Thankful Thursday

There are so many things to be thankful for...

1) A wonderful summer at home with my sweet little boy:

Going back to work next week will certainly be bittersweet. I have absolutely enjoyed all the extra time I got to spend with him, and I got to witness so many new things he is learning. I also got a peek into the life of a stay-at-home mom, and whoever thinks it's easy needs to try it out!

2) An opportunity to go to Women of Faith this weekend with two of my co-workers/friends:

I was disappointed not to be able to go to the Women of Faith conference in Charlotte in September because it's so hard to take off work, but when the opportunity arose to go to the Atlanta conference, I felt like it was the perfect way to jump start a new school year, and I don't have to take off work to go!

3) My new Kindle:

I debated whether or not to make the purchase, but I am so glad I did! I am finally catching up on some good reading. If you haven't read this book, you really need to. It has helped me look at my marriage in a different way than I ever have before.

18

So, the big day is here. My firstborn son is 18 months old today, and I can hardly believe it. It's bittersweet for sure in many ways. Just this morning, I noticed that his feet almost touch the foot rest on the highchair. When did that happen? He's supposed to be cuddled up on my shoulder!

I am so thankful for my precious little boy, who will always be my baby no matter how big he gets. God truly blessed me when he made me a mother.

Happy Half Birthday, Chandler!

Theme

It's that time of year when the wheels in my head are spinning non-stop...Yes, it's almost time for school, which is so hard to believe!

I worked part of two days this week in my classroom and even brought a few things home to work on while Chandler naps (Boy, how this has changed. Before Chandler was born, I used to bring everything home regularly!). I am proud of what I have accomplished, and I am hoping that I am far enough ahead with things that pre-planning won't be a rush and I can actually enjoy it.

As I've been redesigning the setup of my room, I have been perusing the Internet for ideas. There are lots of good ones out there, and as a first grade teacher, I am very tempted to go for one of the cutesy themes (dinosaurs, camping, frogs, solar system, etc...), but the more I think about it, the more I realize that what theme I use (or don't use) is not what matters.

What matters is that I put forth my best efforts EVERY DAY in teaching all my students, no matter how difficult it may be to do that sometimes. That is exactly what God instructs all of us to do. He wants us to always do our best in our own jobs, and in this, someone else just might get a glimpse of HIM that they would never have seen otherwise.

So, what theme did I decide on? I didn't choose one. I've decided instead to make prayer a central part of my classroom in a way that I never have before.

It Does a Mama Good

On Tuesday night, I packed up a bag for us, and two for Chandler. My mother-in-law (affectionately called Nana) came and picked up Chandler on Wednesday morning, and by noon, Brent and I were on our way to Pigeon Forge. By 3:45, we were having a blast at Dollywood theme park, just the two of us.

We were only gone from home about 30 hours, but it was nice to have the time away to ourselves. It was strange in some ways, too, though. I didn't have to change any diapers, prepare any toddler-appropriate food and feed someone else while I was trying to feed myself, or make sure anyone got their nap for the afternoon. I knew Nana was doing a good job of taking care of these things, and doing a little spoiling, too!

We rode all the rides we wanted to ride - most of them twice, Brent got a few laughs since I'm a chicken on fast rides, we ate ice cream and drank coke to stay cool, and held hands like we were teenagers again. It was nice quality time, and we made some good memories together. Trips like this do a mama good, but I sure was happy to see and hear the pitter-patter of little feet in our hallway last night.

Current Chandler-isms

My sweet baby boy is growing like a weed, and at almost 18 months, he says a mouthful! Here are a few translations. I just love them all!

muh (usually accompanied by a point) = more

mah-mah = Mama

deh-deh = Daddy

mah-mah-mah = Grandmama

na-na = Nana

dalh = dog

uht = look

hey (in a deep voice) = hey

geen = green

boo = blue

seek = stick

soo = shoo! (as in something smells or is trash)

ahhl (with an open mouth) = I love you!

Thankful Thursday

This Thursday, I am thankful for:

1) Tips from the Fly Lady- Because of them, my house is now the cleanest it has been in a while. I consider myself to be a decent house keeper. My house has always been presentable if someone came by, and I've always said that every item has a place, but this lady has some awesome tips that even the neatest neat-freak can use!

2) The Alzheimer's Association- I will be raising money between now and October 8 for Alzheimer awareness, and on that day I will be walking 5K (3.1 miles) at Atlantic Station with hundreds of other Georgians. Several people that I dearly love are affected by this horrible disease, and according to statistics, the numbers will only rise. Go to my home page for more information or to donate. I'd love to have you as part of my team!

3) Goldfish Crackers- They really are the perfect snack for a toddler (and for me, too!), and they buy me time while I do other things sometimes.

Everyone Cares About Cancer, But What About Alzheimer's?

If you feel compelled to do so, I invite you to join me on Saturday, October 8 at Atlantic Station in Atlanta as we walk for Alzheimer's awareness. It's only 5k (3.1) miles, and there are no minimum fundraising requirements. Simply go to the website above and find "The Memory Walkers of NE Georgia" . If you cannot walk with us, please consider making a donation. It can make a difference for someone you love!