Friday's Letters

Dear Sweet, Sweet Students in my Class:  I understand that getting a new student is fun and exciting.  It is NOT, however, a reason to act like a bunch of wild animals all day long.  Not now, or have we ever, been allowed to run around the classroom, yell across the room, call out uncontrollably when I'm talking, walk down the hallway in a pack, or get on the computer and play games that are inappropriate.  Try acting like that again today, I dare you!

Dear Weather:  Another winter without accumulating snow.  Really?  It's just not fair!  I should not be allowed to hear about states further up north that are getting blasted by snow and blizzard warnings when I'm debating whether or not to even take a jacket to work.  You realize that this warm weather is going to lead to another grasshopper invasion, don't you?  What if they come back this year smarter, more organized?  They are going to take over, I tell you!  Some harsh snow would fix that.. but nooooo... you give it all to the north.  Totally NOT FAIR!

Dear Peanut, Butter, and Jelly:  I'm just about at the end of my rope with this house and your rooms looking like an indoor rummage sale that has been rummaged till it can be rummaged no more.  When I can't even walk from the living room to the kitchen without tripping over stuff, or walk in to one of your rooms and I'm met with a barricade of clothes at the door - something's got to give.  And I have a feeling you'll be giving me your cell phones, iPods, and Innotabs for a while.

Dear IRS:  I don't care what anybody says about you, I'm totally loving you right now.  I filed my taxes a week ago, and my refund has already been deposited in to my bank.  A week!  That's flippin' amazing!  The best part?  I didn't have to pay an OUTRAGEOUS fee to a tax preparer in order to get my money that fast... I did it all by myself.  For free.

Dear Blogging Sense of Humor:  Where have you been?  Looking over what I've just written, it appears you only start to poke your head out when I appear to be angry and disgruntled.  Is that the secret?  Am I too happy to be funny?  No.  That can't be right, can it?  Seriously?  I do?  I have to be mad in order to come off the slightest bit funny?  What's with asking all these questions?  I'm losing my mind, I tell you!

Dear Weekend:  You have come so quickly!  I feel a little dizzy with how quickly this week has flown by.  While I would love to do nothing but lay on the couch all weekend, you seem to have a lot in store for me.  Dinner with P-Momma, shopping with Peanut, and all of that normal weekend stuff like grocery shopping.  I'm excited for you to be here, really I am.  But, I'll be a lot more excited this time next week - when I'm celebrating a 4 day weekend! OH YEA!

Dear Me:  Tough day yesterday, huh?  I know you wanted to cry like a baby who had their chew toy taken away... but you didn't.  You stood tall and strong.  You didn't let the crazy of the day buckle you at the knees and place you in a fetal position.  As much as you felt it happening with every minute that ticked away.  You go in there strong today.  You be mean if you have to be.  OK, not mean... firm, how's that?  You show them who's the boss.  You make it clear that you won't tolerate the shenanigans of yesterday.  (Shenanigans is a funny word, isn't it?)  You take away extra recess and Fun Friday if you have to - and you won't feel guilty about it.  Just keep reminding yourself that you love each one of those kids as if they were your own.  And if one of your own acted the way that bunch did yesterday, you'd put your foot down and give them consequences for their actions.  You don't worry about how they feel at the end of the day, or if they go home not liking you very much.  They have a whole weekend to get over it.  You are a great teacher because you care so much, I get that... but caring also means making tough decisions and choices that may make you come off looking like the bad guy.  And that's OK.  Next week is a new week, a shorter week, and maybe they'll think twice before acting that way again.  Maybe.  Right?

Ten Things Thursday

1.  I'm getting a new student today.  Not sure why I get so nervous when I hear I'm getting a new student.  I'm not sure if it's because I'm worried if he'll like me, if he'll fit in with our class, or just because he's new - and new is sometimes nerve wrecking.  I can't wait to meet him, though.

2.  I just discovered that one of my old friends is going to be on Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.  How freakin' awesome is that?  I guess Chris Powell has decided to take on a married couple, because both my friend Rachel AND her husband will be on the show.  They have a Facebook page and everything.  How awesome is it to see a friend get an opportunity like this AND watch them on TV and can say "Hey, I know those people"?

