Red Lights: A Record of Life's Defining Moments

Thankful Thursday

There is so much to be thankful for and so I like to take time on Thursday's to list my "thankful ten".  Here is this week's installment...

1. For just being alive - waking up every morning and having another glorious day to live through.
2. For my home... I'm doing some major cleaning and organizing the last couple of days and stop often and think about how fortunate we are to have our lovely home.
3. Always for Mikey - could not write a list without recognizing the amazing gift I was given when God chose me to be his mother.  I am blessed.
4. For water delivery... its so much easier than going out and carrying these giant jugs of water ;).
5. For summer holidays - even if they go by too fast.
6. For good friends.  I seem to blessed with more than my fair share of them and for that I am so thankful.
7. For the potential of a second child for me.  I'm waiting patiently and just feel so thankful that I have the resources to see this through if that is what is meant to be for our family.
8. For my job.  I have always loved teaching but there is just something that about this particular job that touches the very core of me.  I'm looking forward to seeing all the staff and students in a few short weeks.
9. For having the resources to be able to take a trip to Sylvan Lake in a couple of weeks.  I know that we are going to have a lot of fun doing all the water stuff (water slides, beaches, boat rides...etc.).  It will be great to get away.
10. For my health.  I was sick over the weekend and it was a reminder to me of how much I value my health (and am so thankful for it).

Thankful Thursday: July 2, 2009 Thankful 10

Its been a while but now with the lazy days of summer looming I have more time to post again so here it is :).

1. For summer holidays.  I am so blessed to have these weeks to spend at home with Mikey.  I often feel that I have the best of both worlds because of the career that I have.
2. For Mikey.  Alwyas for Mikey.  I still wonder every minute of the day as to why I've been so lucky to get the son that was perfect for me.
3. For my friends.  I'm so fortunate to have such great friends.
4. For my family and their continued to health.
5. For the future... as I begin this weight loss journey for real, I can see a healthier future for both me and Mikey and hopefully for the child that will someday join our family.
6. The sidewalks and pavement are finally done in front of the house.  Its going to be so great to not have to treck through mud and/or snow at certain parts of the year.  Its been a long wait and I'm so thankful its done.
7. For the country I live in... as we celebrated Canada day yesterday. It truly is a wonderful county and I'm blessed to live in it.
8. For a God that is always directing my life.  Its amazing how things always work out in the long run.
9. For the students that I have the honor of teaching.  Each one of them brings something more to my life and for that I feel so lucky.  The world would not be the same without knowing each one of these individuals the way that I do.
10. For our new support worker (Glenda).  She is so amazing with Mikey and its nice to have a bit of me time along the way.

Thankful Thursday

1. That this weekend is a long weekend.  I so very much need an extra day to recharge and be ready for the home stretch of this school year.
2. For Glenda - our new respite/community support worker.  We have finished the "training" part of things and she will start working one-on-one with MIkey now.  MIkey is responding well to her and I'm looking forward to having  a couple of hours a week to do errands without having to drag Mikey along.
3. For my new furniture in the basement.  Its so warm and cozy and I love having this space for Mikey and me to hang out in.  Its wonderful to be in the same area even when we are pursuing our own personal interests :).
4. For evenings that are warm enough to get out for a walk after its been miserable all day long.  Summer is so slow to come on this year that I'm cherishing any little bit of time where its nice enough to get out.  Mikey and Glenda and I walked to Beavers last night and it was so wonderful.
5. For the little town that we live in.  They really have some wonderful facilities here and I can't wait until the swimming pool opens and we can start going regularly.
6. For ends of school years.  Its always so nice to have a definitive end and start as both of them are so exciting. 
7. For the classroom facility that we have.  It truly is a pretty well equipped room and works well for us :).
8. For sleep - even if I don't always get enough of it.  Having suffered from insomina in the past, I must say that it is completely glorious to fall asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pilllow each evening (as well be able to take little cat naps during the day).
9. For Mikey's school.  The first thing he asks when he wakes up in the morning is if he is going to school today.  He is just so happy there.  Gone are the days from our last school when he would cry on school mornings.  We have come a long way baby!
10. For today - a brand new day for both Mikey and I to learn and do all day long :).

