• light streaming through the tear-dropped window after the storm
• huddling under a kid-sized umbrella with three of my students during dismissal
• successful centers without an extra adult in the room, adding lots of drops to the bucket
• family Skype date over dinner, seeing her tiny smile
• special deliveries, brightening their days with new jewelry
• too much mint-oreo ice cream

• all fairy tales edited
• fixing mistakes
• a box arriving on my porch, dividing up the goods
• delicious vegetarian chili
• one less load of laundry to do
• husband making my lunch for tomorrow

• all-school worship in chapel, with a lot of movement!
• parents and teachers helping to fill in for my absent aide
• talking through ideas with my mentor
• #7 donut
• husband making dinner for the 2nd night in a row, and prepping for tomorrow's meal - what would I do without him?
• helping a friend so that she can (hopefully) sleep better tonight
• support for my initiatives

• a special kindergarten aide that was quick to fill in where needed
• a student briefly falling asleep on his desk - not so cute in high school, but totally adorable in 2nd grade! 
• 19 once upon a times - the beginnings of fairy tales
• a silly text message that made me smile
• enjoying a few rare after-school moments-of-silence-without-interruption in my classroom
• dinner prepared by my husband
• a brisk walk on a warm night - gotta love Indian summers!
• free trial on Hulu Plus
• a new season of the Amazing Race - how did we miss that last night?!

• a cousin who asked to come to church with us again!
• a motivating message about money
• enjoying our Sabbath together, taking a few hours to go apple picking!
• a scenic drive to Warwick, NY -- more leaves changing colors as we headed north
• crisp and delicious apples
• blue skies, beautiful views from the high point of the orchard
• warm cider donuts
• listening to him sing along in the car

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

• sleeping in, not waking up to an alarm
• 2 new windows in our bedroom
• being productive, getting a head start on the many days of sub plans I have to write before the upcoming family wedding
• catching up with cousins from Boston
• out for dinner with our grandparents
• a mom who misses me - stopping in to visit with my parents and brothers, laughing so hard that we have tears in our eyes

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

coming home to a dozen roses, just because he loves me

• eggs for breakfast on a weekday
• a parent that is willing to come to school not once, but twice to help out in various ways
• playing games with students during well-earned free time
• grading papers and easing head-aches in the company of 2 amazing teachers
• getting take-out
• all members of a.j.e.less designs together again! doing our thing ... making cards while we share life's stories
• planning for another house party in November
• seeing the early morning hours on the clock as we drink wine, eat ice cream, and never stop talking

• "Hinds' Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard
• students working quietly when my principal decided to stop in - perfect timing!
• successful first day of centers
• all families making an appearance at back to school night, listening as students gave tours of our classroom
• 2nd grade faces scrolling on the screen
• positive feedback from students' parents, just what I needed after a day of feeling weary and "not good enough"
• coming home to dinner and tomorrow's lunch made by my loving hubby
• a recent dessert favorite - mixing up a shake!

• rain holding out until after my brother's soccer game, watching from the sidelines with family
• an aide who is willing to stay late to get the job done
• no student letters going home today
• sweet compliments from students and parents
• doodles on their spelling tests that bring joy in the midst of grading
• larger photos on the facebook newsfeed -- it's the little things, right?