3.  This week has been crazy freakin' busy, and I'm so ready for the weekend.  On the plus side, the week has flown by.  On the negative side, I haven't got a thing done in terms of paper work stuff...and it all has to be done by tomorrow.  Looks like I'll be staying after school for a while today.

4.  I've been having a really hard time staying away from carbs since this past weekend.  Not sure if it's because I ate carbs over the weekend, and now my body is refusing to let me get back to my success, but I don't like it.  I do great all day long, and then get the overwhelming cravings in the evening.  Thankfully, I haven't gone nutso with it or anything.  I ate half a cup of rice on Tuesday, and a small piece of bread last night.. but that's still too much.  I might not be eating enough during the day...not sure... but my scale isn't going to be very nice to me on Monday if I keep this nonsense up.

5.  I'm about sick and tired of the dump heap my kids are keeping as bedrooms.  I take stuff away to make them clean, then not even two days later - right back to being a dump.  All three of them are as bad as each other.  The mess is always clothes.  Everywhere.  Jelly has them strung all over the house.  Peanut has piles of them all over her bedroom floor.  And Butter washes his clothes and then they end up all over his room.  It makes me crazy!  I think a nice long week of no gadgets or gizmos is coming FAST!  Followed by an additional week every time it gets messy again.

6.  Butter was sent home from school on Tuesday because he was running a low grade fever.  He had to stay home yesterday, too.  I was really worried he was coming down with the flu - but it looks as though it's not.  He's fine.  Was fine yesterday.  And that's good - because I just couldn't take one more sickness!!

7.  I'm taking Peanut out this weekend to get a formal-ish dress for her formal dance coming up at the end of this month.  It's one of those moments I've been waiting for since I first gave birth to the girl 12 years ago... but now that it's here?  I feel like it came too quickly.  I can't believe my little pre-teen (for another 2 months) is already doing stuff like formal dances, and thinking about if a boy will ask her to go, or if she'll get anything for Valentine's Day.  She has just 5 years until she's 18!!  Holy Bat Crap!!

8.  I've had a really hard time, lately, finding my blog humor.  I consider myself to be a pretty funny person... used to be a pretty funny blogger... but taking a few minutes to look back over my recent stuff, and I'm wondering where that funny person went.  Just look at today, for example.  A shopping list of this and that.. Kinda dry, right?  You would think, with so much going on in my life, I'd have some funny stories to share.  Geez.

9.  I have real proof that bribery and/or taking away fun stuff can totally work to get kids to perform at their best.  Whether it's wrong or not.  For the past several chapters in science, most of my kids have been failing their OPEN BOOK science tests.  I've tried everything from giving them the page numbers for where they can find the answers to making them write down the pages they find the answers to sending notes home to parents...and?  Still fail.  I know that taking tests aren't fun, but they are a part of school.  Period.  So?  I decided to totally threaten my kids yesterday...and bribe them.  If they failed the test?  Automatic elimination from Fun Friday.  If they passed?  CANDY!!  I only had one kid fail the test - and he'd already lost his privileges to Fun Friday.  And the majority of the rest of the grades were As and Bs.  If I have to bribe and threaten in order for them to show me that they can do something? So be it.  Totally not above me.

10.  It only took me 30 minutes to write ten things.  Well, 9... because this one doesn't really count.  I'm making progress!  Although I really have to work on trying to lighten my stuff up.  It's like drinking sand around here.  SO DRY!!  I need to tap in to some of the funny I experience at work every day... that's writing gold!  Something to think about for next time, I suppose.

How Are Those Resolutions Doing?

Yeah, I know.  It's February 6th.  Not the beginning of the month - I know that.  But there was another very important event happening the first of this month, so I wasn't thinking about my resolution update.

I am today.  So Feb. 6th it is.  I said I would update on my resolutions the first of each month, to kinda help keep me on track...so I suppose we should get going.

How have I done with my resolutions since the start of the year?

