Filled With Joy

The view at the end of our road is often breathtaking. Today, as Trent and I were walking, I had to take a picture of the "big sky" to the north of St. Anthony. The mountains are covered in beautiful white snow and the flats are not. Happy day! But, the whole view was amazing. I love were we live. I love the sky, the mountains, the fields, the rivers, the dunes, and all. Living in St. Anthony has brought me great joy. It has been a fantastic place to raise our children, make memories, and call home.

Today we visited Trent's mom, dad, and sister, Tracie. I needed Tracie's help with some computer files. She is very smart about that stuff. Thank goodness! Her assistance brought me much relief and joy. As we were leaving, Trent's mom gave us a jar of bran muffin mix. We haven't had her muffins in FOREVER. I immediately came home and baked them. So much joy in a little muffin. They are delicious (and I try to pretend healthy, too). We gobbled up a dozen of those little guys in no time flat.

We drove by Craters of the Moon today. It is closed for the winter but it reminds me of last spring when I went out of my comfort zone and attended an artist retreat without having any artistic skill or supplies. We pulled up a chair on a sidewalk and painted what we saw. The art didn't turn out that well, but the Craters were beautiful with a carpet of pink, purple, and white flowers covering the stark blackness of the lava cinders. Joy comes when you see something in a new light. Hurry and melt snow so we can go back.

Two days of conferences have made me exhausted and there isn't even a reason to be tired. I have good parents to visit with, but I learn a whole lot about the kids and parents. This meme sums it up . So glad it is over - great JOY!!!

Today was the first of two Parent-Teacher Conference days. It is a long night. I always feel like I need to be dressed up for these. I don't know why. But, I also work with 2nd graders and am on the floor often. Joy is found in a skirt that serves both purposes. I was so comfy today. Happy, happy, happy.

For the longest time we have had the ugliest mismatched everyday glasses from which everyone drinks. They are old. They are old enough that they have scratch marks from teeth on the outside. I found them embarrassing and a big disgusting. I don't know what took over but I decided over the weekend to order some new matching glasses that don't have scratches. At the same time I threw away MANY mugs - we don't use them. Today the glasses arrived. They joy of drinking out of a glass without scratching your lips on someone else's teeth marks. Simple joy.

 Joy was felt today when my new course opened up for me and I could begin the VERY LAST class. Six more credits and all is done. These will be very difficult six credits. But, I was very happy! And, I had a meeting with my new course instructor and her direction was very helpful. Also, WGU has been a great place for me to get a degree. I would highly recommend it. I have and now two other people at our school are seeking degrees - a bachelors and a Masters.

I know very little about sports. Outside of the NFL, I don't know much at all. However, I love March Madness. I fill out my bracket and follow my chosen teams. I select teams based upon uniform color, theme (such as Americana), ABC order, coolest mascot, etc. I know nothing about stats or players - outside some phenomenal standout like a 7'6" dude or a guy name Zion. It doesn't matter. It is all just fun. I love when an underdog wins (like last years #16 over the #1) and a super good close game like today's game between UCF and Duke. I admire Coach K and his program. After this very close game, UCF was so sad and Coach K, classy as always, consoled these giant men with tears running their cheeks. Good sportsmanship is the best part of any competition.

Sometimes I need a good little snack. Something sweet and salty seems to do the trick. Today I was searching. I love Ritz crackers. I actually love them too much. Our dog loves them, too. We share them daily. Today I dipped my cracker into some Nutella. Wow!!! It was almost as good as peanut butter and chocolate. That was a joyous discovery. I can see I'll be eating these quite often.

This is a beautiful sight. I didn't think that I would ever get this far, especially after the complete stalling when I reached the Research Foundations course. That was VERY difficult and I learned so much about research, and I also learned that my brain is not too old to absorb a lot of material for long periods of time. Now, with one course left, I think that I will make it. I will have gotten a Master's in nine months. Joy is found in three green dots with the letter P inside.

This was my walk to school today. It was gorgeous!!! I made a couple of my fellow teachers come outside so they could look at it. Just wanting to share the joy of God's art with others. They are welcome!

