Well, I am a little behind on a few things, so I am going to take this time and try and catch up before more craziness sets in.....
I know I am behind on my weekly menus, but they have been really easy this week...soup/sandwichs, mac and cheese, pizza.....I will try and do better in the coming weeks...but as you know next week is Thanksgiving, so that will take over most of my menu for next week.....
I want to take this time to reflect on the past few days...I have been at the EC Conference in Greensboro since Wednesday....this is always a much needed thing for me...and especially this year...
As you know I struggled going back to work this school year and questioned why I work...and as the weeks have pushed on, I have seen the answers 1st hand, but then again yesterday it was crystal clear......
It has been a rough start to the school year for most of us educators because there have been so many changes statewide and even many within Alexander County....I finally, think things are beginning to settle, but I do want to take this time to reflect on the fact that the school I work at is so much more than a school, its a home that loves every child that walks through the doors everyday including my own....we have had many ups and downs this year...but this morning when I went to drop Bryson off before leaving for Greensboro 2 kids came by and were very excited to see me and give me my morning hug....it is little things like this that I need to constantly remind myself that these are someone's babies and they share them with me daily......
So as always the conference had the opening ceremony yesterday and a few children/people with special needs spoke and ignited that passion that was burned out.....the keynote speaker shared her very own son with a room of 3,000 people to make the point that we all teach because there is some inside pull to help....whether it be the need to see children grow with the knowledge that we instill, whether its the "debt" that we owe because of a former teacher that made the difference for us or whether we wake every morning ready to prepare our future American leaders, there is a reason people educate! You all know my reason....I was that kid that worked so hard for every C- I earned! I work everyday to make the difference (hopefully) in at least one child!! I often tell my kids that hate reading, as I did, don't understand the "outside of the box" math concepts, just like me, that one day when they are 30 no one will remember that they didn't answer the comprehension question correctly on November 15, 2012.....BUT what does matter is what they chose to do with the "obstacles" they have been given and how will they use them to one day help others....
A girl who was deaf and blind spoke about her "obstacles" as a child and how she has overcome them and will graduate in May from Harvard law school as a LAWYER!!!!!!!!!!!! Inspiration, heck yes!!!!!
As Brooks and Bryson argued over spelling words last night and he got so upset because he just couldn't get "small" to come out right (smull).....I saw myself back in the 3rd grade struggling to make my parents proud, but it just wouldn't come out right.....BUT I'm soooooo THANKFUL that they continued to push me...even to tears, because of that I am what I am today and I work in such a trying profession because someone has to love and understand the kids that were and will be just like me....
I didn't tell Bryson that one day he will understand why we push him so hard because I know that it will mean nothing right now, but in time it will!
So here I am....like always wondering if there is more out there for me...should I be spreading and
expanding my knowledge further? Are there bigger things out there for me....am I meant to do more?....Is this the time to consider going back to school....
A few more highlights from the past few days.......lunch with my long lost friend Alicia and her 2 sweet kiddos, Hams homemade chips, a little Christmas shopping during lunch break, listening to others conversations about SED kids on meds, needing more service time on IEPs.....and realizing that there are only a few people in this world that understand their conversation and can think of a 100 ways to help and love this kid!!!!
Thanks for reading!! Hope you have been well and are as excited for the holidays as we are.....I think Santa is sending Buster soon..... So we are on elf patrol at the Derting's!!
Have a fantastic fall weekend and enjoyThanksgiving and all the blessings you have been blessed
with!!!!! Much love, Alysha
