons I enjoy living in Missouri is that we can experience all the seasons.

So far this winter we have had some small snow showers here, but nothing that left more than a couple inches in my yard. Today that changed. *grin*

I was up around 8:15, which wasn't surprising because I fell asleep around 8:45pm, and it hadn't started snowing yet. I opened all my blinds and waited. When it first started snowing, I was like a little kid at Christmas. I kept looking out the window and enjoyed watching the snow fall. All afternoon it snowed off and on, and I LOVED watching it. It stopped around 5-ish, and started back up a while ago when I let Jay out. I'll be honest I LOVE THE SNOW! *grin*

If I lived in Boston, I probably wouldn't be saying that.

Here in this area though, I am loving it.

I'm not driving into church tomorrow.

Another day here at the house will give me time to take care of a few more responsibilities.

Let it snow.

Jay and I will cuddle and play inside.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Three Day Weekend *grin*

Life is good.

No, LIFE IS GREAT.

I love my job.

I cannot imagine my life without EACH of my little people.

This week has been the BEST week of 2015.

Each of my little people worked HARD this week. Due to some changes, this group of students have changed for the better, and I have TRULY enjoyed this week.

It hasn't been perfect, or anything close.

However, the kids have worked incredibly hard in such a neat way.

Today, one student was doing things I have prayed he would do, without being asked to do it. I stopped and watched. Yeah, that could change Tuesday, but for today, that was a miracle in itself. *grin*

Another girl asked if she could do two more assignments before she took a break. I said, "Of course!"

The most amazing quote for the week came from one student who said, "Ms. Springer, we're working harder now."

Yep, life is awesome.

Now we have a three-day weekend and I have a good book on the Kindle to get back to reading.

LIFE.
IS.
AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!!

Miss Springer's Highlight of the Day

Today was a good day, with so many good parts.

Plus, I just got home a little while ago from a new Women's Bible Study. Gosh, I'm going to love Wednesday Nights! *grin* However, I wanted to take a moment and share my favorite moment of the day.

I have a student who is incredibly smart. He just doesn't want me to believe that. *grin* So today I asked him to work on his writing, and he said, "What should I write about?" I said, "Write about how cool I am!" I was joking, of course. However, what he wrote TOTALLY stopped me in my tracks because he would NEVER say to me what he wrote. I am going to post it below, but obviously I have taken out parts that wouldn't be fair to share with the public. (Nothing inappropriate, just specific struggles he's had since I've known him that wouldn't be appropriate to share in a public manner.)

Honestly, I'm sharing this more for me than you. It's stuff like this that make me do what I do. As my favorite teacher said to me last year, it's why we do what we do. We teach and hope that along the way we make a difference in the life of a kid...or two... *grin* I obviously didn't edit grammar and writing mistakes. Afterall, a kid wrote it. Why edit that? *grin*

Miss Springer

Miss Springer is cool because she gives everybody gum and treats everybody with RESPECT!!! She is my favorite teacher by FAR. I like Miss Springer because she got me through tough times. Plus, She pushes me to do better every single day and if it wasnt for her I would probably not know half of the stuff I know right now to this day and walking into this classroom everyday with a smile on her face makes me happy.She loves school so much and she always is happy in school and out of school.She talks to me when I'm going through rough times in school and after that talk we have, you probably don’t think I think about what you said but I do and everything you say I remember I think about what you said and it motivates me to do Better everyday so keep doing what you do.I’ll always have you in my prayers.I’ll always remember you.

I LIKE YOU


*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

FINALLY...THE BREAKTHROUGH. *grin*

Today was a really neat day for me. It wasn't what I expected when I woke up today, but that's okay because I like it when things happen like they did today.

I started the day driving shuttles. That is pretty normal for me, as I drive shuttles every Sunday. I was in shuttle 5, which is my favorite because I can hook up my iPhone to the stereo. *grin* It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. So, partway through the shift, Papa Bear asked me how long I had been driving on Sunday Mornings. I stopped and pondered it, and stated my history as a shuttle driver. I started out driving Sunday Nights, then moved to Saturday Nights, and then moved to Sunday Mornings because there was an opening for it. Papa Bear paused and said that outside of him (who is in charge of shuttles), I have driven longer than anyone else on Sunday Mornings. *grin* That made me smile. The driver I'm with on Sundays has driven the second-longest. I thought that was neat too. The whole thing made me smile because when He told me to do it at first, I said no. He knew I'd love it before I did. Go figure. *grin*

After that, I went to the Prayer Room. My favorite drummer was playing when I first arrived, and I loved that. The next team that came out had a worship leader I had never seen lead before. I had seen him on guitar before on various teams, but never as lead worshiper. I will be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Part of living here is sitting through some sets where the leader has some maturing to do. *grin* HOWEVER, that wasn't the case this afternoon for me. *grin*

The young man didn't open with a song, he opened with a chorus...an old IHOP-KC chorus...one I hadn't heard in YEARS. I smiled and jumped right in. Before I knew it, I was standing and connecting with the Lord in ways that cannot be described in words. For the next hour, I was in a place I have been longing for for months! We did some choruses, and songs, that we haven't done (when I've been in there) in YEARS. I LOVED IT. It was a breakthrough similar to the night YEARS ago after FCF when Matt Gilman led, and he just did instrumental for a LONG TIME and I met the Lord. It's one of those moments where it can't be described in words, but definitely worth blogging and marking on the calendar, as it was AWESOME. Ah, it was WONDERFUL. The coolest part was that I don't know who that young man was, so I can't say it was him. It was the Lord. Completely. *grin*

And there's still one day left in this long weekend.

Awesome.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Positive Parenting

I just finished watching last night's 20/20 episode on Parenting. On the show, they gave many perspectives, and honestly you could have simply seen the bad in each situation. Well, of course, I have a blog post to focus on the GOOD that I see in parenting. Of course, I wouldn't be where I am today without my parents.

I've done a gazillion posts on how my parents were not perfect, but they did a wonderful job raising me. I can't imagine having anyone else for parents. In so many ways, I feel like I won the parent lottery. As I said, they weren't perfect. However, I had a FUN childhood. I had a wonderful set of parents that taught me so much more than what I can explain in a post. All that being said, those are high expectations for me to have for other parents around me or in my little corner of the world. *grin*

In my sixteen years in the classroom, I have worked with some AMAZING little people. Within that, I have worked with some AMAZING parents. Perfect? No, as there is not a perfect parent anywhere. *grin* I can't name names, obviously, but let me tell you some of my favorite stories of the parents I've had in my career. After all, parents sometimes get a bad rap, when in reality, they are often amazing people doing the best they can with who God gave them.

