On the road again!

The new-ness of my job has started to wear off. 3 years ago, I loved everything about teaching. Well, that feeling is no more. The paperwork, schedule changes, student drama, and discipline problems start to break ya down a bit. However, I feel that just this week I have started to see what it is that keeps teachers in the profession for so long.

Almost every day of this past week was spent on the road going somewhere with a whole bunch of fiesty 8th graders! On Wednesday, a few of the teachers walked a group of students to 2 Amigos Mexican Restaurant (the pollo loco is soooo good). On Thursday, our whole team went to Dollywood. On Friday, our wonderful FRYSC director arranged a trip to the Corbin Cinemas (we saw Letters to Juliet) Whew! What a busy week! Needless to say, I am extremely tired this morning. But man, we had fun!

8th graders are tough to read sometimes. They are constantly bouncing back and forth between childhood and adulthood. They are trying to deal with parents, homework, and hormones, all the while still staying "cool". All that aside, the look on their faces when they are riding those roller coasters or hanging out at the movies during the school-day is priceless. They know they have worked so hard to have earned those trips, and they enjoy every second!

Those are some of the moments that remind us all why teaching is so important. Next time I feel overwhelmed or stressed with my job, I am going to remember the excitement in their eyes when they are enjoying the rewards of hard-work. It really does make me feel so blessed!

* I have to add that the food and service at 2 Amigos was excellent! They handled 90 kids extremely well!

Who will cry for the Orphan Child?

This video takes my breath away every time I watch it, which is pretty often. To think we dare complain about our hectic schedules, grocery bills, or the weather! 143,000,000 orphans in this world . Who will cry for them? Who will love them? Who will pray for these beautiful little children?

Flip Flop Fights & a Yellow Jacket Graduation

Gavin promised to behave himself at his preschool graduation.

Then he literally stuck his hand into a swarm of yellow jackets, and I just KNEW he was going to be quite the terror :)

Apparently, yellow jacket stings don't cause grouchiness or pain, just the irresistable urge to take off your flip-flop and hurl it at your best cousin Joey!

Welcome & home-study visit

Suzanne Here. Completely new to the blog world. Thought I would set this up to avoid repeating the same story to the nearly 10 of you ( yes, I am a social butterfly!) who I talk to on a daily basis.

This blog will feature cute stories and pictures of Gavin, daily musing from me, and updates about our journey towards adopting.

For those of you wondering, our first home study visit went great! Our caseworker is wonderful. She made Brandon and I feel so at ease with the whole process, and she provided ALOT of information about things to come. In addition, she totally didn't mind that our yorkie Cooper sat on top of her the whole time chewing on the obnoxious 3 pound bone he totes around.