January Reflections

January was a long hard month this year.

It never really felt like winter in my neck of the woods--we had a lot of spring-like days. Some people like this, I guess, but I prefer to have what little winter we normally get here.

We've had a lot of sickness and a lot of loss in my various circles.

Cheese has been moved and is still moving.  I get it.  As an encourager, this increases my workload.

I have spent much of January exhausted and angry and sad. January has been one long, perpetual sinus infection which is just enough to make you feel cross and miserable-ish and really sorry for yourself.

Despite all this, January had its high points. Here are just a few of them.

I met up with a good friend, who also happens to be a fellow teacher and a writing buddy at a local coffee shop that we love.  I miss working with my friend on the daily, but we have made it a point to get together often after both moving on to new jobs from our former middle school.  So, YAY! for getting together with friends and YAY! for beautiful designs on delicious coffee at independent coffee houses, and YAY! for orange cranberry scones.  This is winning, y'all, despite the somehow-sideways-pic.  Oh, well.  

Adventures in weeding can be super entertaining.  This book has somehow gone unnoticed in the biography section.  I mean, When Will it Be Loved? I guess That'll Be the Day, huh?  This made me laugh for days.  I'm still laughing as I type this, so make that weeks.  

Again,with the weird side pic.  I'm just going to say that I wish I were still this limber because this kiddo is showing you exactly how I felt like spending my January.  I love that my students are comfy in the library.  Day Made. 

My friend Tammy is the best person I know for getting folks together.  We've known each other since elementary school.  We've traveled life's roads together for a long time and seen each other through more messes than I can count.  She hosts a My Favorite Things party in January for her birthday  and it is always a blast.  I graduated from high school with half these women---going on 30 years ago, and went to college with a couple of them, too.  I live 4 hours away, so I'm the outlier, but they include and accept me in a way that can only be built over decades and lots of life.  I love these ladies. 

My Slytherin kids are awesome & I love that high school kids get just as excited about reading in a box as my elementary kids always did.  THIS is why I do what I do. 

The art department at my high school is filled with fabulous.  FABULOUS, y'all.  Students made bowls, and teams of teachers made chili for a chili competition-fundraiser for the art department.  This made our teacher workday a fun one. The chili was good, and my bowls are gorgeous.

Tiara Tuesday.  What more needs to be said?