The Little Things #4

1.  Wesley yelling "BEYBLADE" and "SLUGBUG" (although it doesn't sound exactly right, you know what he is saying).
2.  Ethan-ism for the day: "It went down the wrong tomb" rather than "tube" when he got choked during supper.
3.  Aidan and his love for reading again.  He had lost it for a while, and now he reads a lot (so much that he is blocking out his surroundings while reading.)

The Little Things #3

1.  The boys' love for the song "Taking Care of Business" and how they dance to it.
2.  Running with Aidan.
3.  Our new game, and possible Lytle family tradition, "Dodge Egg."
4.  Our Charlie Brown tree; it now has some leaves.

The Little Things #2

1. Wesley putting anything rectangular (specifically a tape measure) up to his face and yelling, "Cheese!"
2. The downpour occurring now. Such loud rain, and those I love the most are home.
3. My newly installed ceiling fan.

The Little Things #1

Three things I am loving this morning:

1. Wesley's confident walk across the room. Seriously, it's like he owns the world and everyone answers to him.
2. Ethan's conversation with me regarding my job. He thought I teach 8th and 9th grade, not 7th. He used the word "toot" instead of "taught", but at least he did not use "teached".
3. Aidan's crazy hair after sleeping in. He just woke up, and I am having some flash-forwards to his teen years. His first words to me: "How many donuts can I have."

I am trying to do this once a week. I will focus on the little things, not the obvious ones (God, family, etc.)

Thankful for the To Do

Is there any way I can be a good teacher, a teacher who makes a difference, one who influences my students for God's glory...without grading papers? Seriously, I am horrible at keeping on top of grading certain things, i.e. research papers, projects, etc. Quick little paragraphs, a vocabulary activity, some grammar exercises, etc. aren't so bad.

I just finished 5 research papers in a little over an hour. I have 35 to go (not too bad). BUT, I also have about 197 projects to grade, as well as some curriculum to write. Coupling these duties with laundry, supper, cleaning house, babysitting, over-night house guests, spending time with family, and getting the winter clothes in storage to get out the summer clothes, is not making for a very relaxing spring break.

I have no right to complain, though. Here is a list of reminders of things I can be thankful for, specifically in regards to the items mentioned above:
1. I have a job, many don't.
2. I enjoy my job, many don't.
3. I love managing my household, some don't have a home.
4. I enjoy a bit of pressure and tend to work well when it's applied, some don't.
5. I have the best hubby who does almost anything I ask, including housework and other such things, most women don't.
6. I have a great family that I enjoy spending time with, some don't.
7. My kids have clothes for each season, some don't.
8. I have food to fix for supper, some don't.

This is not a complete list, but I am reminded of a quote that someone famous I should remember said after being robbed (and this is just part of it):

"I am thankful it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed."