Lots of Learning

Hello family and friends...it has been a while. I can't tell you how many times I have wanted to write a new entry but then I seem to have other things that take precedence or I'm just plain tired.
The last time I updated my blog, it was the beginning of January. I was sitting at home in Michigan in the living room. Mom and Dad watching TV with me and snow falling gently outside.
Today, I am sitting at Paradise Bakery and Cafe (which is basically the AZ version of Panera Bread). It is sunny outside...like most every other day here. 70 degrees with a slight breeze. Not too shabby :)

My days are filled with teaching the sweetest, most curious bunch of little kiddos. I currently have 8 students in my self-contained classroom. My students are honestly the very best thing about being out here teaching. While it is a lot of work to plan lessons and activities that fit their individual needs, they keep me sane amidst the rest of the craziness.
If someone would have told me some of the things I would experience and learn my first year teaching, my response would have been "yeah, right." But no one did, thus I am constantly reflecting and trying to grow.
Let me give you some insight: My school district was audited by the state this year for special ed paperwork...holy crap. So, all of us first year teachers were thrown in to not only to survive but try to be meticulous with our paperwork...it was quite overwhelming at times. Thankfully I have my "other half" at school and we make up the SpEd team at our school. We respectfully call ourselves the "hot mess" team. We mean it lovingly though :)
But it all seriousness, we have learned so much thus far. Much more than lots of seasoned teachers. We have decided to try and look at the positive, and see these things as tools to use and experiences that have and will continue to make us better teachers. We are trying to choose joy rather than frustration. Thankfully we have administration that is more supportive than we could even imagine and a few mentors we have met along the way.

I have also found the Master's program that I want to start. It is an online Master in Education program through MSU...I love it because I can choose two areas of concentration, which I have chosen as Special Education and K-12 Leadership. So now I have a few people working on my letters of recommendation and I'm trying to write my "mission" about myself and how it pertains to this program. My goodness that is a lot to get across in 750 words or less. Jeez! I don't want to start until Fall semester but I want to apply by the end of March. So I have a little time to organize my thoughts.

I am going to share a few cute things my kiddos have done and said lately that make my heart both melt and leap for joy:

~ One of my students learned how to wink. Cutest. thing. ever.

~When I asked my students what they needed to do when they got to the playground after lunch, one student promptly replied with "You keep your hands to yourself, use kind words, play nice and no kissing." Now that answer
is solid! :)

~Love this conversation between me and one of my kinder boys on our way to recess:
Student: Miss B I like your hair.
Me: oh thank you!
Student: it is beautiful!
Me: aww thank you sweetie. Do you think I should cut it or keep it long?
Student: ahhhh you should keep it long. It is so pretty and soft. And I bet it is ticklish!
Me: ummm sure it is....
Then he decides it is more fun to go play :)

~ One student who couldn't hold a pencil at the beginning of the school year, is able to write his numbers to 10 and most letters of the alphabet all by himself. That has been an emotional achievement.

I have also been busy with things outside of school as well. We had a 3-day weekend in January and Kristi and I went to Prescott for a weekend. We went hiking near this beautiful lake...

We had so much fun hiking and exploring downtown Prescott...adorable little shops. We found some treasures and talked to this sweet old man in one of the stores. So nice :)

My grandparents came out here for a couple of weeks and stayed in a condo in Mesa. I was so thankful to be able to spend a couple of weekends with them. We went down the Apache Trail and to Tortilla Flats. We explored the Mesa Swap-meet. Lots of treasures there of course! We went to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum...beautiful desert landscape. And we drove a ways East of Mesa through the mountains and such. It was super hard for see them go but the time we enjoyed together out here was so incredible. I am so lucky to have such wonderful grandparents. It was tons of fun enjoying Sangria's and playing intense games of UNO :)

One of the most inspiring people in my life.

We also went to Sedona one weekend for a 5K and walked to Cathedral Rock, which is one of the prettiest places I have seen out here...reminds me a lot of Northern Michigan. I love Red Rock Country...more beautiful every time I see it :)

Cathedral Rock

Best caramel apple ever...dirt cake style complete with a gummy worm :)

I have also completed two 5K's..one in Sedona

I am also so pumped for my Mom and Grandma to come out for my Spring Break! They should get in on Monday the 12th and we plan to leave early Tuesday morning...possibly heading up to Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, and then down to San Diego for a few days. I've never been to Vegas so I would love to see that and going to San Diego would be awesome because I haven't been there either and I would love to spend some time by the ocean. But really anything we do will be fun, just spending time together :)

I am going to try and update this blog more frequently...thanks for reading and please continue to send prayers my way. Specifically prayers to enjoy this adventure God provided for me and not try to rush through this to my next adventure. Lots and lots of love :)