Happy spring! This first day was BEAUTIFUL!!! On our way to the gym we saw a super moon. It really was super. In fact it was so bright we almost needed sunglasses. It seems unusual for us to have a clear sky and a lunar event. Those two things don't coincide very often. Anyway, the whole day was joyous!

This says 47 degrees but when I first checked, it was 50 degrees. That is a reason to rejoice. Pretty much the most beautiful day we have had all year. It was definitely the warmest. With temperatures like that a person can bear the ugliness of melting snow piles. Sure, it is going to snow again. Of course I will be disappointed. But, this day will help make what is to come conquerable.

It is difficult to see in the picture and the ground looks disgusting, but there is green growing on the ground. Soon there will be a little plant, or maybe a weed. Even weeds are a welcome to the last few days of winter. Oh the joys that come when the snow begins to melt.

St. Patrick's Day. The first joy of this day is that it was on a Sunday so I didn't have to do the pinching thing with my students. The second joy of this day was these mint brownies. One of our favorite activities, while living at BYU, was walking to the little store at Wymount and buying rice krispies treats and mint brownies. Soooo delicious! I stumbled upon a Copycat BYU Mint Brownie recipe a few weeks ago and decided that they would be the perfect dessert for our Irish dinner today. They did not disappoint! They were delicious. I could only eat one though because I could feel the 5 sticks of butter  attaching themselves to various parts of my body.

Collin made it back to Logan after floating down the Colorado River and climbing through the canyons with students from USU. He had a marvelous time. The twins were so excited to see him again, and visit with McKenna, that they drove down to Logan Friday night. They went to dinner, laughed until the wee hours of the night, and all crashed in Kenna's little room. Today we received this picture from them. I am so grateful that these kiddos are such good friends. That brings me great joy - especially after experiencing life with them all as teenagers.

I don't follow basketball too much, unless it is March. I love March Madness. I especially love an underdog. I decided to use that March Madness idea with my students and get them reading different books. So, I created the March Madness Book Challenge. The students, and some teachers, chose their favorite children's book. I put them all on a bracket. Starting this next week, the books will be presented to the class, two at a time. Then the class will vote on their favorite. That book will move on. We'll continue until we get down to the favorite book of our class. Perhaps we will read it. Anyway, the kids are excited about it. Getting this group of kids excited about anything is hard work and makes me feel like a champion! It is hard work!!

This office is a joy. It is quiet. It is usually clean. It is a great place to do testing. It is often a refuge from chaos. I love this place. Today I walked in and realized how much stuff I store in here. Because the building inspector is coming soon, I decided to do a quick clean and organize. I threw away a ton of stuff. Now, I like it even more. If you are looking for me, and I am not in my classroom, I may be in the office finding some zen.

Today, as I looked out the window of my classroom, I realized that there was NO snow or ice on the road. My heart jumped for joy. Though there is still so very much snow outside, and there are still mountains of snow piled in yards and on every street corner, spring is coming. It might take a few weeks, maybe even a month or two, but it will come.

I have an unusual class this year. They have stretched me, and I have probably become a better teacher because of all the "fun" we have had. They are not always the kindest, nor are they aware of other students in the classroom. We have tried to help them in many ways. We did a curriculum that teaches them about mindfulness. On Friday, I asked them to choose a person's name from the board and write a kind note to that person. It was so much fun and the students LOVED it. The students mostly chose friends. However, one student, a boy, chose a girl that doesn't have friends. He could have chosen others. Then he wrote a very kind note. All day long the girl was beaming. A simple note brought her so much joy, and it brought me joy today as I saw the note sitting at her spot so she could read it over and over.

I got new gym shoes. I have foot issues so finding shoes that will work is sometimes a very difficult job. Today I tried them out for the first time. HEAVEN!!! Today I found joy in a pair of clearance millennial blue Nike gym shoes. So comfortable! (For now.)

The robins have returned. Bless their hearts there is still so much snow around. I'm not sure how happy they are to be here because I think that is what all the chatter is about in the trees. But, robins are a sign of spring and it must mean that spring will come. That is a joy-filled thought. Today was freezing in the morning but by afternoon it was sunny and in the mid-30s. Hip-hip hooray!

