Sounds of the Season

Already, the music stations are playing non-stop Christmas music. And since I cannot see the snow or feel the ice cold air...I am listening to the familiar sounds of the season.

Tonight, I am missing a cup of Starbucks with my sweet aroma crew. I am missing ice covered sidewalks with Jen and Wen. I am missing pasta and breadsticks with Jenna. I am missing random Christmas parties. I am missing Bethel. I am missing the smell of cold air. I am missing Rochester. I am missing New York. Grandparents and aunts and uncles seem very far away. Friends from high school are moving on with their lives. My friends are having children...and their children are growing! This is my very first Christmas away from the place I have called home.

It occurs to me that at some point, permanent traditions become not so permanent. This Christmas some traditions will remain but many new traditions will begin. I will see new faces. I will feel warm air. I will stand on the beach instead of in a yard full of snow. I will be with my parents and my sister...my brother will most likely be on the other side of the country. I will put up my very own Christmas tree. I will try to send out Christmas cards on time. :) I will make Christmas cookies and maybe I will even share them with the neighbors. I will spend a good chunk of change blessing my kids...despite the challenges, I love them dearly. I will go to Christmas parties. I will go to church. I will draw close to God in this new season.

All is well.

One more box

One more box, one more pile of school papers, and all of my wall art...and then I will officially be unpacked. You would think that a four day weekend would be enough to get organized....mmmmm.....no. Somehow, I have managed to use up every moment and yet did not find any time for lesson plans. That should be fun tomorrow morning.

But here is what I've been up to.

My class size is now 15...I don't know if I said that before. What a difference a few less students can make. The other day all of the kids were together for lunch and I thought to myself...how in the world did I handle 26 at the same time? I am thankful for the new teacher that has come in to take the class. She's already teaching ME things I didn't know about third grade and she's just starting out. I can focus more on my kids now...which is nice. As long as I can get myself organized. Prioritizing seems to be the word of the season...I keep saying that I could work 24/7 and still not have enough time to finish everything I need to.

Tonight I am sitting in my newly found bedroom listening to Christmas music. This is the first time in ...let's see....quite a few years that I have had my own room....not to mention my own bathroom, which has never happened. I feel as if I can breathe and spread out and do what I need to do. It's a very peaceful feeling in this room tonight.

Thanksgiving was nice. First time in four years that I have spent it with my parents. There is no place like home for the holidays...my third graders and I have agreed to disagree on the fact that only our own "mama's" and "grandmama's" are the best cooks. My sister and I spent Friday shopping for school clothes...yes, she is planning to head to ORU in January...I'm so excited for her.

Lots of randomness this evening... :) I really do have a lot more to say. I just don't have the words or the patience to think it all out. More updates to come though.

Enjoy this holiday season. :)

The Family

Here's my family. Josh was in town last weekend. He had never been to Florida! So we took a nice walk on the beach and ate dinner at a cute little pizzaria with thin crusted, greasy, New York style pizza. 

My brother, sister, and me getting ready for a night at Riverdance. 

Moving on

I'm moving this weekend! Closer to the beach...

Today I...sat on the beach for 3 hours...fought off a swarm of what can only be described as sand flies (they won, I moved down the beach)...sketched two pictures...stopped for chai and a blueberry bran muffin at Seattle's Best...had to turn around after getting lost in my car...bought two new cd's at Wal-Mart... listened to the sounds of the ocean...people watched...read the Bible...wrote part of a story...sat and reflected on the blessings that God has brought into my life. 

Random photo from my beach blanket this afternoon. 

Pirates!!!

I had no idea that there were modern day pirates!

A Familiar Voice

My parents had company tonight...friends from out of town that I have not seen since I was a little girl. It's so nice to hear them laughing together. I am sitting in the other room and listening to their conversation. What I am enjoying the most is listening to my dad's voice. For some reason, I am reminded of myself as a young girl. I remember being sent to bed at bedtime and just sitting at the door or with my ear to the floor, listening to traces of conversation from my parents as if what they were saying was the most important thing in the world. I remember falling asleep on the couch listening to them talk with relatives or with other friends. I remember sitting in the backseat on long car rides and listening, listening for what was important...soaking in the lessons of relationship and familiarity. I didn't realize until tonight, that it has been a long time since we have all just sat and talked together. It must have been comforting back then to hear the conversations of my parents, because it is comforting to me now. I am hearing pieces of their lives I do not hear in everyday conversation. I am remembering pieces of them that I love.