Monday, Monday...

Monday is always such an exhausting day. It's the routine of work, kids and house that really tires us out after the weekend. But at long last, I've finished my last report card, dotted the last i and crossed the last t! I saved my Special Needs student for the end. I think I did an Ok job on his. It's a bit intimidating since I know it's not just his parents that read it - they have outside consultants who will be picking it apart, I'm sure!

I've completely fallen off the wagon in terms of my GI diet!! Tonight I went to Starbucks and came home with gingerbread lattes for us both along with a brownie. My excuse - I needed the caffeine to finish my reports. Today I pigged out on bread and peanut butter...my it felt good to have some bread!!!! Anyway, I need to get back on track tomorrow. I've been really faithful with my morning walking but I need to up the exercise...I know that. I've debated Curves, the gym, etc..... but I just can't make a commitment.

Anyway, enough of that boring stuff....I'm really excited about the upcoming season. I just love Christmas. Every year, I try to make it more of a spiritual holiday for our family. This year I want to focus on Advent and create some meaningful rituals. Our neighbours have expressed an interest in our church so I'm going to invite them to one of our Christmas services. I am also going to ask my friend Laura if she'd like to come to something. I'm going to focus on relationships this Christmas and have people over for lunch on Advent Sundays. There are lots of people I have been meaning to have over, so this will be a great opportunity.

My Aunt is off to Kentucky to be with her sister and family for Thanksgiving. My Uncle is quite ill so this is a timely visit. I feel really convinced that she should be there at this time. I know my Aunt in Kentucky will love to have her support.

Well, I need to get to bed now. The morning will come quickly and I need to be in fine form to deal with all my little people at school. Have I mentioned how much I love them...they are all such unique individuals. There's my Patrick who is obsessed with anything Pokemon related...any conversation or assignment can be turned into a video game! Then there's Teaghan who is an actress and singer in her own right. I love how she belts out our Christmas song with such enthusiasm and finesse. There's Jason who has such a deep little voice... what a little monkey and yet at the end of each day he says, "Thank you for teaching me." There's Tristan who is so unsure of himself and so quiet....he is finally making eye contact and responding to my attempts to humour him. Of course, there's Lucas....he cracks me up every day. I always hold a special place in my heart for those "Special Needs" kids. Today I was working with him at my desk. He kept moving around to the other side of me and laughing. Everytime I said, "Lucas, get back over here" he would laugh and squeal! He has such a funny way of communicating. I'm trying to get him to say "Thank you Mrs. D" when I help him. It's coming slowly. Today he was asking "Can you help me?" He had a tiny string hanging from his shirt and wanted me to cut it off. This is amazing progress considering that just a few months ago he would have cried and fussed about it instead of asking for help.