For example, I will never forget the parent (that was first in my world and that wasn't until 2009) that had her son come in and apologize to me the day AFTER he had behavior challenges in my class. Not only did the young student say he was sorry, but he asked me if I would accept his apology! That was a defining moment for me, as I had never had a student apologize THE DAY AFTER for what he had done. He also did not repeat that behavior again. Over the years, I did have to occasionally contact his parents about behavior concerns, and he would always come in BEFORE SCHOOL and talk to me. That meant a lot to me as a teacher. Not so sure I ever told that parent what that meant to me. Perhaps a Make a Difference Monday card will go out to that parent even though I don't have that student any more. *grin*

Another example of a great parent was when I was in a previous district and a parent recognized that she needed help and encouragement in working with her son. She contacted me from time to time to bounce ideas off of me. If I didn't know, I would refer her to resources, or ask questions to those who I knew had the answers. She really amazed me, as she legitimately wanted to to what was best for her son. Today she is tied to several resources to help her with some respite and still does an amazing job with a son who is not always the easiest to love. Yes, we still swap Christmas Cards. *grin*

Another great set of parents moved into my little corner of the world in the Fall of one school year from a previous district. They were parents of a special young man. His parents were so honest with me about their challenges and gave me a level of support as I worked with their son that I hadn't had before, as I was young in teaching. Ultimately, by the time the young man left my program, he had made some amazing gains due to the partnership between us.

Perhaps my favorite example of a good parent is when a student has a strong work ethic from their home. I love it when parents have high expectations of their children, and expect them to do the work required of them. I have several this year that have parents that will not accept anything less than hard work in the classroom. In fact, I have one parent right now that is so supportive, that when his child returns the next day, he is a different child. I love that!

One year I had a student that I really bonded with, but struggled with others in authority. When I explained this to the parent (with specific examples, of course) the student did MUCH better. And, typically the student did not do it again with that specific adult. While it took some time working with the student and the parent, that child went on to middle school in a much better place because of the work his parents did with him. I'm still in awe of that family. *grin* That student has come back a couple times to the school tell me how he's doing. I love that. Oh, and he was out of SPED the first semester he was at the middle school due to his hard work in my program before that. I can't tell you how proud I was of that young man. *grin*

This post would not be complete without mentioning one last AMAZING parent trait that I love. I LOVE IT when I hear a kid say that their parents make them do chores, and homework before they can play after school. I even love the parents I have that say, "Please send work home!" I have a few students that go home, have a brief break, and then must take care of responsibilities before they can go play with friends. Those students are making steady progress in my program because they are being held to a standard at home that fosters learning and HARD WORK as a priority, as well as a strong internal longing to work and do things right. Perhaps that's my favorite kind of parent. Sure, some kids naturally have an internal drive to work, and I do have a few of those, but overall the parents that partner with me, and encourage hard work both at home (chores, clean up toys, etc) and at school, are those that have students that move on up and out of programs like mine. *grin*

Honestly, that does happen in my world. I have students who know their goals and work toward them. They take responsibility for their learning, with their parents support. That's when I smile and know that that's why God put me here. *grin*

So, yes, there could be posts on what parents do wrong. I get that. But, honestly, I find myself blessed to work with the parents that I do on a daily basis. Parenting is not an easy job. However, there are some that do an amazing job that go unnoticed. Take a moment and let those around you that do a great job know about it. Your words will be appreciated more than you will ever know.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AMAZING.

January 4 Highlight--The Highlight of the Break

I want to take just a moment to share my highlight for today. I have to crash earlier tonight due to the fact I'm back at work tomorrow. *grin* Honestly, I'm fine with being back at work tomorrow. We don't have students, we have some work time and meeting time, so it will be a good day.

My highlight of the day was spending time in the Prayer Room this afternoon. It took seven years of prayer to move here, and I don't take one afternoon in the Prayer Room for granted. Today seemed especially sweet, as one week ago tonight I was at Onething, and it took me two days before I was vulnerable before Him. I'll spare you what that entailed, but honestly I am a different person tonight than I was one week ago. Part of that is due to the Prayer Room, and part of that was due to the main sessions. Ultimately, I'm closer to Him than I have been in quite some time. That to me, by far, was the highlight of the entire break.

Tomorrow we're back at work.

We don't have kids until Tuesday, but I will be ready.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

January 3 Highlights

Wow, what a WONDERFUL Saturday. It has gone by so fast! Gosh, break is almost over, which is so hard to believe, yet I'm excited to see the little people all at the same time. *grin* Isn't it amazing how that works. Of course, we don't have students on Monday, so we get to ease back into the routine of things.

So tonight I actually have two highlights. *grin* Some days are just so fun that it's hard to pick just one. *grin*

My first highlight was when I realized that I can tune in to Passion 2015! Yes, I can watch online what He is doing in Atlanta. That absolutely blesses me! I don't know why I didn't think to look last night! Gosh, that was so neat tonight. Francis Chan's message spoke right to my heart. So. Good. *grin*

My second was when Karen and I were chatting via FB tonight. She lives down by Joplin, but gosh that was awesome. We message pretty regularly, but tonight was fun to swap messages and prayer requests. I'm so blessed to have Karen, even from a distance away, to share life with this side of Heaven. We encourage each other mutually in the walk, which is so refreshing. *grin* We are blessed.

Okay, quiet time for me.

Nite, all!

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME...with snow falling too! *grin*

January 2 Highlight

I'm on a mission to post highlights of my days. Not sure if it will be blogged daily, but I am journaling daily. Life is full of enough challenges, why focus on that? I know that the first few days here won't be too exciting due to the fact it's the weekend and break. Once school starts, there will be plenty of smiles. My students are typically a highlight of the day. *grin*

As for today, I mainly hung out at home. One would think that would be boring, but it really isn't for me. I actually enjoy time at home to rest. Normally I'd be working my tail off for school, but I have truly felt like I am to rest this break. Yes, it will mean working hard the next two weeks to get progress reports home, but I was so tired by December 19 that it has been a good break.

My highlight for today, which won't surprise any of you, was cuddling with Jay. While I have moments of needing space, I do love the little guy! I even bought a little sign tonight that says that I have a spoiled dog here. *grin* Love the dog. He's definitely the best blessing I've had as an adult. Really.*grin*

Time to go read and crash. We're due for winter weather tonight and tomorrow. I hope to get some serious reading done over the next several days.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!

2015---A New Year of Possibilities

Day #1 of the new year has been INCREDIBLY nice.

