Be mine??!??

Valentine's is always an interesting time of the year in 2nd grade. It seems in the past week, I have heard several of "so and so said so and so is in love with so and so." I quickly shut these conversations down with a nice "We don't talk like that in 2nd grade. Miss Davis' doesn't even have a boyfriend so neither should y'all. You are much too young and we are all just wonderful friends here.:)"

As Valentine's gets closer, I also have the above conversation with the whole class so that we can try to avoid the issue all together. Unfortunately, it can often open up a whole can of worms for yours truly. Last year there was an interesting conversation that had great potential to get a terrible rumor started. That crazy story must be told in person though.

Just on a side note. When children are 7, they daydream. When they daydream, they get bits and pieces of conversation. When they get bits and pieces of conversation, the retelling of the conversations to their parents can get completely twisted. Moral of the story, watch what you say around little ears.

So as we close in on Valentine's I am interested to see what kinds of conversations come about on the subject. Hopefully they will not be too curious about Ms. Davis' love life and be too concerned about all of the goodies they will be collecting:).

Anyways I just wanted to introduce you all to my Valentine for the year.

Oh yes, That's right...be jealous. They are too precious!

Lovey Dovey

Oh it is that time of year... the lovey dovey time. All the lovebirds are coming out and making their sweet sweet plans for that love in their life:).  It might surprise you as a single lady whose never had a "Valentine" that I love this time of year! I love to hear and see what special schemes everyone is up to. I love to hear everyone talking about love. Loving and being loved. It's a beautiful thing.

I also love to TRY to change the skeptics. It's my goal in life to change one persons view of Valentine's Day... to see past the singles awareness day or the retail traps.

I am going to have a little fun with the Valentine's post this year...enjoy....

I am pretty sure this is going to work for me this year...

This cutie....

Wearing a shirt that says....

And no doubt I will soon be off the market;) 

Happy New Year

For me 2012 was a quiet year. No big life changes, no big mile markers. I am thankful that it was a quiet year. I think I needed it to rest and re-energize, reflect and just be. Now as I look forward to 2013 I feel that it is going to be a year of action. I am not really sure what that looks like, but I know I want to be a part of great things. You don't become a part of great things by sitting back.

As I go forward in the New Year, my challenge is to remember that I don't need a New Year to make better choices, live more, love more, stop making excuses, etc. The Bible says His mercies are new EVERY morning! Everyday I challenge myself to learn from the past and roll out of the bed and give it everything I have to not make the same mistakes, but when I do (because I know I will make those same mistakes again one day) I will not give up the fight. I will pick myself up, learn from it, and try again. So I challenge you. Don't give up on day 3 of your new year's resolution when you eat 2 brownies, didn't workout, your room is back to the condition it was before Jan. 1, 2013, you didn't read your Bible, watched too much TV.... Fight the fight. Tomorrow is a new day. Learn from the past and get excited about making tomorrow better than today!

On December 31, 2013 I pray I look back on the year and know that:
*I am wiser
*I am stronger
*I know God more intimately
*I have done great things for God through His strength and wisdom
*I have loved richly
*I have spoken truth
*I have been compassionate and been sensitive to the needs of those around me and looked for ways to meet them
All because of God's work in and through me!

Winter Snow

This song has blessed my heart this Christmas season. I believe the character of God that He most enjoys showing His children is His gentle, tender, compassionate, loving side. How fitting that He sent His son in such a way. What a beautiful way to picture the Savior entering into this world. Isn't that the times where we experience Him the most and hear Him the clearest? When it's quiet. No fan fare. No big production. Oh this song makes me stand in awe of our God's beautiful, tender nature. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

The Little Drummer Boy

It's the story of a little drummer boy that tugs at my heart about this time every year.

He was probably not much older than the King of the universe that sat before him, and like Jesus he was a poor boy. A poor boy who had no gift that was fit for a King. But he wanted so badly to present a gift to the Messiah that he asked if he could do the one thing he knew he could do well. The one thing he loved to do. He wanted to give his best to Jesus.

So he played his drum...pa rum pa pa pum... The animals kept time with him... pa rum pa pa pum
pa rum pa pa pum rum pa pa pum...

He played his best for him and then He smiled at him. The King of the universe smiled at him.

Such a simple story about a simple boy who brought such a seemingly simple gift. As simple as it seems to bring our best to the Lord no matter what it is we tend to :
Make excuses... oh this gift isn't fit for a king so I just won't give anything
Get too distracted to even go to see the King... too busy, too tired, too ____________
Worry too much about what others will think
Give half hearted...

Our God, the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Holy One is worthy of our best gifts no matter how seemingly simple they may be. God sees the heart not the gift itself.

1 Samuel 16:7 and Psalm 139:23-24

Therapy

 I am not sure how many of you have experienced the weeks leading up to the holidays in a classroom setting with precious children who just can't contain their excitement any longer but still have lessons to be learned, seat work to complete, and tests to take, but I assure you it will change your life. You will understand why teachers get 1 week off for Thanksgiving and 2 weeks off for the holidays!

I feel after today (and the potential for more days this week to be like today) I will need some intense therapy during my week off to prepare for the intense weeks of excitement and busy schedules that lead up to the Christmas holidays.

Retail therapy: A must (especially since I have done VERY little of my Christmas shopping.

Message therapy: A girl can dream can't she!

Aromatherapy: Ahh the wonderful smells of the season filling up a cozy home!

Spa therapy: facials, manicures, pedicures, hair cut and style...oh once again I am a dreamer!

Yummy in my tummy therapy: Thanksgiving...YUM!

Cuddle, snuggle therapy: Sweats, big fuzzy socks, a warm blanket, a cuddle buddy (probably Reese the niece:)), fire, a nice warm drink, and a good Christmas movie.

Dance therapy: I have some fun weddings coming up (and some days where I'll be home alone;))

Running therapy: Pounding the pavement is a wonderful way to escape!

If you have any other suggestions for therapy please let me know! I will need every bit I can get;)

Randomness...

So it's been quite awhile!! Since I can't seem to make one cohesive post come together (believe me I have tried multiple times:)), I am just going to throw out some random realizations I have had lately. Maybe it will give me the jumpstart I need to get back in the swing of things...

* Pinterest makes me want to stay home and cook soups and holiday goodies from now until after Christmas and have sweet friends over to share these treats with and play games with and chat about life and watch movies together. It SHOULD make me want to do Christmas bulletin boards and Christmas crafts but that is not the case. Oh help us all when it comes time for me to execute those Christmas crafties:).

*  I have miraculously been quite disciplined in my workouts lately. Unfortunately this makes me ALWAYS hungry!! I am a bit of a bottomless pit;) So needless to say I am now working on being more disciplined in my eating and on being more self-controlled.

* It always amazes me how much I need to practice what I preach. In second grade, students are learning to have self-control, which as #2 states I am currently in need of. Of course, theirs comes more in the area of blurting out, making better choices etc. Then there's "Pay attention" "Watch where you are going" "slow down"which I tell myself these same things after the school day is done.

* The Lord will send you the precious encouraging words you need at just the right time. It of course always seems to be through the most unexpected sources and at the most unexpected times! I have been so blessed to have a couple of these in the past week!

* I ate dinner and a treat and am still hungry...currently practicing that self-control stuff:)

* I have a wedding this coming weekend. I think that means dance party every afternoon to prepare... Song suggestions welcome!