A Note for Teacher

Today I was handed this...

With the help of big sister, Abbi (a Kindergarten graduate of mine!), and her Mommy, Leah found a way to express to me how much she is looking forward to Kindergarten. :)

Yikes! I do believe this coming school year wins the award for being "The Most Anticipated School Year of All Time!" Nothing like excited students to get this teacher's heart a-pumpin' with excitement as well. :)

In Memory of my Pop-Pop

Today for my Pop-Pop's funeral, my brother, Andy, put together a slide show presentation of various pictures of my Pop-Pop throughout his life. We found 90 pictures and I am sure we could have found much more! We are definitely a "snap-happy" family :) I am soooooo thankful for each and every one of these pictures though so I can always remember my loving, always-smiling Pop-Pop. So many memories....

Here are the pictures we used for the slide show. I uploaded these pictures in a photo album on facebook as well, so feel free to check them out on there as well.

Finally Home

Today, my Pop-Pop went home to be with the Lord. After struggling so long with declining health, I know he was glad to finally be in a place with no sickness or pain!

I was just looking up the lyrics to one of my Pop-Pop's favorite songs "Because He Lives", and I just had to post it. When I read the 3rd verse, I really started to cry!!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

My Pop-Pop has fought life's final war with pain. He has seen death give way to victory, and he knows that his Savior lives!!! As much as I am hurting right now, missing him dreadfully, I would never wish him back to this sinful world filled with pain. My Pop-Pop is rejoicing now and glad to finally be home with his Savior!

Top Readers' Award

For the Winter Reading Program I split the elementary students into 4 groups. There were 2 girl groups (1st - 3rd & 4th - 6th) and 2 boy groups (1st - 2nd & 4th - 6th). Today I took the 4 top readers of each group bowling at the bowling center across the street from school.

Oh yes...I think we had about 10 different bowling balls on our rack throughout the game. They kept wanting to try out different colors and weights!

We definitely had a blast!!

The Mountaintop

One of my favorite CD's from Abigail Miller is the one entitled "I Can Go In". She actually came to our church when this CD first came out and sang a couple of the songs from the CD. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for godly Christian music! She wrote and composed most, if not all, the songs herself, which in my opinion makes it even more special! You can find the CD at my church's bookstore or on Abigail Miller's website.

She made a short video of one of the songs on the CD called "The Mountaintop." The words really touch my heart so I thought I would share the video with you so it may touch your hearts as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIq93-JZ0Jg

Winter Reading Program

For the past 6 weeks, I have been in charge of the Elementary Winter Reading Program. It's been a lot of fun encouraging the children along in their reading! Most got really enthusiastic about earning their "books". For every 100 minutes they read, they were able to add a book to their bookshelf, which was posted on the wall in a display outside the Learning Center.

There were prizes such as donuts, movie & popcorn party, McDonald's free meal, Friendly's free meal, 2 weeks of Knight's privilege, and a pizza party at Miss Follett's house if they reached a certain "minute mark" :)

Some of the kiddos enjoying their donut prize :)

Today was the last day of the reading program, so we celebrated by having the Movie & Popcorn prize for those who earned it. The two heaping bowls of popcorn were gone in a matter of minutes!!!

They watched a short movie called "Storykeepers". It's a video series about secret Christians who lived great during Nero's reign in Rome, and told stories about Jesus.