Happy Saturday, friends! Can you believe we're at the end of October? This year has flown by with lightning speed! I'm glad you're here to link up with me today for Share 4 Somethings, when we talk about some things we loved, some things we learned, some things that went well, and some things we let go of this month. I'll jump right in!
This month I loved all the moments I had to enjoy my favorite season! Locally our weather has been phenomenal; it's been cool in the mornings and in the evenings, and I've been wearing sweaters to work each day. I love this so much! Additionally, I loved being in New England during this season. When I was there a couple of weeks ago for fall break, we visited quintessential fall towns, where each home looked like it was fresh off the pages of a magazine.
I'm so grateful that I got to go on this amazing trip with my sisters! It was the best I've ever been on, honestly.
Something that went well for me this month was continuing to see the same man I've been seeing since early August. We're about to be at the three month mark, which they say is when true character makes its appearance. I'm not sure how true this is, but it feels significant since it's the longest I've dated one man. We've been learning what works and what doesn't; we've learned what not to talk about (our pasts in excess) and we've learned to communicate.
I love both of these images I saw on social media; they both reminded me of this phase of life that I'm in. I'm so glad to know that I can always trust in God's perfect timing and plan for my life.
This month I learned that there are days when my patience runs thinner than others. Thursday of this week was this for me; by the end of day, my nerves were shot. I love the students that I get to be with, but there are some that drive me bonkers. I don't tolerate bad behavior very well (defiant might be a better word), and I definitely don't like being kicked or growled at. Seriously, both of those things happened this week at work, and I was ready to go by the end of Thursday. It wasn't just me that felt like this that day; the whole school felt like it was on edge. There are things that have to be dealt with that are heavy; kids are mean and say really hateful things to their teachers. Our special needs friends can be destructive and abusive. I'm telling you...it was a day.
Even though this is the case, I'm still so grateful that I have the job I do. I'm not one to hold onto things from the day before, and I treat each day as a clean slate. I pray for this a lot of mornings, and I pray for the teachers that I work with and the students I'll be seeing. Some days are great, others are anything but, but I'll always be there for it all. I consider a huge perk of my job being on the receiving end of so many hugs. They're the very best!
And this is what I will always greet my little friends with: a smile that may or may not always meet my eyes. Even if I'm having an off moment, it's important for me to remain neutral with them. If you ever want to pray for me, maybe you can pray that as well.
This month I let go of things around my house. This isn't necessarily a good thing, friends! My closet was a disaster area until yesterday afternoon after work. I was talking on the phone with Chris, and it was something I was able to get done at the same time. It feels great that it's clean again; I was able to go through it some and get things ready to donate this weekend.
I can't wait to read your posts! Thanks for being here with me today, friends. I'll see you back here on Monday. Love to all!
Jenn
Sorry I couldn't get a post together but yesterday was a really productive day! I finished editing and ordering my mom's Storyworth book with the goal of a Christmas present for my sisters and my mom's siblings. That had been hanging over my head.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry Thursday was hard. It's so important to have those colleagues to commiserate with.
You've had quite a month and I am glad things are going well in your work and personal life!
It's okay, friend! I'm glad you had a productive day. That sounds amazing...I'm curious to hear more about that. I'd love for us to catch up sometime soon! You are so right about having the colleagues to talk through things with. I'm so grateful for mine! Thanks for that, friend!
DeleteYou are inspiring me to purge my closet...when things quiet down? Ha! Who am I kidding? ;)
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh! Your life isn't very quiet, my friend. 🤣
DeleteIt really does sound like you had a wonderful trip with your sisters. Our weather has been fantastic this month! We were just saying it's so odd to have made it to the end of October and we've only had 2 nights with frost (so far). I gave my closet a thorough cleaning this month too. I have so many sweaters and they take up so much room but I just can't seem to part with many of them... so then I rearrange everything else to make the room for them.
ReplyDeleteIt was! I'm sure your weather has been amazing. I totally get what you say about sweaters taking up so much space. I thought that yesterday when I was doing more cleaning in my closet.
DeleteYour trip to New England looked amazing! It did look like something from a magazine!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the 3 months with Chris.
So sorry Thursday was a rough day. Sending love and hugs.
Thank you for all of this, my friend! I always appreciate your kind words. I hope you're enjoying your weekend!
DeleteI'm glad things are going well with the relationship and work too. Sorry you had a rough day this week, and hopefully the good times made up for it. I still remember (20 years later) some of the hurtful things students said at times, and I'm sure they don't know how much those words affect us.
ReplyDeleteThank you, friend! Words are hard to forget, right? None of them were spoken to me, but there was an incident with an art teacher and one of the fifth grade students I see. He's not allowed to go back to art for a long time! I hate that the poor teacher had to hear whatever it was he said.
DeleteI'm so glad you have had a wonderful October!! I'm so thankful you had a great trip and I loved your photos! I don't blame you- kicked or growled at should not be tolerated! My Mom was a school resource officer near the end of her retirement, and all her years as LEO, she said working in the schools were some of the hardest years because of the disrespect that she was shown. That's very sad! I'm praying for a revival to turn a lot of this around! I'm also glad your relationship is going well! You deserve to he happy! Thank you so much for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, friend! Oh, wow...I can't believe your mom was an SRO. That takes a special kind of love and is a calling!
DeleteI’ve been a teacher for 19 years, and may I just say: you have an amazing, inspiring attitude!! Those kiddos are so very lucky.
ReplyDeleteI’m totally with you on forcing a smile sometimes; that simple expression can make all the difference to the students and also to our own moods.
FT teaching is exhausting, but I find that it makes evenings and weekends and time-off sweeter. I also did a closet purge last Saturday, and it felt GREAT! And today I'm on a “hang all the art!” tear to gussy up my place. :)
Kudos to you on your 19 years, friend! That's amazing. And thank you for the kind words! I do believe that each day is a new day (Lamentations 3:22-26), and they deserve the same new mercies that I get each day. That changes everything! Good for you on the clean out and the gussying up of your home! Do you have a blog or are you on social media? I'd love to see this! Find me on socials if you're there...I'm Jenn M. Lloyd on Instagram if you're there.
DeleteTeachers are the unsung heroes of the day. I remember when I was in the 6th grade my teacher had a wood paddle on his desk with holes in in (velocity) it had a name and was used to administered "swats" to kids with potty mouths. Now some poor teacher died after getting kicked in the chest. I have to wonder what the heck is going on in these homes, God help all of you.
ReplyDeleteYour October looks so full! Congrats on the 3-month mark with your new friend. It sounds like you're being very wise in looking for the right things. I'm sorry about the tough days at school, but like others have said, I'm glad people like you are there to continue loving on kids on their hard days too!
ReplyDeleteSomething I loved was your photos from your trip to New England! Glad things are going well in your dating life, and that you're learning about your limits and how to best handle the stressful situations you deal with at work. I'm so glad that you're one of the people there to steady kids and be a positive presence for them when they are having a rough day, and I pray for you to have the grace and patience to get through it when it's hard on you. ((hugs)) Hope you're having a great week!
ReplyDeleteI am late to the party, I totally spaced that last Saturday was the last Saturday of the month. I am glad things are going pretty well for you (except for that day at work). I had 4-year old's that acted like that, it is so hard. I hope you have an amazing first week of November.
ReplyDelete