I haven't done a whole lot, which has been sort of nice because the past few days have been SO busy! (In a good way though!) I have taken care of a few chores around here, but have also taken time to cuddle with Jay and relax. *grin* I'm still in my pajamas too! *giggle*

I have spent a fair amount of time pondering the beginning of a new year.

I haven't set any "resolutions", as I tend to back out of them within the first week.

I have pondered some possibilities for change though. While a lot of those thoughts are between me and the Lord, I will say I'm optimistic for 2015. I do hope to make time to blog more, as I find peace when I write. Sure, you don't get ALL my thoughts, as He is the only one who does, but I do enjoy thinking that people care enough about me to read about my little corner of the world. As one student said the day Christmas Break started, "You can't make this stuff up." I could almost write a book of all those things, but I won't. *grin*

I also want to continue to read a lot. Last year I set a goal of 100 books in 2014. I read around 54 books. Unfortunately, the app I use erased the exact number, but I know it was around 54. So, I averaged about one book per week. Not bad for a single working girl. *grin*

My goal for 2015 is 75. *grin*

Today's highlight of the day was texting with a friend who mentioned that my walk with God has always made that person want what I have...I am still smiling. That's my daily prayer, so to know someone has thought that about me, makes me *grin* ear-to-ear!

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

PLEASE pray for Little George...still a roller coaster ride for that family! Thanks for praying. You can also give on go fund me at: http://www.gofundme.com/jbp20g. Thanks!

ONETHING 2014, DAY #4, So Bittersweet

Ah, the end of another Onething has come to a close. Well, for me anyway. The actual conference has a little over an hour left, but I came home. As much as I've enjoyed the past few years of entering in the New Year in Praise and Worship, I also like the idea of sleeping in the new year. *grin*

That being said, today was another AMAZING day. *grin*

Shuttles were amazing! At one point, I had some cold passengers upset with me, but it wasn't my fault. *grin* I pulled up to the stop at the Conference, and I thought all the passengers were waiting for the hotel shuttle. NOPE. They were waiting for me. And, we had like 3 buses there! Needless to say, Papa Bear came down to the convention center and all was well again. *grin*

I met some FUN people on shuttles though. And I got to pick on a few people because they liked the wrong ball teams. Overall, shuttles were really fun.

I went to the Prayer Room next, and I won't lie, the team wasn't my favorite. HOWEVER, I enjoyed journaling and reading. At one point there was prayer time, and I saw a gal not being prayed for, so I went over and prayed. After that, one of our home peeps came over to me and told me what a blessing I am. *grin* So. Sweet.

Tonight Kari Jobe led worship, and I LOVED it! *grin* She did a GREAT job.

When she was done, I started to leave.

Then I sat down and prayed.

Yep, time to leave.

So, here I am, in PJ's, before midnight. *grin*

So, tonight is bittersweet. I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and relaxing.

At the same time, I REALLY enjoyed the conference.

It reminds me a little bit of camp because at the end of camp, it is time to go. *grin*

It's okay though, only 361 days to ONETHING 2015.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

ONETHING 2014, DAY #3

Another day is over, and I am finding that each day goes by faster than the one before. Well, my time in the Prayer Room goes faster than any part of my day. This shouldn't surprise me, but it does for some reason. Well, wait, here are the highlights from today:

1. Shuttles!!! I was initially bummed when Dave (shuttle coordinator for the morning/early afternoon shift.) asked me to do the Red Bridge route. What that meant at first was, I wasn't going downtown at all on shuttles. HOWEVER, what I found was, that was clearly where He wanted me because I met some AMAZINGLY cool people, who were COMPLETELY new to the world of IHOP-KC. It was really fun. One guy was pretty upset that the prayer room was moved downtown, and it didn't say that on the website, but when I explained everything he was okay. Well, better anyway. I LOVE introducing people to the world of IHOP-KC, and to Onething. It's AMAZINGLY fun!

2. The ride downtown when I was done with my shuttle shift was also fun. I was given priority since I had just driven for 4 hours, and wound up getting to know the driver that just came on. It was fun, as we apparently went to rival colleges. I laughed a lot that drive down. It's always fun to meet new people.

3. The Prayer Room. Today there was a new twist in the Prayer Room, and I was slightly surprised I had never experienced it before. I entered just after the 4pm team began, and they opened with a song we all knew, and then various singers sang it out in different languages. It was AWESOME. After the singers would sing it in the different languages, we would go back into english. It made the room really engaged, as they wanted to just bust out singing, but we all had to wait through the various languages for us to get back to the chorus. I kept smiling, as that was different, yet we're the INTERNATIONAL House of Prayer. That should be NORMAL. *giggle* After a few rounds of that, and the prayer cycle, we went back into singing and joy broke out. I tell ya, it's hard to explain but the Prayer Room is just different during the conference. I love it! And, before I knew it, it was 6:15pm. I left to go by the bookstore and get a seat for tonight's service.

4. Phil Wickam. I find it amazing how I know a lot of songs, and a lot of names of worship leaders, but if some of them walked right by me I would have zero idea who they are...I guess that's good, as I'm drawing closer to the Lord, not to a person. On the other hand, Phil Wickam came out to lead worship, and I had zero idea what he looked like. :-P He did an AMAZING job, and you can tell he has YEARS of experience leading groups in songs of worship. We did some of his big hits, as well as some Passion and Vineyard stuff. My favorite moment was when the band dropped out and we just kept singing various choruses. It happened several different times, and I LOVED it. *grin*

5. The shuttle ride home was fun too, because I got to sit by the same driver as before, and I also got to know a few of the passengers too. While it would be quicker if I just drove my car downtown, I would miss out on meeting some amazing people on the shuttle. *grin*

6. Finally, I think I want to type out one last thing, which is more for me than for you. As I was leaving the Prayer Room, this young man followed me out and asked if he could pray for me. This is common, and the second time this has happened during this conference. He wanted to pray for my leg to be healed. Oh my goodness. I was fine with it, but he used the phrase that I cringe at... he said, "What's wrong with you?" I stopped and looked at him. Yup, the bold teachery voice came out, and I told him (paraphrasing here) that nothing was "wrong". I was born with Cerebral Palsy, and if he was going to pray for me for something that's "wrong", I didn't want to be prayed for. The young guy didn't know what to think!!! Poor guy, he was clearly stepping out of his comfort zone to pray for someone he doesn't know, and here I am telling him nothing's "wrong" with me. *grin* He did wind up praying for me, and I prayed for him as well, but boy, he has some learnin' to do. *grin*

I am home, and ready to sleep. This year sleep is a true priority for me and I think that's okay too. Afterall, we have one more full day, which makes me smile. *grin*

LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

Day #2: Onething 2014

This Onething Conference is turning out to be unlike any other, but as I was riding back in the IHOP-KC bus, I was reminded that every year is different. I have to chuckle, as I often think, "Why do I think God does the same things the same way every time?" He isn't like that, and I'm SO THANKFUL for that!

