Routines are good

We started back to school and work today and I'm so happy to be back in our regular routine.  I am definitely the type of person who loves a routine and thrives in it.  I like to know what's going on and where we will be.  It was really good to see all the students and my coworkers today.  And I'm not going to lie,  it was great to be at my desk,  in my office... Just doing my thing.  Ahhh. Feels good to be back in the saddle again. 

The kids both enjoyed their first day back.  They were both really excited to tell their friends about their new toys,  the fun they had and hear all about how their break was.  It was cute to see them so excited to go back. 

This evening Zane started up with basketball again.  He joined a short weekend booster program in November and December and really liked it.  He and I were happy when a few parents organized a twice weekly practice for kids who are interested.  It's fun to watch him out on the court.  He has the potential to be a good player if he keeps up practicing and applies what he is learning.  I'm so proud of him for wanting to try this new sport out! 

Zane with his super cool new basketball t-shirt!

The most fun aspect of today was getting my hair cut!  I've been growing it out for several months but got tired of longer hair.  So today I cut it off!  Short hair is more flattering on me I think.  I also love the ease of it.  I'm really happy with the cut and style.  What a welcome and fun change!

 

I'm a Survivor!

Yes, I have survived the first hectic week back to school and work. I think that my planning ahead at work (and at home) helped that along. I started preparing for the new school year, at work, during the final month of last school year. That helped me out immensely this week. It was still chaotic with some longer work days than I had planned on, but it has gone well so far! I really love my job and I am continually glad I made the choice to commit to one job and be in one place each day. The Lord has truly blessed me with wonderful bosses and co-workers and I couldn't ask for more from a job. I love how His timing and planning totally rocks when you least expect it!

On the home front, life is good! Both kids love school and love their teachers. I love that they love school so much. The newness of this school year has not worn off yet, so they are still in the happy, "honeymoon" phase. I am still trying to wrap my head around the fact that my son is in second grade. That just doesn't seem possible. And my sweet girl is going to be turning five in a couple months. Please stop growing up!!!

We had a sad adjustment to make in our family this week. One of our beloved kitties starting being super naughty (escaping to the outside, marking her territory inside, etc) and we just couldn't keep her anymore. We were so happy that the family we got her from was able to take her back. She is now free to be the outdoor kitty she is born to be. We miss her but we are happy to know that we can see her anytime we want to go visit and that she is happy playing with her brothers and sisters.

Also kind of exciting...I reopened my Etsy shop! Now that I am down to just one job and have less extra curricular commitments, I have time to sew again. I've missed having the shop open. There is such satisfaction in creating something you love and seeing other people love it too. Same feeling as giving the perfect gift. If you are interested in checking out my shop, you can find it here, on Etsy or click the link on the sidebar of my blog.

School!

We started a new school year today!  Zane is in second grade and Claire is in Pre K this year and they are both so excited!  They both have super great teachers again this year,  which makes school even more fun. Although,  Claire would say that painting makes school the most fun.  Zane just says he feels older,  like a teenager and not like a kid now. I guess that's what happens when you turn 7 and start second grade.  :)

I also started back to work today and am happily employed by just one school now.  Last week I resigned as a school district employee and am committed full time to the Christian school. I am the secretary there and I love my job!  So today,  I enjoyed my first day back also. 

Besides starting the new school year,  both kids have decided to play soccer this fall and have started practices this week.  They play in two different age groups and two different teams,  so we are very busy! So far,  they both really like it and I am glad!  Neither one of them have ever shown interest in sports until now.  We are eagerly anticipating their first games next weekend. Nana and Papa are coming to visit and staying the night before so we can all attend the games as a family. The day of the games also happens to be Papa's birthday,  so we will be celebrating that as well!

Last,  but not least, some pictures from the last couple of days. 

Here we go, again!

Wow. A year long break from blogging. A lot has happened in a year. Where to begin?!

Well...For starters, the kids and I moved into our own house. We actually got to move into my grandma's house. This is the same house that she lived in for more than half her life. This is the house that my sister and i spent summer vacations in. Now I get to raise my kids here. My parents and a couple of their friends spent all last spring and summer remodeling it, cleaning it, etc. We moved into our new home the second weekend in September. It has been perfect for us and we love it. I have even overcome my fear and dislike of gardening...yeah, I know. I have a thriving container garden and pots of flowers that I have grown from seeds. I am very proud!

Along with a shiny new house, we got two goldfish and two adorable cats that we all love. We got Belle in November. She was a complete surprise for the kids. I planned for two weeks to get her without them knowing. It was so fun to surprise them when we went to pick her up. She quickly became the spoiled princess of the house and we wouldn't have it any other way. We recently added Mavis kitty to our clan. We have had her for about a month now and she is something else. A little spitfire. Belle did not like her at all for about 4 days. Then suddenly they were best friends. It is so fun to watch them play together. And yes, they do try to get the goldfish. About those fish...the kids won them at the school carnival. yay. I have always hated the idea of fish because they are so dirty. But the night the kids won them, I was a changed woman. Watching their excited faces as they watched the fish swim around made me change my mind about fish. The very next day we drove down to the pet store and bought up all the supplies we need for the long haul of being fish owners. Fish One and Fish Two are now big, fat, happy goldfish. And, it deserves mention, we are now owners of a baby praying mantis that Zane named Mr. Greenwald. He found them last night at the pool.

