Grateful

To catch up with my blog on gratitude, I have a small list of things I am grateful for.

1. Humor--it makes the days much better. One of my students told a very cute joke and it made me smile!! My Jonathan and Thomas have the best sense of humor in the whole family. They can always come up with funny, funny stuff.
2. Cell phones--they make life easier. Though I hate when the battery runs low. For those of you that know me well, know mine is always on its last percentage!!
3. A plan--I am a firm believer that EVERYTHING happens for a reason and God has a plan.  To my best friend,of more than 18 years, my deepest sympathy and all my love.  I have told you for many years, "It will happen", "God has a plan"…he does...just trust Him!! Take a deep breath and thank him for all that you do have! You are blessed beyond words.
4. My car--I am so glad I have a good car to take me to and from work and where ever I need to go.
5. My students--I am so lucky to be in a position to help them. I have one student that so desperately needs a mother or caring adult in his life. I believe God put me in that class to let him know that someone does care for him and that he is worth the effort. He has grown and changed so much over these last few months. I wish I could do more for him!!
6. Sight--I think this is the one thing that most all of us take for granted. It never crossed my mind much until Lilly came. Now it consumes me. I…we are all so lucky to be able to see our loved ones, see God's beautiful creations. I could not image not having that. Lilly doesn't know anything different but everyday I struggle with it. I don't want people to treat her differently or children to be cruel to her. I know it will happen and God help me if I see it. I know that there are many of my friends that have children with disabilities, conditions, sicknesses, or situations that cause their child to be different. Everyday we wonder if this will be the day someone is mean or cruel to our child. I wish we never have to deal with that.

To all my friends…thank for your support these last months as I have made this change to fifth grade. Soon I will be moving back to Art and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. I will miss my students and teaching all the subjects.

So, as for this sickness I've had I am waiting for results from the CTscan to see how big these kidney stones are and whether or not they are small enough to pass or do I need surgery to remove them.

I am exhausted, so I'm heading to bed.

Night
KK

Gratitude

I have not been feeling very good lately. Apparently I have kidney stones and a swollen spleen. I have a CT scan on Friday. In the meantime I just have to deal with all the pain, which leads me to this weeks gratitude. I am grateful again for medicine. It sure does make things more bearable.

I am thankful for my son, Jonathan. I took him out to dinner on Friday and he took the check and paid for our dinner. Very nice surprise! Brittany and I made it to Church again this Sunday and Jonathan came with us. God has a plan!

I am so happy with the weather. It always snows right when I need a day off. I was able to go to the doctor today without having to take leave.

I got to see Lilly this weekend and I am very grateful for that. She will be two in a couple of weeks and she gets smarter and more vocal everyday. She talks up a storm now! The other thing she does now is scream, instead of crying. It's a little annoying but I still love it.

School is two hours late tomorrow which makes me very grateful because now I can sleep in especially if my kidneys wake me up again tonight.

Better head off to bed now just in case.

Night.
KK

Day 8

Day 7-S o as you know I have been sick, very sick. I feel a lot better today, not 100% but better. So yesterday I have to say I was grateful for Motrin! Plain and simple--it saved the day.

Day 8- I'm not really sure if this one is ok to be grateful for but I am glad my boss was not at school today. Not because I was doing anything I wasn't supposed to be, but it lets the pressure off. After being sick and trying to get myself back in the swing of things it was nice to know I could do it without fear of eyes watching me.

My number two grateful is for finding the second grader on the bus. She forgot to get off at her bus stop and her mother was waiting for her. Mom called looking for her and she was still sitting on the bus. The bus driver brought her back to school to meet mom. All is well!! Thanks for the help and support Kelley!!

I'm grateful that it's Hump Day! My week is half over! I am ready for the weekend!!

I know these have been short the last few days and I hope to be more detailed next time.
Sorry about church tonight B, but I really am tired and still feeling a little bad. Let's try again next week.
Good Night
KK

Day 6 Sick

I didn't get to post last night. I went straight to the doctor after work because I felt so sick. I haven't felt good since last week and yesterday it kicked my butt. So I guess the things I am grateful for from yesterday would be:

#1 Doctors- I am thankful for the doctor giving me medicine to help make this all better.
#2 Jonathan- I am grateful for Jonathan because he has gone to the store and got me different things that I thought I could eat. He has been good to me since I've been sick.

I really am not sure if I even feel like thinking about what I'm grateful for at this point because I just feel so bad. I am thankful for my health in general. My blood pressure was great, even though I was sick, all my blood work came back great except for my potassium and that is because of my sickness. All my X-rays looked good so other than this virus I'm very healthy.

I'm going to take this medicine and hopefully will be able to get back to the world tomorrow.

This little face helps me get through the day!! I love her so much! I hope she doesn't get this sickness from me!!

