Random Happy Thoughts

These are just a few happy things I need to say here, but none of them is big enough to warrant its own post.

1) My BFF, the one who spanked us at Cranium on New Year's Eve, wanted to post a rebuttal about my smack talk, but she couldn't figure out how to set up a Google account so she could make a comment. Mwah, mwah, mwah!! Now I can say anything I want and she can't respond. The power coursing through my veins right now is nothing short of exhilarating. But I can't make fun of her too much because she totally wrote the January lesson plans all by her little old self and I'm basking in her goodness at work every day.

2) My amazing, super-smart, know-it-all friend Katydid came to my bra shopping rescue when she sent me a link to this place. Seriously, you should go. They have the most detailed undergarment information on the planet Earth.

3) Keeping my fingers crossed...Ten seems to be responding well to his Daytrana patch. We haven't seen any negative side effects. He's still eating like a horse, isn't staying up any later than his norm, and his skin is handling it just fine. It's a little bit hard to apply, but after the horror stories I heard about not being able to get the backing off, it's easier than I expected. I think it's helping him concentrate a little better, but only time will tell.

He's only been on it for three school days, after all, but something amazing happened in the car on the way to school today. He was daydreaming and didn't hear a conversation Seven and I were having until halfway through it. Instead of saying, "Huh? What?" like he usually does, he admitted that he wasn't paying attention. He said, "Mom, sorry, I was zoning out. Could you please repeat that? You know, if it was something that concerns me."

This is a HUGE thing for me because he usually tries to pretend that he was listening but he just couldn't hear. (We've had his hearing tested and we know that's not the problem.) Then he'll pester us to repeat the conversation, even if we assure him that it did not pertain to him. For him to admit that he wasn't paying attention, apologize, ask us nicely to repeat it, and realize that it may not have been about him being the center of the known universe, is major progress.

4) One of our students wrote his first and last name today without a name tag on the table to help him. This is also major progress because in August when he first came to us he couldn't make the first letter of his first name. Major Snoopy dancing happening here, folks! He also figured out how to fold up his nap mat by himself. He was so proud when he brought it to me and said (in his little Southern voice), "Look, Mrs. Teble. I used to not could do that." So cute.

5) My friend Jamie is in Haiti with her kids tonight. Please pray for their family.

6) My kids made Academic Excellence (Seven) and Honor Roll (Ten) on their report cards today. And I was able to do ALL of Ten's word problems on his homework tonight, so YAY me! I really thought I had a couple more years before I would have to call Dan at work to get his help with the math homework--especially since I used to TEACH fourth grade, for freak's sake--but I called him yesterday to "double check" my answers. That's code for "check to make sure I told the kid the right answers before I embarrass myself in front of his teacher." Luckily the child is smarter than I am so he can figure out the problem and I just check for simple careless errors. Like the ones I make all the time when I try to do mental math.

7) Katydid also sent me a very special surprise in the mail today. It's the coolest gift ever. Thanks, babe. You rock.