Getting Unstuck: Letter to my Future Self

One thing I have come to realize about life is it just keeps us going our merry way. Right now as I prep for testing in my little classroom and all the other that is the hustle and bustle of life, I was reminded by Ali that I need to stop for myself and just savor the moment. So this is me getting unstuck...

Dear Lynnelle,

Here is it February! 2010 has started off with a big bang! Another big snow storm, Gracie cutting ALL of her hair off. You should be laughing now, but just as a reminder you only smirked in 2010! You were quite disappointed that she wouldn't have pictures made. Hopefully, you decided to put chopped bangs aside and get the pics anyway because it could make for some good blackmail when she's 16. :-)

As you read this in 2011, I remind you this year was the year of PASSION. I am very proud of you for pursuing your National Board Certification and I hope you are spending that extra money you earned when you found out you passed in Nov. 2010. I pray that you were able to transition from your core classroom to the special education classroom. I believe that is where your heart and passion lie. When Emma was born you changed. Changed from a new mommy even. You changed into a whole different kind of momma. A mother of a daughter who lives with in Down syndrome. Now every time you look into the classroom you wish you were the teacher to the child with a disability. I hope you were able to earn the position that would put you into the passionate position of special education at your school.

Another PASSION you pursued was advocacy. Whether it was local or even teaching your students how to be self-advocates I am sure you learned many truths on this journey.

And last, PASSION with your girls. You are crazy about them. They are all you think about. I know often times you question yourself: Are you a good single mom? Are you teaching them what it means to be a good person?--I know you are because each day you live for them. To help them. To give to them.

Remember you are loved and you are one passionate girl!

Lynnelle

Synthesis and Summarizing

One of my classes is working on understanding a nonfiction text and leaving tracks of their thinking. We used a great book about Jackie Robinson--Teammates. We practiced as class for the first half of the book. For the second half the students tried it on their own and then shared with the class. The next day we tried reading about Paul Revere and the first battle of the Revolution. Much to my amazement I heard this, "This is the coolest way to learn ever!!" Love it!! Learning can be fun!!

One Little Word 2010

As I began to make my choice of one little word to live by for 2010, a few things came to mind. *The love of my children burns in my sould. *My desire to help my students achieve their full potential is my reason for going to work each day. *Searching for my dreams and realizing not all of them have been achieved. One word comes to mind in order to ensure all these things occur. PASSION

P A S S I O N-INTENSELY STIRRING EMTION COMPELLING ENERGETIC ACTION TO THAT WHICH YOU ARE DEVOTED.

December Daily D21-25

Dec 25 pg. 2 discussed the blizzard and how we canceled our big family Christmas, but we spent the day together just the 3 of us.
Dec. 25 Recorded my thoughts about the meaning of Christmas
Dec. 24 pg. 2 Pictures of Gifts. The girls and celebrate on Christmas Eve
Dec. 24 journaling about the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 2009 along with the stowaway I found (neighborhood cat)
Dec. 24-Pg. 1
Day 23: Decorating sugar cookies; the pictures pull out (stole idea from Ali Edwards)
Day 22: Dec Family B-Day
Day 21: documenting my new antique table, chairs and china hutch. They were my grandmother's, but don't have the picture yet.

December Daily D. 15-20

Documented in my actual album
Day 20: The Blah-Hum "sick" Bug
Day 19: Emma's para getting engaged and showing me how many people in the world see my beautiful daughter for herself-sweet girl.
Day 18: Last day of school before Holiday break; lights at Rhema
Day 17: Nothing to document so I put pics from Rhema
Day 16: Papa and Gracie relaxing
Day 15: Nothing happened so I put Rhema light pictures.

DAY 14

Presents glistening under the tree,
air crisp, tingling my fingers,
winter arrives with chilling splendor,
It must be Christmas.

Giggles as we eat "ho, ho, ho" cake,
more, more yell the girls,
sprinkles on the floor,
It must be Christmas.

Giving of ourselves
our time,
realizing others lives are not like mine,
It must be Christmas.

Day 13

Tonight I went Christmas shopping for the girls and picked up some shoes for Gracie. When I got them home and tried them on her. She ran all through the house, "I have SHOES!! SHOES!! SHOES!!" I love that girl!