a very nice birthday

I had my 39th birthday this week, and it was a very nice birthday. My students were absolutely sweet to me. They kept asking me all day if they could sing to me, and I heard the Happy Birthday song at least three or four times from my class- too cute! I received a bunch of cards and pictures and a craft stick snowflake from the kids who worked "in secret" trying to make things for me. :) They were adorable! They didn't know I could see and knew what they were up to, and I didn't ruin their secrets for them. ;)

I celebrated with my family the night before since Robert & Barbara had to work on my birthday. We couldn't really afford it, but we spent the money and went out to an Italian restaurant near our house that we've never eaten at. R & B bought their own meals (thanks you two!!!!) and that helped a lot! Then we went out and found our Christmas tree, got some sonic for dessert and came home to put the tree up and string it with lights. A really nice family evening together!!! We laughed and laughed; and I laughed so hard I thought I was going to die laughing. :)

My momma called my phone and left a voice mail on my birthday and sang Happy Birthday to me about the time I was born into the world- a family tradition I hope to carry on with my kids. I checked the message very quickly while my kids had snack to make sure that there wasn't anything wrong with Pop who is recovering from his heart attack and close call with death. My students are absolutely sweet. Several of them were asking me while I waited for the phone to dial (I had explained that I needed to check this message from my momma to make sure everything was okay.) "Is your Pop okay, Mrs. Thomas?" "Mrs. T, is Pop going to be okay?" They were truly concerned, and that made me feel so good. When I realized it was Momma singing to me I turned my phone onto speakerphone so they could hear my momma's voice. One of them said, "Oh, that's what your Momma sounds like?!?" :) They thought it was funny that my momma would be calling me to sing happy birthday to me. Too cute!

I took my class on a "field trip" in the rain the other day to go to "Rosie" (my car) so they could help me carry in the tons of stuff I bought at Walmart for school. I haven't made a shopping trip like that in ages, but I needed to buy things for their Christmas gifts and materials for the kids to make thank you Christmas gifts for our two volunteers and treasure box and class store items as our stock is getting depleted... The kids were so excited when I said we'd go on a field trip to Rosie. They LOVE my car and wave hello to Rosie when they see her in the parking lot. :) Didn't you know that teachers actually live outside of school too, can drive, go out to stores and restaurants, and even have a home and a mommy/daddy/husbands/wives/kids too!!! These things all amaze them!!! They LOVE to hear about my life outside of school!

Cracks me up how I can take almost anything that is not a big deal and make it a big deal by just being excited and presenting it in a hyper kind of way! They were really excited!!! HILARIOUS!!! So we went out and it was raining and that made it even more adventurous; I mean come on, there were puddles to avoid and raindrops to catch on your tongue and the wind was blowing. It was fun!!! And a neat little break in our rainy day. Plus there was the excitement of knowing they were bringing in their gifts and things for the treasure box! Oooohhh!!! I know, I know- it doesn't take much for me to get excited either! :) I'm just as silly as the kids which is why I belong with little people. :)