following directions

Last spring, I ended up in the ER one night after having some chest pains.  They were every 10 seconds or so and just wouldn't go away.  That probably wouldn't alarm most 24 year olds, but when you never had the chance to meet or know your dad's mom because she died of a heart attack in the shower at age 52...it's something that know you need to get checked out.

I had never been in an x-ray room before, but that's beside the point.  I walked into the room for a chest x-ray.  The tech was on one side of the room and I was on the other.  The x-ray machine was facing him, and he said, "chest on the wall."  & I stood blankly at him, with my back to the wall (instead of the facing the wall, like he had asked me to do).  He said it again, "chest on the wall" and I continued to just stand there looking at him, like "let's do this"...thinking about what he had just said in my head.  Granted, it was midnight by this time...but it finally hit me and I quickly turned around so that my chest was against the wall like he had asked me to do the first time.  I was obviously super embarrassed at my ability to follow simple direction and apologized for my mindlessness.  Luckily he wasn't super annoyed and just laughed it off. 

It made me step back and realize, that as a teacher...I spend majority of my time telling kids what to do.  Rarely is someone telling me what to do.  I realized that maybe I'm not so good at following directions and it's definitely something I need to work on!  

Since then, my listening skills have improved, but I've still got room to grow. I'm just thankful that I was made aware of one of my many flaws, so that I can take the steps to move forward and fix it.  It's hard to ever fix a problem when you don't even know about it.

I always get so frustrated when my students "don't listen" or "don't follow directions" that are "right on their paper".   And oh...having to repeat myself 15 million times.  That's super annoying.  Especially when one kid asks a question, and I answer.  Then not 2 seconds later a different kid asks the same question!

Saturday, I was in class at local University all day.  I forgot how exhausting it can be to be a student for the day!  Sitting in a chair, listening to instruction and new information all.day.long. can wear you out!  Physically and mentally!  There were often times during a lab, my partner and I would do something wrong, or have to ask a certain question...when oh, if we would have just read the instructions, our question would have been answered, without having to ask the instructor.  How annoying that I did the exact same thing that I get annoyed by my students for doing on a daily basis?

So many times the things that other people do that get on our nerves, are our biggest flaws.  OUCH right?  So...if you find yourself being annoyed or put out by someone else's actions, I challenge you to step back and ask yourself if you are guilty of doing the exact same.  I obviously was.  

I now find myself giving my students a little more grace in the classroom when it comes to "following directions"--because doing that all day long can make obviously make one exhausted and completely worn out!

I still have a lot to learn as a teacher, but I'm thankful I not only get to teach, but that I also get to learn on a daily basis. 

i will rise

I am happy to report back on my Monday that started a little earlier than normal but completely worth it!

I got up and did a day's worth of HW for Beth Moore...& y'all know her HW can be long winded!  Folded a load of laundry and emptied the dishwasher!  AND got out the door by 6:40!   I was feeling pretty accomplished!

Ryder spent his day out at the farm.  He has a new chick named Chickaletta that he just loves!

I obviously wore the wrong outfit and shoes yesterday for our Kickball Tourney Behavior Bash outside!  Luckily I had my tennis shoes in the car and changed right after this!  We had a blast thought and it was a great day to be outside!

I finally got my lil bit back from his Mimi...& we were off to run some errands!  It was the first day of early voting, so we checked that one off the list.

I also needed to get my oil changed...back in my new favorite booties.  I'll admit, I may or may not go to Mr. Quick Lube to get my oil changed just so they'll vacuum out my floorboards.  They cost the same as my dealership and yesterday they took like 5 minutes!!!  That's the kind of service this mama needs!!

This morning was an early morning as well...but didn't get quite as much done but I'm already feeling better about the tasks at home!

Happy Tuesday sweet friends!

monday thoughts

Sunday night.

As I prepare to go to bed, I am feeling extremely blessed tonight.  Sundays seem to fill me with such joyfulness and goodness as if they are a "fresh start" to each week.  Going to bed on Sunday nights, I know that tomorrow starts the beginning of a new work week.  I don't know about you, but each Monday I feel like it's my chance to "start over" and to "do better" than I did the week before.

So many people moan and groan about it being "Monday" but I'm choosing to look at it as a good thing, and I challenge you to do the same. 

Throughout the work week, so many times I look at the pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded, and say to myself, "Oh, I don't have to do that tonight, I'll get that done this weekend."  But then when the weekend rolls around...doing laundry is the last thing I want to be doing on my one day of the week I get to spend the entire day at home with Ryder, doing whatever we please.

Every evening after we get home from work and school...all I want to do is crash and spend time with R.  But there is laundry to do, homework to tend to, papers to grade, and more lessons to plan...not to mention making dinner, trying to "play" Legos with Ryder even though I completely suck at it and have no imagination like he does, what so ever.

Once again, I tell myself...those things that can wait.  And...there we go again--they are always getting pushed back to the weekend. 

This week I am going to make a point to get those things done done, before the weekend...so that come Saturday I have no unwanted "weight" on my shoulders, or house hold "to do lists" in the back of my head that I know I need to tend to, if they're ever going to get done.

Whether this means getting up earlier, or staying up later, I'm going to get more done with the time I'm given throughout the day.

We all have 24 hours in our day.  I just want to chose to use the time I'm given more wisely.

last weekend in september

Last weekend in September--how can that be?!  & now we've had our first weekend in October?!  It just doesn't seem right!

I was CRAVIN' a dirty pumpkin chai after school and had to drive thru to get one on our way home--R was needing a drink too, so I handed him the left overs of my Sonic drink from the am!  So...no, I don't really get my kid size large drinks from Sonic! ;)

I needed a night at home catching up on the season premiers of Grey's, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder!!!  Fabulous as always!!  R was busy creating wonderful Lego structures.  I feel so bad for keep Legos from him for so long, but he truly is talented at it!! :0

Saturday...I spent my day at UCA learning from Core Connection Instructions class.  I really did enjoy it, but it was a long day!  I look forward to learning more in the coming months!  

I was happy to get back home to my baby boy...and off to Chick and the bike trail we went!!  

Sunday selfie! ;)  jk...I'm finally getting used to my short hair!  YAY!

I try to make my Sundays pretty chill.  It's hard with everything I have to get done...but going to the coffee shop requires me to not do laundry, not lay on the couch and fall asleep, etc. etc. and actually stop, sit down and get stuff done!!  Whether it be reading, doing my Bible Study, or getting papers graded.  So, I am very thankful for a few hours at Blue Sail with some of my favorites! =)

So tuned for what we did on our FIRST weekend of October tomorrow! 

5 year old well child check

I always forget about well child checks since they aren't ever 3-6 months like they used to be!  I usually schedule Ryder's when I see Mama Laughlin taking big T since they are the exact same age!  ;)

Happy to report R is right on track for everything he should be...I mentioned to them that he had pains in his legs at night, but that they went away when I rubbed them.  They looked back at his chart and he had grown FIVE INCHES since we had been there in February!!!  That's 7 months--no freakin' wonder he skipped size five pants and went straight from fours to sixes!!!

He is in 97%tile for height and 85%tile for weight...so someone is gonna have to come teach him how to play basketball, because it's not gonna be his Mama!

Happy Monday!  Be a blessing to those around you as you go throughout your day! =)