terrific kid

josh and i have always known that jake is a terrific kid.  he is obedient, kind, thoughtful, smart, helpful, funny, sweet, loving, etc....the list could go on and on.  so now that he's in elementary school, we have this award called "terrific kid" sponsored by the kiwanas club.   the award is only given to three students from each class who display positive relationships with their peers, good self-esteem, perseverance, reach their goals, excellent behavior, and are just an all around good kid.  parent's are notified a few weeks in advance if their child will be given the award.  well, me being a teacher, knew the day was coming soon, and i hadn't been contacted by jake's teacher.  no big deal.  maybe another kid needed/deserved it more than jake.  i was ok with that.  jake would never know the difference.  then i get this email from jake's teacher saying he was the terrific kid.  i instantly got all teary-eyed and was sooo proud.  even though i knew in my heart that jake was MY terrific kid, now everyone would get to see how terrific he is!  you know me...i pretty much invited my whole family and the entire church.  yes, jake had his own personal little cheering section in our school cafeteria.  i am so incredibly proud of jake and didn't need this award to prove that he is indeed a terrific kid, but it sure did build his confidence level up.  thanks mr. plumblee and mrs. bazemore for being fantastic teachers and writing such a sweet note to jake!  his first grade teacher will have some big shoes to fill!

walking to the stage

he looks terrified (he said he was)

our principal reading jake his terrific kid letter

the 2 K4 terrific kids and 2 of the K5 terrific kids

all the K4 and K5 terrific kids

coming back to his seat

proud parents of a terrific kid

dinner

jake and allie are in the kitchen "cooking" dinner for josh and i.  jake walks over to me and says "dinner is deserved." (instead of dinner is served) he brings me macaroni cookie and cheese.  of course i gobbled it right up.  he walks back to the kitchen and tells allie to bring her dish to me and whispers to her 'tell mommy that dinner is deserved.'  so allie prances over with her "green beans" and proudly says "dinner is dessert!" with a huge smile on her face.  

thanksgiving (and a little catch up)

clearly i need to do a better job of blogging.  i've been a little, a lot slack. however many new and exciting things have come my way.  i am thankful for many, many blessings this year....so let's get started on this thanksgiving and "catching up on life" post.

i was asked to be the team leader for the first grade team at my school.  on top of that, i am an inclusion teacher on my first grade team.  i have THE MOST AMAZING class this year. (yes....i totally got two fantastic classes back to back.....trust me, i'm sure it's unheard of.)  i was just recently named the 2016-2017 teacher of the year for my school.  so when i say blessings....i mean it.

here's another HUGE blessing.  jake is doing fantastic in school.  the first few weeks, there were some tears, but he quickly got over that when great-gran said she'd pay him a dollar for doing his "job" and walking to class in the mornings by himself.  jake has made about 3 close friends.  and even has a little boy in his class who was in his K4 class.  i am so incredibly thankful for the progress jake has made.

allie is still our little firecracker.  we were so worried she was going to be a "little pistol" forever, but she is quickly learning to follow the rules and is becoming the sweetest, funniest and most caring little girl.  (prayer works!) she recently had to have a procedure done due to way too many UTI's.  it was horrible for her and for me and momma to endure.  we arrived at the hospital at 7.  the procedure wasn't until 8:30.  they gave her some meds to make her a little loopy and i kept telling the nurses they may want to double that dose. the procedure time came. they had to put a catheter in to fill her bladder and watch her bladder expand to make sure there wasn't any reflux.  (there wasn't.) but talk about a fighter.....lord have mercy.....the nurses joked and said "no wonder you kept saying she might need double the dose of loopy meds."  it took 4 people to hold her down (me, momma, a nurse and the doctor).  so there's yet another blessing....no surgery required for our sweet allie.

thanksgiving was a little different this year.  no thanksgiving at my grandma betsy's.  no thanksgiving at josh's grandma's house either.  both our grandma's were put in an assisted living facility earlier this year. but i was sooo excited that i finally got to go to grandma fiske's thanksgiving! then i wake up on thanksgiving day with a terrible stomachache.  i never threw up that day, so i went on to try to enjoy thanksgiving with the fiske family. an hour into our dinner, i told josh to take me home.  i felt terrible.  i was freezing, had a fever, and felt very nauseous.  the blessing in all this is josh took care of me and tended to the kids.  he even cleaned up after i threw up and sanitized the whole house.  never once did he complain or lose his cool.  i also didn't get to go to thanksgiving at my in-laws either.  bummer.

even though i didn't get to enjoy any of the yummy thanksgiving meals, i still have so much to be thankful for.  my Lord and Savior, my very handsome hubby, my sweet children, my amazing family, my wonderful church family, a roof over my head, cars to drive, fantastic friends in our couples class at church, a job, my awesome kiddos at school, and the list could go on and on.  i pray the Lord pours many blessings on your family this holiday season.