A Mini Attic...

Miles: Miss Wiens can I see in the back of your car?
Me: Sure, but I'll warn you..it's kinda messy.
Miles: It's ok, our van is messy.
Me: Ok, but I warned you.
Miles as he peers into my trunk: It kinda looks like a mini attic.
Me: I've never really thought of it that way but you know what...You are right!

These items can currently be found in my mini attic:
*1 inflated blue swimming raft
*1 highschool yearbook....oh the laughs and memories
* an old lunch bag from last year (don't worry, no leftover lunch ordishes)
* Rainy Day Jazz CD cover
* a long handled ice scraper
* random papers
* a blanket for picnics
* a soccer ball
*2 bag chairs
* a cup

Guess it's time I clean out "my attic".

Mascara Markings

Tears pool, threatening to make their uninvited appearance. The heart aches. The situation seems grave. Phone calls are made. Tears are violently pushed aside, deep breaths, the lump in my throat is firmly lodged and refuses to leave.

Then the request is made...."please pray! He isn't doing well."

Finally a text is received and a smile cracks the mascara marked cheeks...
Surgery went well and he is back in ICU. Doctors and nurses are doing what they do best; caring and tending to every detail for his best recovery. God has a plan...still has a plan...has ALWAYS had a plan.

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11

Admitting defeat...

I'm boldly admitting defeat! Raise the white flag and wave it as a banner for all to see...I need help & I can't stand it any longer. Not one more day to pass, one my hour or second to regret. Not one more day mentally beating myself up because I'm not "superwoman" and can't seem to "keep all the balls juggling" or hold it together. My classroom is a disorganized mess and I can't take it any longer!

Here's my faulty thinking:
Internally I say to myself, "I know where everything is...each paper has a place in a specific stack" and if I were to be asked to locate something I would know exactly where to look. It's my controlled clutter. But in all actuality: I hate looking at it. I hate everything about it! It's not an inviting environment to work in and it keeps me frustrated and frazzled on the inside. Falling prey to the routine negative thoughts towards myself, day in and day out...like a bully who taunts his victim.

So I've enlisted help! (she doesn't judge me)

My dear friend Michelle, & teacher helper, has mad skills when it comes to organizing! You should see her room! And while it may sound like I'm struggling with jealousy, hear my heart when I say, "I'm weary of hiding behind the stacks of paper and "controlled" chaos."

I want O-R-D-E-R!!!!!

Stay tuned for pics in the near future...Operation "transformation" is in progress! And hopefully *yep, there is still hope!* this will start me on a search for healthier organization skills, less internal self battery, and an over all healthier well-being and perspective!

Everyday Gratitude update...

Are you up for a challenge? I was...and so I've committed to find 1,000 things that I am grateful for. There is no time limit but only a challenge to look for the simple blessings each day that bring a smile, challenge my integrity, and strengthen who I am. There is a tab towards the top of this page called Everyday Gratitude where I will be keeping my journey through this project.


I leave you with a few ideas found on my everyday gratitude list....


Fall brilliance

The privelege and responsibility to vote (I took this great picture & then realized I put the sticker on the wrong date...oops! The emphasis and importance should be placed on the fact that I actually voted...on the right day!)

November

Summer flowers that refuse to fade with Autumn frost

A few of my favorite books... (Hey, don't knock Little House On the Prairie..I have great childhood memories of this series!)

Husker Power

65 and sunny....the perfect forecast for a little college football rivalry. Nebraska vs Mizzou...Let's just say I wasn't chanting "MIZ" or "ZOU"! There is nothing like the defeaning roar of passionate Nebraska fans as a player breaks away in a 60 yard run towards the endzone, or the completion of a great pass or the interception of the ball from the other team. The chanting adds an electric feel to the atmosphere and made my arm hair stand on end. It truly was electrifying!

I've thought about my quick road trip North all day today and can't narrow it down to one specific "Favorite" moment. Being a part of the "sea of red", chanting GO BIG RED & Husker Power, being with great friends, getting away and doing something out of the ordinary, taking it all in, watching a winning team make passes & score touchdowns, winning and being surrounded by Mizzou fans...(PRICELESS) There's just too many good moments to name one as "THE moment".


What a memorable day!

Parent/Teacher Conferences...

Parent/Teacher conferences always make for a crazy busy time of year...12 hour days...lots of grading, a mad rush to complete grade cards and just general insanity. This year was no different. I pulled four 12 hour days in preparation. Which meant I went into my daunting conference schedule exhausted. I'm thankful that today, October 29th is a day of complete rest.

Here are a few highlights from my conferences.

1. I talked to a mom who told me her story and shared how God has healed her in the past 2 weeks. She fell asleep on the couch 2 years ago and woke up an hour later and wasn't able to move from her neck down. Her doctors have been completely baffled. 2 weeks ago she went to her pastors and had them pray over her and she said, "I was healed. I stood up out of my wheelchair and took steps. Tonight, I walked into this school. All praise goes to God." So there we sat, in the middle of room 21 talking about how God heals and works and giving Him praise. *Who says God isn't in the American public schools???*

2. I got to spend 20 minutes praising and building up each student to their parents. What a priveledge and honor.

3. I was able to brainstorm various ways to connect and have those breakthrough moments with another student...

While it was a successful week, I'm glad another year is in the books!

Speed bump...

I think I'll just categorize this week as a "speed bump" kind of week. You know those kinds of weeks: the ones where your slow down to a ridiculous speed and push the gas pedal just enough to keep accelerating forward. Yep, that's my week in a nutshell.

I woke up last Friday morning and had a bit of a sore throat but thought it was due to my walking outside during the week. silly allergies again. THat's certainly not anything new in my world. Saturday dawned and I went shopping and ran errands in the early afternoon. Came home and took a 2 hour nap...My throat by Saturday night HUrt. By Sunday morning I had a high fever and could hardly swallow. I was miserable..or so I thought. I carted myself off to the minute clinic and they did a rapid strep test. The cultured swab sits in this solution for 6 minutes before it's supposed to show anything. My culture showed positive for strep in 2.5 minutes. YIKES! Got my meds and went home. Little did I know that Monday would be even worse than Sunday. Monday I found my throat MORE swollen, irritated...raw really, and covered in WHITE. It was NASTY! I couldn't even swallow my own saliva....Yes, it was THAT bad! You know I'm sick when I only ate 270 calories in an entire day! Today has been much better. I can swallow my own saliva and I don't have any fever...first in 4 days! YAY for PROGRESS!!!!!!!

I'm hoping to be back at work on Thursday...