Happy Easter!

What a blessed holiday! The family and I enjoyed a wonderful sermon at church and then returned home to work together to create a delicious Easter meal. It felt so good to have my whole family here under one roof. The warm smiles, gentle laughs, and conversations shared around the table truly touched my heart and soul.

This morning we learned that my husband's oldest brother had passed away after a long battle with conditions suffered as complications from diabetes. For at least the last two years he had been in and out of hospitals, hospice, and doctors' offices. At least now we can rest in the assurance that he isn't suffering anymore.

Is That What it is Going to Be Like?

Last weekend I got a little taste of what life at home without children will be like.

Glenn and Kari were gone to the state academic competition, but I had to stay here because of work. I arrived home Saturday after Kari's track meet and sat down in a silent house. It didn't take me very long to turn on the television in order to have a little bit of noise to keep me company.

Saturday night was pretty rough. It was the first time in a long time that I have been awake past midnight. I lay in bed listening to the television in order to avoid the silence of a bedroom without the gasping sound of Glenn's c-pap machine.

Sunday morning I got up and decided to spend a little time with "Lady Clairol." I decided to set the kitchen timer as a reminder of when to go rinse the coloring out and I set to cleaning. It is absolutely AMAZING what one can get done in 30 minutes!

The rest of the day I worked on paperwork for school, did a little crocheting, watched a little television, and even squeezed in a teeny, tiny nap.

As I reflect back on my 2 days alone in this house, I can say that it wasn't all bad. I knew that they would be home and with them would come the noise, the dirty clothes, dirty dishes, and LOVE. I guess that is the lesson of the weekend. Yes, the kids will go away to college, but they will come home. Yes, the kids will move out, but they will come back to visit. Yes, I WILL retire someday, but I can keep myself occupied and I can even squeeze in a little bit of that "ME" time, which has been so rare in recent years.

Spring Cleaning

It is about that time.....

There are daffodils blooming, birds singing, and today we enjoyed my daughter's first outdoor track event in warm sunny weather.

In honor of the upcoming change of season, I decided to "spring clean" my blog as well and change the background and header.

I have also found myself in the process of "spring cleaning" myself. Last week I started on the Atkins Diet plan in the hopes of losing the 20 pounds that I have put back on. I have also started wondering if it is time to begin looking for a few pieces of clothing to freshen up my wardrobe.

In addition, I have been trying to take back some of the time that I have been devoting to stress and work. I have actually scrapbooked a few pages for my son's senior album. (I figure that is the least I can do, considering that he is about to complete his freshman year in college...LOL!)

I look forward to stopping to smell a few roses and spending some well-deserved time with my family.

SPRING really is wonderful, isn't it?

(Oh, I almost forgot to tell you...... the meteorologists are predicting snow for tomorrow. I guess I better not get too ready for spring, huh?)

Kindness Continued

I haven't posted in a while because this is the month when life really gets hectic: academic tournaments almost every week, basketball tournaments, school functions. You name it- it seems to get scheduled in February!

Even with the many things that I had to get done this month I did continue to try to fit at least one act of kindness per week:

Week 4

Kari and I decided to do some Pinterest inspired cooking. We created these DELISH! Reese Peanut Butter Cup bars. I took several to school and even dropped some off at the Board of Education. (Those ladies never get visitors except those who are either picking up a paycheck or complaining about something going on in the schools.)

Week 5

While shopping at the local Save-A-Lot for groceries, Kari spotted Kraft macaroni and cheese that was shaped liked the characters from Phineas and Ferb. One of my co-workers had recently told me that this was one of her son's favorite shows, so I picked up two boxes: one for her son and one for the son of another co-worker. They smiled SO BIG when they saw them and begged to go home and have macaroni and cheese for supper.

Week 6

With Valentine's Day nearing, our school scheduled the annual "Sweethearts Dance." Contrary to what the name indicates, this dance is NOT just for couples within the student body. We have lots of kids who come solo.

While I was on early duty the day of the dance one of the high school students happened to stop by and talk with me. She really wanted to go to the dance, but her guardian had told her that she would have to find the money on her own. She really didn't think that she was going to get to attend.

I enlisted the aid of the school's Youth Service Center director in order to get money to her without her knowing where it came from. I just typed up a note saying that I had heard she wanted to attend the dance and I wanted to help her out by paying for her admission. I slipped the note (unsigned) into an envelope along with the money. The Youth Service Center director even offered to help find her something to wear.

That night I was waiting with the last of the students to board the after-school tutoring bus when the young lady came in the door for the dance. She was smiling from ear to ear and was wearing a dress beneath her tattered coat. She had carefully styled her hair and had even shined the shoes that she was wearing. My heart thrilled with happiness because I knew that I had some small part in this event.

Week 7

This one may seem kind of small and insignificant, but I figure it is an act of kindness nonetheless. One day during class I overheard one of my eighth grade students ask another, "Do you think the nurse would have any chapstick? My lips are so cracked and sore."

I happened to have 3 brand new tubes of chapstick in a desk drawer. They were part of a Christmas gift that I had gotten a while back. I reached into the desk drawer and tossed the student a tube. After he was assured that it was a brand new tube he thanked me and opened it up.

I guess this act of kindness was a wee bit selfish on my part..... I was trying to keep him in class and out of the hallway.....LOL!

