has it really been 1 year?

No, not since we've been married.  But almost as good as that...1 year that we have been together since Zach got home on February 11th, 2009.  I thought that day would never come and now we have had a whole year together since then.  What a year it has been.  I realize more each day what a wonderful husband and friend I have. 

Stages of teaching:
1. Honeymoon
2. Hostility
3. Humor
4. Home

Luckily the hostility didn't last long and the humor has been helping me get through it all this whole time.

Oh how I love my kids, let me count the ways:

1. I asked my student what a number was and he says, "82, my lady."
2. We talked about honesty and I asked one student to share his journal answer and he said, "Being honest is not lying.  Jesus Christ...(mumbling)."  And then he bowed his head.  I think he thought he was giving a talk.
3. Working on ch, sh, th, wh digraphs and when I asked for examples of ch I got church and a really excited Choose the right!
4. During math one student said, "Mrs. Smith, I'm almost getting hair on my chest...like a man."  Out of nowhere.
5. One student said about another of my students with autism "He is funny."  He replied, "No I'm not.  I don't tell jokes!"
6. The same student who is apparently not funny has a slight obsession with my one girl student and he tends to look at her A LOT so I told him that I would put his star card in time out if he continued to look at her.  He said, "I can't stop.  My eyes just look at her."
7. We did compliments today and I had each kid compliment the student next to him and then they could pick anyone and so I encouraged them to pick the teachers as well.  One student said he liked me because I "help him in math".  It made me feel pretty good after a LOUSY week last week.

Sometimes it helps to remember the good things because some days are really rough.  Luckily I have Zach to come home to and he puts everything into perspective and just makes me laugh.

Grandpa and Grandma

I wish we could be there to help out more, but I am so excited we will get to be home next week and spend time with Grandpa, Grandma, and the rest of our family.  I am so grateful for them and for my relationship with them.  I am also glad that Zach has known them for so long and feels a special bond with them.  Many a double dates were had with these two.  If someone is hanging out with Grandpa this week tell him Stacie says hi and she will be there soon.  And she says, "I love your little heart, I love your little liver, If I had you in my mouth, I'd spit you in the river" and "I love you and you love me and that's the way it's supposed to be."