Different "Frame" of Mind

I am thankful that the classroom management "problems" I have with my students are really just keeping them from laughing too much.  They cannot control themselves when they are excited or something funny happens.  It is so much better than having to manage a group of kids yelling and fighting across the classroom.  How blessed am I to have a class full of kids who treat one another with respect and genuinely like each other?

I am thankful that I have supportive parents...my own, and the parents of the students in my classroom.  It takes a village...

Difficult to find the positive here...this is my best shot:  I'm thankful that I have a job to pay for all of these traffic violations.  Grrr MD. There.

Friends who have similar interests.  Michelle and I ventured though the beautiful Autumn scenery of Frederick County to find wineries.  What a great day among the grapes and red-orange trees.

I am thankful for all of my loved ones surviving Hurricane Sandy.  Sadly, our beloved Ocean City does not look so great.  The 58th Street pier is no longer with us :( and the beach shifted onto the street.  Both of my homes in NJ were spared. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89643303@N05/sets/72157631931687704/show/

What do we do when we are stuck inside, home from work, in the rain? Paint and Pictures.

For my parents, sisters and Jon having a lovely 25th birthday dinner with me in Mtown.  I ate the homemade turtle cheesecake for the next week. Thanks Mom!

I am grateful for Sean planning PADA Mosh and playing with such a fun team.  This laid back tournament was a fun way to spend my birthday!  Thank you Michelle for surprising me at the fields with ballooooons!

I am thankful that I live in a country where no matter what you look like, where you come from, or what you believe, you can vote for your leader.  It is special to be able to live in a place of such choices, including choosing whether you want to vote at all.  I am also thankful that people in Maryland have an open mind about social change.




Even my kids practiced their rights as citizens...I did not anticipate the cross-classroom debates


For Jon, Carmen, Bug and Opi playing guitar and singing, entertaining our guests, at our housewarming party.  My favorite part of the evening was when everyone started singing along to "Home" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. 



Framed everyone that night :)

 I am thankful for the 25 years I had with my lovely Grandmother.  I have felt suddenly strong this week, and I give the credit to Grandmom whose spirit lives on in me, my sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, Mom and Dad.  She was an exceptional person who never had a negative thing to say about anyone.  She knew birthdays and stories about every one of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I am grateful for her wisdom of life and love.  I know that she has been reunited with Granddad, who we lost just three months ago.  It is where she is supposed to be; by her love's side, in the arms of God.  I am actually very happy for her.

I am thankful for music, such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6WhgQ9lCdo