Back to School

Though the temperature outside is 95 and I'm sitting here wearing flip flops, the school district I work for has teachers reporting back to school tomorrow. Tomorrow! I'm in denial summer is over. August is when I usually catch my stride, go on vacation, and read another book. Not so this year. With a full time contract again duty calls, meetings begin and I shine my apple and wait to see my student's smiling faces. And I remind myself, even while writing this, that it is the kiddos that keep me coming back day after day. Happy Back to School everyone!

What was I thinking?

I'm a planner. I like to plan trips, make lesson plans and meal plans. I like to know what's coming ahead. In an effort to plan ahead for an emergency such as a tornado or earthquake, one day I was inspired to get some things together and put them down in the basement. I got some bottled waters, some can good beanie weanies, and put our important papers in a fire-proof safe. Atleast we'd be able to survive a couple days. But then I got to thinking several weeks later. I live with a husband and two teenage sons. What was I thinking getting all these men beanie weanies!? I mean what if we were actually confined and stuck down in the basement in a small area and we're all eating beans? Think about the ramifications of that! Seriously, I would need a gas mask as well! Anyone know where I can get one of those? Oh well, the best of man's plans, right?

In the Kitchen

This week I was very sick, like the sickest I think I've ever been in my life. I ran a high fever and in general was just "out of it". When a woman literally forgets about chocolate and Pinterest, like I did for a few days, well, let's just say she is one sick chick. Thankfully, I have older sons who are quite capable of managing on their own and a husband who was so sweet and attentive to my needs... But, when I emerged from my bedroom for the first time after being so sick for four days I was quite shocked at how three men can neglect a kitchen and be so content with it! There were two rotton peaches in the fruit bowl, a rotting tomato in the vegetable bowl, dishes strewn in the sink, crumbs on every counter (still makes me cringe!) and numerous other items that normally don't reside in a kitchen. So I had to tidy up before I could function back in there. As I was cleaning the counters and putting things away I was reminded that the crumbs were probably from the toast my husband had lovingly made and served me, the dishes in the sink were probably from one of my boys' lunches they'd made themselves and soon my attitude softened as I reclaimed the kitchen and restored it back to its natural order. It hadn't been easy on them with me being sick either though no one had complained. A family is truly a blessing when they work together. All is well now.

My Earliest Memory ...& thoughts on it now

In a discussion with my Mom this summer, I discovered that my earliest memory was when I was two. I really think I was two, isn't that early to actually remember something? My mom thought so too and was amazed. But I do remember. I remember being over at a neighbors house, with a little girl I used to play with, Janie. Now I had forgot her name, but Mom helped me with that one. We were playing Colorforms and I had this little navy blue rectangular cubed shaped suitcase (I know there is a proper name for it but it escapes me at the moment, if I recall it, I'll edit it back in) that housed my toys that I'd brought with me. I can remember walking through the yard or yards, as I don't recall just how many houses I was away from home. I was two afterall. But back to Colorforms, remember those? Those plastic-y vinyl cling forms that were so fun to peel off and put on a scene or in my case a doll to dress. They had such a distinct smell. I loved that smell! I bet right now in a blind smell test I could pick out Colorforms over other toys'smells. And why is it that certain smells can take you back to your childhood in an instant, transporting one back to decades earlier of more carefree times? Very interesting how that whole olfactory sense works in the brain! And so that's about it for that memory. I do wonder now "why would a two year old be allowed to go play at another friends house" which seemed unsupervised at that time? Perhaps it is in the details where my mind is a little foggy. Maybe it had to do with the fact that I was very independent and capable even at a young age. Oh and I still have that little suitcase by the way, it's up on our garage shelf with contents unknown to me at the moment. And I do still have the top of that Colorforms box packed in my childhood belongings tote. If only it smelled the way it did...

Pinterest

Pinterest has been my guilty summer indulgence. Over the past school year a few teachers kept telling me about it but I put checking it out off until I had some time in the summer. Boy, am I glad I did wait! Pinterest is the best thing since sliced bread but I could be on that site for hours! Pinning this and that and creating boards takes time ya know but all the AMAZING ideas I am getting is worth it. Especially when the temperature outside is 100, for the 8th straight day I might add. If you've not checked out Pinterest, venture over and do so, but I warn you it's addicting. Happy Pinning!

