Six Years

Six years ago February 5th was on a Saturday.  It was 51 degrees outside.  It was a great day.  It's hard to remember the way life was six years ago.  So much has changed.  It's amazing what a wonderful life we've built together.  

Funny Blog

If you're looking for a laugh out loud blog post today, here it is.
This cracked me up!

http://changelivlife.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/sloooooow-cookin/

I could have written that six years ago!

Victoria Debut as Mary

Back in December our Sunday School held a Christmas program.  It seemed as though God didn't want it to actually take place.  Our first real whole one hour rehearsal was cancelled due to an ice storm in late November.  We had another canceled rehearsal two weeks later.  We ended up rehearsing at 8pm on a Wednesday night.  Then ultimately pushed the whole program back a week.  We were not yet prepared.

The program was less than stellar.  It was a disaster.  I wanted to yell, "Stop video taping this!"  at my husband, but refrained.  I will NEVER EVER watch that again.  Once in a lifetime was painfull enough.

Victoria did do a good job as Mary.  Although she went through three Joseph's before their entry.  Those boys just couldn't handle following directions.  So she lead the way for the 4th and final Joseph.  She knocked on those four inn doors like a pro.  The last door didn't open quick enough so she gave it a kick.  The congregation laughed. 

Finally it was over.

Here's V & C checking out Baby Jesus.

Christian yelled, "Dis baby not real!!" He was disappointed.

My friend Odelis played the piano for us.

Victoria loves her friend Odelis!

So. Glad. That's. Over.

Quote of the Day

I got a new 2011 calendar that you pull off a quote each day.
I love this one:
The thing that is so disconcerning about cleaning is that it just never gets done. As soon as we do it, we can start all over again.

This, my friends, is the story of my life.

I Love My Job

I love my job.  I don't usually refer to it as work, I refer to it as school.  I love it.  I love jsut about everything about it.  The best thing in the world about my job is knowing I made a difference in a child's life. 

The other day there was an envelope for me with a (big) kid's handwriting on it.  I couldn't wait to see who it was from.  At the end of every year I give the students my home address so we can be penpals all summer long.  There are a few kids who have carefully saved my address and continue to write here are there for several years.  This is one of them.

 This student who I'll call CC was a fave of mine.  Her mom and dad got divorced the summer before CC was in my class.  She had an older brother.  I really liked the mom.  She was a good mom trying really really hard to give her kids the best.  I remember her telling me at a conference that she was saving to buy a house.

I opened the letter from CC and was so excited to see her high school handwriting.  She's in 9th grade. She told me all about her classes and high school and the 'amazing experinces' she's had this year.  Then she says, "And as fun as high school has been, I still miss being in your 2nd grader at L----. I have many great memories of that year, and just the other day I was reading my dinosaur book I wrote in your class. I can still hear you explaining to me why it was worth it to add all of the details I had planned, although it required writing an entire extra 2 full pages. I loved being in your class!" 

Wow.  That says it all.  I wonder why everyone isn't a teacher since it is clearly the most awesome job ever!! 

Then CC tells me they moved in a HOUSE not long ago and her mom let her pick out the colors for each room and they painted together. 

I think I will have to laminate this letter. 

I will write back to CC and hopefully make her feel as special as she made me feel.

I love my job.

February the Month of Celebrations

I love celebrations.  I doesn't take much for me to celebrate.  I figure there are so many regular days in the year we should make as many special as we can.  That probably explains why I go crazy for my children's birthdays.  We basically celebrate a birth month rather than just that day.  Yesterday, February 1st, I told Christian's "It's all over buddy."  January was in the past.

However, that brings us to February.  My favorite month of celebrationing!  I chose to have my wedding in the month for crying out loud.

We have so many celebrations in second grade I had each second grader make their own calendar yesterday.

Here's the run down:

Feb 2nd - Groundhog's Day - He did NOT see his shadow Hooray!
Feb 5th - Our sixth anniversary - yippee!!
Feb 11th - Blizzard Blast at school - the kids with love it
Feb 14th - Valentine's Day - my favorite holiday
Feb 15th - 100th Day of School - only 72 left
Feb 21st - Presidents' Day - No school - even for the teachers!!

It's a short and full month.  It's a cold and dreary month.  Looking forward to all these celebrations to get us one more month closer to spring.