"M" Faves

This week has flown by.

The children in the classroom are all working hard on our African unit (Kenya) and getting ready for the big parent project night in a couple of weeks. The head teacher is busy, which means the rest of us are busy!

Here in my home, we are doing more spring cleaning and purging, and preparing ourselves for Courtney's graduation from college in one week from tomorrow!!  SO...this will be my last FFF for a couple of weeks.  

If you like counting your blessings, how about choosing FIVE of your FAVES from this past week and linking up with us by going to Susanne's site?

FIVE FAVES

• MOMS NIGHT OUT! Last Thursday evening, instead of meeting for our Bible study discussion, we met at the local park to power walk and chat.  Oh how fun!  There were 4 of us (3 couldn't make it).  We walked for a little over 2 miles, and then went out for frozen yogurt.  It was so good to get together with my group in a social context.  We really needed that bonding time!  It was such a hit that we have plans to do it again later in the spring and some time over the summer! I"m so thankful for this small group and all that God has accomplished within us so far, both as friends and in our spiritual growth.

My Mother's Day pear tree

tulips and hyacinths under a cherry tree in front yard

• MORE BLOOMS!  This past week yet more tulips and other perennials opened up in the yard.  And the pear tree that Claire got for me (Mother's Day 2 years ago) is doing so well!  The blossoms are so pretty even though the scent is not great.  I love all the rebirth springing up around our town.  It makes everything so beautiful! I'm thankful that God created Spring!  Here in the Great Northeast, we welcome it gladly!

• MERCY ME!  The group Mercy Me has been a fave of mine for a couple of years now and I just discovered this song (Flawless) this past week.  It played on the Christian radio station I like to listen to in the mornings on the way to work a couple of times this week. It's wonderful.  I encourage you, if you don't know the song, to click on the above video and watch/ listen...the lyrics are amazing.  It's because of that amazing grace that we can be flawless!!  Thank you, Jesus!

• MAKING PLANS!  Dave and I are making plans for our upcoming 25th anniversary trip (we were married on June 30th but the trip is happening July 3-12), and it's a lot of fun!  We've decided on a wonderful little village on Cape Cod...about half way out on the Cape).  It's been years since we've been that far out.  AND we are making some plans to rent a cottage in the northern/high peaks region of the Adirondacks for the end of the summer........we haven't made a deposit yet but we are leaning towards one particular place near this village.  I'm excited!!  The cottage is right on a lake!  We just need to finalize our plans.......

my cherry blossoms in the mommy pot

• MOMMY POT!  See the little pot (it's stone and colonial blue in color) in my kitchen window with the 3 cherry blossoms?  Well, it was 13 years ago this month when my close friend Chris gave that pot to me.  Claire was just 2 and Courtney was 7.  Chris' son was a 4 year old.  She was visiting Claire and I for an all day play date as she lived out in Central NYS.  We first met when, as a graduate school intern, I was assigned to teach for 20 weeks in the preK classroom where she was Master Teacher.  I learned so much from her, including that she was a Christian. She invited me to her church which ended up being the church where Dave and I met. We became friends and she was a wonderful mentor to me...both academically in the Special Education field and spiritually.  We were the same age!  I was married before she was and she came to my wedding and I went to hers.  I missed her when she moved back to central NY.  BUT....we still remained in touch and got together when we could.  About 2 months after giving me the mommy pot, she stopped emailing and calling me.  I was perplexed.  I found out later that autumn that she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer about a month after giving me the pot.  She died the next September, about a year and 3 months after the initial diagnoses.  In fact, while Dave and I were walking on the beach at the family beach house on Cape Cod, it was a Sunday afternoon and I told him I didn't have a good feeling in my spirit.  I felt like Chris wasn't going to make it to Thanksgiving.  The next morning, Labor Day, she died.  BUT....this mommy pot reminds me of her love for young children, and the joy they bring (as did she) to mommies when they thrust their little hands full of blossoms....even those dandelion blossoms that they are so proud of...in to our hands. She knew that I also loved working as a Master Teacher in early childhood special ed and that I treasured my own young daughters and the flowers they would pick for me. I cherish that mommy pot to this day.  

that wraps up my list of faves for the past week.

Next week, after working for 4 days, we are heading to the North Shore of Boston to celebrate Gordon College's Graduation Weekend.  We covet your prayers as we witness our first born child....our precious princess...walk across the green quad to receive her Bachelor degrees.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and a very blessed Mother's Day!!