S is for Sick, Snow, Salary, and Singing......

I've been dreadfully sick this past week. I was so sick I was referred to as the tissue monster by a few. I finally feel like I'm getting toward the end of it though!!! It's been a busy couple of weeks working on Christmas projects with my kids at work and trying to keep up with the Christmas stuff at home as well. I finished my class at school in Art History II and I will be starting my last class tomorrow (after this one I have my degree!). I'm both excited and apprehensive about the class I start tomorrow. It's called Culturally Diverse Literature and it sounds really interesting, but it's an on-line class and I'm not always the most discipline with school work so hopefully I'll be able to stay on the ball with this class and not get behind at all.


Walking inside this evening from running errands was the first time that I actually felt like looking forward to winter! I've felt kind of saddened by the coldest thus far but while walking in I could almost sense the snow. I got really excited and felt the urge to go for a walk in the cold and blowing wind. The moon was shining and the clouds moving fast. In less than a minute there were snow flurries blowing around everywhere. It won't amount to anything on the ground but being there when it first started was very exciting! I can't wait to see the creek freeze over and snow piled high around the banks (picture below is from last year). I know I'm supposed to be an adult and not like these sort of things, but honestly I get just as excited about going sledding and snowball fights as my kids at work do. I can't wait!

Some exciting news for me at work is that I'm going to be starting in a new full time position where I work after the first of the year! Yay, my first big kid job where I'll be getting a Salary and Health Insurance. My cup is overflowing with the goodness of God. I'll be working with a wonderful woman and some amazing Pre-K kids that I've been blessed to get to know over the last few months. This means that I won't be seeing my school age kids as much and that saddens me, because they are so creative and interesting to get to know. I know that the teachers that are still with them care about them a lot and will continue to be there for them.

Last night, our family on my mom's side gets together almost every year to go down to this small little church (hardly bigger then my parents bedroom and living room combined) called 'The Woods' and sings. Usually Symphony sings, Melody plays something Mom plays a piano piece, her sister and children do lost and my grandparents will play a piano duet. This year we went but it was a bit different. Symphony's in Texas, Melody was sick, David had to work and Grandma wasn't feeling well. We had the gathering and Mom, Lauryl and Lauren sang and played and I SANG! I never sing in front of people, unless it's worship or fun with friends who I don't care if they hear me sing. Singing in front of a large group of people that you don't know a song that you only just learned the day before is a bit of a scary thing for me. I sang but I was a shaky nervous wreck the entire time. Just a few reminders for myself:

- Don't sing a song you don't know very well in front of a group of people
- Don't agree to sing a song you don't know very well in front of a group of people you don't know when asked the day before (okay the week before but we didn't get to practice until the day before)
- Don't agree to sing a song you don't know very well in front of a group of people you don't know when asked the week before and you have the sniffles
- Relax! It's not worth getting nervous over.