1.  Lose weight:  Well, everyone should know how this one is doing.  I've lost 8lbs since I started Atkins 3 1/2 weeks ago.  I don't think that's too bad - and a great start.  I will admit that I've had some difficulty bouncing back since my birthday weekend - but nothing I'm worrying about.

I've started walking during my recess duty.  I just walk around the playground. Five times around is supposed to be a mile - and I get in about 4 times.  Recess is 20 minutes long, and with making sure I'm supervising the kids and stuff...it's not too bad.  Besides, any walking is better than no walking.

Water drinking isn't going well.  Although, I have been drinking lots of unsweetened iced tea during the day.  Not as good as water, but better than soda or not drinking anything.

Being that I'm on Atkins, the portion control is starting to become a habit.  I eat until I'm full, which is pretty darn easy to do being that all the protein makes me full and keeps me that way.

So, resolution #1 gets a 7/10.

2.  Make the most of my time:  Hmmm... what was this one again?  Oh yes, I was supposed to work more on not procrastinating trying to use my down time to actually relax and stuff.  This week isn't the greatest week to talk about this one.  Monday night I didn't get home until after 9pm.  Yesterday, I had meetings during my planning time, and had to rush off right after school to a meeting.  Today I have another meeting right after school.  Tomorrow I have YET another meeting during my plan time.  I'm out of breath just typing all of that.  But, let's take a look at the progress anyway.  Just for laughs.

I have done pretty well about getting my grading and stuff ready for the next day before I leave at night.  For the most part.  When I actually have the time to do that stuff.  If I don't, then I'm at work pretty early to make sure it's all done before the day starts.

Use my planning time to plan?  Urm.  Yeah.  No.  There have been days where I use my plan time to grade, file away stacks of paper, and try to keep on top of everything piling up on my desk.  But plan?  Not so much.

Get in a routine for cleaning?  Oh goodness...stop... I'm going to choke on my coffee from laughing too hard.   Let's just leave it at that m'kay?

Resolution #2 gets a 3/10...and I'm being generous to myself.

3.  Become more financially responsible:  I filed my taxes last week, and should be getting my refund by the end of the month. I also have to pay both Arkansas and Missouri - which is something I've never had to do before.  Pay state taxes.  Guess that's one of the "benefits" on working in a different state... but I'm not too stressed over it.  It's not a great deal.  I plan on putting away a big chunk of the money... let's see how the progress of that goes this time next month.

I have continued to budget every penny, and still coming in a little under budget.  My Atkins stuff has caused us to spend a little more on groceries, but I think it's a good investment.  It is my health, after all.  Don't think I'm wasting the money if I'm spending for food that will help me lose weight and live longer.  Hopefully.

While I haven't "officially" started a rainy day fund, I've also been storing away the money that I'm under budget each month.  I don't know how much that is right now - because I start my budget count over each month.. but once I get my taxes in I should probably get a better idea of how much I've saved.

And I am happy to say that I have zeroed out one credit card, the other will be zeroed out this month, and I haven't had to really use any credit cards since the beginning of the year.  That's a big bonus.

Resolution #3 gets a 8/10.  That will go up when I start my separate fund and stuff.

4.  Create more memories and traditions:  Is it bad to admit that this is the resolution I've completely made no progress on?  I hope not.. cause that's totally the case.  While I don't remember saying "Momma's too busy right now" one time this year, so far, I also haven't done anything special or fantastic with the kids either.

The family night hasn't been started.  I will say that a lot of that has to do with the fact that either a child has been sick every single weekend since Christmas, or because we're watching a movie, or because a part of the family - or all of it - has been at my parent's house.  The sickness thing is just about to drive me totally up the wall.  It's Butter's turn right now.  He was sent home from school early yesterday with a fever.  Can't return back today.  And I'm just so ready for all the sickness to be GONE!

I am a horrible person.  I haven't taken a single photo of the kids since Christmas.  I've taken one of me - dressed supposedly as an old lady, but coming off more like a crazy woman.  And that's about it.  It's even worse that Peanut won some awards at an assembly last week - and I didn't capture a single photo of the event.  Horrible person, I tell you!