I have now completed a full school year at the primary school and I love it. I love the staff and I love the kids. Doing a whole school year was so much better than joining mid year and feeling awkwardly out of place. Half way through the school year, I got offered a job at the Christian school and I accepted. I am now the secretary of that school as well as working my two hours at the primary school. I am officially employed full time with summers off! How can it get better than that?!

Speaking of school...Zane is starting second grade this year and is so excited! He got the teacher he really wanted, which makes it so much cooler. He is a reading maniac and is super excited to have his own Kindle to read on. I can't believe he is in second grade now. Crazy. Miss Claire will be in Pre-K this year. She finished her second year at Headstart in May and then transferred to the Christian school where she will stay for all of next year. She has blossomed even more in a smaller class and has really come out her shell. So with one kid at each of the schools I work at, I get to see them both throughout the day. I love it!

I am really looking forward to this coming school year. Last year was a crazy roller coaster of fun but busy days and months. I signed on as secretary of the PTO last year and that kept me busy. I also volunteered at Awana full time and did games and secretary there. I also tried to volunteer at both Headstart and the primary school as much as I could. It was a crazy time. This coming school year is already significantly less busy. I won't be doing PTO as an officer, I won't be running games at Awana, but I will try to volunteer when I can. Working full time is tricky when it comes to volunteering, even with working where I want to volunteer. But I have been greatly blessed with wonderful, understanding and supportive employers in each school. I'm telling you, you can't dream up a better deal than this, folks.

So what else is there? I'm still single. I did meet someone who I had hopes of getting to know better, but we ended up parting ways due to some pretty major lifestyle differences. I have tried online dating websites but I always end up feeling really discouraged. I just know God will bring someone into my life when it's His timing and not mine. So...I wait as patiently as I can and pray a lot. I would love to meet someone who could share this amazing life with me and the kids. I would love for the kids to have someone in their lives who could encourage and love them. I know he is out there...so I wait, I pray and I trust God.

But on a different note, I have a super awesome group of friends here. I am so lucky to have so many amazingly fun people in my life. I am so grateful for each one of them. It's wonderful to be part of such a small, mostly close knit community.

It's amazing what happens when you just let go and trust God. I can't even tell you the countless ways I have seen His provision, guidance, and love poured out on me and my family in this past year. It never ceases to amaze me just how mighty He really is.

People

I am feeling all kinds of emotions tonight, the last night my son is a kindergartner. How did we get to this day so fast?! I know I will be crying a lot tomorrow. Not just over my son moving up to first grade, but also because it means we will say goodbye to his teacher who we both love. I am sure that his teacher next year will be great, I think all the teachers at our school are pretty great, but I know this years teacher will hold a special place in both our hearts.
I am also sad to see so many fourth graders move to the middle school. I never imagined I would get so attached to these kids after only 4.5 months. (I'm already dreading saying goodbye next year after working with the next group of fourth graders for a full year) I am sad that I won't see these kids everyday but it's fun to see them excited for the next chapter in their lives.
So, tonight I'm thankful for my favorite kindergarten teacher and all that she did for her class this year. I can only tell you the impact she has had on Zane and its just wonderful. She is such a warm and loving person.
I'm also thankful tonight for my co-workers. I know I have been thankful for them before but they need to be mentioned again. I could not ask for a better group of women to work with everyday. How awesome is it to go to work and love the people there and have fun with them? I am just so blessed by each one of them for so many reasons. I can't wait to spend another year with them!

Little things

I'm thankful for the little things in my day that remind me how blessed I am. Hugs and cuddles from both my kiddos top this list. :)
I'm also thankful for new friends I have made. I'm excited to have friends who are in the same town I am now!
I had my first day of work today and it was great! Two hours passes very quickly when it's go go go in the lunchroom and recess. I think I am going to really enjoy this job. I also helped in Zane's classroom this morning and that was a lot of fun. The kids in his class are super cute and I enjoy getting to work with them when I can. :)

Job!!

Today I am thankful for my new job! I got hired on at Zane's school as a part time playground supervisor today! I will be working two hours each day supervising kids at lunch and recess after lunch. I am so excited!! My goal is to work in the school district full time once Claire starts kindergarten, so this is a great step in the right direction.
God is so faithful to provide for us if we just give our lives to him and trust in his timing. This job has God written all over it! This month is the last month I will receive alimony from my divorce so my finances were about to drop some. This position will not only make up for that but it will provide more than the amount I received each month in alimony. I was prepared for the drop in income thanks to a great budgeting system I worked out in October, but to know I don't have to make extra sacrifices or worry about them is a huge relief. I have put a lot of prayer into this situation and worked with what I have been given. Having my prayers answered isn't new, but it's so humbling and wonderful every single time it happens. We serve a mighty God who just loves on us! What more could we ask for?!