Another FIRST at....CHICK FIL A! :)

Tonight, I should make note of another FIRST for Luke - it's a fun one!  Tonight, Luke played in the Chick Fil A climber playground for the first time!  I have always been terrified of the climber because it is very high, the slide is super fast, and I have no way of assisting or helping Luke when he's inside.  I can't protect him from someone shoving him down or from him walking straight off one of the edges, and, therefore, I was TERRIFIED as I let him begin his first climb up tonight.  It was fairly late in the evening, it wasn't crowded and the only two other kids in the climber were both age 3.  So...with Luke having some friends close to his age to climb with (no big kids to shove him), I let him give it a try.  At first, he climbed up to the middle and looked down at me from the tunnels and then climbed back down.  He did this about 3 times until, all of  sudden, he realized that he could make it to the top.  He was so excited when he looked down at me from way up high. I told him to go ahead and slide and once he did, the play time had begun!  He came down the slide like a bullet, squealing with pure joy, with a huge smile on his face and just what do you think the first words out of his mouth were?  I WON'T TO DO THAT AGAIN as he headed straight for the climbing section.  He climbed and slid for the next 20 to 30 minutes - each time, jumping up and down when he reached the top and then squealing and smiling as he came down the slide fast as lightening.  He and his new friends pretended that Luke was the big bad wolf and he chased them up the climbers. After about 10 minutes, I eased up a little and enjoyed watching him play.  I guess my trips to Chick Fil A will no longer be a 30 minute eating trip - it will now be a play session!  Fun times!

There is another exciting part of our day today that I don't have pictures of yet to post that I want to share - today was an optional teacher workday and I opted NOT to work so that I could go to a doctor's appointment and spend some much needed quality time with Luke. This morning, Luke and I did a lot of running - literally at Grimes Park and then some errands at the Education store.  We came home, ate our lunch, rode the lawn mower for a little while and then headed to nap time. While Luke napped, I went to the doctor and then when I returned home, Luke and I went outside for some sidewalk chalk fun.  And, boy was it fun!  We drew an entire city - we drew a barn, a garage, several houses (even a dog house), a tree (for the rabbits), several roads and driveways and a merry go round.  We put Luke's figurine animals and characters in the appropriate places - the horse, cow, and sheep in the barn, the zoo type animals on the merry go round, the Mickey Mouse characters in the houses (girls in one house and boys in another), Pluto in his dog house, the cats in the window of one of the houses (because that's where my dad's cats, Wilbur and Smokey, sit - according to Luke).  We parked all of the tractors in the garage and we put the rabbits under the tree.  It was so much fun!  Oh yeah - and, we drew a bed with pillows for each size of Minnie and Daisy that Luke has.  Luke even laid down with "his girls" on the bed for awhile. You should have seen his face when he got up - covered with yellow sidewalk chalk. I promise to post pics of this exciting and imaginative outdoor activity one day.

On the sidewalk, I also drew Luke a big road for his big green lawn mower.  He drove over this road several times and in the backyard, up to papaw's house, and the front yard over and over. Before I knew it, we were outside for almost 3 hours. We had a blast!  :)  I felt like Luke and I reconnected after a long work week...speaking of reconnecting - here's a sweet story that I should tell for journaling purposes.  Daddy was playing golf so Luke and I went to Chick Fil A by ourselves tonight.  Chick Fil A gives away B. Bears books in their kids meals and Luke loves those books.  While we ate our meal, I read him the book. Then, while Luke was eating his ice cream, I let him sit on my lap while I read it to him again.  I loved that moment in time - just me and Luke cuddling and reading - there was hustle and bustle around us, but we didn't know it!  We just enjoyed each other, the book, and Luke enjoyed his ice cream!  So, so sweet!  :)  I'm glad I enjoyed that moment because I have a feeling that next time we visit Chick Fil A, Luke will barely sit still to eat!  :)

And....speaking of a long work week....I sure am glad that I posted the inspirational thoughts that the Lord gave to me last weekend because I found myself needing to read them for my own motivation throughout the week.  On Monday, I sat down at 8:00am with a new staff (some familiar faces and some brand new).  Notice I say - I sat down - in other words to listen and receive information, not to give it.  This is much different than what I have been use to in the last 5 years but it was great!   I left on Monday feeling like a huge load had been lifted off of my shoulders.  Normally, the first day back is super stressful for me but this year, it wasn't. Now, I should say that the week did get a little more stressful.  On Tuesday, we returned to the school to receive even more information, and this time, I was affected - still not nearly as much as the classroom teachers, but I still felt the tension.  I felt really bad for the classroom teachers - they have so much pressure put on them with testing and now the pressure is getting worse.  I am fortunate that I do not have to apply what I am doing to a whole class of students - just small groups.  Then, on Wednesday, we had Open House most of the day - I took Luke with me to work for a few hours in the morning because I knew that I would be working until 6:00pm. Luke enjoyed playing in my room and reading some of the big books that we have. Matter of fact, tonight, he asked me about one of them.  He helped me and my roommate put up a bulletin board - he was very sweet and I enjoyed having him around.  I took him back home around 9:30 and returned to work until 6:00pm.  I was EXHAUSTED on Wednesday night!  Then, yesterday, I was finally able to truly work in my room - I got things organized, hung things on the walls, and did a little planing.  I still have a lot to do and a lot to learn but I'm taking one day at a time.  The hardest thing about this week was adjusting to being away from Luke and the lack of time that we had together.  It is difficult to go from being with him almost every second of the day with not much too worry or think about to, all of sudden, working late and having your mind going a hundred miles an hour.  So, I was very thankful for our time together today. I already feel refreshed and renewed and I still have the whole weekend ahead of me. We are going to the air show tomorrow in Winston and then the pool tomorrow and/or Sunday so we have a fun weekend planned!  :)

Next week is the first week of school and will be for classroom teachers a very stressful and LONG week.  For me, it won't be so bad - I will not serve groups of students yet. I will begin assessing students who will probably need my services, I will attend a few meetings, and I have a day off of work to take Luke to meet his new teachers at Shady Grove and to attend the parent orientation. I'm not dreading school next week and I'm trying not to dread leaving Luke.  I mean I can leave at 3:00 if I want to and rush home to hug him so it's really not that bad, right?  I'll get in the swing of things soon! :)

To all my classroom teacher friends out there - I have always respected what you do and admired you for your energy, positive attitudes, and willingness to go the extra mile. This year, all of that doubles! Being in the hallways all day, everyday with classroom teachers this week, I have seen the stress and pressure put on you and it is amazing how you withstand it. Please know that I am praying for each of you and I know that everyone is going to have a great start to the year!  :)

I have already uploaded pictures from mine and Luke's last week of summer adventures here at home that I had planned on posting tonight but I'm too tired.  Check back early in the week - I hope to post them by Monday!  I'm off to bed!  Sweet dreams everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,
Toddy