hammering 4 habitat

(excuse picture placement . . . not sure what was going on!!)

For our 5th grade MAD (make a difference) project this year, we are working with Habitat for Humanity. As teachers we sometimes can be caught grumbling and groaning when MAD kicks off in October. We know it is a LONG haul to the finish line in May.

I must say though, this year has been a bit different.

Oh yes, there are still the groans and grumbles and the frustrations with 5th graders who can't focus or write a cohesive paragraph, but working with Habitat just seems like a right fit this year.

The kids were asked early on, what will you build? As a class we have brainstormed, researched, listened to speakers, made Habitat gingerbread houses, and just recently, earned money and participated in the Hammering 4 Habitat event. Students currently are working in groups to write proposals to bring to Donor Day in order to fulfill whatever the goal of that group is (birdhouses, benches, key holders, heartwarming baskets, etc.). In May we will be going to worksites to clean homes and then attend the dedication service where a family will receive a new home.

Truly being a willing servant and serving others in order to ultimately serve Him is when my heart is most content.

Looking forward to answering that question this year . . . what will we build?

to finish the morning, a trip to the historic falls

friends

Huh. Not sure how December and January came and went . . .and February . . .

I did decide it was time to clear pictures off of my camera.

Yikes . . .

So a few posts that are a bit outdated, but good memories never grow old, right?

So I begin with a post about friends.

Or should I say the girls of Stanley Court (okay, a small shout out to Rick and Matt =).

These friends are like no other. Drop my kids off so I can go food shopping? Done. Stop over on a Friday afternoon for a glass of wine? Check. Saturday afternoon out of the blue play dates? Yup. Hand-me-downs times a thousand that are bursting out of my house? Done and done again! Someone who listens, understands and never judges me for my thoughts, questions or concerns? Yes. Warm winter weather before Christmas trip to NY Botanical Gardens? Awesome!

So here are just a few of my favorites =)

happy. fun. thankful. friends.

to the moon and back

In the car today, picking Jenny up from school:

Kirsten - You know what I learned about in school today, Jenny?

Jenny - What?

K - A heartprint

J - A what?

K - Ya know, when I give you a kiss or something, I give you a heartprint . . .

Putting Kirsten to bed tonight:

K - Mommy, I love you.

Me - I love you more

K - I love you most

Me - I love you mostest

K - I love you to the moon and back

Me - I love you to the moon and back to the moon and back

K - I love you to Jesus and back.

Love precious glimpses like these. . .

50 %

This is not the post I intended as my "come back after a while" post . . .

BUT, I am at school, and need to write . . .

Jenny is a busy girl. If she is busy, that probably means I am busy, too.

I often catch myself thinking about that next "phase," and wonder if I am ready for the challenges that come with that. Currently I look at my best friend's life, and often wonder how she does it all . . . a full time teacher, mom and wife. Her girls are involved in like a gazillion sports, and she is so extremely dedicated and motivated to her life as a teacher that I often wonder how she does it. AND she has even added to her "mom plate," a "dating" child =) .

I can look at my brother and sister-in-law, and think about when I was 5 months pregnant with my first child. 1st grade was a LONG way off, why think about that? I do clearly remember those "baby days," and truly cannot imagine going back to those days, as they presented their own challenges . . . although the joys were very abundant as well!

So, back to Jenny and my reason for writing.

Jenny's teacher e-mailed me with the results of Jenny's spelling test . . . 50%.

Ugh.

This week we had a lengthy Bible memory verse, nightly math facts, our reading log, a slacking responsibility chart, a broken Valentine's Day teacher's present (an orchid that got stuck in the bus door!!) and spelling. Add in to that some dance, GEMS, and meetings and basketball games for Mommy, and we have got ourselves a full week.

I was pretty certain last night in the hour between dance and GEMS with a bowl full of mac and cheese, that she had these words down. We practiced and then I had her practice the words she had gotten wrong . . . and she was all good . . . or so I thought . . .

I'm pretty sure Jenny's 1st grade spelling test is not going to define her future as a student, but, it has caused enough angst in my heart today that even my phrase "it's all good" is not really cutting it!

So, today after school I will wipe the tears of frustration away, and next week we will study a bit longer!

ill be back. . . .

February?

Not sure how that happened.

I have to apologize for not keeping up on the thoughts and lives of my friends, I just seem to be having a slightly difficult time keeping up with my own thoughts and daily routines! But I know that my friends love me for who I am, and not for what is on my blog! Besides, I started this whole blogging thing to keep a record mostly for my kids since I am really bad at writing stuff down and holding on to things (no offense to all of my dear friends! I love that we can listen and love each other through these "posts".)

Why should a blog make me feel stressed, or apologetic? Hmmm....need to work on that.

Thankfully I'm not judged by the "updates" on my blog, or the comments on others. This is why facebook would be a disaster for me!

Right now I'm taking one day at a time.