elaborate on the positive

i kinda don't like January; it overwhelms me. it reminds me of taxes and makes me feel like i am 60 vs 37. the news in haiti is so heart wrenching; i feel like giving is just not enough, but it is better than nothing. also, i am thankful we serve a God who hears our prayers. (John 11:42)


i doubt you care about that, but just to clarify, i have been busy. i am too busy to write w/caps or unload the dishwasher.

for a week, i have been diligently working with claire on phonemic awareness & school stuff. if you don't know about phonemic awareness, you really do. it is just playing with sounds to strengthen reading skills. we have had fun this week playing games and songs to provide meaning to sounds and words. we have always done this , but now i am following a curriculum to help push her along. hear that word? Push. i prefer PUSH, pray until she hatches. i don't like that word. in fact, i kinda despise it, like January. however, about 4 months after claire was born, i figured out that she beat to her own drummer. i have yet to meet that drummer, but we are starting to line-up. she is successful, and i am so proud of her. i am learning to hone in on her visual skills and tie it into readiness. therefore, she is going to hatch soon, and january 2010 stress will be no big deal.

confession time. i already knew how to do this, i just never cared that much before. i would be a better teacher now, but no one would ever get their w2, eat or pass an AR test. so, i will continue to rhyme, sock out sounds with claire, frustrate the accountant, and pray. thank you Lord that you hear me. honestly, He has been so faithful this week, meeting each need each day. i know He always does, it has just been helpful that i have noticed it. besides Jesus, i am so grateful for claire's kindergarten teacher, the heb sale this week, dunkin donuts, wood in the fireplace, skittles & my spa gift card.

oh yes, i received a spa gift card for my b-day (in august) from craig. i was shocked, it was so generous. however, i tried to use it in october, but the place was closed, forever. in my new year's woe-it-is-january plight, i told the Lord (just last week) that it would be really nice if we were blessed to get the money back on that spa card. i thought it was now a waste of a perfectly good b-day present, or maybe 3.

so, one day this week, i googled a search on the closed spa & the better business bureau. and lo & behold, there was a notification about the closed spa teaming up w/another local spa to redeem gift cards. yahoo! anyway, i had a very relaxing afternoon there today. i did feel guilty that i was pampered w/hot water & foot scrub when the people in haiti have nothing. so, i prayed, it was still relaxing, and the Lord heard me.

i am thankful to serve my God who cares about earthquake victims as well as tired mothers and precious strong willed children.

you never know, someday, i will once again have the compassion to teach someone else's hatching reader. maybe. :)