"School's Out for Summer!"...So Let's Start It Off with a Garage Sale for Our Adoption!

I can't believe it. Another year has come and gone. Today we had our awards and all students were gone at the end (12:30 pm!). Made for a nice rest of the day to get my classroom cleaned and packed up for the summer. Just a little bit left to do. It was a good year, and I lived and learned what not to do for next year, as well as, what I should do. We are all human, we all make mistakes...I just wish that certain people realized that. Oh, well. I will miss the kids...all individually. They each have their characteristics that I love. I will certainly remember them. Especially one student, A.M., who wrote me a really sweet good-bye letter...7 pages long! It will be one that I will treasure forever and it reminds me why I am in this job in the first place. I will probably keep it next to my bedside so that on days when everything seems so frustrating, I can take it out and read it before going to bed, and know that I did make a difference in a child's life. :)

On another note, Casey and I are having a multi-family garage sale this weekend to help raise money for our adoption! My great aunt who passed away a year ago this June, lived to the ripe old age of 100! There were lots of items that still did not get claimed, so my mom's oldest brother and my grandmother (my aunt's youngest and only remaining sibling) decided to allow Casey and me to try and sell the rest with all proceeds going to our adoption. My aunt even suggested that we ask for other donations from family members to add to the sale and see what happens. We went up there Memorial Day to get everything organized, and realized we needed to ask them to stop sending things! There is so much stuff that it's quite overwhelming. However, the items are from the past 100 years, so hopefully everyone that comes to the garage sale will find something they desire.

Hopefully I will be able to blog more now that the summer is here. Hopefully that will help me get into more of a blogging routine so that everyone can know our progress!

Adoption Process Update

Update on how we have been doing with our adoption process. We have started working on our adoption forms AND we have delivered all of our referrals to our friends...well, almost. I have to get one mailed because we forgot to take it with us when we went to visit. So we are working. It's going to take us some time though. The types of questions and what they need from us is such a process to get it all together...it's a bit overwhelming actually. So, that's it for now. Hopefully I will have more news the next time I write.

Fundraiser Update for December 31, 2011

So, we had our first fundraiser order taken and placed. For the first time, and being so close to the Christmas holiday and people seeming to be so strapped for money this year (?), we had a decent order. However, when we got the order and I started sorting out and getting it all together to pass out, we had been sent some of the wrong products. Ugh. So, I contacted those whose orders were incorrect, and thankfully I have some wonderful friends and family who were so understanding. I went ahead and fulfilled what I had for them and will try to get everything taken care of after the holidays. You see, the company we are working with is a home business and they took time off for the holidays, so I wasn't able to reach them to get it corrected. Again, ugh.

I don't know if Casey and I will choose to work with them again. I think it will depend on how well they work with us in getting this order corrected. I'm a little frustrated and disappointed because I was hoping that this would be a great option for us to go with and earn some extra money. I have been thinking of possible other back up plans and discussing with Casey and my neighbor who have been helping me sort through details. I'm not saying right now because well, I just sometimes wonder about things. People have told me, "Oh, let me know when you start your fundraiser!" or "Let me know how I can help!", but then I never see them when I am asking for the help. Even friends that I thought would be supportive and purchase did not. It just makes me sad and kind of second guess...well, people and friendships. :(

So that is all on the fundraiser info for now. Hopefully, I will have better info the next time. HOPEFULLY!

The Fundraiser Has Started!

Earlier this week, I kicked off our fundraising efforts at school. So far, I've had a few people purchase some items, but I am hoping for more support! Below is a picture that I took of the basket that holds all the samples that we are selling (ignore the foot and sock in the background). I think I may have said before, I LOVE their lip balm!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!! My lips have never felt better than when I have used this stuff. I don't have to apply it all the time like I've done with some other name brands; my lips stay more moist than usual. My lips don't start getting "cakey" like with other lip balms. I will put the stuff on overnight and my lips feel soft in the morning. I've even taken a shower with the lip balm on and when I get out, I still feel some on my lips and they don't feel dry. That is one product that I absolutely LOVE! The other product I will be excited to use when I need it in the spring (maybe even winter) is the sinus relief flameless candle. That will really open up your sinuses! If  you are outside of Rockwall and might want to purchase, just give me a shout and I will contact you with info!

My students (former and current) have definitely been helping the adoption cause! They have been bringing me cans just about everyday! They are so sweet to do this...it's so nice to see kids care so much about helping a teacher of theirs start a family! I will definitely never forget them!!!

So today Casey and I tried out a new church. We went to the First United Methodist Church of Royse City. I am actually a member of FUMC Rockwall and have been since I was about 3; that is the church that I consider to be my home church. However, Casey being from a smaller town when growing up didn't feel as comfortable going to such a large church AND it is some driving to get to it from where we live. It didn't take us hardly anytime at all to get to FUMC Royse City. Casey really enjoyed going, he really likes the smaller congregation and it felt like "home" to him. Everyone was friendly and of course...they all knew we were visiting! If going here is what it is going to take to get him to church, then I will sacrifice and attend here. :)  After all, does it really matter where we worship God, so long as we worship? It will take some getting used to, as I have attended a larger congregation all my life (although Rockwall has greatly increased since 1981); but the one thing that made it nice was that the pastor used to be a member of the Rockwall congregation! So at least there was one connection.

 

 

Here is a picture of the church...I love the oldness to it!

Love and God Bless!