sensational seven

it's late and i'm tired! but here's a bulleted list of 7 positive things that happened this week:

1. i started working with the autism kids after school. they have their own club, so i get to see these kids that i absolutely adore 3 afternoons a week!
2. wednesday i broke up a fight at school. it was in the hallway during a transition, and i didn't get hurt! seriously, i went to bed thinking how it was possible that i didn't get punched in the process of getting in the middle of 2 7th grade boys throwing punches at each other. God definitely protected me!
3. wednesday night we conducted a successful business meeting at church. i'm so blessed to be a part of ghbc!
4. thursday was john & gabe's SIXTH birthday! doesn't seem possible. got to skype for about an hour with tim and luke while bridget put the birthday boys to bed.
5. mom & dad celebrated 49 years of marriage thursday. almost unheard of this day and age.
6. i'm 5 days of school away from vacation! AND we actually got a FULL WEEK of school in this past week. first full week since january 3rd (even though we had a half day monday and an early release tuesday for parent teacher conference... it wasn't a full week for the kids but it was for teachers).
7. got to spend this afternoon and evening with some GREAT friends! had a blast celebrating Brennan's 1st birthday and then got some girl time in with rachel and kathryn while kyle, clint and lauren went out for a bit. it was a much needed, very relaxing evening!

super!

seven sensational things from this past week:

1. it is currently thundering! it sounds like spring or summer outside... but it definitely still looks very much like winter! i don't think i will ever get used to thunder while there is snow on the ground... but it's pretty cool. the snow on the ground makes the lightning SO bright, too! oh, how i long for the snow to be gone. soon enough i'm sure i'll be complaining about the heat and humidity. add the previous two sentences to the list of reasons why i love living where i do and being able to experience all 4 seasons!

2. speaking of snow... we had 2 more snow days this week! i'm still amazed at how these storms keep coming... one after another. the jet stream is locked into a perfect track for us to be bombarded. and we have been! right now my last day of school with students is monday, june 20th. we have a rescheduled FULL day (shoot me now) of professional development to make up. so, my last day is tuesday the 21st. from what i've heard about the weather pattern, it is supposed to be changing after this coming week and they're talking about a warming trend. (is my weather geek factor completely off the charts, or what?).

3. i *COMPLETELY* forgot to mention in my post last week that my very best friend from high school... stacey lee orenstein gordon... affectionately referred to as "slo" or "jew girl" (yes, my inappropriateness did indeed start in high school)... had a BABY on 1/23/11! i don't think it is possible for me to be happier for her. she and her husband, lee, are going to be great parents! how do i know this? because little michael benjamin was a VERY wanted baby. i don't know personally the struggle with trying to conceive, but i can relate to being at the same place in life and having that biological clock tick-tick-ticking away... and how it feels to walk past the baby aisle in target or wal*mart and want to cry because it seems like it will never happen. i know this baby will be SO loved... and i wish there were more people in the world like them.

4. last night i got to pick up my recently-turned-10-year-old niece briana from cheer practice. this place is unreal! i walked into the gym and was greeted in the lobby by a sign that read "practice is closed to spectators :) ". um, not THIS spectator! i proceeded to walk into the gym... and holy macaroni! my niece is seriously AMAZING. they have a competition next weekend in hartford that they are preparing for... as well as a competition in FLORIDA in the coming months. these 4 girls (one of which is a former student of mine... she's in 9th grade this year... pretty cool) take my twig of a niece and toss her up in the air while she proceeds to do a kick mid air, add a toe touch before she SPINS TWO FULL ROTATIONS before landing in these 4 girls' arms. i know they may have their reasons why practice is closed to spectators (distractions for the kids) but now i know why practice should be closed to worrying aunties. crazy worried or not, my niece has some SERIOUS talent! so proud of her!!

5. i am just two short weeks... (or 8 full days plus 1 half day and 1 early release day, but who's counting?) from winter break! i'm excited to spend some time with mike and thea both on my way to and back from virginia! speaking of virginia... amanda... i'd like to put an order in for some warmer weather. i'll take 50-55 degrees. don't even need sunshine... just warmer temps. you've got 2 weeks, i expect you to come through.

6. can i just mention how much i love staples? as in, the store. this past week i went to get ONE thing... and ended up getting a few things to further help me organize my room at the middle school. it seems i could easily spend my paycheck each week (ok that may be an over exaggeration) on things to get me organized... but i just love it!

7. i just finished making oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and they're delish! been on a baking kick lately. so far i've made 2 loaves of bread and these here cookies since yesterday afternoon. now i need to start giving it away so i don't eat it all myself! :)

tears

i literally have tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard! i think 2 consecutive snow days has made me a little loopy!