Happy Birthday to me!

Today all my owlets ended the day on gold. Should they have? Probably not! Were they proud? Yes! Did they leave smiling and LOVING school? Yes! Did they leave excited to come back to school tomorrow? YES! I love my "job"! I believe that a big part of first grade is getting children to love learning. They have to love coming to school. They have to feel a part of a learning community. Today when I heard several children planning how they would get "held-back" it made me smile and feel really good! That good feeling spilled over and made me teach better. If you love your students you are going to teach better. If your students love you they are going to learn better.

Gold Students!

 My daughter is always trying to get me into a corner and claim I have a favorite student. She is an 8th grader in the school where I teach. It is a small school and we all know each other. We all look out for each other! She knows all of my students by name and when she walks into the room many of my students rush to give her a hug. She does have a couple of favorites! Anyway, the other day she said to me, "I give up, Mom! I think they are all your favorites!" Guess what! It is true. They are all my favorites. They are like my own children. I don't have a favorite. I love them for what they add to our classroom family. I love them because they are unique. I love them because they belong to me.

Gold Student!

Speaking of things I love...I love my birthday. Tomorrow is the day I love. October 26th I began my life. The last year of my life I think I have enjoyed more than any other! I have accepted who I am and who I will never be! I have been blessed with a wonderful family. I have a husband who strives to love me as Christ loved the Church. He would lay down his life for me. He is that wonderful. He has more "stamina" then a class full of first graders! I may not have a lot of "stuff" accumulated, but I have the right stuff!

 I would like to share my Stamina Awards with you, dear reader. You have made my life richer and fuller by listening to me! Thank you and Happy Birthday to me!