Today it snowed four inches. That is not a joyful thought. But, there was joy in St. Anthony when we decided to take a quick drive to Logan where Collin was spending the night before he heads out on his Colorado River trip. We drove three hours to have dinner with him and take him shopping for cold medicine. (A cold, 50 degree highs, all day in a river raft, while wet. Sounds delightful!) Then we drove home. Seeing Collin was an absolute joy. He is full of fun. Love him and miss him tons. Kenna was unable to be there because she was skiing in Sun Valley. We missed her.

Today my summer shoes arrived. They were on clearance. I've been considering them for years. They are going to be perfect for kayaking and a cruise. Thinking about summer shoes made me very happy. It was also sunny today which made my heart sing with joy. Walking outside did not feel summer, however. I will only wear them in the house for now, and I will be very happy while I am. P.S. Today is also my sister Vicki's birthday. Happy birthday to her! She is fun and spunky and loud and a social butterfly. She loves playing with her kids and I wish I was more like her in that area. We play, but she plays a lot. Sure love you, Vicki.

Today is my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. My sisters and I have been talking about what to do for about a year but we did nothing until the last two weeks. We scrambled and pulled off a little surprise party with their friends and some siblings. We had dinner together while the young grands decorated the house. They are wonderful people that have raised me to be a joyful person. I love these two so much. I also love the close family that they have raised us to be. Now, we are all anxiously awaiting the 50th Wedding Anniversary Cruise we are taking to Alaska in June. That will be a joyous occasion, too. P.S. I passed my another class. It was very time consuming and stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of. (This was worthy of a small picture. See that green P at the bottom. That is good!)

When I do cardio at the gym, I like to have something to watch. Netflix has been helpful because there seems to be an unlimited supply of watchable shows. I'm pretty picky about it. I recently found a new series to watch. I look forward to going to the gym so I can watch it. That is where I found some joy today. It is called "One Strange Rock" and it is done by National Geographic. (I love anything done by National Geographic.) It is also hosted by Will Smith. It is all about the earth and the creation of earth and the maintenance of earth and life and space. I have learned way more in the four episodes I have watched than I ever did it biology. And, what I am learning meshes with my belief system on almost every level.

This is so true. Is it because you spend so much time with them (not all positive)? Is it because you can see the little improvements that they make? Whatever it is, I realized today that I truly do love the most difficult student I have. It is a joy to see him bounce down the hall to greet me each morning. (That may be where the joy ends for the day.) But, as he walks out the door, he gives me a hug. Reassurance that we are working together and we will make it.

Our son, Collin, is a hiker. He has explored so much of eastern part of Central Utah. What he has found is breathtaking beauty. He has also found a love for photographing the interesting landscapes. He has a good eye for it. This was a picture he sent. I'm feel with joy that he has found something he loves that is him. I hope he can become a National Geographic photographer and photograph all the interesting places of the world.

Island Park has received over 100 inches of snow in the last month. We had to see it. We have driven to Island Park hundreds of times over our lifetime. We know the road very well. But, I didn't recognize the Island Park we saw today. We were disoriented because there is nothing to see but snow and snow-covered trees. Pure joy on a beautiful snowy drive below a bright blue sky. (Glad I don't live there!)

Nothing could have brought me more joy this day than to receive this in the mail. This Master's is really stretching. I'm doing things that I haven't done before like researching, compiling an annotated bibliography, and writing a literature review. But, I have been blessed. Just when I feel I can't continue because I'm clueless and completely stuck, I receive a prompting with just a glimmer of how to continue. This has happened repeatedly over the course of the last seven months. What a blessing to know that prayers are being answered even when they are about insignificant things like how to organize a lit review.

As a second grade teacher there are some things that just make your heart beam. One of those is when a high school-er acknowledges your presence and says they still love you. Another is when you see students that struggled academically or socially blossom in junior high (a rare thing to blossom in junior high). This week I took my students to the Jr. High production of Seussical. I realize it was a junior high play and in that context I base my reviews. But, I thought it was wonderful. My little students had grown and did an amazing job. They sang, danced, and performed extremely well. I loved it so much. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I invited Trent on a date with my tonight to see it again. He didn't enjoy it as much as I did (he has not investment in it). The second time was just as good.