What is so special about this week?

The girls...two fuzzy friends keeping the crocheter company.

My new shirt from Ted!  

My teacher/parent friend came in for Secret Reader this week and I just love listening to her and watching what she does.  So did my class!

I may regret this day.  I may not.  We will see!

How much can you laugh through a supper meal?  Well...sometimes...we do an awful lot of laughing when Ted is giving his version of the story.  Long story short...I had supper ready for when he got home.  I had told him I was making meatballs.  He got home a little later, and then sat out in the truck for a long while on a phone call.  Alisa and I finally went ahead with supper.  He walked in the door and I told him there was pasta and meatballs on the stove.  He eventually brought his bowl to the table.  He had been confused by the kitchen but did not say a word.  I was confused.

Meatballs in the crockpot still hot.  Pasta in the yellow pan (spoon next to it).  Empty cookie sheet that held cheesy bread (seen on tray in picture).  Confusing piece...the cast iron pan with the leftover biscuits from the night before sitting on the stove (with no serving utensil).  "Since when in forever have I served meatballs and biscuits?  I told you what was waiting for you as you walked in...wait, why didn't you say anything?"  Alisa laughed and laughed.  I was gagging at the thought.  And then Ted started with the martyr talk.  "How was I supposed to know?  I work hard all day and then I have to fix my own plate..."

Perfect lead in to the following day...Wacky Wednesday!  Sometimes...life is full of crazy moments and all you can do is laugh!  And add in spring weather...oh, and a full moon and lots of sickness again.  My sanity fighter...time with Alisa after school for lunch and a Buff City run for our favorite laundry soap.  "Hey, it is wacky day...so I need to come home and fix my outfit somehow!"  Ha

More laughs with my girl at Panda Express.

Thursday day...new sensory bin filler from Ted with some space theme objects.  My little friends love this!  They are doing a great job reading and thinking about numbers.  It is so fun to do different activities with them and challenge their abilities.  Today...how to show a number...they had to use counters and figure out how to write the addition fact.  It was interactive and fun!

I got home from school and a store run...right after Ashlynn pulled in the driveway!  What fun to see her this weekend!  She brought me hair products and her scissors to give me a trim.

We had lunch and then she relaxed!  She left TN at 4:45am.  God gave her a smooth trip and I am grateful for answered prayer for that.

More laughter when Alisa got home.

Now...a return to winter in the middle of finding spring!  Poor little birds that have been singing this week may lose their voices.

We got another snow day!  And they called it last night...so...it was nice to sleep in a little.

And there is my boy...sharing another work story.  

And I am savoring all the special things of this week...even the snow again...

with a side of fresh flowers.  It is the simple things of life that make each day special...covered by prayer and accentuated with laughter.

 

Remembering...

There have been some friends and loved ones going through some trials and earthly goodbyes over the last few days.  I've listened to some sweet memories and thoughts shared.  My heart seems stuck in my throat and tears at the verge of falling often.  The phrase keeps echoing...Give it to God!

Today in Kindergarten, we started working on a new set of verses that God put on my heart to teach my class over the summer.  I almost switched them...Give it to God...but I had already posted the passage on our calendar...too late and too hard to communicate a change.

