January Post~My Word for the Year & ADHD

I know that today is FEBRUARY 1st, but since I only came up with the idea of trying to post the last day of the month just a few days ago, I am giving myself some grace.  I figured that way I can collect ideas during the month, add to it as things happen and then publish on the last day of the month.  I think this might be the right plan for me.  I really do want to blog, even if it is just for me to look back at years from now. I do enjoy blogging when I don't let myself get stressed out or overwhelmed.

 Back in 2014, I decided to go with the idea of choosing a word for the year.  I had seen them being posted all over the web, and I really had been struggling with feeling 'stuck'...I didn't want to use the word 'unstuck' and  I was praying about it.  It was like a thought that whispered in me, "ASK me to get you unstuck" and I knew ASK was meant to be my word.

I followed it up with 'SEEK', but apparently never made a graphic for it. 

SEEK

The following year 'FIND' made sense...

I was so glad that 'NEXT' was my word for 2017.  It started out with some major personal challenges, and seemed to continue that way all year...I just tried to focus on the NEXT thing.  There were many blessings and joys in 2017, but many struggles as well.

 My 2018 word came to me during a time of prayer too.  I had it just kind of come to me, but once the word was in my mind, it was anchored in my heart...I feel so excited and blessed that 'JOY' is my word this year.  I have written out 4 key verses with JOY in them.  I have created these prints as a special fundraiser for an amazing ministry that I hope to share about soon.

 My last few weeks have been consumed with researching about ADHD.  It all started with this TED Talk:

I realized that I was relating to so much of what Jessica was saying...I found her YouTube Channel 'How to ADHD' and I have watched a TON of her videos, as well as other videos, podcasts, articles.  You would think as a teacher of 30 years I would KNOW what ADHD was...I mean I have had kids that were diagnosed with ADHD or that I suspected would be...most of them with signs that were obvious in the classroom...I learned there is so much more to it...so many things that I have struggled with my whole life...always feeling broken, that there was something missing in me, defective...I am on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist who had been recommended by someone I know.  I don't know if medication is in my future or not.  Jessica has an episode in which she talks about running out of her medication and what it was like for her...I cried watching it...I am hoping to create a ADHD Teacher Tribe on Facebook...please contact me if you can relate...I would love to connect!

 See you on IG or at the end of this month!!

Five for Fraturday: Teacher Meet Up, Bible Journaling,FIND, Sticky Note Love , & Do you want to build a...

It was one of those weeks once again...fighting a cold all week...came home each night to Nyquil & sleep...so, here's my 5 for Frunday!

I was so blessed to attend the Manhattan Beach SoCal Blogger Meet-Up!  I enjoyed talking to everyone that I was able to visit with!  The 4 ladies in the upper right coordinated & planned a very pleasant, casual, comfortable, inviting Meet-Up...there were goodies from TpT...including 2 living breathing goodies~Sam & Jillian!...I was hoping to win a membership to Sheila Jane's Teach Happy Group...I have connected with her a bit on Social Media & I am excited to meet her in 3 weeks at #teacherstakesacramento2016, but no luck this time...one of the highlights for me was meeting Janice from Island Lover Teacher...she had really encouraged me several weeks ago when I was down...I am so excited for TWO Teacher Meet-Ups this month, one on Saturday & the other in 3 weeks!

Just 5 days ago I came across this post from Cara Carroll on Instagram...it got me searching the hashtags #biblejournaling, #illustratedfaith, & #biblejournaling community...I have been finding & following a ton of IGers who are sharing this amazing form of worship...I have been screenshotting, cropping & adding their IG names...I plan to put it as a powerpoint/slideshow on my computer to encourage me...here just a few...

I was very surprised this morning in Sunday school when I did this...

I did this in my lesson book...I really didn't think I had anything like this in me...maybe one day I will venture into Bible journaling, but for now I will enjoy the creations of others!

FIND is my word for 2016 & this Word Doodle was made for me by Jodilyn from Daisy a Day Doodles!  You can buy this along with other Doodle Words in her TpT store.  I am excited to have it on my sidebar to remind me to FIND what I need to FIND this year!

My students have really been enjoying the Sticky Notes that I have created on their assignments when they get them back...I like the Sticky Notes because they can put them on whatever they chose to at their houses.  The response have been wonderful...click on the picture above to find them in my store.

I must say I am SUPER thrilled about this project...about 20 years ago I received a gift of toy soldiers made from terra cotta pots...they stood about 3 feet tall & were made of 5 pots...I thought I could do this to make snowmen...I not only made large ones as gifts, I made them from the mini pots too...I wish I could find pictures of them, no luck yet...I decided K-cups were perfect for making the snowmen...the students were really proud of their snowmen & the materials were simple...so this was NOT Pinterest inspired, but maybe it will inspire others! ;-) {Pin away!}

Have a great week!

5 for Fraturday; Life Happens, A Google Find, One Word, Tuna & Dr. King?, & Sticky Notes

I shared this on Instagram yesterday.  I had started this post on Wednesday as one of my Wows! on Wednesday posts, but my daughter needed the computer for her homework...Thursday morning I created the Three on Thursday graphic to shift it one day...I had planned to work on it at Panera while my daughter was at dance {using their wifi}...my husband called & he had come into town & was finished with his errands {we live 25 miles out of town} so I told him to come join me...then my fibro hit...pain all over :( I headed home & went to bed...I did teach yesterday, but was struggling with my fibro all day, so once again~home & bed...so here it is Five for Fraturday!

In the past I had learned that there are some fun responses that you can get from "Okay Google..." such as "Okay Google, Beam me up Scotty." "Okay Google, What does the Fox Say?" Okay Google, do a Barrel Roll" but I discovered a fun response on accident!  I was talking with my son who loves comedy skits & realized he had never heard Abbott & Costello's Who's On First!! I was surprised...I wanted him to see it so I said, "Okay Google, Who's on First?"  I got a good laugh out of Google's response...have some fun & try all of the above & enjoy watching the classic & the Tonight Show's Sequel!

I was really pleased with the words my 3rd grade students came up with for their word for 2016.  They had to fill out a Google form in Google Classroom to tell me what their word is and why...the student who put 'water' wrote "knowledge flows in your head like water" ...they had the chance to create a display for their word...our two most common words were 'kind' & 'family'...my word is FIND...

 I keep this can of tuna in my cupboard & pull it out every January when I talk about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr...I start with a little bit of the history of slavery, President Lincoln, the Civil War, & then talk about how things were not fair in the South around the time I was born {1965}...I feel that in order to talk about Dr. King, I have to start with Rosa Parks & tell her story...once I get to the part about the citizens discussing the bus boycott, I jump to the tuna...I began teaching in 1988 & at that time it had come to the public's attention that dolphin were dying in large numbers in the fishing of tuna...families decided to not eat tuna, I talk about how kids, just like them made a choice to not have tuna & their parents chose not buy tuna FOR A REASON...& that they were not going to until things changed...in 1990 the big 3 tuna companies agreed to only sell 'Dolphin Safe' tuna...the boycott worked...I love using this example to explain the concept of a boycott...then I move forward with discussion of the bus boycott, the challenges that it created, but the difference in our world that it made.

I am so excited to finally get these 2 sets up in my Teachers pay Teachers store!! They are 20% off tonight & tomorrow!  My students really enjoyed getting the Encouraging Set Notes on their desks this last week!