Beginning of Year Craziness

        Today was an absolutely beautiful day. It was a chilly fall day ... 60 degree weather, foggy, cool and damp ... beautiful. I came home from work, my hubby was just starting laundry (amazing all on it's own!), we took the dog for a walk, and then came home and had waffles and eggs for dinner.

        And I think I felt like a regular person for the first time in WEEKS. Like since school started. Don't get me wrong, after dinner I still graded a stack of papers and spent an hour working on my Grad class homework ... BUT, for that brief moment (and this one!) I got to remember what it is like to have a life outside of school. And it was marvelous! ha!

        Don't get me wrong, I am LOVING every minute of school ... well, okay, almost every minute. There have been a couple moments I could have done without, but that is to be expected when you hang out with 9 year olds all day! :). Seriously, over all this year is great. My homeroom is fantastic, each of my classes is an adventure all it's own, my kids are great, my colleagues are wonderful, and I get to wake up and go do what I love every day.

        There have been a ... few ... moments our room has been full of craziness, a couple of times my co-teacher and I have had to just look at each other and laugh, one lesson I stopped completely - reworked - and tried again the next day, and a time or two I was pretty sure we weren't getting anywhere ... but guess what, we WERE getting somewhere.

         And there are moments that prove it ... like today we started guided reading and the kids were marvelous. And when the kids got excited at the news that all their prewriting strategies have payed off and then get to start actually drafting tomorrow. AND today we got to bring out "Skelly" the skeleton! I brought him out for my two ELA classes, but my homeroom was so excited we decided to study him as well! So, we decided to do some research on skeletons and the human body ourselves :).

This is my homeroom filling out KWL charts about Skelly the skeleton -- they are excited to learn more about him!

        But, no matter how much I love my job, 4 weeks of 10 hour days (7-5) + 2 or 3 hours in at school each weekend was = one stressed out me ... which isn't fun for anyone involved (including my students! and my poor husband!). So, today it was nice to "get away" for a bit, take a deep breath, and remember that this "beginning of the year craziness" really doesn't last forever =).

I should...

I should be working on school stuff. Studying and processing our new writing curriculum. Prepping to give a writing assessment tomorrow. Reviewing the reading lessons I will start teaching. Tweaking my seating arrangement (there are a few cases where that is a definite necessity). Lesson planning (you know, past tomorrow).

I should be cleaning my house. Doing dishes. And laundry. And someone (anyone!) is seriously going to have to sweep the floor.

I should be writing a better, deeper blog-post than this one :s.

I should be doing a lot of things. But instead I'm laying on the couch. Because I'm exhausted. But it's the same kind of exhausted I am after a trip to 6 flags or the river for the day. Or the way you feel when you get back form a great vacation. It's a fulfilled kind of exhausted. A 'too much fun' kind of exhausted. It's a 'my class was awesome today and we had a blast and I really do work at a great school' kind of exhausted. And also a 'my other two classes are going to keep me busy busy busy and I am 50% terrified and 90% excited and 100% determined we will make progress quickly' kind of exhausted. And an 'I didn't sleep last night because I was to filled with anticipation' kind of exhausted.

I should be thankful. Thankful that I am only exhausted because I got to spend the day doing what I love. Thankful that I have  job, period. Thankful that my kiddos are sweet and fun and ready to learn. Thankful that I have great coworkers. Thankful for another day full of opportunities.

I should do a lot of things -- not the leas of which is say a prayer and go to bed. And so that, my friends, is exactly what I'm going to do.

Pray Out Loud

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/391819/3/Priest-comes-out-of-nowhere-to-aid-accident-victim

Read this story. And let it move you to think deeply.

I don't want to discuss angles with you, or even miracles, or "stranger priests", or coincidences, or luck ... at least I don't want to discuss those things right now. 

Here is what I want to tell you:

This story brought tears to my eyes and a prayer of thanks to my lips. Because it reminded me that God works - in our lives - on a daily basis. Because it reminded me to be thankful for each safe trip to and from Jefferson City (and all my safe trips to and from anywhere for that matter). Because it made me thrilled for parents who weren't separated for their too young daughter. Because it made me think of God. And made me (and probably more people) thank God. Because it made me examine my faith.

Because it made me wonder: would I be saying "Pray with me and pray out loud" ... or would I be crying, or screaming? 

You can never know how you will actually respond to a situation until you are IN that situation. And sometimes even then I am not sure you realize how you are reacting until after the fact. 

I'd say this young lady reacted well. I'm sure she touched many peoples hearts with her simple, yet strength filled words. Could I say them in a moment like that? Is my faith that strong, my whole mind that reliant on God? Is yours?

Recharge

There is a reason my classroom had to come together so quickly (granted it is STILL coming together...): I have other things to do!

Because even though school is consuming, I don't want it to completely consume me. And even though teaching is my passion, it isn't my only one.

Because I still need to time to play.

I mean, seriously, is this pure joy or what?!

LOVE these girls (and how much they love to read!)

And celebrate.

This is my sweet cousin's fiance, Emily ... can't wait to celebrate their wedding next weekend!

And relax.

