Gratitude

Thanks Michelle for this linky! I love this!

My friend Michelle at BTL (Big Time Literacy) is hosting a gratitude linky. What am I grateful for? Oh where to begin....

1. I am so grateful for my job this year. It is 1000 times more of my teaching dream that what I did last year. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful that I had a job and I totally believe in project-based learning, but having a team of teachers and admin who stand behind me and support me makes me want to be the best that I can be.  And let's face it.... I LOVE Kindergarten!!!

2. I am grateful for..... gratitude. Sound corny? Of course it does. But practicing gratitude gives me the ability to change my life in immeasurable ways. Did you know that practicing gratitude makes you happy? content? and more able to learn? Truth.

I am not one of those people who naturally sees the good in life and always sees the bright side.  But guess what? After years of practice, I am starting to become one of those people? Last week, we hit a deer. Our van is toast. But here's what I'm grateful for: if Mr. Buck would have hit our car a little more centered we probably would not have been able to drive off and get to work on time, and the chances that he would have come through the windshield and the thought 1000 lbs. of buck coming at our faces.... well, freaks me out. I'm also grateful that I did not sell the car. I have had offers. I kept it because you never know when you'll need a 2nd vehicle. lol. Now I have a car to drive. I don't love it. Because I love, love, love my van. But.... I am so grateful for these things. Also.... near death experiences (real or imagined) really up a person's gratitude for the things that matter, like the kid that was sitting by me in the car.

3. I am grateful for my checkered past. I makes me a better teacher and a more compassionate person who cares about not only my students, but their families as well. I could expound on this to great length but I will just say, I am so grateful for the families and kids I teach and that I don't have to adopt the attitude that so many teachers (in my past anyway) have adopted: teacher vs. parents/families. "Their Mom/Dad/grandma (insert family member name) doesn't care whether their child learns to read or not because they don't sign their reading log every night!" Etc. I don't have to buy that. And I'm grateful for that. I'm so glad my families love their kiddos, and if they can't meet my expectations every night and practice reading skills, I know it is because they have life stuff going on, because I've been in their shoes (like yesterday, or last week).

4. I'm grateful for new/old ways to relieve stress. Like coloring. Adult coloring is making a comeback in the world today and did you know that coloring relieves stress? Duh. Here's a free turkey I found and downloaded. Okay, I lied. I can't find WHERE I downloaded and it is bad form to just provide the download without the credit, so I am just putting in a link to my search results, which were awesome!

Getting ready to color with The Punky-girl! 

Okay, I just found this and had to add it.... Look HERE for Christmas coloring papers!

5. I would be remiss if I failed to give thanks for my home. I am grateful for my H4H house and the warmth and laughter it provides us. My house payment is REASONABLE and makes it so I could afford to a) go back to school to become a teacher and live off those student loans when I needed to, and b) to drive to my job and still pay my house payment, and c) live in a nicer, newer house than I ever could have dreamed possible! Love, love, love our home.  Thank you God and McPherson Area Habitat For Humanity.

There is so much more to be thankful for: good friends (I have had low-quality friends and high quality friends, I know the difference today), a good cup of coffee, my pets who love me when no one else does, electricity and running water, clothes that fit and shoes that keep my feet warm. If you focus on gratitude, it changes your heart. The truth is, WHATEVER you focus on increases. So I leave you with this quote: "I must keep my magic magnifying mind on my acceptance and off my expectations, for my serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance. When I remember this, I can see I've never had it so good."