Looking Ahead

It isn't even Thanksgiving yet and I am already looking ahead to Christmas. It is, by far, my favoriate of all holidays. Seeing our neighbor's houses all lit up, listening to Bing Crosby and Harry Connick, Jr.... mmmmmmmmm. I love it. Give me some warm cider and a quilt and my life is complete. ;)

Of course, I don't often slow down for that long - not enough to really enjoy it. But, it sounds good and it's something I can strive for. I am, by nature, a body in motion. It is actually very hard for me to relax... to sit still... to just ... BE.

Back to my thoughts on Christmas...

My daughters and I are going to do something a little different this Christmas. Instead of putting every ornament we own on the tree and praising God that it doesn't fall over, we are going to make all of our ornaments and garland this year. I have actually started to hand-crochet a red garland and my youngest, Kaley, is going to work on another chain. We are going to make ornaments out of yarn, dough, gingerbread, paper and anything else we can put our hands on.

I want to feel the hope and joy that IS Christmas. I want to touch my children with time, love, warmth and simplicity. I want to give them happiness and the wonder of creativity.

Each year, when we decorate our tree, I play Christmas music. We sing along and add our ornaments, reflecting on which one came from where and who gave us what... Each year ties us closer together just as it reminds us of our ties to the past. We have several strings of garland from my Dad's mom (the girls' great-grandmother). I have ornaments that my aunt gave me when I was a child.

There should be more meaning in the things we do every day. We exist, but we often do not LIVE. When we can tie our actions to specific goals, such as improving relationships, enhancing our minds, doing for others... then we become more real, more alive.

This Christmas, when we put the ornaments on the tree, we won't be thinking so much of the past as we will the "here and now". But we will be building memories for the future. We will always remember this Christmas as the "homemade tree holiday".

I look forward to looking back.

~Carla

About Teaching

On Thursday, I took a tray of hard-boiled (cooled) eggs to my youngest daughter's classroom to give the children an opportunity to dye eggs. The children were so well-behaved - even helping one another choose colors and dip the eggs in and out of the dyes. It was a lot of fun.

Working with children is such a delight. Yes, they can be loud and boisterous, but that's just a part of who they are. They have so much energy and such a desire to explore that it's a challenge to keep their minds and bodies reigned in. What a treat to get to share in their lives, though. Every moment is filled with growth of one kind or another.

Curiosity is everywhere in that classroom. The questions the students ask and the way they interact with one another is so amazing. Their little minds just don't slow down for anything.

I've discovered that teaching is really an almost incomprehensible responsibility. I am humbled and awed by my ability to impart knowledge and I ask myself if I am going to be able to do the children in my care (hopefully someday) justice. Will I be able to satisfy their thirst for knowledge? Will I teach them without prejudice? Will I instill in them a love of learning? Will I give them hope? Will I ever say anything to rob a child of his/her esteem? Will I offer them my very best every day?

I scare myself, sometimes, when I wonder about such things. I want to give each child the best of myself. I can only hope that through my studies, my time in the classroom and my devotion to God will provide me with everything I need to do the job well.

So many little lives depend upon good teachers. I want to be one of them.

Flower Blessings

I mentioned a few days ago about going to my youngest daughter's class and teaching the children about plants, flowering bulbs and such. What I didn't mention was how I obtained the flower bulbs that each of the children planted that day.

While driving around our town, I noticed a few places that had muscari (grape hyacinths) blooming in large patches. They are such pretty, dainty flowers. In one location, I saw thousands of these adorable flowers and noticed that the property was for sale. I pulled over and called the number. When the fellow at the other end of the line answered, I told him I was sadly not interested in buying the property, but that I was hoping to dig some of the flowers that were growing there.

I love to scavenge, especially plants - and even more so if they might be getting bulldozed due to new developments. What a great way to add to your plant collection for only a bit of labor. Most of the time I get permission without any questions asked. Sometimes I have to do some convincing. :) Only once was I told a definite "no" and that was due to liability concerns.

All of the flower bulbs the children planted in their peat pots were dug from this one property. I had enough to plant some in my own yard, give some to a neighbor and offer a nice amount to the classroom teacher, too.

Close to thirty people blessed because one man said "yes" to a simple request.

How many blessings can you provide to others by simply saying "yes" when asked?

~Carla

The Power of Saying Thanks

There are over 20 children in my youngest daughter's first grade class. They are all precious and beautiful. They each bring something special to the wonderful moments of learning. Every child is unique. Every word, every action is authentic and real. It is poetic joy to witness the wonder in their little faces as they grasp a new thought and make it their own.

When I went to my daughter's school to talk to them about the flowers the other day, I experienced their passion for learning. They asked amazing questions, some of which I couldn't answer and I'm a Master Gardener! :) They really WANT to learn.

I cannot get over my own delight at sharing what I know with these children.

Apparently, they enjoy my being in their class, too. It is the best of all worlds.

Their classroom teacher is a lovely lady. She is so good about reaching the children where they are and lifting them to new levels of learning. Anyway, she had the children write out thank you notes to me. When my daughter gave them to me after school yesterday, I was so touched. Most of the notes had flowers and/or hearts on them. Some cards said, "I love you" and others had happy faces drawn on them. Of all the cards I read, one actually brought me to tears. The outside of the card had a flower drawn on it and the inside said, "Your a grate teacher." It was perfect. It was what I needed to hear.

The classes I am taking for my Master's degree are focused on early childhood education. I still have so much to learn about being a good teacher, but to receive such a sweet card from a little boy confirming my love of teaching made a tremendous difference to me. Yes, I cried, but I did so because this little boy helped me reaffirm that I am making the right choice in choosing the field of teaching.

I also learned two things:
The power of one card, one thought
The power of saying thanks