Had an AWESOME day at school today!! (even though I not-so-secretly was wishing for just one more snow day!!) Lots of students out again today...surprise, surprise!! I'm so bad, I counted the days until Spring Break(35!) and the days until the END of SCHOOL (81!), not that I'm anxious for school to be out or anything....

I really DO love teaching, but, just having a not so great year, this year. Too many things have happened, starting last summer. So much trauma, drama, problems, etc., that I normally don't experience. It's just been a very weird, draining year. I'm hoping things will finally get ironed out and settle down soon, REAL soon. Please and thank you.

My principal came in during my third hour for my observation/evaluation, rather unexpectedly. Ah, the element of surprise. It seems like it's always on a Friday when I am observed. Since we had in-service Monday and a snow day yesterday, my lesson plans were all out of whack, so, I had run off some Survival Skills type worksheets this morning. I thought it would be a nice break and something different from our normal English lesson, a good, Friday, fun assignment. We worked on reading a label from a nutritional supplement, answered six questions about the label, then, read some want ads from a newspaper sample, and answered seven or eight questions about the jobs being advertised. The kids actually seemed to enjoy the activity, a good break from their routine. My principal didn't stay long, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, tops.

Later, on my Plan period, I ran down to copy a couple of writing assignments for next week. As the copier was doing it's job, I checked my mailbox. I was surprised to find a personal, hand-written note in my box. It was from my very sweet (who happens to be a former Special Education teacher) current principal. Here is what she said:

"Ms. Stamper, 1-21-11

I enjoyed visiting your class today. Good idea for the alternative activity with the shortened schedule this week. I appreciate all you do for your students.

Mrs. C. "

Now, we usually just get a computer-generated evaluation, which is pretty generic looking. In twenty-six years of teaching, I don't think I've ever received a hand-written note from a principal, after an observation! A short, sweet note, nothing elaborate, but, I was pretty excited and happy to receive it!! Thank you, Mrs. C, you made my day!! :)

Even better than that is when one of my students does or says something that brightens my day. One of my students put something into my hand as she walked through my door today. I looked down and it was a package of instant hot chocolate. :) I asked, "For me?" She said, "Yes". Of course, I thanked her profusely. Now, what could be better than a small gesture of a package of hot chocolate mix? This same student tried to give me a one dollar bill a week or so ago, along with a thank you note, for something a friend of mine and I had done for her family earlier, something VERY small, but, much appreciated by the family. She told me in the note that she couldn't give me a Christmas gift, but, she wanted me to have the dollar. I pulled her into the hall, thanked her for the sweet thank-you note, but, explained that I could not accept the money, or I could lose my job. I felt really bad, but, just couldn't take a dollar from a child whose family REALLY needed that dollar themselves. So, today, she gave me a gift I could accept. A wonderful little package of hot chocolate. :) How could she possibly have known that I LOVE hot chocolate?!?

Isn't is wonderful how God knows JUST what you need, JUST when you need it(and it doesn't have to be anything great big, sometimes it's the smallest of gestures, that mean the most)?

God is good.