The Weekend!

The above image is me spinning fire! This is my new hobby and was on my list of things to learn in life! It is called Poi, very fun and G. is so terrified!

It is a beautiful fall day here in the mountains. Unusually warm, golden yellow and red from the Aspen trees. It is a day to inhale deeply.

M and the neighbor boys are playing football in the yard and the girls are rehearsing there dance moves that they and 50 other 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will perform during half-time at the high school football game tonight.

Life feels so full right now.

We were talking a few weeks ago in our small group about how God fills your cup with joy. My friend said she looked up this phrase in the concordance and the actual meaning/ translation was "overflowing". So our God actually wants our cups to be overflowing with joy. I feel like that today. The blessings of sunshine, family, friends, and contentment.

Thank you Becoming for the heartfelt comment that reminds me of the importance of joy, not because of circumstances, but because of Christ's love, what an amazing reminder! You are so insightful and honest!

This weekend our town gathers at the town square to buy pumpkins for a PTA fundraiser. So unusual that the weather is so nice!

Peace in the fall!,

Lucia

I am on a roll!

So now that the guilt is not allowed (thank you Heather for that wonderful reminder!) I feel like this is fun again! An I won't do anything that isn't fun!

Today was Columbus day and we had a teachers inservice. The girls went to a day of dance camp organized by the high school cheerleaders and Madden stayed in my room in the morning and G's room in the afternoon. These days are always a juggle!

The good news is though that my friend taught this inservice and she did such an amazing job that I came home and took a nap because I learned so much! The topic is my favorite and that is teaching reading.

If you can read well, or at all, you can do anything!

I work with students who are struggling at reading. They often hate it, they are often behavior problems, and they are checked out of school the majority of the time. I get them for 45 minutes a day in a small group setting and I am supposed to teach them how to be a good reader, teach them to love to read, and teach them life skills that I think are important for them to be successful in the academic environment. This is one heck of a tough job!

So back to today, the great thing about today is that it was a 100% applicable to by job as a
title 1 reading para and to my upcoming classes! A double hitter! I love those!

I start reading Methods, Language arts methods, and education for the future next week and my mentor is one of my all time favorite Kindergarten teachers in town! She was Madden's teacher and I am so excited to sit down with her and just absorb her enthusiasm and energy. Should be great!

We also had church tonight and our pastor guy was talking about work and the reason we do work. This was a good reminder for me because even though I really love my job and I really like working, I do get the jealousies every now and then. I start thinking about how I wish I was still a stay at home mom and how I really wish I was called to home-school my kids, This is a whole other topic, just believe me when I say I was not called and there is no way around it at this point!

So tonight message was that God created work to not only bless him, but to bless US as well. That we as created people need work and it is good. His reference was Ecclesiastes 3:9-13 that not only is work a blessing from God, but a gift from God.

Tomorrow is a great day to be mindful of doing my work for God and not for men.
Peace,
Lucia

I am back...I think..oooh commitment is SO hard!

After six months of quiet and guilt feelings on this end I decided just to jump back in today and start talking about our life, the crazies, the struggles, and the joys!

So here is an update for the record.

I went back to school! I am finally finishing my bachelors degree from Prescott college. I will have a bachelors in elementary education with an endorsement in art. This gets me a gigantic step closer to my dream of being an elementary or middle school art teacher. Now I just need a job opening, an interview and no other candidates with their MFA's!

A and B are in fifth grade a really seem to have come into their own this year. They decided to be in different classes and they both have amazing teachers. I don't know if it is a combination of factors or if it is part of their growing upness, but they are just becoming their own people, growing in different directions, and still maintaining their wonderful "twinness". It is so fun to see and be a part of!

M.J. is in second grade and just about the sweetest little guy! He is doing so good too! Reading is a bit of a struggle, but we are hitting the "confidence" factor hard!

I am having a really amazing year at my school! I love the other ladies I work with, they are wonderful and I LOVE my kids! It is so fun to be doing something everyday that you really love!

I haven't figured out how to make art a part of my everyday, but that is a goal! I have included my creativity in my school work and that has been extremely rewarding.

G-man is doing OK this year. He started a new engineering program at the High School and I think for him when he is doing something new and writing the curriculum (so he doesn't know exactly what he is doing) he gets overwhelmed and tired and then frustrated. So, I hope things get better for that guy! He is excited about the program, it is very cool! Eventually it will be great for him.

My USB on my brand new computer is defunked, so I have to go talk to Mr. Dell and figure that out, when I can I will post more pictures!

Peace,
Lucia