Multitude of Thoughts: Loving Laughing Living Laboring

Happy Official back to school!!
I have 20 little people in my room today, with 9 absent. Praying that if I do indeed have 29 in my class that somehow God uses that for good ;)

Loving these little people & their big eyes, ready to embrace whatever this crazy teacher tells them to do. I already can tell the ones that need extra lovin' & pray with me that I can give them what they need....

Loving that this weekend had us recharged on every level. Love that Ben & Jill were kind enough to host our tribe, on their busy conference weekend! Everything was seemless & perfect, from an amazing play space for the kids, instant bonds between Claire and Hannah, never ending coffee & good chats !! Plus....Hudson napped all Sunday afternoon meeting so I could hear the messages! Score!

The ministry was encouraging and challenging & the key point I took out was to stay focused and not worry about the distractions that come. Push past those and keep at it for the Lord.

Loving that this 4 day week has all sorts of busy in it ( the 3 curriculum nights alone are cray cray!)- yet my fridge at school is stocked with Tuna Pouches & Ice drinks.... and Matt has the ship on cruise control at home.... soooo it feels like a super blessed week.... still thinking it's because we are still mulling over the awesome conference memories....

Living full this week as we think of all sorts of new radical ideas of how to get the love of God to the area where I teach.... it's so cool when you feel a new mission instead of just "work".... like these faces could potentially be the next generation of __________. That blank.... could be ANYTHING!! Preachers! Teachers! Pastors! CEOs! Anything with greatness and purpose!! There is SO much hope here. There is SO much laboring that needs done too.... it wont happen overnight.. we know that... but we are excited to live life full... of love laughs and labor.

And LOVING the time and money I blew in my room. I literally smile walking in each morning ( granted it's only been a couple days haha, BUT STILL :)) When the kids walk in and smile & get excited about the smell- my heart is full. That coconut mango scent is pretty beachy and Hawaii-ish... take us back!!! :)

Okay... entering with this happy mat is all the heart eyes....

Then this... took over the "Parent Info" wall ( which might have been viewed by 2 parents over the year... and repurposed it... and LOVE IT!)

Thank you Librarian for leaving this rug behind... did a little rug swap now by color coded tables can sit at their color circles! Loving it!

Loving the brag tag area... these have been updated as of today, with one tag ... the tag system is a V.E.R.Y time consuming initially.... so they have ONE tag lol and it's "1st day of school"... maybe October will provide more down time to print laminate hole punch and organize ...

(Miss Jordan - my AMAZING helper on MWF's desk)

Flexible seating nook

( Still under construction... will try and intro it in a couple weeks)

Imagine a huge bouncy ball in those milk crates Image result for yoga ball chair DIY

for the cheapo version of this .... Image result for yoga ball chair

This area is not super picture pretty but I LOVE the cubbies in the back of the room - the less clutter that you see initially when you walk in the room is bliss... My teacher desk is that horseshoe table that you see... doubling as small group table too... allowing a massive teacher table to GO OUT of my room... Yay for more kiddo space.... also I can monitor cubby time much better from back there too... and you spy that stainless steel fridge?!?! All the hallelujahs... it has been every bit a game changer as I had envisioned.

Library nook.... Thanks to Hannah for the teepee donation ... and those adorable yellow chevron pillows are little pops of sunshine... and those striped letter flags on the ugly shades.... Hobby Lobby 90% off...

That ugly green chalkboard got re-purposed with dry erase paint- yes I should have painted it at least 10 times, but I was at my limit at 5. I love the white even with streaks :)

The WOW work clip area is totally impractical as I can hardly reach the top kiddo's work to change it- but at least its BRIGHT and looks like I am posting kid work ;) Maybe once a quarter I will hang legit stuff :)

Pictures from today's Pre-Writing Strength Building workshop :) (Aka FUN!!)

Use a clothespin to pick up the cotton balls aka ice cream ... and put in the cup...

Salt writing

Dot painting

Playdough

This boy. In love. He literally just moved here from NIGERIA! Never ever in school before. He is so creative ( made an orange robot), and is SO sweet and well mannered ( YAY!!), his mom is a DOLL and his dad is 100% blind. I am so thankful to be a part of his welcome to america foundation-al time...