#152/366--Bang for Your Buck

#151/366--Contemplate

This morning, I sat in my living room with my cup of coffee, 

...in the dark...  

Watching the lightning.  

Listening to the thunder.

Contemplating.

...and the main theme of my ponderings was...

...why?

So much change.  Lots of things left unspoken.

And there I sat.  Asking God, "why?"

Because I don't believe God allows 

anything into our lives

...without a purpose...

He won't waste anything.  

But lately, circumstance upon circumstance,

I cannot figure out His purposes.

Obviously, He is molding my character...

...deepening my trust in Him...

...widening my faith...

...sharpening my wisdom...

...teaching me from my mistakes...

...using the storm...

What I don't understand is...

why won't I learn?

...why am I so hardheaded that...

...I would need these lessons repeated...

I want a teachable heart.

I want a spirit of integrity.

I want a trust that runs so deep...

...that I don't have to wrestle...

...over decisions that He makes...

...because I know that He knows what is best...

He knows beginning and end.

He knows things I don't know.

And in my head.

I know.

He wants what is best for me.

Like a parent with a child.

The child who is crying in the store 

because she can't have the cute pair of shoes she wants...

...when the parent has already gotten her the entire outfit.

The child who is kicking her feet...

...throwing a fit...

because her parent said, "just wait..."

And later, I always find out He was right to begin with.

I should have trusted Him.

This season of my life...

I want a teachable heart.

I want to learn the lesson.

I want it written upon my heart.

#150/366-Point of View

...from my lap...

#149/366--Monkey

#148/366--Arrived

....some very sweet words to my ears..

...or should I say to eyes...

...and...

...I hope to hear from her again today sometime...

#147/366--My Girl, Part 2

My Lollipop, leaving for China...

 Michael, not wanting her to go...

 ...going thru security...

 ...me, stalking my daughter's flight...

I miss that SweetGirl.

I didn't realize how often she and I texted

until I couldn't text her at will anymore!!

#146/366--My Girl

#145/355--Several Things

First of all...gifts...

 from darling Kindergarten children and their parents...

((think they know me just a little bit??))

Second...it was the last day of school...so...

goodbye to the old...

...hello to the new...

Also, today was my 6th grader's last day in elementary school.

I no longer have a child...

I have two adolescents.

YIKES!

This is Michael at his awards breakfast...

...so as you can see...

...it has been an emotional roller coaster of a day for me...

...that is why tonight...

I had to get a little crazy

and rap a little 

Beastie

Boys

Karaoke

...with my homegirl, Jen...

...and tomorrow...

I will be

a Second grade teacher,

shutting down her

Kindergarten classroom...

and

...a Parent of a Junior High kiddo

and a High schooler...

...who is about to have her permit...

.goodnight.

#144/366--Change

I work with some amazing people.

I have taught Kindergarten (and some PreK) for 17 years.

(I sure don't feel that old.)

I've taught with my friend, Joanne, for 7 of those years.

We've seen our share of good times,

laughs, peculiar children, hard times, change.

Recently, I found out that I, 

along with my other good friend, Jennifer,

will be moving up to teach 2nd grade next year.

More change.

Hard change.

You see, Kindergarten is my heart.  I love those babies.

And working with people like this:

...makes that change all the more difficult.

I love these girls.  So very much.

Our friendships have grown, stretched, and even faced 

some stormy weather.  

They have seen me at my best...

...and they have seen me a mess.

And they still love me.

And, for that, I love them.

Joanne got us all a gift today--a piece of the letter 'K'--

for "Kindergarten."

Because when you put us all together,

we make one of the best Kindergarten teams around: 

(yes, I glued my piece down backward--but that's what I mean...

these girls know that's just me.  Backward.  And they still love me.)

I am anxious about the upcoming year.

I know God is in control.

I know He will work this out for His Glory.

But that doesn't erase the emotion I feel.

In the words of Stevie Nicks, "Changes,": 

"oh mirror in the sky

what is love

can the child within my heart rise above

can I sail through the changing ocean tides

can I handle the seasons of my life...

Well I've been afraid of changing

'cause I've built my life around you

But time makes you bolder

children get older

and I'm getting older too..."

I will miss teaching with you guys.

I am SUPER thankful that Jen is moving up with me.

Please know that I am leaving

a piece of my heart behind.

I love you girls.

#143/366--Little Ones

...a  Precious Darling from my Kindergarten class this year...

#142/366--Sunset

#141/366--My Girl

Happy 15th Birthday

to my one and only 

Daughter

You are my sunshine.

You make me happy when skies are gray.

You'll never know dear...

How much I love you.

I cannot understand how fast time flies.

I have been wrestling with this for the past year or so.

I look at the woman you are growing into

and I feel so proud.

I say it often...but not often enough...

You are...

Lovely

Amazing

Unique

Real

Exceptional

Notable

You are...

Magnificent

Admirable

Rare

Ineffable

Easy-going

You are...

Friendly

Responsible

Angelic

Noble

Clever

Out-of-this-world

All of this and so much more.

Please don't take my sunshine away.

Happy Birthday, Love.

:)

#140/366--Birthdays and Beaches

we.had.a.fun.day.

#139/366--Road Trip

For her birthday, Lauren wanted to go to a Ranger game.

But they were out of town.

So, we took a road trip.

To see them play.

In the Lone Star Series.

Against Houston.

#138/366--Singing

...as in, Michael singing...

...and also, Lauren singing...

...and she had a solo...

...and she sounded really good...

...but the video is kinda long...

...and she kinda didn't want me to post it...

...so I won't...

#137/366--And Still More Baseball

...there can never be too much baseball...

#136/366--More Baseball

#135/366--Slow, Big, Fast

...a slug on our front porch...

 ...clouds...

 ...#27...

#134/366--Mother's Day

...compare to last year's blog...
http://jnelmo2.blogspot.com/2011/05/128365-mothering.html
...much improved...
heehee
.l.o.v.e.
.b.l.e.s.s.e.d.

#133/366--Moving

...my friend, Tara, to her new apartment...

...and also in my first 5K...