Today was different from the beginning to the time I walked into the house. *grin* Here are just a few highlights:

1. Shuttles!!! Ohmygoodness! I prayed and prophesied over several people, and just enjoyed visiting with the visitors I met. There were a few that had me shaking my head going, "Why are you here?" They were the first rude riders I've ever had. Ah well, it's okay, I didn't let it ruin my day! *grin*

2. Papa Bear!!! I will admit, I LOVE the Shuttle Team I'm on. This is my sixth year here for Onething, and I will admit, Papa Bear and Mama Mary have become very special to me. The moment I heard Papa Bear say, "Hi Pleasant!" at around 2:30 I hollered in my shuttle, "PAPA BEAR!" I believe people laughed. *grin* I tend to make people laugh often.

3. The Prayer Room. I planned on going in for just one set and then heading upstairs to the service. However, when the second team came out, I was where I was supposed to be and I stayed. That set, 6-8, was amazing! It was what I had been praying for when I awoke today. It was AMAZING!!! About 8:30 I came home. Seriously. I sit here with Allen preaching via the Onething app. Wow, how times have changed. I knew I could come home and hear it, so I just came home. *grin* I have Jay beside me, and I will head upstairs to sleep soon. *grin*

4. Facebook. Yes, FACEBOOK. As it turns out, a dear friend posted today that his test results came back the way he was hoping for, and he does NOT have Cancer. Now, on one hand, I didn't know that was a possibility when I was praying for him. HOWEVER, I'm okay with not knowing, he is in good health. In the midst of a season of several others in health battles, it was about time I heard of Cancer getting kicked in the backside. *grin*

5. Sleep. I'm going to log-off and sleep when Allen's done. I'm already home, so I will get a full-night's sleep. *grin*

Life.
is.
Awesome.

Christmas 2014 My Heart Is Full

My heart is full as I sit here tonight with only a little while (technically) left on Christmas Day 2014.

I wish everyone had a family like mine, but I know that's not the case. Okay, wait, let me back up.

My Christmas actually began yesterday at 3:15pm.

I had two elves and their Mom come by and drop of a couple Christmas goodies for me. I knew they were coming, and I had to smile, as one was a former student of mine. They came in and Jay welcomed them with his typical charm. They only stayed about 15 minutes, but it left a huge smile on my face to be included in one of their family traditions. That truly blessed me. *grin*

Next was the annual Forerunner Christian Fellowship Candlelight Service. This service is a favorite of mine all year, as Jon Thurlow leads music, and the candles...well, they take my breath away. Every year I think, "I want to take a picture" but in the moment, a picture just wouldn't do it. It's something you have to experience. *grin* I love how we take phrases such as "O Come let us adore Him" and truly adore Him in those moments. We even went into Jon's, "Son's of Men." That made the night for me. *grin* I always love how I spend time with Jesus before I do the family/gifts thing. It's hard to explain, but it's special to me. *grin*

This morning I awoke before my alarm (which is becoming the norm) and spent some time with Jay. Today we celebrated Jesus' Birth, and I also celebrated Jay's 7th Birthday. I was excited to spend the day with my family, but it was a cool way to start the day. *grin*

I could give you a play by play of the rest of my day, but I'll spare you that experience. *grin*

I will say, it was one of the best Christmas Days of my adult life.

Perhaps it was because of the gifts....nah, they were good, but that wasn't it.

Perhaps it was the food...nah, I am the pickiest eater on the planet. *grin*

My heart is full because this year I realized how truly blessed I am in the family department.

Yes, I've always felt blessed.

Today though, as we did gifts, swapped stories, and watched TV, I just smiled.

We know each other well, and our entire goal today was to bless each other.

I love that!!!

No drama.

Not one bad word said toward one another.

We just blessed each other.

In fact, we even made a point to get gifts for each other's dogs. *grin*

I am blessed and tonight my heart is full.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.
Oh, and yeah, I got 4 more books today. I love break!!! *grin*

Christmas Eve Eve 2014

Wow, I can't believe that it's already December 23rd.

I love this time of year.

I love going into stores and hearing Christmas music.

I also love saying, "MERRY CHRISTMAS" at checkouts and having people smile at me and say, "Merry Christmas to you too!"

This afternoon I got out for the last few items on my list for loved ones, and I had been dreading it. I knew that wherever I went it would be BUSY. I was right, but it was still okay. I knew that everything would take longer than usual, so I didn't mind.

On my way into one store I saw a former student. I was grinning ear-to-ear! It was so much fun! I also saw one of our current students on my way out of the store and I asked him if he had cried everyday because school is out. He said no, and laughed! *grin*

I have about 3 different posts running around in my brain, but I think I'll just end tonight's post with a precious thought.

Late last week one of my students said, "The reason for Christmas is Jesus." I smiled and told the kid that was correct. Shortly thereafter, another student was in my room and he said that the reason for Christmas is presents. I just smiled. I couldn't tell him what I wanted to because of the boundaries of my job. I wanted to though...gosh I wanted to... Instead I pray for that kid, as well as another who will have a different sort of holiday this year.

Tonight I sit here though, and really ponder the reason for the season.

Tomorrow night is one of my favorite nights of the year, as my church has a candlelight service, and Jon Thurlow typically leads music. During the music, we often do Christmas Carols, modern style. I LOVE IT. We light candles each year, and I am typically near tears or tearful. The experience is beyond words.

I pray that this year you get to take some time and ponder (and spent time with) the reason for the season.

Jesus.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Post #1-Christmas Break 2014

So, I'm finally on break, which is WONDERFUL. I haven't done one thing for school yet.

Not. One.

I will admit, I love that.

It's not that I dislike my job, because I actually LOVE my job. I just need to relax and get charged up for the next semester. In some ways I'm amazed that the year is half way over, and in other ways I can totally believe it. This year is shaping up to be one of the most memorable to date. I've got some incredible kids and the humor in my room this year has made me just stop and smile at each person at one point or another. I'm truly blessed.

So, with the weekend first in the break schedule, today I got to do something really special. I took a dear friend to the Prayer Room this afternoon. I have prayed for a year for this to happen, and at the same time, I knew it would happen in His timing. Today was that day.

My friend met me at the Prayer Room, and we entered together. I told her the basic rules, but from there we just enjoyed it for the following 2.75 hours. I knew she would like it, because she LOVES music.

