Throwback Thursday: Fun Claps & Cheers; Vegas Meet Up, & I Think God is Trying to Tell Me Something!!!

I must start out with a GREAT big Bloggy/Internet {{{{HUG}}}} & thank you to Erica from Erica Bohrer's First Grade [I got to MEET her Tuesday...:-)] for letting me know how to embed an old post into this one!!!!!

This is my first Throwback Thursday with 

I have just recently re-entered the wonderful world of teacher blogging...I was looking at my Blog Archive...2011 (73), 2012 (8), 2013 (12) and the breakdown for 2013 May (1), June (7), July (4)...I was just talking with a good friend and fellow teacher about the last couple of years & how my blogging reflects how those years were going...the post I am sharing is one of my favorite posts and oh..my...goodness...I just looked at stats!...wow...definitely my most viewed post with 8687 views (my next closest is 6311, then drops to 1440!!)...my daughter and two good friends {also teacher kids} helped me out with this post...
it was originally posted May 20, 2011...

These are some great cheers and claps that you can use in your classroom!  The kids really enjoy them!  I've used them for individuals and groups when they have done something great.  I frequently let them choose which one they would like.  The models are my daughter, Sieanna (2nd grade), and her two friends, Sedona (3rd grade on the left) & Marysa (2nd grade on the right). Both of her friends are also teachers' kids.  Thanks to all three of them for allowing all of you to see & hear these cheer and claps!

I hope you will enjoy these as much as my students have!

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{end of old post}

I had a GREAT time at the Blogger/Teacher meet up!!! I can't believe that the pictures with people (I only had a few I somehow deleted out of my phone!! :-( !!!)  I enjoyed meeting and talking with such amazing women!  It was totally worth taking the trip to Vegas!!

Have you ever had a time that you felt God was really trying to tell you something?? Not just subtly, but, Wham!..Are You Listening?...now it wasn't an audible voice, but boy, did it hit me....and believe it or not it was RIGHT IN THE BLOGGER MEET UP!!!!

Let me explain...

Several years ago I began to have a special place in my heart for the needs for orphans throughout the world...this is a portion of our family's Christmas letter that I posted here on my blog December 28, 2011...

 a month earlier I had posted this as part of a 'Thankful Linky' that included 3 blogs you are most thankful for and this was my #2 blog...

then I had a post '11 Positives Added in 11' {11++11} and this was #6...

before this and since then I've had several situations related to orphan care and/or adoption 'fall into my lap'..I even have a board on Pinterest about orphan care but...over the last few months I have been kind of discouraged...feeling no direction in this area...nothing planned for this year's Orphan Sunday {the 1st Sunday in November} at our church...not sure if I should try to get something going.. had doubts this was an area of my life that I could make a difference ...just Monday I was literally thinking that I was just going to let it go...let the embers of this passion just cool off and go out...then I go to:

if you were there you know that there were a TON of raffle prizes I think 99% were DIRECTLY teacher related; TpT certificates (they sponsored the Meet-Up) teacher books, classroom materials, discounts to conferences, etc., but there was one that was different from the rest, Leigh Ann from:

 it was necklace she had donated to help support a teacher at her school who was adopting a girl from China...who's name was called from the raffle bag...yep:

This is a link to their blog about their adoption journey {above}

So...today I pulled out my Show Hope shirt and have been praying since I got the necklace..."I hear you Lord, I WILL NOT let my passion for the orphans burn out...WHAT do you want me to do?" I don't have that answer, but posting this is a start... here are some links if you would like to know more about the challenge of orphans throughout the world: www.buildingtheblocks.blogspot.com www.showhope.com http://www.icareaboutorphans.org/ http://www.orphancarealliance.org/ http://www.hopefororphans.org/Display.asp?Page=orphancareorgs http://www.christian-alliance-for-orphans.org http://www.orphansunday.org/about/ http://www.showhope.org/GetInvolved/EngageOthers/OrphanSunday.aspx http://www.everyorphan.org

Well, I am going to post this on Thursday! {I have 4 minutes until it is Friday!}