Finding Joy

As difficult as at can feel at times, I make is a personal goal to always find some joy in every day. This usually includes me making light of something with a joke or my weird sense of humor. Today, my Great-Grandmother, mom, and I spent the afternoon together and had such a wonderful time. We discussed neat looking fabric and crafts we do and all sorts of things that make up happy. I could not have asked for a better day.
I look for joy at home all the time. It is why I tend to be creative there and relaxed. I need to remind myself to find joy at work as much as I find it at home. I love what I do but with the stresses of everything involved in teaching I forget to find the little moments that remind me why I do everything I do.
Work Joy:
I love that my first grade classes all have at least 5 children who give me a hug every time they see me.
Second grade classes that successfully can sing in a round and with voices that could rival the best children's choir.
Colleagues who listen and support me at work and personally.

Rock Out

Today I uttered:
It is a glockenspiel not a rockin'-spiel. Please play it gently.

Truths

• Special education students should not be treated like babies. 
• Little boys (and girls) know how to incorporate fart jokes at any time
• Many students possess an inability to lie or ignore that someone in the room farted and require immediate informing the teacher
•   I really do need to you be the student right now and you to let me be the teacher. No, I do not need an assistant at this moment. 
• Having a dance party with the class is always a good choice. You do have to dance with them by the way.
• Eat candy after you just had a class that wiped you out. instant fix. 
• No matter how good the day, teaching will wear you out.

Thankful Feathers

Many second grade teachers in my school have a giant paper turkey cut out that gets adorned with feathers decorated by students and then hung outside the classroom. Each feather is done at home and is supposed to be filled with all of the things the student is thankful for. The teacher always puts one together too. This year I looked at the one of the class across the hall from me and saw one that broke my heart. The feather was beautifully done and along with all the usual (food, my parents, siblings, xbox, my dog) it said my mom's doctor. This child is the youngest of their siblings and has a mother who is battling a debilitating and life ending disease. I feel sad just knowing what this student is reminded of daily. None the less, they are an amazing and bright student who is kind and sweet. I want to thank this doctor for giving a child more time, quality time, with their mother.

Maybe I should make my thankful feather an put it outside my room. I have much to be thankful for.

I tried on a pair of $100 jeans yesterday. The fit was amazing. They had sparkles on the tush pockets. Want. So. Bad. Can. Not. Afford. I am seriously considering making Kyle and eat ramen for the next month for these pants. They fit so well and seriously, appropriate sparkles on the tush? How cute is that. I will accept amazing jeans donations. I wear a size 8 or a 29 in these particular pair. I think the brand was "Miss Me." My sister bought a pair because they were amazing. You can find her and ask her.


Ugh. Jean envy.

Bad Day Killer

This week has been rough for me for many reasons unrelated to each other. I found the way to kill the rough day downs. One of my students has many needs and participates in their own way everyday. They love coming to music class so very much. Their enthusiasm to see me and come to my rooms makes me forget so much other crap. Seeing someone sign "Music, Music, Music, please, please, Music!" over and over makes me want to hug and love them so much.  Even though I have a pretty good idea that I really don't want to touch them (germs, a little slobber, boogers, bits of lunch). You haven't lived until you have a student who has so many needs is able to participate with their peers just the same as the rest of the class, with a huge smile, jumping and laughing, and enjoying what everyone else is without someone helping them through it. Today I went on a pirate adventure with my first grade classes. All of the kids went on this musical pirate adventure. Everyone sang. Everyone danced. Everyone acted silly and loud. Everyone had a good time.

Sometimes a night out at the CSO makes a crappy day better. I still want to ditch work tomorrow and go shoe shopping all day tomorrow though