Love Working With Kids

I know God gave me the gift of teaching since I've taught special needs children for 35 years.  But did you know that I worked with kids earlier than that?  Yup, as a teenager, I worked at Parma Heights Pool as a swimming instructor.  My adult mentor was so impressed with how I connected with kids that she asked me if I'd like to teach swimming lessons Monday nights in Brook Part working with physically handicapped children.  I said yes, and so began my years of teaching young children how to swim.  It was an amazing time of connection with kids and their parents.  It was the only time these kids could move on their own and be free and weightless.  It was amazing working with them.  At the end of each session we had Olympics which were amazing.  All of the kids got a trophy because they all had learned so much and had so much fun.

Even back then God was preparing me to teach children with special needs. I'll never forget the look of happiness and squeals of laughter from these kids as they splashed in the water and learned to swim.  Some used a life preserver, or some kind of flotation device so that we could help them move arms and legs without having to support them.  Parents often said their child was asleep in the car on the way home after their swimming work out.  Some even wrote me letters in the off-season which I answered.

Today I volunteered at PHCA, Ben and Sarah's former elementary school.  I work with first graders.  Today they were learning how to read word problems and put number sentences together.  They also wrote a short note to a student teacher.  Some of the things they wrote were so cute.  I love to read invented spelling.

Deer Mis Yundervan,
thak yu for plaing the peano.  yu ar vare nic.
yor frend,
Adam

Did you get that?  Dear Miss Yundervan,
Thank you for playing the piano.  You are very nice.
Your Friend,
Adam  :)

Today Sarah and I ran some errands.  Our library system redid two libraries near us and they now have a drive up window where you can pick up books you've ordered.  This is so nice!  You can also return your materials at a drive up drop box.

We also shopped at Walmart for some things and went through the self-checkout. Three times the machine told Sarah there was something in the bagging area that shouldn't be there.  I laughed since we had three bags that only had one thing in there!

I made some cards today.  One of the cards was for Annie my sister who had a full knee replacement yesterday.  That is one painful surgery.  I've had three full hip replacements and I'm told it's a harder surgery to recover from.

Father, please be with Anne as she begins the recovery process.  Help her with the therapy she is doing, and the pain she is going through.  This is a very difficult time for her so cradle her so she knows you are there with her.  Encourage her Father so she doesn't give up when she has tough days.  It's a long road to recovery but she'll be so much more able to do things when she's healed.  Please help her and encourage her and her family throughout this time in your name I pray, Amen.

Blessing of the Day: Spending time with Sarah. She got some cat toys for Annabelle.  One was a squeaking bunny.  We heard that noise on and off all day.  I'll bet Annabelle will sleep well tonight.

The first card here is for Operation Write Home.  One of the most needed types of cards is miss you.  I made this using Stampin' Up's Winter paper.

 This card is one I made yesterday for the sketch challenge.  I made several more since I had the paper there and cut.  I'm making several cards at a time so I have enough cards for mailing for Christmas.

 This is a quilt card Emily, her sister and I made Saturday night.  I love how quick and easy these quilt cards are to make.

 The next two cards were made for today's Way To Use It challenge.  This is am image heat embossed on glossy cardstock.  You use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol with two colors of ink added which are pounced onto the paper.  You heat the white embossed image and the ink disappears.

I am enjoying Netflix right now.  I can watch movies or shows while I stamp.  It's been fun.
Time for sleep. Tomorrow is a lunch date with my sweetie.  Sarah gets to go too.  She wants the frozen yogurt.  It's a fun time though having us all together.

Blessing of the Day: Seeing Tim relax after a long, hard day at work.  Being with Sarah shopping.

Thanks for stopping by.
Blessings,