While I'm a horrible person for not taking pictures - I have listened, laughed, and loved.  Peanut and I continue to strengthen our relationship with daily chit chats about her life and how it's going.  Butter has improved so much on his behavior and progress in school.  And Jelly still wakes up every morning with a kiss and a hug for me.  Somehow, I'm doing something right.

Resolution #4 gets a 2/10 just because my kids are happy...and that's important.

5.  Be happy:  I am.  I really am.  Despite being so darned busy, tired, and frustrated about going through sick bug after sick bug with the kids.  I'm still happy.  Deep down, I know I'm struggling with accomplishing everything I set out to accomplish - but I've made a lot of progress, and I'm learning not to sweat the small stuff.

This past weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed a day out with my mom.  I made time for myself.  We laughed until we cried, we shared everything that's been going on with us, and it was cleansing for my soul.

Shortly after the new year, I went to Goodwill and dropped off several bags of clothes.  I am volunteering at the basketball games.  I'm in the midst of planning a formal dance for the junior high kids.  I'm building relationships with the people in my school's community.  As soon as I get off my rear and clean out Jelly's toys, I will be sending them to kids who would enjoy them.  I'm definitely no Mother Teresa, by any means, but I'm trying to distribute my blessings.

I haven't really followed any new ventures.  I have made a few new crochet items, but with the lack of time..that's fallen by the wayside just a little.  I have plans to get to it.  Eventually.

Regardless of what I haven't done, I still have a big ol' smile on my face.  I'm loving every minute of my job, I'm loving every minute I'm spending with my family, and I'm loving every minute of life in general.  So...Happy?  Oh yes I am!

Resolution #5 gets a 9/10.  Cause it doesn't matter how much stuff I list, it's all based on how I feel.

What I'm realizing is that it's February.  While I'm not accomplishing everything on my list - I haven't given up on anything, either.  I have so much of the year left...and I plan on continuing to improve.  The important thing to remember is that I've made some progress.  I'm still committed to continuing the progress.  And, I will continue to see what the year has in store for me.

Truthful Tuesday

To be honest.... I am freakin' EX-HAUS-TED!  After a crazy, busy weekend I just wasn't ready for the crazy, busy day yesterday.  After getting to work early to get some work done, to leaving right after work to drive Jelly and Butter home, to then driving back to work to help out on the concession stand for the basketball games.  I didn't get home until around 9:15 last night.  That meant I was basically working for 14 hours.  On my feet for about 12 of those... if not more.

To be honest... I totally forgot how crazy busy this week is going to be.  Today after school, I have a meeting.  Tomorrow after work I have a meeting.  Thursday, I'll have so much work to do because of all the meetings stopping me from working a little after work.  I guarantee my behind will be passed out on the couch, Friday night, before 8pm.

To be honest... I've discovered that I'm not a big fan of teaching division. That's the math topic I'm teaching right now - and it's a tough concept to teach.  I let the kids use small bags of M&Ms, yesterday, thinking it might help them a little.  But, it really didn't.  I'm just going to have to come up with a few tricks from my tool bag to help these kids flip the light bulb on when it comes to using multiplication to divide.  That's how I figured out how to divide when I was a kid...maybe it will work for my kiddos.

To be honest... I've started seeing emails and Facebook posts and the like from people starting their hunt for a teaching job, and it brought back a lot of memories.  I can't believe that it's that time of year, again.  It's so hard to think that this time last year, I started the panic attacks, anxiety, and depression over looking for a teaching job.  I thank all things holy that I don't have to worry about that any more.

To be honest... Last night, while working the concession stand at the 5th and 6th grade basketball games, I realized - once again - how perfect my job placement is for me.  I've always been the girl that volunteered for just about everything... never caring how thin it stretched me or how tired I was because of it.  As I stood there last night with my 4th grade counterparts by my side, I realized that they are just like me.  I can complain and whine about how tired I am from doing all of my extra activities - but it won't ever make me stop doing it.

