Today I am thankful...

Today I am thankful...

Actually, I'm thankful for things everyday.  Today I am posting that I am thankful.  That as a title was less catchy so I went with the original statement.

Back to my thoughts...

Today I am thankful for a few things that I wanted to share.

1.  I'm thankful for new days and better perspective.  Sometimes...so many things can happen at once and you are left in a pile of butterfingers trying to sort it all out.  Negativity takes over the happy places of your brain and panic sets in...until morning.  This is where the thankful for new days comes in.  I was so thankful today for a new day.  This day brought different challenges, but also brought a new perspective on how to handle them.  His mercies really are new each morning...

2.  I'm thankful for a note from an old friend.  God works in such amazing and mysterious ways sometimes.  In the training I was attending for the past two days,  a couple of teachers from Norwich, KS were also attending.  Norwich is a small place here in Kansas that as a child I became quite familiar with.  We have some very close family friends that lived (and still live) there.  Anytime I meet someone from Norwich, I know I can ask them about our friends, and they'll know exactly who I am referring to.  When I asked one of the teachers if they knew the family, she happened to know them very well.  As we talked, I asked her to mention to my friend that I said hello.  These are the kind of friends you can barely see, yet can pick up right where you left off the last time.  This friend is actually a friend of my moms.  She and my mom modeled what true friendship meant.  Her daughters and my sis and I became very close as a result of our parents' friendship.

Long story short...

After a very challenging day yesterday, the teacher from Norwich handed me a card from this friend first thing this morning.  It was full encouragement and love.  It was JUST what I needed to read.  Thank you God...and thank you Linda H.  

3.  I'm thankful for bite sized butterfingers.  These little beauties help me get through tough moments and don't bring me the kind of guilt that a regular sized candy bar brings.  I can eat it and be satisfied knowing that I am completely dependent upon peanut butter, chocolate, and sugary goodness to calm my nerves.  I truly wish carrots had the same effect.  Sadly...they do not.

4.  I'm thankful for the love I have in my marriage.  As I was waiting on BIG to come out of the locker room after practice, I allowed myself to watch the youtube video that has been going around about the gentleman that recently lost his wife of 73 years.  He wrote a song and entered a contest with the lyrics as a tribute to her.  After sitting in my car trying not to completely lose all control...I realized how special their love was.  I realized how precious this music was in reminding me of my own love.  So often we wait until we no longer have the chance to share how much someone means to us.  I am challenging myself to share my feelings with the ones I love TODAY.  I am also challenging myself in the daily grind of life, to slow down and show them my love as well.  This video...this wonderful video...shows us that when love is given and appreciated as it is intended...it truly is AMAZING.  (Please take a minute to watch this video http://twentytwowords.com/2013/08/26/widower-submits-a-song-about-his-wife-of-73-years-to-a-songwriting-contest/...you won't be sorry.  I promise.  If you need to just see the song, click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BJzzNMv9Oo

5.  I'm thankful that God intervenes in my life when I need it the most.

Have a blessed day!
Referee of 3 23

Referee of 23

Coach told me the other day that he knew I was busy right now.

Understatement of the year...

The reason he knew I was so busy was because I hadn't put our kids' first day of school pictures on Facebook.  Apparently I have a reputation with my friends and family of blasting facebook with pictures of certain events in our lives.

I really have no idea what he is referring to...

As I sat planning for my "new" kids, it hit me that he just might be right.  I've been so busy for the past week and a half getting things organized for school, that I have neglected a few things at home.  My last post was about balance.  I was happy to report that with the help of my loving family and God...I had found it.

It would appear I have lost it again...

Here's the kicker.  I'm not crying.  I'm not sure what's wrong with me, but I've only cried once since school started and I'm pretty sure I'm more overwhelmed right now than I've ever been.  I've also not had ANY cookie dough.

I have (however) had a Butterfingers at least once a day since the beginning of school.

I can't write for long because I have to finish lesson planning, pack lunches, get ready for school, and find my sanity before I walk out the door.  I have so much to say and no time to say it.  So for now, I'll leave you with this.

