My Life's Work... even on Spring Break! :)

Seven o'clock in the morning the sun starts to pour into my windows, the scent of coffee brewing wafts into my bedroom, the words from my Bible move from the paper into my soul, annnnnnd, cue two dirty dogs pouncing and trampling their little paws all over me.  I don't know how Brewer manages to get himself to the degree of dirtiness that he does, but he comes in with this panting smile on his face as though he doesn't know his long legs are cloaked with dirt.  Yet, I can't help but love him.  Even when he steals my slippers.
(Colbie wants her picture in here, too).  

 

This week my mom was able to witness our new home and go behind the scenes of a third grade teacher at work!  (She was overwhelmed with all the excitement of my job... but really, it is pretty hectic).  Being able to reflect on my teaching and my students' growth through out the year is vital, and for me, it tends to happen on my drive home from school.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) I am not able to write/type these reflections down as I am driving, leaving all these epiphanies lost and gone forever.  How can I possibly recall all the events, big or small, that have happened this school year for memory without them becoming mixed together with others?  My thoughts are all jumbled up, and all I know is that I have not failed to learn even more than I did last year.  All I can do now, is move forward & focus on the last quarter of this year, and get myself ready for the next year!  
Currently, my third graders are just now on Spring Break for two weeks and when they come back, all this year's preparations and hard work will fall into place as they will take the AIMs testing.  How could they not do amazing?  Through all the practices tests, they've made growth.  Through all the test prep packets (all color-coded with matching labels), they've seen and done every skill they "need to know".  I care so much about how my students do, and they know it!  However, I am sooo looking forward to using their learning from this year and using higher level thinking activities to reinforce it all.  I am most excited for my High Fluency readers to do Reader's Theater with a focus on character traits/feelings, differences between genres, and the importance & influence of setting on a plot. 
I am so thankful to GOD for letting me be a part of these children's lives and that he gave me this passion, despite the crude people out there who don't understand the life of a teacher! 
I could completely let other people's words and beliefs destroy my love of my profession, but I have something they don't.  I have a foundation built on rock - it doesn't shift when people give negative critiques to what I do, or when people who haven't gone to college work in a business and look down on teachers... (if you can read this, thank a teacher.. you wouldn't have that job you're working at if you never had a teacher... I wonder... do they think they would have just learned the things they know just by being "brilliant" by nature?) 
I am so fulfilled by my life's work and trust that God is using me to speak to my students the words they need to hear so they grow up with strong morals & righteous thinking.  I believe my students will not be selfish, but self-less.. and in doing so, they will gain their hearts' desires.  God gives to those who humble themselves and who are not self-seeking. He gives to those who give.  <3