To be honest... While driving back to the game last night with Peanut, she shared how happy she is being in the school we're in.  How quickly I forget how devastated she was last May when she discovered I'd be taking her away from her new friends and life at her last school and shoving her in to yet another new school.  But she told me that now she is very glad it all happened.  She feels like she's where she belongs, with the kids she wants to be with.  It's small little moments like these that warm my heart.  All I ever wanted was a better life for my kids.  I always thought that was making more money or having more time to spend with them.  I didn't take in to consideration their happiness with their surroundings.  But, it appears that all worked its self out.  Butter is happy just about anywhere he goes - but Peanut?  Well, she's been through a lot.  It's nice to know that she's doing OK.

To be honest... I really don't feel like I have anything more to say.  I should probably go and get ready for work...another long day.  Yes, I'm a poet and didn't know it.  HA!

Day One, Again....

Today is weigh-in day...and waking up this morning I just didn't know what to expect.  I kept telling myself that after my weekend, a gain was very possible.

You see, I may have celebrated my birthday just a little too much.

I'm not going to say that I cheated.  Because I've decided that the word "cheat" isn't allowed.  I want to think of it more as me eating foods I'm trying to stay away from.  I ate foods that I shouldn't be eating at this point of my plan.  And while saying that may just sound like I explained the very definition of diet cheating - explaining that way doesn't make me feel as dirty or ashamed.

And I shouldn't be.

I mean, OK, I ate some carbs.  I ate some sugar.  But...and this is a very big but... I didn't gorge myself on anything.

Friday night, I enjoyed the chocolate covered strawberries that one of my kiddos had bought me for my birthday.  There were three of them.  They were delicious.  I enjoyed them.

On Saturday, my mom took me out for a meal before we played bingo.  As I scanned the menu, I knew I was going to be in a little trouble.  It was a diner type restaurant, with an array of fried, breaded, carb infused foods.  My safest option was steak.  Even then, I tried to barter to get some kind of veggies with my steak instead of the only options given:  Fries, tator tots, or mashed potatoes.  But, come to find out, they didn't have any veggies that would have been any better.  Meaning, I could have had corn drenched in butter.  Not exactly a healthier choice.

So, I had my steak with coleslaw and a few fries.

My mom and I then enjoyed a small slice of lemon cake later in the evening - while playing bingo - that served as my birthday cake/ dessert.  And that's all I ate on Saturday, besides my Atkins bar that I had eaten for breakfast.

Yesterday, I had a couple of the chocolate chip cookies that came with my birthday treats.  I ate on plan all day, but call me crazy - it was just so hard to give up all of my birthday treats and give them to the kids without eating a little.

Probably my carb infused mind still controlling me...and that's why it's still so important that I stay on the first phase of Atkins.  I'm just not ready to move on yet.

I'm not going to sit here and say that I feel guilty and ashamed and terrible for eating a few sweets and a few french fries this weekend.  I know that I shouldn't celebrate anything with food, but if I was going to deviate off plan for a bit - it might as well have been on my birthday weekend.

Which is why I was fully intending on seeing a small gain on the scale this morning.

But, I didn't.

I stood on the scale to see...

A loss of 0.6lbs

Not fantastic, but not a gain.  And that's something to celebrate.

Since starting Atkins, I've lost 8lbs.  In three weeks.  I was really hoping that I'd hit that 10lbs mark this week... but to lose 10lbs in 4 weeks would be pretty awesome, too.

If I have any chance of doing that, though, I'm really going to have to start all over today.  Because I did eat some foods I'm trying to avoid, my body will have to go through the adjustment phase all over again.  The first week my body had to do that, I lost 5.6 lbs. Not that I'm expecting to lose that much again, but I'm going to stay optimistic that I can get my body burning fat once again...once all the carbs and sweets are pushed through my system.

And one thing I noticed this weekend?  Not once did I think "well, I've eaten off plan, might as well give up".  In fact, I caught myself slipping another "I don't" instead of "I can't" in to my vocabulary.  When my sister made me a cup of coffee, she asked if I wanted milk.  My response?  "I don't drink milk".

