Celebration Saturday

 I'm so happy that Ruth Ayres started a Celebrate Link-Up on her blog!!!  I will be joining the celebration every Saturday!! 

1.  My first celebration is that I got up this morning to chilly, fall-like weather.  Fall is my favorite season, so I'm loving it!  

 

2.  Monday night girls' night at our local Mexican restaurant was so fun.  This is the group that gathers every Monday night at my house for The Bachelor/The Bachelorette when it's on.  I've sheepishly written about our gathering on the blog before - not everyone approves of that show.  Wink.  But it's been such a fun girls' night for years now, and we love it.  Since there is a big gap between seasons, and we won't get to watch the start of another season until winter, we needed an excuse to get together on Monday night anyway.  With the start of school and all the busyness it brings, it was nice to get out and celebrate friendship.
 

3.  There was a day last week that started out rough, but my last 6th grade class came in and completely turned the day around.  They swarmed around me at the beginning of class, excited about the various books they're reading, wanting to tell me about them. One boy said the book he just finished for small group, Diamond in the Desert, was the best book he'd ever read.  Wow.  He was so excited about it!  I love that.  Another boy loved The Boy on the Wooden Box , the book he had read for the nonfiction piece of our unit on Social Injustice.  I love that kids are enjoying books that are so meaningful.

   

4.  Early in the week, a fifth grade student brought in a page from a daily calendar that made her laugh.  I wish I hadn't left it at school!! I would've have scanned it and shared it here.  It pertained to empathy, our fifth grade theme topic.  It even enjoyed a play on words, a fish out of water.  I loved that she's looking for connections to empathy.  When I e-mailed her mom, telling her how much I enjoyed it, I got an amazing e-mail back about how much she is enjoying my class and how her daughter is talking about and looking for empathy in all kinds of places.  They even had a conversation about empathy around the book the mom was reading for book club.  That e-mail made my day/week!

 

5.  Speaking of e-mails, my principal copied an e-mail that was sent to her about how pleased a mom was that a concern she had about her fifth grade daughter was addressed by all her teachers.  She went on to say how happy she was that her daughter was in such good care.  My principal put the e-mail in our mailboxes with a thank you.  I thought that was so nice!

 

6.  My husband had dinner at OSU with our daughter, Katie, who just started her freshman year there.  He said she seems to be doing great.  That makes me happy!

 

7.  When he was gone, I came home from school to a surprise package from my husband on the kitchen counter.  I can't take a picture of the actual print, since it's rolled up, but here is the picture from Aaron Becker's website:

 

It's a gorgeous scene from his newest picture book, Quest.  Those who know me know I am a huge fan of Journey, and now Quest.  I can't wait to have it framed and hung in my classroom next to the print I have from  Journey!  

 

8.  On Sunday, the Adult Education Committee team on which I serve put on our annual Fall Kick-Off breakfast for our congregation.  I only play a small part of arranging and serving it, but I'm amazed at how 200+ can get fed a delicious breakfast of pancakes, sausage, bacon, fresh fruit, and coffee in a short amount of time so they can hear about the Sunday School and Wednesday Night Together class offerings this fall.  It's like a tiny version of the story of the loaves and fishes!!  It's all cleaned up within an hour so the second service can begin in the same room.  It's thanks to the folks who shop for all the food and serving items, pancake makers, table and chair setter-uppers, the youth group who serves the plates, fruit cutters, pan washers, and more. 

 

 

9.  My parents-in-law called last night.  They arrived safely home from a month-long trip to Europe.  They sounded tired, but so excited about their experiences.  We can't wait to see pictures!  They're such great role models for adventure!

 

10.  I love focusing on the celebrations each week.  It definitely helps you hone in on how much good there is.  Happy Celebration Saturday, everyone!