KK

Day 5

Today, Brittany and I went to church. We decided to go to a church that we had been attending many, many years before.

#1 I am grateful Brittany wanted to start going back to church. We both need to go. We both need a place to grow and learn. Lilly needs a safe place where she can grow and learn about God. The people were all so very nice to us. And, of course, they all loved Lilly!! This is Lilly all dressed up for church. With that smile who couldn't love her!

#2 I am grateful for Sue! She brought me a Sprite today which has helped my stomach ache. I was so thirsty and it hit the spot. I haven't gotten any better and my stomach is still killing me. I guess I am going to have to break down and call the doctor! She's just going to tell me its a virus…deal with it.

#3 Lastly today, I am grateful for time. I had time today to spend with my girls. Time to rest and nap in hopes of feeling better. Time with my parents that some people don't have anymore. Time with Jonathan because he still lives with me. I want to spend my time wisely as it seems to pass very fast these days. It has almost been two years since Lilly was born. Two years. Two years! It just seems like yesterday and saying two years just doesn't sound right.

It is amazing how much she has grown and changed over these last two years. Actually how much we ALL have changed over these last two years. I remember bringing Jonathan home from the hospital like it was yesterday and I blinked my eyes and I'm here and he is almost 20 years old. So, time is going faster and faster and I plan on using it wisely. My family is most important to me and I want to share my time with them!!

Good night!
KK

Day 4

After being sick all day yesterday I went to bed very early. I slept fairly good. As the day went on I have felt better and have eaten some noodle soup. I tried to fix a grilled cheese sandwich earlier and set the fire alarm off!! It was not happening!

#1 I am grateful for FaceTime. I know its just technology. But it is really important to me. It allows me to see my hubby everyday. It also allows me to see my momma and daddy and Brittany and Lilly. I feel like I don't miss out on too many things with FaceTime around.

#2 I am grateful for the warm weather today. Please don't get me wrong, I love, love, love the snow. But after feeling so bad, the warm air and sun felt good today. It gave me a little boost, just what the doctor ordered. At this point in the year I always feel like I don't want Winter to end and I sort of want Spring to just come already. I feel like I am missing Winter, the snow, and the warm clothes. On the other hand, it was nice today to feel the warmth as we walked around outside.

#3 The last thing I am grateful for today, as I lay next to the prettiest girl in the world, is the tiny fingers that hold my hand. Those little fingers allow her to 'see' me. There is nothing as soft and loving as her little fingers.

God has a plan!!

We are off to Church tomorrow. I'm excited. Hope tomorrow is just as beautiful as today.

Good night,
KK

Day 3

I woke up at 3:45 this morning…sick to my stomach, been sick all day. So I wasn't really in the grateful mood today. However, God has his ways!

#1 I am grateful for my sister who lives near my parents now. With her so close, I know they are in good hands. My mother was in the hospital for the better part of yesterday. She is ok! I am GRATEFUL!! I feel a lot better knowing my sister is right up the street and can keep an eye on both our parents. I love you dearly, Michelle!

#2 I am grateful that God gave me the ability to be a teacher.  Today during class one of my students asked me what I would do if I had a million dollars. The boy next to him said, (before I could speak) she would let me live with her and buy me the things I need. I told him, you know I have my own children. He told me he could be my child too. I hope my students know that I care for them with all my heart. I often wonder if their parents really know how much teachers give of themselves for their child. This particular group of children I have had since they were in Kindergarten. I have watched them grow and develop over the last six years. They are a very special group.

#3 I am grateful for Fridays. The last day of the work week. The day that starts my weekend. Today of all days, I needed it to be Friday. I came home, undressed, and got straight into my bed….mmmmm. I feel so bad, so sick.

Sorry I don't have anymore in me tonight.
Good night,
KK

Day 2

Today was a much better day.  

#1  So I started my day early this morning with a FaceTime call from my most favorite person…Lilly. She called me this morning to say, "wuv you, Mimi!" I am grateful for Lilly. She has really change my life as well as everyone in our family. I found a short devotional today and it reminded me that God has a plan for everyone. Even though a child may have been an accident or unplanned, God has always had a plan for each person long before they were even born. I'm not sure what his plan is for Lilly, but she is one special person.

#2  I am grateful for snow days. I know they have to be made up in June and I will probably be miserable come June 20th. But right now, in these moments, I am grateful for those days off. It helps preserve my sanity and gives my time off to rest. These snows day have fallen exactly right when I needed them the most.

#3  I know this one is going to sound a little silly…but I am grateful for my bed! It means so many things! I love coming home at night and sinking my tired, aching self deep under the covers. My bed represents renewal after a long day at work, a place to dream, and a place where my family meets to talk and catch up. It's a new bed, very comfy, and large! I love it!