And another thing, I also told myself that just because I had eaten one thing off plan during the day - it wasn't a free ticket to eat bad for the rest of the day.  My deviations were small, calculated, and controlled.

So, to some people, it may appear that I had a very weak mentality this weekend and gave in to temptation. That maybe the case.  But, in reality, I had several successes thrown in to my failures too.  I'm starting to see that I am changing - both physically and mentally.

The fact that I at least tried to stay on plan while going out to eat.  The fact that I limited the "treats".  The fact that I bounced right back to plan for the rest of the day.  The fact that I'm still optimistic and not loathing in self doubt or guilt.

I'm ready to get right back out there this week and start all over.  And I'm totally fine with it and still rearing to go.

Oh yes.  I'm changing.  And that's something to celebrate.  Regardless of what happened this past weekend.

Definitely THE Most Heartfelt Birthday Yet...

Yeah, I know my birthday was yesterday.  Do you think that means I can't talk about how awesome it was today?  Absolutely NOT.  I already told you how much I love my birthday....so it's definitely worth talking about for more than a day.

Yesterday was probably THE most special birthday I've ever had.  Simply because of the love and kindness that was shown to me on my special day.

Let's start with how the day got started.  All of my kids rushed in to the classroom to shower me with hugs and birthday wishes....all the while, covering something up I couldn't quite figure out.  I figured I'd step out of the room to give them some privacy to fix whatever it was they were concocting.

When it was time to step back in, I was presented with a gift basket with all kinds of miscellaneous items.  The basket had come from one of my students, and she had arranged for other students to bring stuff.  She put some fruit in there, another student put in a bear, another a necklace, another a package of hot chocolate mix, another a candle, others put in cards, and three students - who didn't know what to bring - just threw in a dollar bill.  And it wasn't just from kids in my class, but kids from the other fourth grade classrooms too.

Then, in walks one of my boys and a boy from one of the other classes carrying plates stacked with chocolaty goodness from the local candy store.  My boy was quick to tell me that it was all his idea - and that he had just helped out a friend to get me something, too.

I was so overwhelmed with the cuteness and kindness, I couldn't help but tear up.

And here's a pic of my morning goodies:

Do you see the fork sticking out of the glass jar?  That's a little inside joke I have with my class.  Whenever I get a little upset, I say "Stick a fork in me, I'm DONE!"  So, one of my students thought it would be cute to throw an actual fork in my birthday basket.  Gotta love the sense of humor I'm blossoming, right?

I tell ya, I wasn't that surprised to receive such love from the students who participated in the gift basket - because they are all so kind, and generous, and loving to me all of the time.  I mean, I was surprised they had gone to so much trouble and had worked together and pulled off an amazing gift. But not surprised at which kids had gone to that trouble.  But my treat plates?  That was knock the wind out of me awesome.

You see, the boy that bought them for me is super sweet and I love him very much... but, he's just one of those kids that doesn't show his feelings or emotions very much.  He came to me with just a touch of a not so great history.  I've taken him under my wing since school started, and he has shown his appreciation with good behavior and lots of laughs... but to show me that he cares with hugs or gifts?  Yeah, not really his style.  So, to see him walk in with those was one of those moments that buckled my knees a little.  AND he gave me a great hug to go with them.

Kleenexes, people!!  STAT!

After opening up my cards, I discovered a card from one of the 4th grade teachers - with a gift card enclosed.  I have no idea how she managed to get that in there, being that I had been with her since school started... but it just goes to show how awesome the people I work with are.

And the showering didn't stop there.

During math class, a parent swung by to drop off a 1ltr bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper and a candy bar for her son to give me.  I might have mentioned the day before that Pepsi was off limits, and Diet Dr. Pepper would be more appreciated... I can't believe one of my kids took me up on it.

And if all that crying and emotion and super sweetness wasn't enough.... get ready for this....

Right before lunch, one of my kids came to me and asked me if he could go and speak with the school counselor.  I was a little concerned, and asked him if he was OK.  He looked a little down, and just told me that he really needed to speak to the counselor.  I sent him on his way.

