Last day of 2013

I saw this on Facebook and thought it was fitting since it's the last day of the year 2013. 

Enjoy and be safe! 

Thinking

I haven't had the best week honestly. 

I had a tummy issue, fought with the kid's running noses and this morning I woke up with a scratchy throat. 

I'm also sad and whiny because I don't feel the greatest and hubby had to leave me and go get the car that is *finally* ready. 

Ah, I know, so many people have it worse, but once in a while you just need to celebrate your own pity party so welcome to mine *WINK* 

I'm having chicken soup, wanna some? 

Anyway, I recently looked hard at our finances and thinking of steps to improve ourselves and get some solid savings, you know for the times when the car just gives up on you and such! 

Mind you, we're really frugal people: I make my own detergents and cleaning supplies, trade for soap and shampoo with other artisan and we don't really have any addiction so to speak, so there isn't much to cut back, unless we stop paying bills (we got rid of cable 2 years ago already) or stop eating LOL 

 I do have a part time job and the extra money is nice, you know, for a little family outing every once in a while, Christmas shopping and stuff. 

But there is no way around it, if we want some solid savings, I will have to start working full time. 

I do love working at school and such, so I think it will be nice for me if I can find a full day job in the school district and from that thought and a little soul searching, I think what I'm aiming for is for a classroom assistant job or similar. 

 So I did a little research and to be able to apply for these kind of position I will have to take (and pass) a para pro assessment test. 

The test itself doesn't cost much, the material is available to study at any time, but I will have to go to Tallahassee to take the test.......another road trip.....kill me know please! 

You can understand how with the last happenings, I really don't look forward to another trip out of town *with my car* any time soon *SIGH* 

So, I was dwelling myself if I really should put this on my list of priority and make it happen just like I did with the citizenship or put this dream on the back burner for better times until I found this, scrolling on facebook: 

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. 

However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. 

It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. 

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.." 

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." 

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." 

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class." 

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag 

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. 

 On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. 

By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.." A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. 

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life. 

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life. 

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD. 

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you." 

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.) 

Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it". Random acts of kindness, I think they call it? "Believe in Angels, then return the favor." 

This story touched my heart and soul very deeply. 

I'm not sure if it's a sign of not, I know many people don't believe in those things (hubby will be the first one to say that I read too much into things). 

Anyway, I do have few months before deciding, but if I go for it, it will happen on April.

Do you ever feel.....

.....like sometimes the days in your life go on so painfully slow and you don't know how to fill the emptiness and than all of sudden, things keeps happening so quickly that you feel like you're in a race and the only thing you can do is holding on tight?

This is one of the time that I feel this way.

Seems that the last 4 years passed by in a slow motion of things that made me unhappy, while now is a flowing of events (mostly good) and the only thing I can do is holding to my sit waiting to get through it. Because I know it won't last.

But sometimes I really wish I could regulate the "speed" of my life as easily as I can turn the volume knob of my radio.....wishful thinking, I know.

All this speech to let you know that there is a lot going on and I'm trying to catch my breath when I can.

And when I feel tired and overwhelmed, this song sure cheers me up, I hope it will do the same for you!

The Mayonnaise Jar

I read this on my friend Kayla's blog, The Eclectic Element, and I thought was very inspirational. It really fits the mood of this strange week, I hope you enjoy!

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full..
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded
With an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --
The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you..

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.'

Please share this with other "Golf Balls"

I just did......

Randomness Saturdays

Sorry if I didn't post this yesterday, but there was an awful glitch in my etsy shop that really got me in a panic attack.
Now, back to normal with some random things from this week.

♥ Personal: Both of my kids are sick with a strong cold: nothing to worry about, but they will stay off school for a couple of days.

♥ Michelle enjoyed her first week in school a LOT and her potty training is going awesome!!

♥ Heard from a store that is interested in carrying my products: the order is a little bit smaller of what I was hoping for, but it's a start!

♥ This song was stuck in my head all week: thought some of you might like it! the lyric is in the video.


♥ The movie that I recommend this week is "Bedtime Stories" with Adam Sandler. It really amazed me how much creativity and fantasy kids may have, how life can get an unexpected turn and how much waiting for your dreams to come true really pays off :)

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