A Grateful List

It has been a little while since my last blog entry.
I have been a busy man.
I am only able to put together a Grateful List for the time being but want to put together my thoughts for a few more entries this upcoming weekend.

Here's what I am grateful for:

1. Being able to spend time with my nephew, Blaine.
His birthday was last weekend and I was in Kansas City for it so I was not able to be here to help him celebrate. So, I took him to Olive Garden and we had pasta...well actually odd thing...he wanted the Calamari????? What 7 year old enjoys SQUID??? I ask you...but he did and he really enjoyed it...then we went off in search of the perfect ice cream...to which a little birdy told me that he love love loved COLDSTONE CREAMERY!! YUMMY!!! On the way, I was informed that Cookie Dough Ice Cream is the bomb-diggity. Note taken... Was a really good time had by the both of us. I just hope his Mom can forgive the sugar rush I left him with...

2. My Students
They never cease to amaze me. We are working on a monologue writing unit I have put together for them. Kind of cross-curricular in format. Not only are they assessing photographs, but they are creating background information and using their imaginations to create a character off of that selected photograph.
Well today they had to spend 10 minutes in free-write format, writing about their character's "Arch Enemy". They had 10 minutes to write all of their stream-lined consciousness thoughts, not put their pens down, and do NOT SECOND GUESS. All in their character's voice. It was exciting to see them actually writing for a change AND when asked to read the best line of their work, there was actually some really great nuggets of creativity. I was very very excited. The project looks promising...

3. My friends.
I have been blessed with wonderful friends in my life, that no matter how far we are apart, they love and support me. This passed weekend, a group of my Omaha friends converged on Kansas City to meet someone special who has come into my life. Not only was it a weekend to reconnect with Jason, who was not able to leave KC to come up to Omaha for holidays, but it was important to me that very important people in my life meet Justin and he them. All went very very well and a good time was had by all.
There are so many friends that I wish could have come down as well to meet Justin...but there are more times to make this happen. It was truly a great time for reconnecting and joking and enjoying one another's company.

4. For where I am and what I am doing...
Today a fellow faculty member gave me a really great boost. We have a medal/ award that faculty members present to other faculty members to recognize them for their hard work and dedication. I had asked Terri, who had received it at last meeting, who she was going to give hers to. She gave me someone else's name and then proceeded to stand up and explain to the room descriptors that began to sound like me...I was so shocked. It made me feel so good!!!

I am so blessed and grateful for where I am, what I am doing, and for getting the chance to work with some amazing people. I am surrounded by a wonderful group of teachers, who care, support each other, and are there to help and instruct and nurture their students. I see this every day and am just grateful that I get the chance to be a part of it.

I am exhausted. I am tired. I am heading to bed...