After all, teaching is consuming. And being passionate is tiring. So it was great to recharge this weekend! ...now, back to SCHOOL! And figuring out what I'm going to teach these precious kiddos! =)

Ready, Set, Go!

If "procrastinator" has an opposite ... I'm that. At least on the things I enjoy. And turns out I enjoy "playing" in my classroom!

I realized quickly last year some things I could have done to have the room set up "better", "more functional", etc. So, this years goal is to be more functional, more organized, and more efficient -- but still tons of fun! ;)

Soooo, since our building opened on Tuesday, it has been a productive couple days as far as classroom setting up goes!

With doing the inclusion room we found out last year that it would have been SUPER nice to have two "pull tables". This will be my table - it's right next to my desk. *hopefully* It will eventually have exercise balls sitting around it to experiment with!

This is the filing system (found on pinterest) I'm trying ... folders for each thing: "to copy", "take home", "grade", etc. HOPEFULLY this will keep the countless papers from each day organized instead of in a giant pile on my desk! We'll see....

Here is my whole desk :) hopefully it will stay this clear....

On top is our team tubs the kiddos will pick up each morning with supplies for the day (sitting in them now are white boards I made by cutting apart the cheap cardboard folders from wal-mart and laminating them!) AND one of our new adventures this year, the student data binders, will sit on the shelves below! Right now they are in pieces - binders on the left, inserts on the right ... hole punching, here I come!

I loved the Kagan workshop I was able to attend right after school got out in May ... but I definitely need to review Kagan before school starts! To help me out, I put up cheat sheets of some of my favorite structures.

We always have kids absent and in and out of the room. Here is our new "While You Were Out" board - we'll put the papers we do that day in that days folder so kids will always know where to find them. And that's the second pull table - Angie's table! =)

Reading corner =)

Writing Center

This is the AR wall - kids will move their little surfer dude along the wave and to the beach as they work towards their goal.

Surfers for the AR wall - we'll put pictures of the kids faces so they won't be headless surfers ... and the kids can decorate!

I think we are off to a good start ... except I have nothing ready to actually teach! So, here's to getting familiar with our new writing program, reviewing our reading units, and getting my grading system up and going! =) Happy end of summer!

Reaching Out

"I would gladly do whatever is needed if only I knew what I needed to do!"

That's what I just said to my mom in the phone. And that's not the first time we've had a similar conversation. And it probably won't be the last. Because sometimes knowing what to do is really hard for me.

Sometimes I get so frustrated because I see a situation, I see someone struggling, I feel someone pulling back or pushing away, I see someone I want to reach out to ... But I don't know how.

Sometimes I want to help, to FIX, so badly, but I don't know what to do.

For someone who really likes to talk, it is amazing how often I am at a loss for what to say. ;)

Sometimes I don't know if it would be most helpful for me to jump in to a situation or stay out of it. Sometimes I don't know f I should say anything, let alone what.

Sometimes I don't know whether to keep quiet and risk losing an opportunity, or speak up and risk offending.

And then I remember verses like 1 Corinthians 3:6 that says "I planted, Apollos watered, and God gave the increase" and I remember that I'm not in this alone. And then I remember how much bigger God is than me. And I remember all that's required is I do my best for Him.

And then I say a prayer for wisdom and confidence.

And then I make a decision.

And then I pray, hopeful that I did the right thing. Hopeful that I planted the smallest seed or offered a trickle of water. Hopeful I did my part to make things better, to help, to encourage, to reach out.

And then, with a whole lot of help from God, and a promise from my Momma to tell me what to do as soon as she finds the magic solution, I wait for the next opportunity to reach out again.

Flying By

Summer is wonderful ... and unfortunately much to close to being over! And I haven't even blogged about much of it! eek!

Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me how time flies by. And while I absolutely LOVE to blog and reflect on things -- lately it seems we have just been hurrying on to the next thing and the next!

Mom and dad hosted a wedding for a sweet couple at church, which meant LOTS of yard and housework -- so I've spent a lot of time out there helping. And it turned out BEAUTIFUL.

What a beautiful day! and Yard! ;) And people! 

I may have mentioned this before, but I am pretty in awe of my parents! :)

We've also been plugging away in our own yard - the people that built the house had done a ton of beautiful landscaping, but after living through several years of renters, there is lots of "reclaiming" to do! I had big plans to get it all accomplished this summer, but quickly realized the yard will be an ongoing project. Which is totally fine as long as we keep going! :). This is one of my favorite things we've done (just finished thanks to my wonderful hubby last night)! We can't wait to have people over to enjoy it with us! :)

I think I am so excited about this because I have soo many memories of gathering around the campfire at my parents house! 

I've also been a little busy spoiling one sweet little puppy! I sure was amazed when I took her to get groomed and then picked her up looking totally different....

But she is still the most adorable thing ever! =)

ANNNDD yesterday was also our two year anniversary! Can you believe THAT? 2 years and a house together later, we sure are learning a lot about one another! He's watched me through student teaching, my first year teaching, buying a house, moving, and lots of yard projects ... and he hasn't given up on my yet! So we must be doing okay ;).