Thankful Thursday!

Thankful Thursday is running a day late this week!  I've been working over at ISD 196 teaching eight young ladies how to be swimming instructors.  I have to tell you I am most thankful this week that I was not Teija, another one of our instructors.

Tuesday morning, one of her students got out of the pool and promptly tossed the cookies all over the deck.  Poor Teija got to clean it all up, plus sanitize!

Wednesday afternoon, it appears that one of our students got her period and left a trail of blood throughout the locker room as well as a bloody mess in stall number one.  I don't know.  I didn't need to check it out.  I was too busy explaining the situation to our class.  But you guessed it!  Teija was chosen to fight the bloody battle, along with Birgit.

I can only tell you on Thursday how thankful Teija was that she had nothing to clean up.  And nothing on Friday either - praise God!

That Molded Plastic Playhouse . . .

That molded plastic playhouse rolling down Jalisco Way does not belong to Henry.  When I checked with his grandma, though, I got an almond tart!  It always pays to check . . .

'Twas the Day After Christmas . . ."

"... And all through the house, all the creatures were smiling, even the mouse!"

  

Our holiday started out with Christmas Eve services at Berean Lakeville and our top two favorites of the evening were

• Pastor Dan reading the Christmas story using a variety of scripture;
• Pastor Dan on the drums!  That guy can rock! 

We were blessed yesterday to have Sam's cousin David and his family join us for Christmas dinner!  I have to say, the food was outstanding and the company even better!  In fact, I'm surprised you didn't hear us laughing!  Apples to Apples Free Style left us speechless more than once, even with those polite Canadians (inside joke!). 

So while our Christmas wishes to you are late, they come filled with love and laughter!

Thank You

Secret Santa: The End of the Saga

Tuesday morning, Sam's building had their Secret Santa Reveal!  According to him, it was great!  When it was S.'s turn to share, she was moved to tears and couldn't even begin to share everything her Secret Santa had done for her.  In fact, her supervisor took over and told stories of all that had happened and the gift's S. had received as S. sat there crying!  When Sam shared that he was her Secret Santa, Sam said the look of disbelief on her face was most excellent - "You!?!"  Leave it to one of the kinder teachers to say, "It wasn't Sam, it was his wife!"

And as far as the Secret Santa Flop . . . well, we spoke too hasty.  Sam's Secret Santa gave the best she could with what she had.  Sam knows her history and we're grateful that she chose to join in the fun with what she could!

Thankful Thursday!

For the past two afternoons, I have been volunteering in Sam's classroom helping his students make snowmen out of rose bowls as a family holiday gift.  I went in fully prepared, with a good idea of who was who and what to expect regarding behaviors.  I worked with groups of three to six students at once and had an absolutely wonderful time.  Anyone can work with small groups of ADHD and autistic children doing an art project for a half an hour.  It takes someone special to go in day after day and try to teach a classroom full of children who have a wide variety of needs and behaviors.  I am thankful for my husband who gets up every morning to face a most challenging and difficult classroom.  I am thankful for a husband who loves his students in spite of their behavior.  I am thankful for a husband who encourages his class and starts new with them every morning.  Sam, you're amazing! 

Secret Santa Flop!

Every year, I make Sam do "Secret Santa" at his school because I have so much fun doing it!  This year he started to get in to it with me.  The name he drew was one of the kitchen staff whom he had never really met.  I made up seven days worth of gifts and cards and sent him off to school with them - all of her favorites according to her list!  

Because she's in the kitchen, the other day he "ding, dong, ditched" her present!  He put the present down at the back door, rang the service bell and ran.  Next week, he's having a kinder do the dirty work for him.  All in an effort to give her a week of fun and enjoyment!

On the flip side, his Secret Santa is a flop.  Day 2 he got a candle that we're pretty sure was regifted.  I washed off the outside and it looks better now.  Day 3 he got car air fresheners.  You know, the trees that you hang on your mirror.  They went into the circular file.  He came home yesterday with "Droolin' Moose" and I was pretty excited.   "Wow!  Your Secret Santa came through today!"  "Nope," he said.  "That's from one of my student's!"