Christmas Break ♥

Today was the last day of school until Jan. 6th of next year. I do an International Feast for my class, because it is such a diverse class. We do a potluck, where different families sign up for the dishes. They usually bring a traditional food from their culture that they use to celebrate the Christmas season with. We get a very wide variety of foods, and they are all so good. It would have been so easy to indulge, but I was very good today.

The children came into class this morning very excited about today. I think when "Santa" came in (real beard and hair) the children were in heaven, or so they thought. He was one of the grandfathers of one of my boys, who goes to the schools and visits the special needs children. He was just great with the children. They sat on his lap and he asked them questions, answered them and gave each child a candy cane. I liked the way he handled their "requests" by telling each one that there are somethings that they need to tell their mom and dad and that he hopes each one will get what they want, but that doesn't always happen. He spoke to them very gently and they accepted his answers. After Santa left we did show and tell. His grandson brought a creche to share and said it was his grandma's and she said he could share it. He also mentioned that it was the "baby Jesus". I thought that was special.
Working in the public school system we are not suppose to talk about Jesus. However, when a child brings something in to share about Jesus, I go for it. I am impressed with how many children in my class know who Jesus is. Once the subject comes up they like to share about their Sunday school class. I just sit there and let them talk, - ah, I do make them take turns talking and sharing about their SS class.

Break used to be called Christmas vacation, now they call it winter break. I don't, to me it is still Christmas break. It is like going into the stores to shop. My son's birthday was 2 days ago. When I went shopping for his gift I had a sales lady ask me if I was holiday shopping. I told her "No,it is for my son's birthday. I don't holiday shop anyway." she said "You don't" my turn, "No, I don't celebrate many holidays, but I do celebrate Christmas and I do Christmas shop." After that the look she gave me tempted me to reach out and lift her chin up to close her mouth. She then said "Oh" and walked away, no other comment. That statement usually gets me more comments, she just seemed a little dumbfounded. I think I may have missed an opportunity to share Christ with her, but I know I left her with something to think about. Really, it was almost comical.


Now I need to finish decorating and finish my Christmas shopping! My feet hurt just thinking about it. Tonight I will finish my cards.

God Bless

Life moves on and God gives blessings.

I feel like I have been in a fog lately. With the wedding behind us, and our daughter now a married lady, I have been trying to catch up and focus on what needs to be done now. My dental surgery set me back just a little. I had nothing but soup and cottage cheese for a week and do look forward to solid foods now. I lost 4 pounds and hope to keep them off when real eating resumes. The bruise on my face is just about gone now, it was a very deep purple, approximately 1 inch across and 2 inches long and looked hideous, yet it never hurt.

Last Tuesday was a real joy for my class. Through the generous contributions of - hospital and their Angle Tree program, to give to the community, Santa was able to come and give to the families I serve. To see the looks of anticipation and excitement on those little faces was nothing less then pure joy. The children sang 3 songs for them, gave them a (giant) card which my staff had them make (when I was off for the wedding) and necklaces I prepared with their names and pictures; this was the children's way of saying Thank You. There was a short segment on the late news that night, but that doesn't matter. The generosity of this hospital is beyond bounds. This was truly an event that these families will remember for a very long time. What I have to say is "God truly works in mysterious ways."

_________

We turned the heater on when our other daughter was here for the wedding. The weather had still been warm until that week.. It seemed to work alright, even when we helped up the temperature some. Little did we know. Even though it had been going on it wasn't sufficently heating. To make a long story short, there was part of the unit that we had to have replaced, and I dread the bill. However, it works nicely now. Which is really nice as the central valley is known for it's hideous dreay, foggy days. The sun has been seen in the afternoons, so there is still hope.

I love to decorate for the Christmas season. The colors, the lights, the music, the reason for the season just make it all so special. I am sitting here looking at a tree with just lights on it and the box of decorations on the floor. After I finish here I need to finish some other work. I am hoping to finish decorating this weekend.

I am hoping to get my brain out of a fog and get on with what needs to be done here.
God Bless

This week

Going back to class after being off for 2 weeks, I felt like I was in a fog. But it was good to be back and see all the children. I do like what I do.

I had my 6 month dental exam in late October, he found an infected molar and sent me to a specialist for that. To spare the gory details, I needed some dental surgery, no fun. He wanted to do it before the wedding and I said no. I am so glad I did. I had the surgery on Monday, and I look like I have been kicked in the face. My left side has been swollen (doesn't hurt) and I have had a bruise around the side of my mouth and chin the size of a baby's open hand. Looks, well you can imagine. Yesterday I went back in and all is healing well. I go back next week and the week after he will remove the stitches. I ger courious looks from some of my parents as they bring their children into class. So as a few have asked what happened I make sure I say it in a voice that others can over hear. However, I have been on a 'soft or liquid' diet since Monday and look forward to eating real food again, next week.

I have an unspoke prayer request. Thanks

God Bless

After

After all was said and done, and the happy couple were on their honeymoon, we were able to relax and enjoy our visit with our oldest daughter. Since we wouldn't see them again until the day after Christmas, the little one's and I did a gingerbread house.

Brandon had very specific ideas about how the decorations were to go on and decorated most of it. When sis was helping he told her where the decorations went and how they were to stand. They had quite a conversation going. He, being in kindergarten, was more focused on the house then she was. After all she isn't 3 yet, so that's alright.

We did Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, as they left Thanksgiving day for their home. It was a good visit and I enjoyed them all.