I wasn't sure how she would enjoy parts of it because it includes Singing in the Spirit, but she did GREAT, and said afterward that she LOVED it!

It's been YEARS since I shared my FAVORITE room on the planet with someone new, and it was AMAZING.

My favorite part was when we sang Christmas Carols.

I loved it.

So, this may not sound super-exciting to you, but to me it is a GREAT way to start this break.

I'm so glad break is just beginning. There's a lot of living left to do the next two weeks.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
GOOD.

Snow Day #1

Tonight I sit here in the pajamas I went to sleep in last night. Yes, that's what I do on snow days! I woke up around 5-ish and looked outside. My thought was, "We'll have school, there's not much snow." Around 5:50 my phone rang, and I remember saying, "Yesss!" I listened to the message, told Jay, and crashed. Around 8am, I got up. I LOVED IT.

I have spent the bulk of the day doing schoolwork so that during break I can rest. There will still be some work to be done during break, but, today's work will allow me to leave at 4:20 tomorrow instead of later due to the things that are due before we leave. Fortunately, I have the things done that I have to do beforehand, which makes me happy. *grin*

I don't have anything deep to share, I simply wanted to record Snow Day #1. *grin* There will be more to come, I'm sure.

Oh, and did I mention that at 4:20 tomorrow I'm on BREAK!!!

I'm just SLIGHTLY excited!

SLIGHTLY.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!!!

Workin' Toward Break

I just realized I haven't written at all in December, and I am a little sad by that. It seems December is the fastest and slowest month for me. I LOVE the Christmas Season more and more each year. It has felt slightly odd this year, as it's not as cold as it should be (in my opinion) for Christmas. That's okay though because before we know it, Winter will hit and I'll be stating that I can't wait for it to be warmer. *giggle*

The kids at school are so excited for Christmas that it's fun to watch at times, and hard to teach at times. However, I wouldn't trade my job for anything in the world. After all, every time I say, "Thank You Ms. Springer" to teach them manners, they reply, "You're awesome Ms. Springer." What follows after that is laughter. And, occasionally one student says, "Not falling for it." That makes me laugh too. *giggle*

I have been working hard these days. I have had a lot of meetings in the past couple weeks and I'm wiped. I have a ton to do before my break begins on Friday. At the same time, I keep telling myself that I'm working toward break. *grin*

I also have my favorite four days of the year after Christmas, with the Onething Conference the week between Christmas and New Year's. I'm a little excited for that. *grin*

I guess you could say I love this time of year.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

From Beech Road to Lemans Lane

Today is Thanksgiving Day, and I had a fabulous time at my brother and sister-in-law's house. I am blessed in the area of family, as I have one that loves unconditionally. Therefore, there is no drama, but simply the enjoyment of each other's company. It's always great, and I never take it for granted because I know that not everyone has the kind of family that I do. I sit and wait for a spouse this side of Heaven, and I'm fine with it because I know that my family is amazing on all sorts of levels that I won't share with you now. Trust me though, I am blessed.

In my pondering of thankfulness tonight, I have pondered the past couple weeks I've had here at the "Resort." I don't really have a resort, I have a three bedroom town-home. *grin* This house has been more than I ever imagined when I was sitting in the last chapter of my life. For some of you that are new to my world, this post won't make complete sense to you. Honestly, that's fine. You'll get the gist of it. *grin*

While Karen is gone now, to be with family and friends south of here, she was here for a little over two weeks. I'll be honest, I prayed before she came, as I had a previous friendship that ended due to things that happened while we were housemates, and I didn't want a repeat of that. God answered that prayer on so many levels that I didn't expect. *grin* I love it when He does that! *grin*

Karen has always been a good friend of mine. While she's a little older than I am, she is wise in the Lord and also in relationships and other random things that I didn't know about. *grin* I didn't expect a repeat of the last chapter of my life, I just wasn't sure what it was going to look like having her here.

As it turned out, the routine was AMAZING. She was able to study and pray while I was at work. When I came home, we would talk, laugh, and just have fun. Sometimes we watched movies, and other times we just talked. My favorite thing that we did was laugh. We also ministered one night to a friend of mine, which was an amazing night as well.

Perhaps the thing that impacted me the most was the moment we realized we were close enough that we didn't need "thought bubbles" between us. In other words, Karen was a safe friend that I could share with, even though we didn't agree on everything. That was HUGE for me. The filter could be turned off when I was around Karen. The more I pondered that, the more awesome that was to me because I don't think I have that with anyone else besides the Lord. In the last chapter of my life...well...I will simply state that the past two weeks were amazingly cool in comparison to where I was at before now. *grin* It's human nature to compare experiences, I get that. However, I know that part of why Karen was here was to be used by Him to show me so many things.

I am so very thankful for Karen and her heart for the Lord. I'm a different person tonight than I was before she was here. He used her in ways she will never know or realize, and I think that's cool. That's the point of life this side of Heaven, to gain new perspectives, and learn through new experiences. I'm not sure if Karen will be back before she leaves for other countries or not, but I will say, in two weeks my life has changed for the better.

THANK YOU, LORD, FOR KAREN.

I'm also thankful for Lemans Lane. It's always good to be reminded that when one chapter of a life is character-building, it will end and something better is on the other side. The next chapter always holds wisdom gained from the one before.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

Love the Skin You're In

Wow! It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving Break is upon us! I'm LOVING this school year, as my students are the highlight of my day, everyday. Each of them brings their own little spark to my life, and I can't imagine my life without each one of them.

That being said, I am in need of some relaxation. The weirdest part of that statement is that I have several reports to write and perfect, however, that can (somewhat) be done on my own timeline. Time to balance work and fun for the next several days is exactly what I need. Words cannot express how excited I am for this break. *grin*

So, the first thing I want to do is write a blog post about something that has been rolling around in my head for about a month. I don't believe that I've hit a final thought on it, but I do feel it's time to share my thoughts. I'm hoping it will inspire you as I ponder it with God. *grin*

I watch people all the time.

No matter where I am, I enjoy watching people.

Sometimes I silently pray for them, and sometimes I silently ask the Lord for downloads about that person. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn't, and I'm fine with that.

Ultimately, what I'm looking for are people that love the skin they are in.

The place I truly see this the most is out at camp. The campers that the Lord has given lives of challenge like themselves more than any other individuals I've met.

That being said, God uses me to encourage people to love the skin they are in. We are each given one life this side of Heaven, and I think it's a waste of time to hate what God has given us to live in.

