joy.

I have two boys that come everyday to the Powerhouse, without fail, they are here EVERYDAY. They are the kind of boys you fall in love with but need those extra prayers of patience that you request each day. Yesterday we handed out flyers together after tutoring at church for our upcoming soccer program. We split up into groups. Of course these two boys and I wound up in the same group. Don't pray for patience my friends or you'll end up in the group with the boys that you love, but pray for :). Usually by hour four with the kiddos you can imagine the state I'm in. But, as we walked the streets of the neighborhood that I'm quickly falling in love with these two boys laughed, continuously with unspeakable joy. They simply look at each other, do some sort of 6th grade boy grunt, maybe say something inappropriate- you have to pick your battles folks- and they just laugh and laugh and laugh. Like one of those good belly laughs, that doesn't end. And, suddenly those prayers for patience turn into joy and you can't help but laugh with them as you realize how full of joy they are. Suddenly I don't care that they are wrestling in the dirt (though I may have laughed at them when they rolled in the dog poop), or walking in the persons grass after asking them two million times not too, but rather I am full of the joy that comes from the smile on their face and the laugh in their belly. We're learning about the fruits of the spirit at the hosue and this was the most tangible life lesson of joy I'd seen all week. Funny how often the students become the teacher.

Picture update

Some pictures for your viewing pleasure.. (starting with now and going backwards, oops :)

St. Patricks's Day fun with some of my students. I told them all to wear green and then I forgot so baby room blanket to the rescue. They told me I looked like the King of Libya. What?! I love me a holiday celebration! (We made rainbow cupcakes)

Above: after months of painful practicing and memorizing of multiplication facts the kids earned a trip to the indoor inflatable jumping place. They had a blast. It's a great place!

<--- That kid kills me. He's a fine young man and deserved all the celebrating for the day of his birth. By his request we had another fabulous Karen ice cream cake and then also made churros (thanks fo the fabulous Rhonda)

Below: bowling. For Cindy's birthday she wanted to go to bowling. I won't tell you who seriously got a score of 6, despite the score still had a ball :). Always fun to go on field trips with these 'angels'. Shoutout to Jimmy at Eastway for hooking us up!

Cindy's birthday cake request: a tie-dye cake. Probably the most hideous cake I have ever made. I seriously considered throwing it away though time would not allow! Her immediate remark, "That is the sweetest cake I have ever seen". See why I love them!


Valentine's Day-another reason to celebrate (and pull out the streamers right Brian!?). We had heart shaped pizza and white cherry hot chocolate with strawberry dipped marshmallows all through a swirly straw. The marshmallows are still stuck in the swirly straw, yum. These kids seriously love hot chocolate.

<-- again, this boy- kills me. This is Carlos he's 1+ and the happiest baby you'll ever meet. His mom is one of my students (and one of the hippest moms ever) and also my neighbor. I couldn't have moved into a more perfect location. She walked across the street last night to deliver some fabulous Mexican treats. This was at the Valentine's Day party, hence the heart necklace. My he's quite talented don't you think. I smile so big thinking of this family :)

Posts to come: Meldrum soccer league, coming soon! Words (still) Travel (life at the jail)

Happ Wednesday!

Ticking time bomb work bag

Let's just put this out there, it's been a long long time again. I have some fabulous pictures of things that have gone on that I hope to post soon. I have been having F-U-N!! I read a quote recently that went something like this, "Those living a full life are too busy to write about it" ...I blame that one this time!

But this morning, I bring you the first edition of "what's in the work bag". I thought of this this morning as I got in my car and my bag sounded as if it were going to explode and here's why...

-Catchphrase. You kno the electronic one that beeps really fast and then buzzes cause you lose. Well, I put it in my bag this morning and hope to give it a run with my adult English students. We played Scategories (my ALL TIME FAVORITE) last week and they loved it. This may prove a little more difficult, but what great vocabulary practice right?!

-A dead fish. Yep, you read that. We've recently started a new adventure of a giant fish tank at my house one of the girls gave us. It used to be nice and peaceful sounding like a waterfall, now I have to unplug it sometimes in the evenings- especially during the bachelor. We started with three fish- lost two. Then added 4 more plus one snail (which I love), and lost 1. Well, after calling the fish store as it was D.O.A. they said bring in the body we'll give you a new one. I had already flushed it- I'm such a rookie at this game. So, they made an exception for the rookie and new fish #4 fell to the fate of the filter and was discovered sucked to it at tutoring yesterday. After shrieks and lots of disgustingness we fished (ha) it out, well as much of the body that didn't fall apart and put it in a bag and into the work bag it went this morning so the rookie gains a few points with the pet store and receives a new fish. Let's hope 3rd times a charm and this one stays alive.

-400 Farm Bureau Financial business cards. One of my dear friends is a relentless salesman (jk :) and wanted to be sure to offer my students and families I work with proper coverage if needed. This may have caused some competition to another dear friend that works there as we refer to each other as 'first friends' and therefore he thinks he has dibs on my people. However, his 400 business cards have not found there way into my work bag...hmmmm

-An apple and two oranges. This is a neccesity as if I come unprepared I will fall prey to a large bag of pretzel M&M's or sugar cookies from the cookie jar. I blame this all on Emily. Therefore, fruit in the work bag at all times. (however, sometimes fruit and the cookie jar occur simultaneously, but ya only live once!!)

-Froot loops, green construction paper, scissors and glue. To make a shamrock of course. It's St. Patricks' Day season and if you know me I love all things holiday so I pass that on to the little people in my life. Rainbows and shamrocks, just puts a smile on your face

-Files, binders, papers all the normal things that keep me on my toes and satisfy the Type A side of me that loves to make lists, organize, email and be partly administrative.

And there you have it...just a day in the life of what leaves with me in the morning for a day of adventures around Sioux Falls.

xoxoxo