Monday, December 17, 2012

God can't be kept out...

Emotions have flowed through me like crazy today when entering my elementary school.  I woke up with the thought that "no one should have to enter en elementary school today."
But then I started thinking of a father they interviewed who lost his child.  He said how thankful he was for all of the support and generosity of others comforting his grieving heart.  He also said that he felt to special to have shared six years with his little angel.
I also thought of the principal, who is a mother of 5, and the teacher who placed her tiny, precious children into closets and cabinets giving her life for theirs.
Then I felt this sense of peace and gratitude for the humble hearts who still exist in our world.  That out of such a tragedy, comes beautiful lives and stories.
People are choosing to blame everyone and everything, but there is none to blame.  All we can do is pray...but hearing these heartwarming stories shows that God was THERE through everything.  He is also THERE in each one of us as we strain to comprehend.  I will hold my baby tonight with more love imaginable and say a multitude of special prayers for the families who have had to experience such a loss.  I will pray for the children whose innocence was taken, I will also pray for the family of the man who caused this pain.  But know in my heart, through all of this, God is THERE, HERE, EVERYWHERE...  He is the only way for us to move on.


Monday, December 10, 2012

Little Drummer Girl

AMAZING WORDS  Little Drummer Girl

Content

Today my third graders came up with synonyms for the word, happy.  We killed him, happy, because we decided we should have better word choice in our writing class! So R.I.P happy.
I am not usually one to say that I am happy... I feel that people who have to continuously yell out/post out their happiness just aren't generally happy.
BUT... today... I am thrilled about my new  Victoria's Secret pajamas (with free slippers) which I bought when purchasing Christmas gifts online for others!
Speaking of...
Our class gifts this year are letters to our parents.  Not just any letter, but a "true feelings and thank you" letter.  Isn't that the best gift anyways!  The students are more excited about this letter than any other "parent present" I have made in the past with kiddos.  I will def. post some student quotes on here... because their words of kindness are precious.  We also started R.A.K aka random acts of kindness in our classroom.  Thanks to Oh Boy 4th Grade's blog for the R.A.C.K tags.  We have a basket for students to nominate these acts throughout the daily and we choose a winner!  Happy 9 days teachers!! ALMOST HOLIDAY TIME :)

Keep Complex
Lindsey

Saturday, December 8, 2012

My FIRST Currently

So here it is...
VERY...CURRENTLY...ME
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Visit Farley... Thanks for bringing all of us together with this clever idea!

Friday, December 7, 2012

Dear John

I feel like I have entered a new era of teaching this year.  I am so overwhelmingly inspired by my students and what I never allowed them to come up with before!  I know most teachers (true generalization) would gag at the words...I love Common Core.  But...it is the truth...I am teaching like I never thought possible.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am a complainer.  Can't help it.  I love complaining.  I love teaching.
This brings me back to a little girl I "nannied" who said, "if you can't hug it, you can't love it."  But I do!!  I love teaching, and I can hug ALL 20 of them this year.  Well, almost all 20. hehe
TODAY, December 7... I was blown away!  These are the words I happily stated to those huge brown eyes.  He is one of my LOW students, and his response was phenomenal!  We discussed personification.  He answered with amazing vocabulary and understanding.  He is my "teacher questioner" and somehow incredibly motivated by me to show such outstanding effort.  HUGE lack of conventions and spelling.  He spills his thoughts and enthusiasm onto the page too quickly to worry about that. :) THIS is why I TEACH.  Thank you God for reminding me :)

Can't help myself...

So...I have decided to join the world of bloggers.  Mainly because I am so inspired by so many women, mothers, teachers, and friends who share themselves with this "blog world."
I couldn't name myself or place myself, for that matter, in one single category.  Because, frankly, I am complex.  I like it that way.  Anyhow, I am a: woman, friend, wife, mother, teacher, daughter... WAY too complex to stick to one category!
My name is Lindsey and I am married to my ALWAYS boyfriend/best friend/favorite person ever, Matt.  We have an 8 month old boy, Griffin, who has become the ADDITIONAL love of my life.
I am also a THIRD grade teacher.  I will use the word specialize because it makes my job seem so important, WHICH IT IS!  I specialize in writing and I LOVE writing...
I also LOVE cleaning, cooking(love/hate relationship), reading, movies... so much to talk about...so little time!
                                                           Keep Complex,
                                                              Lindsey