Thankful Thursday: Here is Today's Thankful Ten

1. For the staff in the classroom that I work in.  They are all such amazing people with wonderful personalities, senses of humor and hearts.  It is a joy to work with all of them and a blessing to watch them love, nurture and teach the students in our classroom.
2. For Raelyn who will turn a year old on Sunday.  She came into the world weighing less than 2 pounds about 15 weeks earlier than anyone expected her to.  She has do so amazingly well this past year.  I love that there is a child out there that might just put Mikey to shame when it comes to "perserverance" ;).
3. For Miss Mary, the learning assistant that has worked with Mikey at school for the past 2.5 years.  She is amazing with him.  We are so blessed to have someone who will challenge him to be all that he can be at the same time as she allows him to be his own unique self :).
4. For our home.  This past week I was working in my new office (in our just completed basement) while Mikey played in his playroom just outside my office.  It was so wonderful to be on the same floor even when we were both doing our own things.  I can see this basement becoming a very special family space for us in years to come.  I feel so blessed to have had the money to get it finished.
5. For the friends that I have made online in the years since I adopted Mikey - both those from Down syndrome sites and those form Single Parenting by Choice sites.  Its wonderful to travel this journey with people who are also traveling it.  If you would have told me that I would feel so close to people that I have never even seen in real life I would never have believed you.  But it has happened and I'm so fortunate to know so many great people.
6. For the dream of adding another child to our family.  Hopefully soon I will be thankful for having that child but for now the dream is enough to be thankful for. 
7. For warm weather!  It has been so great to be able to get outside these past few days.  I love sleeping with my windows open!
8. For hot baths!  Nothing more wonderful than a nice warm bath after a tiring day.  And to top it off I have landed in a house that has one of the greatest soaker tubs that I've ever soaked in.
9. For my dad.  Of course there are so many others in my family that I'm thankful for but wanted to single out my dad this week as on Monday it had been 2 years since his heart attack.  It was a time when I came face to face with the mortality of my father.  I wanted to take a moment to be thankful to ensure that I do not forget.
10. For the path that my life has taken... both the good and the bad... as it is what lead me to this moment.

Thankful Thursday: Today's Thankful Ten

So much to be thankful for these days.  Time to get back to posting my "Thankful Ten" lists.  Although I picked Thursday this week, I'm sure I will do these whenever the feeling moves me.

1. For the changes that I have seen in Mikey lately.  He seems to have made some huge leaps in social and independence skills in the past few months.  I often find myself feeling confident that I would be able to handle him with another chlid because he is just so much more independent suddenly.  God sure has a way of making sure all the ducks line up in a row :).
2. For the opportunity we have tonight to go and see the Harlem Globetrotters.  I'm pretty sure Mikey is going to be completely thrilled with this event. 
3. For my home.  Its wonderful to have the basement done and have that extra space.  This home is just so perfect for us.
4. For my parents and my friends.  I could not be a single parent without the support of so many people.  I so appreciate those people who have helped to make this work - my parents for watching Mikey when I need someone, for friends who have cared for him, come with me when an extra pair of hands are necessary, supported my choices and just been there to talk when I need adult ears.  I'm humbled by the amazing people that God has placed in my life.
5. For my job.  It is so wonderful to wake up each day excited to go to work. 
6. For my online friendships.  So many people that I've never met in real life have added a whole new level to my life.
7. For Susan Boyle... its wonderful to see a story of someone who is chasing their dreams and reminding so many around the world of lessons we sometimes forget.
8. For Camille - Mikey's respite/community support worker.  Mikey loves her and gets so excited every time he is going to spend time with her.  We are so blessed to have found someone who is so good with Mikey for this role.  We will miss her when she returns home for the summer at the end of the month and are praying that her schedule will work out so that she can work with Mikey again this fall.
9. For the parent council at the school that I work at.  They are an amazing bunch of ladies who work so hard to make the school an even more wonderful place.
10. For the opportunity to wake up each morning and embrace all that they day has to offer. 

Today's Thankful Ten (September 26, 2008)

1. For my parents and their support as I raise Mikey.  They came in to get Mikey last night and he is staying with them through to tomorrow morning so that I can attend my PD day today (no school for Mikey as a result as it is division wide) and our distirct dinner and dance tonight.  Mikey loves spending nights at their house and I'm thinkful for their willingness to do it.
2. For the learning assistants that I have working in my classroom.  They are all amazing women and are so dedicated to the students in the room.
3. For warm sunny days at the end of September.  Its wonderful to be able to spend time outside in these last days before our cold winter will set in.
4. For the direction that God gives me in my life.  I am thankful for the confidence that God gives me when making decisions related to the direction I should take in life. 
5. For the ordinary moments in Mikey's life that I experience a hundred times a day... watching Mikey answer the yes and no questions with excitement when watching Dora, having him read short stories to me, seeing him do something new independently each day, hearing him giggle while I push him on the swing, watching him get off the bus at the end of the day - when he sees me, yells "mom" and comes running at me with his arms wide open for a hug.  I am humbled that God would think to bless me in almost every minute of my life.
6. For PD Fridays - because a change is often as good as a rest :).
7. For the students in my classroom - each of them brings such a unique personality to our room.  They are all amazing children and young adults.
8. For the health of my friend's daughter who was born premature back in April and is now home, off oxygen, gaining weight and her eye condition appears to be getting better on its own.  This little girl is a true miracle.
9. For Terry Fox, his courageous journey and the inspiration that he gave to others to continue to live out his dream each September.  Its amazing to me how selfless he was - running across Canada to raise money for cancer... money that would come way too late to help him.  Its amazing to me the inspiration that he carries for others so many years later.
10. For mornings when I have enough time to sit down and write before I start doing the rest of the things that need to be done in a day... and now I must go ;).

