What’s Up August

        Happy Thursday, Y'all

Today, I'm joining Shay and Sheaffer for their What's Up Wednesday link-up. However, per my usual, I'm not posting this until Thursday. 

Anywho - On with the post... 

Every month we answer the same list of questions based on how things are currently going in our lives.

So let's get started...

What am I eating?

I picked up this frozen beef bulgogi pizza at Aldi last weekend since it was cheap. And I cooked it last night. Y'all... It may not look like your traditional type of pizza toppings. But oh my word, was it good. So so good!

What am I reminiscing about?

My niece's 13th birthday party was a couple weeks ago and thankfully the timing worked out for Mom and I to go up for it. Watching her happily playing and laughing and talking with her middle school friends made me start reminiscing and thinking of that sweet little one over the years. I may not live right down the road, but I am so very grateful to be living close enough that I can drive up for family events like this. It's such a blessing! One I most definitely do not take for granted after living without that for so many years!

 What am I loving?

I'm taking an 8-week ASL class. We had our 2nd class this week and I really enjoyed it. I've always loved ASL and have dabbled here or there, trying to learn a bit on my own or by friends who were kind enough to help me some. But when I saw this class would be offered at a time of the week when I could actually do it, I jumped at the chance. Am I a pro? Not even remotely... But I'm loving learning and practicing a bit and even using a little with some of my nonspeaking students too. My goal is to be able to effectively communicate with those whose primary language is ASL so whether that's at the end of this class or if I need to continue on and take more classes, so be it. 

What have I been up to?

Teaching and all the work that goes into it...

What am I dreading?

Going outside… It’s still so hot/humid. But Fall is almost here. Y’all, it’s rough!

What am I working on?

Staying focused on the job at hand and remembering why I chose this profession in the first place. Yes, my job is hard and yes, I feel more stressed and exhausted than ever before. But, I love my students. And while I don’t agree or love all parts of education, I love the actual act of teaching. And I love getting to work with the sweet and hyperactive friends God’s placed in my room this year. 

 What am I excited about?

While I do love my students, I must admit that I’m excited for an extra day off. Labor Day is Monday and this tired teacher is most definitely ready :)

What am I watching?

I haven't watched anything lately... 

What am I reading?

Does reading IEPs and meeting minutes and diagnosis results/reports count? I haven't read anything "for fun" lately. But I've been up to my eyeballs in student reports/files, as I lesson prep for kids in all the grades - some regular grades, some modified to lower grades, some AAS (alternate standards). It's quite the puzzle getting everyone what they need when they need it. But we're doing it. So yeah... Maybe this weekend I'll read something "for fun" since it's a longer weekend.

What am I listening to?

Y'all... My day might be exhausting and occasionally stressful. But one of my most favorite parts of my job is listening to those sweet little voices and their sweet little laughter. I love it!

What am I wearing?

Anything comfy :)

 What am I doing this weekend?

It’s a 3 day weekend! Yay! I’ll be running some errands, doing a bit of prep work for the week ahead, catching up on sleep, church, etc.

What am I looking forward to next month?

There’s nothing big or exciting that I know of…

Favorite recent Amazon find?

I haven't bought anything off Amazon lately, in an effort to cut back on my spending a bit. But I did add a few things in my Amazon cart this morning, planning to buy them this weekend (after my pay hits the bank). At this point, I have a new fun teacher shirt for me and some noise cancelling headphones for some of my crew who really need that and a big ol' box of goldfish to use as an edible incentive/positive reinforcement tool :)

What's new this month?

School started back a few weeks ago. I have 13 students (but I'm responsible for the planning/grading/etc. for them and 11 more). My class is busy and exciting and fun and all the things. I might go home and be almost ready for bed at 7pm. But I still love my students and the privilege/gift it is to teach them :)

And that's what I'm up to this month.

What about you?

What are YOU up to this month?

Hello Monday

      Happy Monday, Y’all

Today I'm joining Holly and Sarah, and a few other bloggers, for today's Hello Monday link-up, where we say Hello to Monday with a look at what's going on in our lives at the moment.

 So what's on my mind?

A lot. But 'tis the norm with me, I suppose.

Things like…

one

Somehow we're saying Hello to the 3rd week of school with students. On one hand, it feels like time has flown by and on the other, it feels like it's dragging... My position is always a bit of a challenging one. And this year I have a few more responsibilities than I typically would have, so I've been navigating that and trying to stay on top of things as best as I can. Wish me luck :)

two

I said Hello to starting an ASL class last week. It's a once weekly class so doable with my schedule. And more than that, it's helping me learn a language I've always been interested in, it's helping me with one of my nonspeaking students now, and also, I'm looking forward to being able to better communicate with friends and others God placed in my path as time goes on. I know it won't always be easy. But I'm grateful for the opportunity to take this class.

three

Since school started back, I’ve been, once again, saying Hello to my daily morning pictures. I started taking these my last year in Dakar, in the midst of feeling lots of big emotions as I prepared to leave the place I’d called home for the majority of my adult life. It all started with a message the pastor at church had given, using Lamentations 3:22-23 as his primary verses.

four

So I guess my next Hello is to Lamentations 3. I say verses 22-23 to myself every morning, in an effort to remind myself that no matter how hard or stressful the day before might’ve been, today’s a new day. But just now, when I went to screenshot those verses, I read the ones before/after and I was reminded yet again of what a blessing it is to have a Savior who loves me, who is good to me, and in whom I can place my hope. I love how I can reread a passage I’ve read a zillion times before and God will allow me to see it with fresh eyes again, knowing I needed to see/read it at this very moment in my life. So yes, I’m saying Hello to this passage and the hope that God knows I needed in my heart this morning.

five

I said Hello to 40 a few weeks ago. I’ve never been one to really care about getting older. It is what it is. It’s a part of life. And my mindset has always been that Getting older beats the alternative. So there’s no sense in complaining. Right? Then 2025 arrived, and with it came the realization that I would be turning 40 in August. And here we are.

I think part of why this birthday is so hard is because my life hasn’t fully turned out the way I thought (hoped? dreamed?) it would. I always thought that at this point in my life, I would have a family of my own - a husband and children. And at times, the knowledge that that has never happened (and the knowledge that it may never happen) is a bit of a sucker punch to the gut.

I love what I do now. I love the work I did overseas. In both of these, I have worked with children. I have celebrated, and obviously still celebrate, friends who have started their own families. But it’s still hard. It feels like you’re always standing outside a window looking in at what your life could have looked like, but God had other plans.

So yeah… Turning 40 was a little hard.

six

I will be saying Hello to an all-day meeting/training today. Today is our quarterly AAS (Alabama Alternate Standards) Teachers meeting. I can’t say I love being in meetings/PD sessions all day, I do love getting to collaborate with teachers who understand the “controlled chaos” that is being a Special Ed Teacher. And getting a guaranteed lunch break/being able to go to the restroom anytime I want is another perk too. Ha! 

seven

I haven’t been saying Hello to writing on the blog as much as I used to. I have lots of post ideas and even a few drafts typed up. I suppose I need to get around to finishing them and hitting that publish button. Here’s hoping that’ll happen soon…

And that’s about it for my scattered brain today. 

What about you?

 What’s on your mind today?