Goosebumps!

I am quite an avid Oprah watcher. Listening to this little girl on Oprah yesterday gave me GOOSEBUMPS! Watch and you'll see. I bet you get chills when you hear her.

This girl is 16 year old Charise Pempengco she has the most amazing voice. She is also an amazing young lady. She has triumphed through many obstacles in he young life and she uses her gift of voice to help her family. Her strength and her God given talent brings me to tears and I get chills when I hear her sing. If I feel that way, I can only imagine how her mom feels! As moms we feel everything our children go through. We are extatic when they triumph and we are hurt and feel their sadness when they are down. Charise's mom must feel 10 feet tall. This makes me remember all of the times when I get goosebumps for my own kids. One time that comes to mind is my daughter's first dance recital. She was only four years old. I sat on the edge of my seat watching her every step. I had seen the routine millions of times as I watched her in her class every week. I knew every step and lived every step in my head as she performed it on stage. I sat with my heart in my mouth as she did a forward roll and prayed that she wouldn't forward roll right off the stage! She and her friends performed the routine flawlessly(always looking at the teacher who was in the wings telling them evey move). I had tears in my eyes, a lump in my throat, and the hairs on my arm stood up straight. It was her only number that day, but to me it was the best one in the whole show. Yesterday, she started her new season of dance- 6 classes a week! This is her 7th season. She will be in multiple numbers and she loves every minute of it and I still get GOOSEBUMPS. Only now it's several times throughout the show! So, if I can get goosebumps from my daughter's local recital, I can only imagine how Charise's mom feels.
Today's Affirmation Reads: "I open new doors to life. I rejoice in what I have, and I know that fresh new experiences are always ahead. I greet the new with open arms. I trust life to be wonderful."
I am grateful for all of the wonderful moments that I have with my children. They make me so proud with all of their accoomplishments (I will share more about my sons on future postings). I look forward to all of the future wonderful moments that I will have with them, graduations, weddings, new jobs etc..
What is your proudest moment? What new experiences are ahead for you and how will you approach them?

It's That Time of Year Again!

The air is getting cooler. Night time is creeping in earlier everyday. The kids are going into their homes a little earlier each night. Supply lists are coming in the mail. Teachers are preparing their classrooms. Yes, it's back to school time again. As a mom I'm thrilled. I need the kids to go back to school- they're eating me out of house and home! As a teacher I'm dragging my feet just like the kids. I enjoy the summer just as much as the kids. I sleep late, stay up late, just like the kids. Thinking back on the events of the summer, I have much for which to be grateful. We spent a beautiful week in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Although my mother-in-law spent some time in the hospital, she is fine and working towards a complete recovery. I had the great opportunity to teach computers to 3rd graders at Science Camp for 1 week. I took a class with my colleagues through Columbia University and received graduate credit at the expense of my school district. I am most grateful for the shift in behavior my 14 year old son has made. He learned a very valuable lesson while attending summer school. That lesson is that he did not like going to school in the summer and will do his best to not have to go next summer. He had many ups and downs throughout the summer. His behavior was quite challenging this summer. Through much love and devotion I, my husband and the family showed for him, he is now responding to his boundaries with acceptance rather than opposition. He showed quite a shift at dinner tonight. While my husband was at a dinner meeting, the kids and I went out for dinner together. Tonight was the first night in a long time that my son did not complain about going out with us, where we were going or eating or rush us so that he could go out with friends after. He actually smiled, laughed and participated in the conversation without spending most of the time texting on his phone. Yeah! I think that we have finally cracked his surface. I know that my fiesty little boy is coming back to us. I know that his new expedition to high school will be challenging but I know he will conquer it and live to the potential that he has. I know now that his talents will now blossom. This is a new school year in a new school. The slate is wiped clean for us all and I know that we will be successful.

Today's Affirmation Reads: "There is plenty for everyone including me. The ocean life is lavish with its abundance. All my needs and desires are met before I even ask. My good comes from everywhere and everyone and everything."

We will enter this new school year with the eagerness to be the best we can be. To excell to new heights. These great accomplishments will bring us the abundance of all that this universe has to offer.

Share your thougths and goals for the new school year.

Queen For A Day No More!

I just want to say thank you to all of the nice birthday wishes that were extended to me yesterday. I really had a nice and relaxing day. I was "Queen for the Day" as everyone waited on me hand and foot. My husband prepared a great dinner and my family came by. After dinner and cake, we lit a fire in the firepit on the patio and sat around the fire for a while. Today my reign as queen has ended. I hopped on the treadmill this morning (too much cake) and all was back to normal.

Ok-here is today's affirmation: "My work is deeply fulfilling. Today I give my best to that which I do, knowing that when one experience is complete, I am led to even more fulfilling and rewarding experiences." Being a teacher, I don't work in the summer. So my job during the summer months is reduced down to that of mother and wife, instead of mother, wife and teacher. I get to take off one of my hats for 2 months. The job of mother and wife can be very fulfilling! I feel fulfilled when my kids excel at something or when faced with a social challenge they make a good choice and do what is right and not necessarily what is popular. My husband and I have a very close relationship and we work together to raise the kids. He truly is my best friend. Tomorrow we will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary. It has been a very fulfilling 18 years. I feel very blessed to have such a loving family. We encounter many challenges but we work through them together. We know that when one task is complete, we will be led to another experience and we will tackle it together and grow from each experience that we encounter. In a couple of weeks I will put my teacher hat back on and I am looking forward to a new year with my students. I know that each day will be rewarding for them and me. Together we will grow and learn. They will make great strides during the school year and I am always so proud of all of their accomplishments.

How does your job fulfill you? I would love to know how you face challenges and create rewarding experiences with whatever you do.