We are working on a song, Think About the Good Things (Phil. 4:8), for our graduation program and as we started our week, God brought all my thoughts together.  You see, some families lost power again on Friday night.  Some of the same families who had lost it a week ago.  So frustrating and discouraging.  "My brethren,  (Girls, this means you too...that is how they wrote these special letters...you can think of it as My friends...) Count it all joy (no grumbling, whining, and complaining) when (not if) you fall into (go through or experience) divers (different) temptations (trials...things that you might not handle easily or correctly...like when the power goes out! or when you were hoping for spring and riding your bike...oops, more snow!); Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worth patience." James 1:2-6  When I am trying to explain a verse to my little friends, my toes get stepped on by the simple truth that God has for us to learn.  Children use plain words..."you got problems?"  Yes...do you?  Did you have trouble finding your shoes this morning so you could put them on to be ready to leave for school?  Yep, I did...that was a problem!  Did you fuss and cry? Did you complain because you had eggs for breakfast?  Nope...I had pancakes.  How quickly we get derailed as five year olds!  But they were getting the thought.  We then sang...'I've got JOY down in my heart, deep, deep, down in heart...JESUS gave it to me...and NOTHING CAN DESTROY IT!"  Snow, lost shoes, eggs, ice, sickness, death...JOY when things are good or when you are discouraged and things are bad.  I'm thinking God wanted me to be reminded again of this truth...not just teach it to my class.  God doesn't do or allow these things TO us...He does them FOR us...  FOR OUR GOOD AND FOR HIS GLORY!  We are still working our way through verses 4-6, and I have a feeling it is going to be good for my remembering.  I want the story of my life to have an ending such as the one I watched this past week on Facebook (it can be a useful and wonderful tool).  Over the last few years, I have followed the life story of Ron and Shelly Hamilton.  The testimony of joy in trials has been encouraging.  Even these last three weeks of sickness which led to the sharing of the recent circumstances and the home going of Frank Garlock.  I had the privilege of meeting them on a couple different occasions and sitting under their ministry.  Mari and I sang several of the songs they have written.  Our family owns and listened to the music and stories for years.  I am thankful for Biblical truth that was set to music to help us rear our children!  I've used the same recordings in my classroom.  So many wonderful memories.  I am thankful for the sweet moment that was shared last week on Facebook when Dr. Garlock answered the question from his daughters, "What would be your last bit of advice...if people ask you...from your life...what is the most important thing..."  His heartfelt and tearful pleading..."Give it to God...no matter what it is!  Your life, your talent, your mind, your heart."

Not all people are blessed to be able to share their final thoughts, but God gave him clarity of mind and speech to share that encouragement one last time.  I needed to be reminded of that simple truth...and God has quieted my spirit in the sleepless moments...and He gives rest.

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

God is always at work.  I need to count it all joy and be patient.

 

Winter keeps us on our toes

Favorite cereal day fun...reading and counting and eating cereal!  Yum!

Quick trip to a rental for an inspection...and we passed!

Carbon monoxide detector could have been a game changer...glad we had it...and nothing was said.  Ted got to entertain two co-workers from Belgium.  A busy week for him and he needed my help.  We make a great team!

A treat from my sweet Alisa...lemon cranberry tea.

My creative little friends...

Dr. Seuss birthday...we wore stripes and read stories and had ice cream!

A fun little treat for March...gold coins at the end of the rainbow for good behavior.

A fun new 100 board that I found on Facebook marketplace.  They really had fun with it.

I love video messages from our TN boy!  

He did it!!!  He finished his training and scored well!

He is now trained and certified after spending this past month in Nashville for this program!  "A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul."

The sand hill cranes were in the neighborhood on Friday...just as the snow was beginning for "the big storm"!

We had thunder and lightning and snow!  It really was amazing how fast it fell.

Ted had to go rescue Alisa from her job...a mile away!  4 wheel drive truck to the rescue.

We woke up Saturday morning to a winter wonderland!  It was beautiful!  The sun was shining and the temps moved to 40 degrees.

It was heavy and wet!   We are thankful for a snowblower that works very well.  I was the designated vehicle cleaner off-er and  mover.

So pretty out!  I think we were so excited about the sun, we didn't care about the work to clear off the snow.

Only in Michigan!  Our neighbor out shoveling in shorts and a sweatshirt.

I needed the hood to protect me as I tried to take the snow off the top of the van.  I'm too short!!!

We are thankful that we did not lose power...several people did again...and they are not happy!  

Date day for lease signings and house checking...took us to Tim Horton's for a meeting.

Yummy sandwich with my working man!

Back home to do a last clean up and make a path for the pups...10.2 inches of snow is rough for little puppies.

Cereal for my supper...

Leftovers for Sunday dinner...Mongolian beef.

Resting up for the new week...and winter is put away...finally...in hopes that spring will arrive soon!