Girl's Night Report....

Saw it and loved it!

On days like today....

I miss my old life....I'd rather be broke that deal with this mess and those children every day.  I want to bake and have snacks ready when my kids get home.  I want to watch a cooking show and not worry about those plans or that stack of papers that need to be graded.  I want to lay down at night and not try to figure out a new way to get those disrespectful non thinkers to do what I want them to do.  I want to not have words like STAAR, collaberatives, benchmarks, and RTIs in my vocabulary.  I want to not feel stressed because I'm being forced to spend $200 on a certification that I don't want and don't have the time to study for.  I want to be around people I like and not around people that talk in cryptic sentences or secretively when I'm standing right next to them.  I want to enjoy my windows being open all day soaking in the sights and sounds of fall.

But here's the deal, we don't always get what we want, so I guess I need to suck it up and deal with it.  Only 6 1/2 more months until summer.

Lesson of the Day:  I love my own kids.  They are well behaved, they are respectful, they understand that learning is important for their future, they obey, and most of all, they love Jesus.  I had one job for 9 years and it was the best job ever!

Belated Pumpkin Patch Pictures

Picture Day Results

J-man (4th Gr/9 yrs), Mommy (3rd Gr Teacher), Ladybug (Kinder/5 yrs)

I always fill out the form with such hesitation. School pictures are expensive and you can't preview. Some years we've had great pictures...some years...well, let's just say, Lifetouch got a donation from me. That is why J doesn't give a big smile anymore. He hasn't mastered the "fake" smile without looking like he's experiencing some type of ancient torture outside of the cameras range.  He's even brought them home and said, "Pictures came in today...you really don't want to see them, Mama."  Well, this year, I am a happy mama.  I actually wish I'd ordered more than the smallest package available (mine were free).  All three of us look great....no torture in these pics.

On another note, I found myself staring at these pictures after school today.  For me, one of the greatest fascinations in life is that two people (with a lot of help from God) can make a whole other person.  I look at my kids and see so much Alan on a normal basis but then I see pictures like those above.  Although neither of my children look like me, I see me in them.  For some reason that fills me with such joy and makes me want to kiss on them.  I'm sure there is some psychological reason behind that but I think it's just because they are mine.  Mine and Alan's.  I sure love those two.