Kindness to Others

You may remember in my last post I mentioned that I have set on a course to complete 50 acts of kindness this year, one each week, until my 50th birthday. I am happy to say that I have completed the first 3... and BOY, has it been FUN!

Week One:

While cleaning through my scrapbook supplies, I came across several things that I knew I wasn't going to use. After all, I hadn't used them in the 18 years that I have been scrapping.

Among the stash there was buried several containers with large silk flowers of many bright colors. I am part of a great online community of girls who share the same affinity for scrapping that I do. I decided that I would send them each an envelope stuffed full of flowers.

I sent DH to the post office with eight fat envelopes, containing no return address. He sent them off and I waited to see if any of my buddies would figure out where the flowers came from. Since then I have gotten messages from two of them who figured out who had sent them, since they knew no one else who lived in Kentucky. It is so much fun surprising people!

Week Two:

There are two cousins who are part of our after school program, which I oversee. These two kids are rarely able to purchase something for themselves just because they want it and often depend upon the kindness of others to get things that they actually need.

During my shopping at Michael's a few years ago, I discovered the fat ink pens they sell in the dollar bin. I try to keep three or four to use at school because no one has any like them. No one tries to walk away with my pens because they know that I am the only one at school who uses them.

On a recent night at after school, the boy cousin asked me, "Will you give me that pen?" I told him that if he kept working hard for us, I would try to get him one. On my very next visit to Michael's I came back with two pens, one for each cousin.

I made sure that one of them was generic enough for a boy and the other was girly enough for a girl. The pens were a hit!

Week Three:

About a week or so ago, one of my fellow teachers who is pregnant posted that she was having a craving for watermelon. Of course, watermelon is out of season and in our small community, our stores don't have a great variety of fresh produce available.

My son is going to college in one of the bigger cities in Kentucky and they have large produce sections in Kroger as well as Trader Joe's. I told him to stop and look for watermelon at the stores on his way home this weekend and that I would pay him back.

He was able to purchase two nice seedless "baby" watermelons.

I called up my friend to make sure that she was home and told her that I had something for her. When she saw the watermelons her face lit up and she hugged them up tight. "I'm going to cut into one right now," she said.

I am really having fun doing these acts of kindness. I have discovered that I have been missing a lot of things that went on around me. Just listening more and paying attention to those I come in contact with has helped me realize a lot about the people near me.

I have been surprised how simple it has been to decide on whom to bestow my act of kindness. I think that God is helping to guide me to be in the right place at the right time. The things that I have done haven't been BIG. They haven't been something that would totally change someone's life, but hopefully they have been the type of thing that would brighten someone's day and let them know that someone out there cares about them. I am anxious to see what else God sends my way in the coming weeks.

Community

Yesterday I was reminded of one of the reasons that I LOVE living in a small town.

We were in class, in the middle of a typical school day, when one of my students was called to the office. They had come to pick him up because his house had burned to the ground. He and his family lost everything, including the family pet.

There are three children in high school, the eighth grade boy, a junior girl, and a senior girl. The senior girl is on the track and cross country teams with my daughter. (More about that later.)

As soon as word started spreading about the tragedy, emails started flying with sizes of clothing listed. It even hit Facebook.

It is times like this when our community is at its finest. Within the past 12 to 18 months our school has sponsored two fund-raising events: one to raise funds for an elementary girl who was experiencing her second heart transplant and one to raise funds the family of a senior who has cancer and is undergoing treatment. Any time there is a fire there are always plenty of donations of clothing, food, and home goods. Mention that you or a family member is in the hospital and someone will show up on your doorstep with a casserole (or two). At funerals, there is always food for the family so they can just join together in their mourning.

This might not seem like anything out of the ordinary, but I have to add here that this same county is usually on the national list of poorest counties in the United States. Not only are we on the list, we are usually near the top. Yet, even with very little of their own, the residents always seem to find just enough to help those who need it most.

Earlier I mentioned my daughter....

It made me so proud when I heard her say, "Can we go to TJ Maxx or somewhere else on Saturday?" She went on to explain that she wanted to purchase some running shorts and things for her track teammate, the fire victim. I think she understands how important little gestures like that can be.

That makes me happy!

Happy New Year!

This is it...... 2013...... a new year, a year in which I will finish another decade of my life. This is the year that I become fifty.

My thinking about this milestone has changed a lot since I began this blog. The age is seeming a bit more like just a number and a little less like a tragedy.

Like many others, I have set a few goals or resolutions for the upcoming year. I have heard that if you share those goals with others you are more likely to keep them. So..... here goes.....

1. I will spend more time making memories with my family. I want to sit around the table with my hubby and my daughter every night that I possibly can. I want to discuss our day, what went right, what went wrong, what was funny. I want to do more "girly" things with my daughter and spend time getting to know the wonderful new "YOU" that she is becoming. I want to DO more things together rather than GETTING more things for each other.

2. I will spend more time doing things that I love. I have missed scrapbooking. 2012 was a rough year for me. I think I finished maybe two pages the entire year. Scrapbooking has always been my creative outlet and my relaxing therapy. I intend to reignite that creative flame.

3. I will share kindness with others deliberately. There are at least fifty weeks between today and my big birthday. I plan to do one deliberate act of kindness each week- totalling fifty in the year. In some cases, I want to watch those around me and see who could most benefit from an act of kindness and what act would mean the most to them. Some weeks there will just be random acts of kindness. Either way, I want to spend this year giving to others, because God has been so giving to me.