This is WAAAAAAAAAAY harder than I ever thought it could be, but as McDonald's would say...

I'm LOVIN' it.

Have a blessed day!
Referee of 3 23

Balance

I know...I know.  It has been awhile since I've been on to write.  If you are my friend on facebook or follow me on Instagram...you already know why.  For those of you who aren't, I'll give you the quick run down.

1.  New carpet  (This very exciting development took almost two weeks to deal with and although I'm more than happy with the result, I was not prepared for the work that accompanied the job.) 

2.  Family Vacation  (This very exciting adventure was more than I could have asked for in my life and left me feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready for a new vehicle.)

3.  New Job (This better late than never opportunity has given me more excitement, responsibility, and jobs than I had ever imagined.  I have a whole new respect for all of my teacher friends, son's teachers, and my husband.)

These three things have been my reason for not blogging since late June.  I apologize for not writing, but can't apologize for the time away.  This summer has been one I will not forget.  

To end my might be favorite summer of all time...last night I attended Taylor Swift's concert with my three favorite girls.  (Mom, sister, and pretend daughter.  Really, she's my niece...but on nights like last night she is very much  my pretend daughter.)  It was an amazing show and I can say that it was worth every penny that my parents so graciously spent on our tickets.  She is an entertainer...to say the very least.  During her concert she spoke about how her songs always go back to a particular theme in her life.  She either writes about love or breaking up.  (This is paraphrased of course)  In listening to her speak about her song writing, I thought about my blogging.  I am one that speaks on a lot of things, but usually I am talking about one of three things.  

1.  My love for my family. (or cookie dough/butterfingers)

2.  My busy, crazy, chaotic life.

3.  Epic failures in the kitchen.  

What my good friend Taylor said is true.  You go with what you know.  And even though I'm thankful I'm not writing about falling deeply in love and the worst break-ups of all time, I tend to fall back to the old faithfuls of my life.  Had I had a computer and a blog in my younger years...Lord have mercy on all of you.  Until I met Coach...I was a bit confused about what "love" meant.  Those stories are meant for another blog...another time...or perhaps not at all.  

What I wanted to touch base with today was the topic of balance.  I've talked about this so many times that you'd think I was an expert.  I am not.  What I am is continually learning how to balance my life.  Since we got back from our vacation two weeks ago, I've spent almost every waking moment in my classroom trying to prepare for the little darlings that I will call my students this year.  I've been on the computer downloading and printing.  I've been laminating and hanging.  I've been trying my hardest to make my room feel comfortable and functional all at the same time.  After that was finished a mere 48 hours ago...I then started diving head first into curriculum and lesson planning.  I've again been in the classroom, on the computer, at the laminator, and obsessed with preparation.  Today was my first day of work.  I've waited 9 months for this day.  Well...I've actually waited longer than that, but you've heard that story.  I went to work today and learned a lot.  As I came home from being gone from my own kids...I realized that life has been going on without me since we got back.  Coach has picked up ALL of the slack.  The boys have been helping out with each other.  The laundry has been getting done and they are all alive and well.  And I ask myself...

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

They aren't supposed to function without the Mom.  I'm the part of them that sticks them all together!  I'm the glue!  And the glue has been missing!  And the house is supposed to be falling apart without me!  

Now...if that were happening, I'd be in shambles.  I would be thinking this WHOLE plan was wrong and that I needed to immediately quit my new job, find cookie dough and retreat to the nearest closet with a door.  

I walked in the door tonight and realized that life is going to be okay.  I had no idea how all of this would work.  Clearly, I cannot spend my life in my classroom.  I also cannot shuck the responsibilities of my new job to be the ONLY one around here who can keep this family running.  

Somehow...when I wasn't looking, God gave me this amazing gift.  The gift of balance.  I've been spending my time worrying about how I would make it all work...and it worked on its own with the help of my family.  I have to find a way to make it all work for my life, but I can have peace knowing that I'm not the one working out the details.  

I think...this just might be...okay.

Have a blessed day!

Referee of 3