Thankful for...another unexpected snow day on Monday. This winter has been absolutely CRAZY!! This will be our fifth snow/ice day...can not believe it. Our superintendent said that the sidewalks are too filled with snow yet, and the fact that only 700 of the 4000 students in Holland ride the bus, that's a lot of students having to possibly walk on the road if the sidewalks aren't cleared. Tuesday is not looking good either because of the super low wind chills either, so we'll see what Tuesday brings!
And p.s. - that's Scott shoveling the driveway at 12:15am Monday morning...nothing else to do. ;)
Thankful for...extra days to work on my Project. Thursday through Sunday consisted of at least 4-5 hours working on the first section of my Project, and I was able to send the first draft in Sunday night. A small feeling of accomplishment, knowing that there's still a lot of editing to do, and more research, but at least a little bit's done! Some of the articles I read were really interesting because they talk about the population of students I work with right now, but some were very statistic heavy and harder to understand, but overall, lots of good information!
Thankful for...being able to watch the Michigan-Michigan State basketball game (even though MSU lost...). There's always next game! ;)
Thankful for...a warm home. Waking up Saturday morning and seeing all the snow, and I immediately think of how beautiful it is, and thank God for the changing seasons He provides us with and the beauty of winter time. All the while, though, I think of how blessed my family and I are to all have warm homes this time of year and am reminded of how many do not...and praying for the people who have had to endure this cold winter without all the blessings I've been given.
Deuteronomy 15:11 - "For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor in your land.'"
Thankful for...getting my picture book in the mail! For 2013, I decided that instead of printing up pictures and putting them in photo albums, I would make a Shutterfly book that covered the whole year. So, after New Year's, I finished the book up and ordered it! I absolutely LOVE looking at the pictures, and it's so fun to look back at all the events of the year...starting off with the MSU bball game with Scott, Nettle's Island on Spring Break, Ben & Becky's wedding, Scott graduating Police Academy...so many blessings!
Thankful for...having a surprise snow day, and being able to see the sunrise.
Thankful for...fun crafts at school - they don't always turn out perfect, but the kids love them (especially when they get to sample some of the things after they finish)!
Thankful for...having a productive weekend. I have always seemed to be more motivated at night, so Friday evening was spent finishing Report Cards and Progress Reports (yes, even my three-year-old students get Report Cards!), and then lesson planning through Valentine's Day. Once I get into a new Unit, it's easier to just plan all the activities and lessons for it, so now I'm planned through the middle of February! Saturday was spent working on my Master's Project, aka MY LAST CLASS IN ORDER TO EARN MY MASTERS! So glad it is finally here, but overwhelming as well because there is a lot of work to be done in a short period of time (everything is mostly due by the end of March). So prayers are welcome over the next few months as I finish up this journey!
Thankful for...basketball games! My mom and I have been wanting to go some of Unity's bball games this year, and this night they were playing Holland! Plus, because I'm a Holland Public Schools employee, I can get myself and one other person into the game for free (the Dutch in my mom and I just couldn't let the opportunity pass by)! We got there right around 4:00 to see the freshman team as three people from our church play on the team, then watched the JV and Varsity games too. Holland's bball court is in what is called The Dome - it's actually a pretty cool place.
Thankful for...a beautiful sunset - God's handiwork is simply amazing...
Thankful for...getting some play doh ready for school! The kids really enjoy playing and making different things with the play doh, and it's great fine motor work for them too. Though we'd try blue play doh this time!
Thankful for...a couple extra days! I don't think I've ever had a longer Christmas break from school before...the Friday before break school was cancelled because of icy roads, and then the first Monday and Tuesday back, we were closed because of the low wind chill and roads. With the wind chills in the negatives, it was so unsafe for the 1/3 of students in our district who walk to school. My dad even got called off from Fed Ex because of the weather...so then you know it's really not good out!
Thankful for...getting some cleaning done! I have been meaning to go through all of my college stuff - projects, papers, and notes from EVERY CLASS I TOOK! Yes, I'm a pack rat, ask anybody in my family, but that's what teachers do! You never know when you might need something (shout out to those who are still collecting empty toilet paper rolls for me!). ;) Anyways, needless to say, I had a LOT of stuff to go through, and it was kind of weird to think that my four + years in college fit into 2 large garbage bags and 3 large boxes. It felt good in the end to clean my stuff out, but a little weird that it was already 4 years since I graduated college...but onto bigger and better things! :)
