A First Grade Cat Post That Makes Me Laugh

I survived

and learned that having a newborn tired has nothing on teacher tired. 

I may need to sleep for the next two months. :)

Today I got to share the gift.

Share the Gift

It's no secret that I haven't been around lately as my life has become consumed by my wonderful family and a bunch of sweet little first graders.

Those firsties are sharing so much with me. Today it's laryngitis.  Can you imagine working with a bunch of 6-7 year olds and not being able to talk to them! Crazy. Thankfully, they behaved pretty well - at least in the morning.

We are doing a "Christmas Around the World" unit this week and I get to present Christmas in Mexico to all four classes.

When I was giving my presentation for the first time today (to my own class),  I became so emotional. You see, in Mexico (at least in what we are presenting to our first graders), Christmas is much more of a time to celebrate Christ. We talked about Los Posadas, luminarias, families being together and the traditions of putting out a nativity set and putting baby Jesus in on Christmas Eve.

Did you catch that? I got to talk to my sweet little ones (who I pray for every day that they might feel His love through me) about Him!

I got to tell them them how much I this time of year means to me and how I love my collection of nativities and I cried. 

But I don't think they noticed. My voice had been crazy all day, the lights were out because the bulb in our projector for the presentation is super dim, and my heart was humbled by how my accident of getting to "do Mexico" showed me in such an incredible way that God wants all His children to know.

It's an incredible gift.

I'm humbled and in awe of how I stumbled into sharing it today.

Two Weeks - Unbelievable Picture Catch Up :)

  Late night plan run.

 The reason for the late night plan run. Glad we checked, because that floor vent might be too tempting a target to little boys using a certain fixture to the right.

 The innards.

 My incredible panoramic picture taking skills.

 Our beautiful weeds that need to be cut down before they take over the property again.

 Electric's coming (see little white flags). 

It turned out to be just a little bit more moola to put in underground. Yay!

 Our builder teasing me.

 Beautiful sky. Beautiful roof line.

 Big beams that will support our family. That's my watch put there for size reference.

 Fireplace.

 We will be safe in the storm! That's a big deal. We want our home to be a haven.

Stairway to...

My someday room that I keep calling "the grandkids' sleeping porch," but since we don't have grandchildren and since I walked up there today and had an epiphany that really - this room is going to be my sanctuary. I'll be nice and share, but it's mine.

It will remain unfinished until we can get the house paid off.

Great motivation, don't you think?

I get to stop by here on my way home from work when time allows. Tonight, I just wanted to stay.

Sunday School - little mr. j's Primary talk that we wrote together

little mr. j gave a talk today in Primary.
We wrote it together.
He spoke very clearly and enunciated his words and didn't look up the whole time and maybe didn't breath either.
But it was great and I think we are a good team.
Here you go:

Living the Gospel Blesses My Family
J. E.
21 Sept 2014

The Gospel teaches me to be a good person and be like Jesus and when I do that, it helps my family. A good person, who follows Jesus, makes choices every day that makes family life nice.

For example, the Gospel teaches us to serve. Some ways I serve my family are: making my bed in the morning, helping unload the dishwasher, and helping clean the house. When I do these things, this gives the other people in my family a chance to get their responsibilities done and then we have time for fun. Sometimes I don’t feel like doing my chores, but I know I can sacrifice and play later.

The Gospel also teaches us to be kind. Sometimes I don’t feel like being kind to my brother and sisters. Sometimes they make me mad. I try to be kind and forgive them and I try not to be annoying. It’s more fun when we all get along and are kind to each other. Some kind things my siblings do for me are: share, play with me, and listen to me when I talk to them about things that are important to me.

We learn to be grateful in the Gospel. We focus on the blessings we have and not the wants we don’t have. We have a lot to be thankful for.
Doctrine & Covenants 59: 7 says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” In our prayers, we should always talk to Heavenly Father about what we are thankful for before we ask for anything. This helps me remember that I have so much and have a better attitude and not want so many things.

I can be like Jesus and bless my family by serving, being kind and being grateful. I am thankful that living the Gospel will get me to our family’s ultimate goal - being a family through eternity.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Update. Again.

Oh I miss writing.
I was looking at the little thingy down there in the bottom right that lists the number of posts published each month/year. It's easy for me to correlate the slower pace of posting with what was happening in my/our life/lives given those particular months and years. Good things going on.
A lot of "becoming versed" in situations that required privacy.
A lot of prioritized activities and a lot of growing.
So where we are now.
We are still here.
miss h is now a Mrs. M. and we've added a son-in-law that will get a blog name soon. They are living in a state near but not adjacent to us.
miss s is a resident of another state and studying music therapy.
little mr. b is quite a lot taller than me and in high school.
little mr. j is happily reminding me that his birthday is very soon and I keep telling him, "Be quiet, you are not allowed to have your birthday this year or to grow up." He is happily ignoring me.
my mr. ran a marathon today and has blisters on his feet. 
I have been taking pictures of our building progress, but the big news is:
I've started a new adventure.
I'm learning a lot.
A lot, lot.
And I'm tired and busy and happy.

(Picture from late July - trying to get room together)

I am in 1st grade again and I love it.
Now I get to help a bunch of little ones on their life journey of becoming versed.
And it's awesome.

There you have it.
An update.
Again. :)

Out by the house