I love who God made me to be. I'm not perfect, but I am perfect in who He made me to be. I trip and fall, but I also get back up. I refuse to allow myself to stay down when I fall. I also know God is using me in the lives of my students. Within that, I know that having a limp and CP is just fine because He knew I could walk out life this side of Heaven with it. I truly believe He gives special people special challenges. *grin* I'm determined to carry myself in such a way that people don't pity me, but accept me as a person, not as LESS of a person. *grin*

So do you love the skin you're in? If not, what's holding you back?

God put you in the skin you're in.

While you didn't choose it, He knew it was perfect just for you.

Every little detail within you, from your physical appearance to your personality, to your strengths and challenges, He put them within you.

Life is too short to sit there and list out your weaknesses.

Sit and ponder the AMAZING things He put within you.

If you run out of that list quickly, text me or message me. I will tell you what good is in you, because I'm always looking at your strengths instead of your weaknesses. Life's too short to focus on what you don't like or cannot do.

Focus on the GOOD He put in you.

You'll be amazed at what YOU will find. *grin*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

November Highlights (Well, so far.) *grin*

I have been hard at work today, all day, and I have hit that moment of, "it's time to stop and relax."

Honestly, I could easily curl up and sleep, but I don't want to be wide awake at 5am, so I'm hanging in there until 9:30. *grin* After all, sleep is a beautiful thing. *grin*

In the meantime, I wanted to share some highlights from this month. I know, I know, it's only halfway over, but seriously, life has been BUSY. And, it's been GOOD.

I started the month off with serving at Barnabas last weekend. I was in an amazing cabin, and it was probably the most diverse group of girls I've ever been in. We had two siblings, a few with autism, a few with various other conditions, and it was AMAZING. I was in the same cabin with Kali, who is precious to me. I feel as if I'm an adopted Mom to her, and she is PRECIOUS.

Weekends at Barnabas are amazing because I feel like I'm just hanging out with family when I'm there. The acceptance and love there is beyond words, and we truly love one another like family. I am blessed to be a part of that family. *grin*

Included in my cabin was Martha Grace. Martha Grace is a famous camper who everyone loves. While I really didn't get to spend tons of time around her, as I was bonding with another camper, I loved it when Martha Grace was nearby. She reminds me of pure happiness and joy. I love that.

I spent most of my time with a camper named Destiny. Destiny doesn't talk, but she's very special to me, even though her connections with people aren't like ours. I have had Destiny in my cabin several times, and she taught me so much! She couldn't talk, but she could communicate, and there was a lot of wisdom in that. I LOVED IT!!!

On the drive back, I picked up Karen, who has been here all week. I have enjoyed having her here. She's been at a conference this weekend, while I've done schoolwork. She's a joy to be around, and one evening we ministered to a friend of mine, which was fun too. Over the past several years, Karen has been out of this country more than she's been in this country, so it's been GREAT to have her here. While I'm not sure how long she's here, I plan to enjoy it while I can. *grin*

Finally, teaching has been full of a lot laughter lately. This has felt like a different sort of year, but I am enjoying it. My students each bring something unique to my classroom, and I enjoy it!

We had our book fair last week, and I worked on Thursday night. To be honest, I love to work the book fair. Oh, and I got a free book for working the fair. *grin*

Perhaps the neatest thing to happen in my classroom this year, is that we have a new class pet! We have a red and blue fish named CHIEF BUBBLES SPRINGER. *grin* Yes, the kids named it. The first Chief died within 24 hours, and the current Chief has a 30 day return policy. So far so good! Honestly, if I had known what kind of response I was going to get from the kids, I would have approved a pet before now. One of the parents of one of my students donated a small tank, and all the supplies to go with it, including the fish! I'll keep ya posted on Chief in the days and weeks to come. *grin*

For now, I'm going to read a bit. I will sleep shortly. Sleep is a beautiful thing. *grin*

World Series 2014

This past week was crazy-busy, so I wanted to take a moment and write about something that will be a memorable experience in years to come. Not necessarily for me, personally, it's not like I'm a professional baseball player, but from the perspective of a fan living in Kansas City.

Before I get into that though, I want to share another memorable experience with you...I lived in Lawrence in 1988 when KU won the basketball championship. I remember how the entire community came together to cheer on the team. My Dad even came and took me out of school, when I was in the 8th grade, to take me to the pep rally that was held for the players. My brother's school walked to it from where they were located. It was a very memorable experience. Partly because my Dad didn't just show up to take me out of school for something like that on any other occasion and because it was the first time I really recall experiencing something as big as a team winning like that where a community came together. It was incredible.

I used to love baseball. I grew up watching the game on TV. I loved the Atlanta Braves, as I watched TBS regularly. Dale Murphy was my favorite player, number 3 (still my favorite number), and I loved it. I even got to meet him at a Braves versus Astros game. (Astros won. Bummer.) Then the players went on strike and I lost respect for the players. (I'll save my soapbox post for another day about ballplayers versus school teachers, and the pay difference between the two.) I haven't honestly watched a baseball game since then. That all changed in early October when the Royals were playing for a Wild Card spot in the World Series.

I felt like I was thrown back into the world of a sport that I knew as a kid, but haven't watched it since then. I'm not going to say it's my absolute favorite sport now, because KU basketball is still my all-time favorite. It was an experience that I won't forget.

No, I didn't go to any of the games. (Maybe if I win the lottery I will one day go to the World Series.) *grin*

I became a fan of baseball again though. *grin* I found myself talking about the games with my friends and students. I found myself playing the Matthew West song about the Royals in my classroom. I also looked forward to each game that we had in the evenings, and so did my students. I even splurged and bought a KC Royals hoodie for me. (A rarity for me to just spend $55 like that!) While all that was cool, that wasn't the coolest part for me.

The coolest part for me was watching my school building (where I teach) become united in the World Series. Typically we're divided somehow, whether it's Chiefs/Broncos or KU/Missouri, I can't really recall a time when we were all cheering for the same team. That all changed during the World Series. It was amazing how everywhere I looked, there was Royals apparel being worn. We were all cheering for the same team, and I loved that!!! On the final day of the series, they played the Royals song over the speaker at dismissal...what an amazing memory for the students and staff at my school!

Sure, I did have one student cheering for the Giants, and he got his wish. Truthfully, I was okay with the loss, as that one kid was thrilled the next day and he needed that. *grin*

While it was a bummer that we lost, I was glad we made it to the World Series. That hasn't happened in 29 years. It made the whole thing exceptionally fun, as some people even wore shirts that said, "Party like it's 1985." It was very cool.

So, we lost. It's over. Life goes on. *grin*

But, seriously, how often does a team get to the World Series? I'm still a proud Royals Fan, even though we lost!

Guess what?

KU basketball season begins November 3.

