November Gratitude #8

November 8: Today I'm grateful for my job. Tuesdays are our library day for GOAL classes, and it's such a joy to see my students excited about books and to sit and read next to them. I worked hard today to have my work done so I could really sit with them and read together. I think it's important for them to see that I'm a reader. I love when they booktalk the books they love for the other students. I got many good suggestions today too!

It was also a Drama Club day. So far, and it's only the first meeting of November, I've had 47 kids come to Drama Club. I think we're on course for a record-setting year. I had 36 kids there tonight, and it was loud and crazy (my throat is killing me from trying to talk over them), but it was so much fun. For so many kids, Drama Club is a place where they can fit in. I love that.

November Gratitude #7

November 7: Today I'm grateful for the only night this week that I don't have to be anywhere. It's going to be a busy week, and I'm going to cherish this free evening... after I get papers graded, of course. ;)

I'm also grateful for the rare bursts of industriousness (is that a word?) that hit me. Yesterday, I raked and bagged 14 bags of leaves, I finally got my garage clean enough to park in (first time in the 10 years that I've owned my home), and I got every scrap of laundry folded. Tonight in my free time, I should attack other parts of the house, but there's no need to go completely insane, is there?

November Gratitude #6

November 6: I'm grateful for this strange and wonderful feeling of being rested. It's amazing what an extra hour of sleep will do for a person. I thought something was wrong for a minute or two when I first woke up this morning. Then, after careful analysis, I realized that I felt rested after a great night's sleep. I didn't recognize the feeling... very happy to "fall back" this morning!

November Gratitude #5

November 5: I'm grateful for all things Hawkeye:

*Great fall days at Kinnick Stadium

*Time with the Mornin' Crew and my Hugunin family

*The fact that my boyfriend has become a rabid Hawkeye fan

*Today's win over Michigan

*Being in Iowa City to eat Japanese food after the game

*Memories of my mom yelling "All Right!" as she listened to the Hawkeye football game on the radio... I'd quietly go around and close the windows so the neighbors didn't think she was crazy

*My Hawkeye sweater that struck up a conversation with Mr. Hills, the nicest person at DeForest Elementary during the worst year of my school life.

November Gratitude #4

November 4: I'm grateful for my dear friend Suzanne and our wonderful, naughty stolen lunch on a Friday. I wish it could be EVERY Friday!

November Gratitude #3

November 3: I'm grateful for friends who go above and beyond the call of duty. So many gifts that can never be repaid. I'll do my best to be worthy, and I hope I can be there for you whenever YOU need it.

Month of Gratitude #'s 1 & 2

Many people on Facebook are participating in the Month of Gratitude for November. I thought I'd flip it over here to my blog and do the same thing.

November 1: I'm grateful for my family. My cousin Mark is down from Alaska, and Andrew & I got together with him last night at George's. Jimmy, my dad, and my stepmom were also there. I'm grateful to be close to my extended cousins.

November 2: I'm grateful that conferences went well the first night. I had an excellent turnout, and it's always great meeting my kids' parents. I had a couple of parents that I really NEEDED to talk to, and one of them showed up last night. I hope the other one comes Thursday night!