Reaquainting

Well, it's been about a year since I last sat down to blog. It's not that I haven't wanted to it's just the fact that I started working full-time outside of the home. Working seriously cuts in to my creative time and blogging was one of those creative luxuries. Fortunately, I am blessed to have my summers off and am able to tap into creative outlets once again. How can I possibly sum up this past year? It would have to start and end up with God helping me find and keep an excellent job in this tough economy. If you are not a believer in prayer, you should be, there is no other explanation as to how this past school year happened. God worked in a mighty way, despite my puny efforts, a mighty way I say. I am blessed to work with some of the most precious children, some with speech disorders, some with language disorders and still others with autism. Their hugs and smiles keep me going back day after day, despite the huge amounts of paperwork each one of them generates. ;) I hope to be more faithful in blogging once again. Let's get reaquainted.

Transfer blog

Today I switched back to Blogger because I find it more user friendly and transferred over some previous posts. I hope to get in the blogging habit again. I've really missed it.

Gentle Reminders

I knew this day would come. My baby went off to high school, away from our home for the first time in his whole 13 year schooling experience. So this Mama’s heart has been heavy all weekend with the the thought of him not being around in the daytime anymore. God reminded me last week that if He called me to do something different educationally for the boys’ schooling, He will also lead me to something just as good. I love His gentle reminders.

My sons enthusiasm and excitedness for his freshman year has helped me be strong too. When I look at the pictures I took of him at his locker the other day at orientation and today with his backpack on, no one can miss that beautiful big smile of his! So God reminded me today to have that same “attitude of gratitude” again…to relish all the years we had together to school at home in a cozy and relaxing manner and now to celebrate all our achievements as my dear son goes off to a wonderful Christian high school. He is learning now to spread his wings that have been supported and encouraged all these years. I am so proud of him.

To console my aching heart, I wanted to bake homemade cookies to greet both of my sons with after school. As a former homeschooling Mom I’ve never been able to officially serve an “after school snack.” I get to do that today and am so honored to do it. I can’t wait to share the cookies as they share about their day. Truly one of life’s greatest joys for me!

The Umbrella

Today I saw a family coming out of the store. They were all walking. The pre-schooler ran toward the street and the Mom quickly grabbed his hand. A tween girl meandered a few steps behind her mother and a teen boy lagged behind them all walking to their car. Then it began to rain. It was interesting to observe how just seconds prior they were all spread out walking in their own little worlds at their own paces. Then when the rain came they all soon huddled close to their mother now opening the umbrella. It was large enough to shield them all from the rain. They huddled close together and were almost walking in unison.

It made me think that’s how we act too till a storm comes into our life. We are walking along in this life, doing our own things, thinking our own thoughts and unexpectantly sometimes a storm pops up. Some of us open the umbrella or seek shelter with our Almighty God who shields us under his loving wing till the storm passes. I’m so glad we can run to him. Not only does it protect us from the storm it refocuses our lives and our priorities. God works that way, sometimes He uses storms to get our attention.

It gives me hope

Today was a good day! My husband and I are both looking for jobs. Well, I am looking for atleast a part-time job and my husband is wanting to switch jobs. We have both submitted resumes to different companies and today we heard back from some of them. Some were just polite rejections and “we’ll put you in the database abyss” response, but a couple were requesting more information. I’m thankful to the companies that atleast respond. It gives me hope.

It gives me hope that God is indeed hearing our prayers, pleas and praises. It gives me hope that God is working, orchestrating that big plan he has for our lives that seems so elusive to me right now. It gives me hope that one day, one day soon (fingers crossed), my husband and I will have new jobs.

I’m glad that I can put my hope and trust in Him. You can too.

It's all in the AT-TI-TUDE

Seems lately the Lord has been showing me that even during difficult times I am to praise Him. So I am really concentrating on having an “attitude of gratitude.” It amazes me how it definitely changes the perspective on things. Sure is hard to grumble and complain about the current hard situation you are going through while praising God!

So how about you? Do you struggle with praising God during critical times? What is your favorite method of bringing praise to Him-song, prayer, meditation, etc?

Welcome to My World

Hello there, my name is Brooke. My life is in a constant state of change (whose isn’t right?) and I wanted a fresh start…so welcome to Fresh Change. If you like not knowing what’s coming up next, then you’ll love my blog. I’ll blog and share about a range of subjects at random. I’d love it if you joined the journey with me.