First of Winter Faves!

Well, yesterday was the Winter Solstice...the first day of winter!

And Christmas is very soon!  And yesterday was our youngest daughter's 19th birthday.

So we have some faves to share here with other participants of Susanne's FFF.  Join us in sharing FIVE things that make you thankful.

FIVE FAVES

UNH Dance Company Photos

• HOME!  Claire just finished up her first semester of college at UNH and came home very late Saturday evening.  She has a nice long winter break and doesn't have to be back on campus until January 21st.  I'm thankful she and Dave made it home safely and that the weather stayed mild.  It is so good to have her home!  First time since she left in mid-August!  She's taking a "J term" class online for 4 credits so she will be busy for the entire 5 weeks but at least she is getting her required Stats class out of the way and she has this week and part of next to relax.  I'm so thankful for this girl!

• MEDS!  Last Friday after work, I went to the new daytime urgent care in town.  I'm so glad I did!!  I had had this annoying deep cough for weeks...on and off...mostly on...with no other symptoms other than being tired by 8 pm which is NOT like me. I was suspecting bronchitis.  Doc heard my symptoms and my history and sure enough, that was his diagnoses. What makes me grateful is that he was a new-to-me doctor who thoroughly listened and then did not over-medicate!! He said he was putting me on the Z pack (5 day antibiotic which took effect the end of the 2nd day!) and said he was NOT prescribing the prescription cough medicine that most docs do.  I was so appreciative of this and told him so. He said he doesn't believe in over medicating patients. Yeah!!

Merry Xmas from the B----Family

Merry Xmas from the L---family

 

• GIFTS!  Oh my goodness. Some of the parents of the special needs preschoolers I teach are very generous.  One family who has twin boys in our classroom gave each member of their special education team a gift basket of wine, organic bread, and homemade grape jam.  The wine bottle had a home made label on it with the boys' photos and it said "Our children might be the reason you drink.  Merry Christmas from the B---Family".  I'm sorry I'm not allowed to show their photo due to confidentiality laws but suffice it to say that it is truly one of the cutest gifts I have ever received from a student(s).  And the little pink wrist-let is from a little boy with a card that says "thank you for being kind"...apparently the pink represents kindness.  (there were several different colors that various staff received, all with a different meaning).  These types of gifts are very special and I am thanking God for each child I get to teach and each family I get to connect with.  

 

• HOT COFFEE:  French Vanilla Swirl.  Hot. After work on a cold, windy day.  Need I say more??

• TEXTING:  I'm thankful for this method of communication because a dear friend of mine from Michigan was able to reach me while on the way to work Monday to inform me that our "mentor" from when we were teens, was admitted to the hospital out in the central part of NYS, with congestive heart failure among other issues. SHE had received a text from the daughter who asked that Ann (my MI friend) pass this info on.  So we are able to send texts to other sisters in Christ to lift her up in prayer.  This woman is 71 and she needs our prayers...she was like a 2nd mother to many of us when we were teens.....I'm thankful we can pray to a living God who hears our cries and pleas on her behalf.

That wraps up my week.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

BONUS!!! ALL THE SCHOOLS IN THE NYS CAPITAL REGION AND BEYOND ARE CLOSED DUE TO AN APPROACHING SNOWSTORM. Here in eastern NY, we are just dealing with an icy dusting but supposedly we might get up to 3-5 inches.  Please pray for my sisters as they live where they might get up to a foot of snow!  I LOVE HAVING A DAY OFF FROM TEACHING TO BAKE MORE COOKIES!!