Shortly after lunch, the counselor came to me.  My kids were in their specials class.  The counselor told me that she was off to run an errand...but had to tell me the story before she left.

My boy had gone to her with a $5 bill and asked her if she could possibly go and buy cupcakes for the entire class from the local candy store.  She explained that $5 wasn't enough to buy for the whole class, so he immediately started clearing out his pockets of all his ice-cream money (it was ice-cream day at school).  That added another $1.50 to the count.  He told the counselor that he really wanted to buy cupcakes for my birthday - but if it wasn't enough for the whole class, could she just pick out something really nice for me?  The counselor was so touched by his kindness, that she told him she would find a way to buy the cupcakes.

And she did.

A little later, she returned with 24 cupcakes from the candy store.

Are you bawling like babies yet?  I know I was.

When the kids returned back from their specials class, they were greeted with a cupcake...and a big thank-you to the student who had bought them.  The class then sung "Happy Birthday", and we spent the rest of the afternoon having a great time.

I tell ya, there are days and even weeks where I just want to pull my hair out in frustration at these kids.  But,  then I realize it's because they are so darn special to me.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again... I was sent to that school for a reason.  I couldn't imagine working with a greater group of kids, a better faculty and staff.  The demographics for our school district puts us in a very low poverty, very diverse area.  These kids don't have a lot - but they'll give you just about everything they have.  The kindness they display is breath taking.

I just simply couldn't have asked for a better class for my first year of teaching.  I'm sure they have no clue how much I truly do love each and every one of them... but they do have the most extraordinary ways to show me how much they love me.  It's not in their gifts...as nice as they were... it's in their kindness, their thoughts, and their abilities to work together to make me one of the happiest people on the planet - because I get to be apart of their lives.

Another Year Older!

Oh yes.  It's my birthday.  I am now 31 years young.

And you wanna know how I kicked off my big day? By filing my taxes.  Fun, right?  Now there's a party starter, if I do say so myself.

But, it's OK.  I'm actually one of those few people that don't mind filing taxes. I prepare them myself, it's a pretty easy process, and I have until April 15th to pay the state taxes that I owe - and luckily, it's not too much.  Plus, I am getting some money back for my federal returns - so that's a nice little birthday gift to think about.

I'm celebrating my birthday, this year, by doing what I always do - I'm going to play bingo with my mom tomorrow.  Hubby told me that once he gets his tax money back, he's going to take me out for a romantic dinner - just the two of us.  We'll pawn the kids off to a family member, and just he and I will enjoy a night out on the town.  And that's fine with me.  I don't give a flying whoop whether it's actually on my birthday or not...just as long as we get to do something special.  His birthday is in April - so if we go and spend the evening out one night in March...it can count for both of us.  That's thrifty thinking, right there!

And I have no shame in stating that I'm one of those people that soaks up some serious birthday attention.

The people I work with, and the kiddos in my class, are probably so glad this day has finally come.  It's not like I've been subtly mentioning it for the past several weeks or anything.

In fact, when I found out that the school was planning on celebrating another birthday today that belonged to someone else - who's birthday occurs over the weekend - it's not like I pitched a little fit or screamed down the hall that it was MY BIRTHDAY or anything.  In case you didn't pick up on the sarcasm.... I totally did that.  

Not even ashamed of it.

Why should I be?  I'm one of those people that enjoys celebrating her birthday. If I know that someone else is going to be stealing my thunder - even if it is my boss, and the one person I should graciously hand over the attention to - I'm not gonna.

This birthday is really special...a lot more special than in recent years.  I'm celebrating this birthday as a teacher.  My first birthday as a teacher.  A financially stable, happy, mother and fiance.  A less stressed person.  And, with the progress I've made since January 1st, a thinner person.

Yes.  This birthday has been a long time coming.  To truly be happy is something that should be treasured and celebrated and enjoyed.

So, that's what I'm going to do.  I'm going to soak it up all day today.  All day tomorrow.  And maybe some on Sunday.  I've earned it.  It's been a crazy 30 years....and it's time to celebrate everything I've been through, and everything I've accomplished.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!