I. Can't. Wait.

I am also optimistic that the Royals will make it to the World Series again. I'm praying it won't take 29 years though. The past three weeks were a lot of fun. *grin*

LIFE.
IS.
GOOD....

Speaking to Southern Students

I took today off work to speak to students at MSSU. I do this once per semester, and today I spoke to the 11am class. There were about 50 people in the room, as two classes are combined for my presentation. I spoke on living life this side of Heaven with CP, and how that shapes my classroom today. I'll be honest, I LOVE sharing with college students. I think the more college students can gain prior to being in the classroom and having situations arise where they think, "Um, they didn't teach me this in college", the better. *grin*

Afterward, I went out for lunch with the professors. That's been an unexpected blessing that I never would have predicted when I started sharing at MSSU. I consider the ladies to be wonderful friends, and I enjoyed chatting with them at lunch. I also got to share with them about my favorite book of all-time! They will be getting mail!!! *grin* You know me, I LOVE BOOKS!

Today was a lot of fun.

Truthfully, I'm looking forward to being with my students tomorrow too.

But, don't tell them that. *giggle*

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

A Visit with New Friends, The Thurlow's!

Last summer, in between camp sessions (I believe), Kinsey Thurlow asked me via FB if I would like to meet her and Jon for tea. I said sure and that I'd let her know when I was free after camp. Well, camp came and went, and honestly, it slipped my mind that they wanted to get together. I wanted to get together with them, but summer is just so busy that I forgot to write back. So, about a month ago-ish (giggle), I sent them a message about something else, and the idea of getting together came back up. I liked the idea, but also knew it would take some planning between their ministry schedule and my teaching schedule. So, I mentioned that I was off today, and that was a possibility. As it turned out, today worked! *grin*

For those of you new to my world, Jon Thurlow is one of the worship leaders at IHOP-KC. He leads several sets during the week in the Global Prayer Room (G.P.R.). His wife, Kinsey, serves beside him in ministry at IHOP-KC, and also teaches a little bit outside of IHOP. That's about all I knew about them. Although, I do get their monthly newsletter, so I do know a little bit more than that. *grin*

We met at Panera here in Lee's Summit, and it was the first thing I've ever sat down and talked with them. The neat thing is that I have a few friends who are worship leaders, so I wasn't star-struck. Instead I was simply sitting with two new friends who happen to be full-time staffers at IHOP-KC. They are a precious couple with a genuine heart for the Lord, which simply shines through in all they do.

They wanted to get to know me, just as I got to know them. It was a lot of fun, as I've seen them around IHOP-KC tons, but we never really talked beyond, "Hi". They are a very special couple, and it's clear that the Lord has some amazing things in store for them in the future. They have blessed me in the short time I've lived here in so many ways that today was just cool.

I will say that one of my favorite things to do is hear testimonies of how He has taken people in and out of seasons in their lives, as it has led them to where they are today. I heard from each of them how they wound up here, and then how they connected. It's precious. Absolutely precious. *grin*

Tomorrow I have lunch plans with another IHOP-KC friend.

I love long weekends!

Oh, and the Thurlow's blessed me with Jon's new CD! *grin*

God is so good.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.
(I have several other posts rolling around in my head. So glad conferences are over, so I can write more. *grin*)

TAKE IT ALL, Passion Tour 2014

In the year 2000, I attended Oneday 2000, a Passion Conference.

For those of you that don't know what that was, it was a conference for college students, and we camped out in Tennessee and had an amazing time of worship and speakers for a day and a half. I was young and will never forget when they were hauling us into the campgrounds, and Kristian Stanfill was leading worship at one of the three worship sites, and hands were raised in worship and college kids were singing. It took my breath away. I have always enjoyed music, but that was one of those defining moments for me with the Lord. Truly.

Since then, I have bought the Passion Conference Worship CD's every year. Those worship leaders have gone on to have their own ministries, or have continued with the Passion movement. I've simply continued to worship, as the music has always drawn me closer to Him in ways that words cannot explain. *grin*

A few months ago, I saw on FB that the Passion Tour was coming to a church in the town just north of me, and I IMMEDIATELY ordered my ticket. Literally. I didn't even worry about finding someone to go with, as I just wanted to go be with the Lord.

The event was last night.

I got there, and Kristian Stanfill came out, and I was immediately happy. He did all the current Passion songs, and I had to smile. I knew every song. It was AWESOME.

I LOVED that there were times when the band dropped out and we kept the songs going as an audience singing before the audience of One. It brought feelings that were beyond words, and I enjoyed every second of it. *grin*

Louie came out to preach on Luke 7, and I took pages of notes. It was REALLY good, as I almost feel as if I've been in a desert and am thirsty for new perspectives in the word. Needless to say, I will forever be thankful for the sermon that lit my heart on fire again for the word. Seems backward to me, as I live in a place where a 24/7 prayer room exists, but it was a deep drink in a dry and weary land for me. *grin*

Kristian came back out and led us in about 45 more minutes of worship. Every moment was precious.

My favorite moments were when he led us in "Take it All". We did it first as it is on the current Passion Release, and then they ended it with us singing it acoustically.

In my opinion, it was the perfect way to end the night.

Trust me when I say this, this post is more for me than for you. I just wrote down the highlights of the night for me. That's where He has me these days, focusing on the highlights of each day.

The event last night, was a highlight for me since Term 7.

I can experience God at camp in some incredible ways that I can't experience anywhere else.

Then I can experience God at events like last night, unlike anywhere else.

Thank You Lord, for both.

LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME. *grin*

THE MAZE RUNNER *****

In 2009, I received the book, The Maze Runner by James Dashner, from a teacher friend on staff for Christmas. I must admit, I was PUMPED to have a new book to read. Her words to me were, "I heard it's a lot like The Hunger Games." That made me REALLY excited to see it, as I LOVED The Hunger Games Series. *grin*

From page 1, I was absorbed in the story about Thomas being placed in The Maze. From start to finish, I loved the book. Truthfully, I liked it better than The Hunger Games, as it was more suspenseful. *grin*

When I heard they were making a movie out of it, my first question was, "How will they do that?" There were so many things I could picture in my mind, but wasn't sure how they would come to life on the screen. However, it made me excited for the movie to open Sept. 19th. Today, I got to see the movie, AND LOVED IT!

I don't want to give away too much, as you might still be reading the book, but I will say, they did a GREAT job sticking to the book. I loved it! *grin* At one point my hood was over my head and I was silently cheering on the characters, even though I knew what was coming. *grin* It. Was. AWESOME.

