*What a great week...so much happened that it's hard to remember everything...I did make it to Thanksgiving, which people say is a feat for a first year teacher. I honestly feel like my student teaching experience was my "first year". This year has been draining, and has taken a lot of time-there are definitely times when I feel like I don't know what I'm doing, but overall it has been an amazing semester so far. I feel like I was made to do this. It feels natural and easy to plan/make lessons because the kids are so eager to learn. Plus, I can handle any fit/crying when the kids hug you after.
*We had school spirit week at school...people always say that classrooms of kids take on the personality of their teacher-well I finally believe that is true. I am pretty competitive. At first my students were not so eager to win, but by the end of the week-they were going crazy with the spirit week. On PJ day ,I didn't want to dress down because I had a serious meeting with a parent and didn't want to dress down. One of my kids came up to me and said: "Mrs...you shoulda told me you don't have no pajamas. I woulda told my mom and you coulda wore her boxers". lol The next day was class color day-our color was gray. Me-Our color is gray, like my shirt. Student-And like my knee-look Mrs! Me-Ask me for lotion tomorrow morning! Lol
*I left my kids with a sub for the first time for half a day on Friday. I was so nervous to leave them-I hope this isn't foreshadowing to the kind of mom I will be-overprotective much!?-Anyway....I was texting teachers to see how my kids were doing...When I got back on Monday, the note said: "Your class did great. We had a lovely afternoon. They all missed you a lot." Several students said: We missed you so much, I'm so glad you're back.
*Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Because we only had a 2 day week, we did a lot of Thanksgiving activities-made a "Thankful chart", read several books about being thankful, and made some turkeys out of cookies/candy with our 5th grade book buddies. One of my kids held up the reese's chocolate candy and said: "Mrs. I love this one that has chocolate, and then something, and then chocolate. I LOVE it." It was so fun.
*I feel so thankful to have a 5 day weekend-my husband bought me a massage for my birthday that I redeemed after school last night. The lady said my back was very tense-I told her that I work with 5 year olds-and she just nodded. I have the best family with the greatest cousins. They are some of my very best friends-I am so excited to play games, eat like crazy, and talk....but still part of me can't stop thinking about my kids...wondering if they're safe, and knowing they aren't having a feast like I am tomorrow. My husband and I are going to get our first Christmas tree on Saturday, going to see the city Christmas tree lighting, dinner with friends, game night, and a wrapping party to start wrapping all the gifts we have for the needy families.
*I asked friends/family for help adopting 2 of my students' families for Christmas-very needy families. When I asked for a Christmas list from them, I asked for sizes/wants for each person in the family...including the moms. One mom wrote: God bless you for doing this. This will help us more than you know. Another mom wrote: All I want for Christmas is for my kids to have a great Christmas. Thank you so much. **I have been so touched by how eager and excited people are to help. I honestly can not believe the generosity of people for kids they don't even know. I love and adore these kids and it means so much that people are so willing to help. It reminds me of the goodness of people...
*I had so much fun fixing hair, rolling up sleeves, zipping coats, and giving hugs this week. I know it seems weird, but it is one of my favorite parts of my job to play momma.
*I also LOVE watching these kids learning to sound out words to write/read. You should see them in the library center/during whole class work-they have learned SO much. It continues to baffle me. They love reading books to each other/quizzing each other like a teacher. They even lick their finger before they turn the pages like I do. So sweet.
*"Mrs...my momma has a hangover". "Mrs..we got a lotta people at my house. I got 8 cousins who live with me-plus my momma and their momma. It's crowded." :( Sometimes I wish they didn't tell me everything.
*"Mrs...I was scared to come to school at first, but I ain't scared no more. I love school. I don't want to go home-I want to stay here with you." Me-You know I love ya! Student-Yea...I know!!
*Today I am thankful for the show Modern Family. No matter what is going on in our week-it ALWAYS makes me and my husband laugh out loud-we don't have cable, so we watch it on hulu. Usually I have to pause it to laugh.
*I am thankful for my job, for my students, for their sweet faces that greet me each morning, for their hugs, for their reminders to me of the Lord's goodness, for my husband, for our home, for our SHORT commute to work/school, for our new friends, for our old, faithful friends, for our families, for how well we fit into each other families, and for time off to refresh with family.
A year ago today, my husband and I were trying to figure out which house to rent. I can't believe how much has happened/changed since then...we graduated college, got married, went on a honeymoon, got jobs, quit those jobs, went to a million weddings, met new friends, and started our careers. It has been an INSANE, crazy year but I have never been happier or more fulfilled. People say if you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life. I would do this for free. Really.
Happy Thanksgiving! We have SO much to be thankful for!
:)
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