Today's Thankful Ten (August 31, 2008)

1. For a relatively productive summer.  I did get a lot of personal things done that I wanted to this summer.  I finally feel like I'm catching up in my personal life!
2. For Mikey and the joy that he brings to so many people's life.  He is such a blessing.
3. For the school that Mikey is currently attending.  I appreciate that they see Mikey's value.
4. For the staff in my classroom.  I'm looking forward to getting back to working with them this week.
5. For the students in my classroom.  I can't wait to see them again on Tuesday.
6. For the parents of the students in my classroom.  I am blessed to have a wonderful and knowledgable group of parents to work with. 
7. For my classroom.  I have a fairly well-equipped room.
8. For the excitement and energy that comes with a new school year.
9. For the fact that I still have a couple of days to get ready - as a couple of days is better than no days when you have this much left to do :).
10. For my mom and dad who help out so much with Mikey and who are just always there.

Today's Thankful Ten (August 27, 2008)

Time to try this again each morning... so here goes...

• Because I have a job that I love doing.  I'm so looking forward to seeing my collegues tomorrow and my students on Tuesday.
• For Mikey... my most amazing blessing in life!
• For my friend Sonja who is coming down tonight and then staying until Sunday and will be watching Mikey while I work and get my hair done.  She is an amazing support and Mikey loves her so much.  I'm blessed to have such a great friend.
• For Raelyn - my friend Stacy's little girl - who has now been home from hospital for 10 days after spending months in the hospital after she was born.  She is truly a little miracle.
• For the staff that work in my room.  They all bring such unique gifts to the place.
• For my home.  I love my hoome ;).
• For all my half finished school projects... at least they are part way to being usable!
• For Mikey's school.  It is so great that he is in a school setting where he is learning and growing on all levels and where he is so fully accepted for his unique being.
• For the potential blessing of another child to our family.  I'm excited to have God's plan revealed to me.
• For this time in the morning that is mine before Mikey and his zest for living come bounding into the day.

Today's Thankful Ten

I have sort of lost track of my blog again.  I do feel so much better when I get a few words down each day and I want to try to refocus and use this blog again.  I'm hoping to find a few minutes each morning to keep "Today's Thankful Ten" going as well as 3 to 5 times a week to write about other things.  So here goes for today's list...

1. For Button and Zipper.  Zipper is getting her first haircut later this morning and I'm sure she will be ever so cute.  They are such fun, loving, energetic puppies.
2. For the health of all my students.  We have just finished going through a rough health stretch and all of them seem to be getting back to feeling "normal" and its just so nice to actually have all of them at the school.
3. Next week is education week and the school that I'm in celebrates the arts during that week.  For all the presenters and activities that will be going on that make life that much more fun and interesting for all of our students.
4. For the school that Mikey attends.  The way they nurture Mikey is so conductive to him reaching his maximum potential.  They are truly an amazing group of professionals all around!
5. For family.  Mikey is so enjoying having my parents back from their winter time in Arizona.
6. For spring... even though there is snow on the ground right now, I know that spring will come sometime and its worth being thankful for :).
7. For the house that I live in.  It is so well suited to Mikey and I and I'm thankful we found the perfect house when I chose to move here because I had to leave behind another house that had worked so well for us.
8. For the people who work in my classroom.  They are such wonderful people, hard workers and very fun to work with.
9. For my online friends and the little communities I belong to. Its so nice to have these communities as a special education teacher, a single mother by choice and a mother to a child with Down syndrome.  I don't know how people did it before the Internet.
10. For weekends - its so wonderful to have the downtime to rejuvinate and to spend time with Mr. Mikey.

Today's Thankful Ten

1. That its Friday.  I'm looking forward to a much needed quiet weekend.
2. For all of the students in my class.  We had a scare this week with one of them getting very ill.  He is now in stable condition and I'm thankful for his health and the health of all the other students in my room.
3. That I'm back to feeling better.  I didn't go to work yesterday because of some flu-like symptoms.  This morning I seem to be feeling quite a bit better.
4. For leap years... because it gives us an extra day to be!
5. For Mikey - the light of my world.  For his helping hands, his messy hands, his mishevious hands, his kind hands and even his bratty hands.  For all the parts of him that make him uniquely himself.  I am so very blessed to be his mom.
6. For quiet time in the morning to write on the computer and read my message boards.
7. Because I was able to almost finish up my alphabet bags for school this week.  I'm hoping to get them done tonight and start using them on Monday.
8. Its warming up here!  Yesterday was plus 7 and today should be about the same.  The snow is melting and I'm hoping to get Mikey and the dogs out for a walk.  I love spring when the cold winter days start to fade in to memories.
9. We have an amazing director of student services for our division.  She always has both Mikey's and my students needs in mind when she is making decisions on what to do with her limited budget.  I appreciate the time and passion that she puts in to her job - both as a teacher and as a parent.
10. Mikey helped me do laundry for the first time last night.  He was so very deligent in taking the laundry out, putting it in the basket and then moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer and then so proud of himself when he was finished.  It reminded me of how thankful I am for the little things in life and for all that we can accomplish day to day.  He is such a gem!  Who would have thought doing laundry could be so much fun.