So, I strongly suggest you go see the movie. Oh, but read the book first. My friend that went with me hadn't finished the book, and I felt bad that she saw the movie first. She was questioning me when it was over, about the ending because it's wide open to pick up with THE SCORCH TRIALS. *grin*

Read first.
Movie second.
You'll be glad you did.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME!

When You Teach...

...sometimes you feel as if you live with the people around you. I guess in some ways, we do during the day. I have a few that I spend many hours with during the day. I enjoy each kid in a slightly different way. It's hard to describe, but when you have IEP goals to meet, I work with them on academic tasks all day long. They may not be thrilled about it, but typically they will do it for me. *grin*

This morning it truly hit me how much time we spend together when I was talking to a student. At one point, he said, "Focus!" just like I do. The next phrase out of the student's mouth was, "You can't make this stuff up." Okay, so apparently he is listening to what I say. *grin*

I got to thinking about it though, and that's just what kids do.

Just when you think they're not listening, they are doing just that!

I laughed as the students went on to say all my phrases.

I love my job. And hearing me quoted back to me?

AWESOME.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
GOOD!!!

A Day of Volleyball with Hops and the Team

Thursday afternoon I was giving assessments in my classroom, and I had my phone next to me to use my timer. I briefly saw an update at the top that mentioned the name of my favorite teacher sending me a message. Given that we are both teachers, this has never happened, so I checked it. (I don't do this on a regular basis during teaching hours, I just wanted to make sure all was well with her.) As it turned out, she let me know that her volleyball team was playing in a tournament not far from my house on Saturday (today) and would love to see me. I smiled and immediately told my students. For those of you new to my world, my favorite teacher that I had as a kid, was Hops. I had her in 8th and 9th grade PE. She is one amazing gal, and will always have a special place in my heart. Always.

In the midst of talking to the kids about Hops in my classroom, I also made a comment that I should have kept as a thought bubble, not a speech bubble. I said, "For Hops, I'd be there at 8am." (Tournament started at 8am.) After that, two students said, "You're never at my games at 8am." Um, I see some early Saturday mornings in my future. *giggle*

Anywho, I got up early and was there about 8:02am. I walked in and quickly saw Hops with her team on the court. I smiled and sat on the top row so that I had the wall to lean against with my back. They lost the first two games, and then it was clear there was a break. When it seemed the right time, I went over and said, "Hi."

I was greeted with a hug from Hops, and was immediately introduced to everyone around her. I'm not sure what I expected, but being introduced to everyone wasn't it. *grin* Before I knew it, I was talking about camp to one of her volleyball players and parents. (One of my favorite things to talk about.) It was fun. When we were waiting for the next game to finish we were standing at the top of the stairs watching the game, and had one of the most memorable chats I've ever had with her. She's one amazing gal, and I remember thinking (as we were talking) what a heart she has for her loved ones. She inspired me even more today. I think that's cool.

Throughout the afternoon, we would chat in between games. Every chat was precious to me, as I learned more about the gal who inspired me to go into the classroom and teach more than just content. We also laughed with her players from time to time which was fun for me too. At one point, I said, "Kids are awesome", to which she replied, "I don't like them at all." We both laughed. It was SO MUCH FUN. *grin*

We worked on naming one of the girl's new dogs. The names they came up with were hilarious. Hops had some funny ones too. I hope to hear what she finally chose. "Olive" just didn't work for me. *giggle*

She has one player that hasn't washed her knee pads in a year or two because she considers it good luck. The girls were laughing about how they smelled. At the same time, it was their team joke, so it was fun. It was a GREAT memory for those girls, as well as for Hops and me. We talked about how for some kids they can pull it off, and for others that wouldn't work. For this young lady, it worked, and made everyone smile. I liked it. *grin*

In between the chats, I watched her team play volleyball. It was the first time in YEARS I sat and watched volleyball for any length of time. I loved to play volleyball as a kid, but it wasn't a game I was ever good at. I was just happy if I served and I got the ball over the net. Watching today, Hops' girls knew how to play the game! It was awesome. *grin*

So, early on while I was watching the volleyball games, something occurred to me. When a ball would get out of control I would think, "Uh Oh", but the girls knew how to get it back under control (sometimes, not always, obviously) and over the net. They didn't stress about it. They worked together as a team and got it under control. So often life is like that, but we don't always handle it with the grace that the girls often did today. Sure, sometimes it meant sliding on the floor to get a ball back up, or yelling "out" when a ball went out of bounds so that no one would try to get it. Life is full of ups and downs, but life keeps going. I also think we have people around us to help us and yell "out", or whatever it may be, when we need it. Kinda neat if you ask me. *grin*

The team came in fourth in the tournament, and it wound up being an all-day thing. I honestly loved every minute of it.

After it was all over, I managed to get a pic with Hops. What can I say? In 1988 and 1989 cell phones with cameras weren't around. *grin*

When we were walking back to where her team was gathering, she told me how proud she is of me. I already knew that, but I smiled when she said it. This gal knew me as a teen when I was far from the adult I am today. She cared for me right where I was at, just as I do with my students. I was fortunate to have her. Totally. *grin*

We laughed at how long it's been since we've seen each other. (16-ish years) Needless to say, she said she'd let me know next year when this tournament comes around. *grin* Awesome.

Dog names.
Knee pads.
"Out"
"I'm proud of you"

Today was just one of those days I'll never forget.

*grin*
LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.

"You're Never Allowed To Be Gone Again!" *grin*

The past two days have been quite a little ride in my classroom. Yesterday (Wednesday), my para was out all day. It is early in the year, and I didn't think it would be a big deal for her to take the day off to be with her girls for their tennis activities. I learned quickly during the day on Wednesday how much I truly appreciate her. She does so much for me that it's like we're finally in a routine, in a place where we know what each other needs and wants. It's precious.

So, she was at the Bible Study I attended last night, and I told her, "You're never allowed to be gone again!" She laughed, and so did I, as we both know the nature of my classroom. It's a lot of fun, but it's also A LOT of work. *grin* Having one less adult makes a difference in there.

So, today I had a sub for the afternoon because I had a doctor's appointment right in the middle of the afternoon. (I'm fine, it was just a checkup.) I actually stayed at work to get things done (a teacher's job is never done.) so I was in and out of the room working with the students. I left and went to my appointment and came back to get the scoop on what happened and gather my homework. It was quite a day.

As I was walking out of the building with my para, she said something that has had me smiling all evening. She said, "I love Lindsey (my sub), she did a great job, but YOU'RE NEVER ALLOWED TO BE GONE AGAIN."

We both laughed.

We make a good team, and I'm blessed to have her in my life.

I also knew exactly what she meant.

*giggle*

LIFE.
IS.
AWESOME.