This was posted on my wall when I woke up this morning. God is working to help me regain my focus!

Today is the day to regain your focus- put your eyes on the future God has for you!!

What is in my future? I'm not exactly sure where I'm heading. All I know is God has a plan for me and I must follow it.

Good night
KK

Day 1

Ok, here goes. I tried really hard to be aware of things today. I want to make sure that I pick my three things to be grateful for from some experiences or happenings from each day. So let me just say today was an extremely difficult day for me. That being said, I woke up to several comments on my blog, some of which made me cry.

#1  I am grateful for my mother and my daughter both. You both inspire me. Brittany, I can only hope that I was as good of a mother to you and Jonathan as you are to Lilly. I have never seen a better mother. Momma, thank you for the scripture to start off my day.Just in case anyone would like to read it, 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. Very good verses to start this new path.

#2 As I rode the activity bus around our school neighborhood after school today, I realized that I am grateful for my home. I have been very fortunate to have always live in a wonderful home. I'm not talking about expensive or lavish… I talking clean, warm, safe, loving, whole. I was brought up in a wonderful home and my husband and I were blessed to raise out children in several wonderful homes. I see the homes and situations that my students have to deal with, on a daily basis, and wonder how they ever learn anything while at school.

#3 I am grateful for the relationships I have with my friends. Today, like I mentioned earlier, was a terrible day. Pat Martin, knows me all to well. She took one look at me this afternoon and immediately hugged me…she knew, without a word, I needed that hug and that something was wrong!! Thank you to all my friends that helped me get through this day, commented on my blog, and said words of encouragement. I truly am blessed.

So for the inactivity…By the time this long, hard day was over, I was driving home at 7:00 pm. I was exhausted, had a migraine, and ready to just sit and rest. So I will have to count the 6 laps that I walked around our school today as my activity. (It is more than I usually do because I try not to lap our school at all, lol)

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day. Even though it was hard, I made it through and have three wonderful things to be grateful for. Please bless my friends and family and keep them in your care.
In Jesus name, Amen

Good night!
KK

Lent

Lent…I have never observed Lent. I have often heard of people giving up things for Lent but have never really even known what it was about. Quite frankly, I'm not really one to give up things I like…food, meat, sweets…and so on. If I were that type of person, I probably wouldn't be the size I am. But as I was looking at my FB page today I came across a post about Lent that caught my interest. I have been doing some soul searching and have been lost in the search. I feel like I have been lost for some time now. My focus is really not a focus just a messed up bunch of 'stuff'.

For those of you that know me or have read my blog, I have been working on my education. I finally finished my Master's Degree! However, I didn't feel I was quite ready to venture over to Assistant Principal just yet. I have been teaching Art for many years now, 9, I think. A dear friend of mine found herself needing to talk a medical leave of absence, which afforded me the opportunity to be back in the classroom. It just so happens its the exact same classroom I left 9 years ago!. I started without much notice and easily slid right back into the saddle!. It was a very smooth transition for me and the 28 students I was now entrusted with. I am loving it! I feel alive again. I have been very happy with this opportunity. I had even considered moving back to the classroom. That decision was, in a way, taken from me and made for me. I suppose I could protest and go back to my Art room but I think this is what I would really like to do. I feel I was put in this position for a reason and all of this is taking its course for a reason.

So what does all this have to do with Lent? I have really been trying to find myself. I thought I would accomplish that with this blog and I seemed only to focus on everything but me. I was looking for a great daily devotional and haven't really found one yet. I know that in order to find myself, I need to find God again. I need to be closer to him and everything else will fall in place. So as I read that post on FB, I liked the idea this lady had about what to give up for Lent. So I want to meet her challenge of giving up ingratitude for 40 days. Each night before I go to bed, write three things that I am grateful for from the day. She wants people to comment on her thread one or two of our things that we are grateful for, sort of like an accountability piece. I really liked a different suggestion about doing it with a friend. So I spoke to a friend and we agreed to do this together. I have many close friends in my life but I have found this new friend and there is something special about her. We were put together, by God, for a reason. So over the next 40 days I hope to get to know her better and also more importantly, get closer to God. Finding things to be grateful for and expressing them will hopefully stop negativity in my life.

On a side note, I have also decided to stop inactivity in my life! I have, for so long, talked about exercising or walking or being active and have ALWAYS found an excuse not to be. So I am putting it out there... that for the next 40 days I will do some sort of activity…every single day! Wow, I said it. Now, it's out there, I have to do it!

As I do this, I really want to find my way back to God and find myself. If you come across any verses I need to read or that will encourage me, please post them on my page. I will look them up, read them, and see how they might apply to me. Tomorrow, March 5th, starts the first day of Lent, the first day to finding me, and hopefully will lead to a better me.

What will you do for Lent?

Good Night,
KK