End of February Faves

End of February which means only about 3 more weeks of winter!

Let's pause today and share FIVE of our FAVE blessings from the past week.  My week was hectic and full.....and some of it was very difficult.  But there's always blessings around us if we dig down and look for them.

What are yours?  How about joining in with us and then link up at Susanne's site because she is our hostess.

FIVE FAVES

• CHURCH ONLINE:  Dave and I were in the midst of nasty head colds last weekend, so we stayed home from church Sunday morning and watched it livestream.  I'm so thankful for this option that our church provides!  And yes...we sang along!

• FLEXIBLE, COMPETENT EDUCATION TEAM: This past week was our first back after Winter Break.  Some of the students were perfectly fine getting back into the routine.  A couple of our preschoolers who have more social/emotional/behavioral issues along with the language delays, had a much more difficult time.  At one point, one little guy became very violent and I perceived that I should get all the children out of the classroom while the head teacher dealt with him.  After running to get our social worker's help my other assistant and I gathered the remaining children and safely removed them from the room into my smaller, quieter room where I teach language group.  For a couple of the children, this was difficult as they are on the autism spectrum and don't cope well with change. However, due to the competence and flexible way of thinking, the entire team came at one point or another for that half hour and checked in on us.  I'm thankful for good Pt's, OT's, Speech therapists, and for putting my iPad into that room earlier so I could just grab it and do music with the children to help them settle their confused emotions. 

image courtesy of Amazon

• TEA TIME!  This past week, with the remnants of the head cold hanging on, and some dreary, rainy, chilly afternoons, I've headed home from work and have had a cup of herbal tea.  I prefer coffee but I'm cutting back on coffee in the afternoons so have been trying various teas.  I'm finding that this is becoming a fave.  It's a South African healing tea and has undertones of vanilla to it.  It's wonderful in a steaming hot mug. I'm thankful for time in the afternoons to relax before chores and dinner.

• FRESH GRAPEFRUIT:  I've had a stroke of good fortune in purchasing excellent, fresh grapefruit from the grocery store the last couple of weeks. I just love fresh grapefruit and often choose it as an after work snack or as a side with dinner.  I do eat it at breakfast, too but I'm finding I like it in the afternoons.  It's soothing to the throat and really helps to build the immune system.  It's fresh, juicy, with a bit of bite to it.  So  thankful for  citrus fruits.

image courtesy of NYCB website

• NYCB SUMMER PRODUCTION TICKETS:  As most of you know, who've been regular readers here at my blog, my youngest daughter is a ballet minor and has been on pointe since age 12 and dancing ballet since age 4.  Since she was 10, we've been going to the New York City Ballet when they appear at Saratoga Performing Arts Center which is in Saratoga Spa State Park about 25 minutes north of our home.  From age 10-17, she had a free lawn ticket for any classical concert due to being an orchestra student (Violin) and we have attended concerts every year to see all the NYCB shows and many of the Philadelphia Orchestra concerts. (the Ballet comes in July and the Orchestra arrives in August). Each summer though, for one performance, I have spent the money on the seats in the amphitheater.   Well, this year, for the first time since 2006, NYCB is performing the full length ballet of Swan Lake!!  We've seen a movie version but have never seen the entire ballet on the stage. Since she was only 7 in 2006, I didn't feel like she was old enough for this particular full length ballet.  I splurged for tickets in our very fave section for the one Friday night that they will be performing it in July.  I'm so thankful I was able to get a 10% discount and that some of our fave seats were available!! 

That wraps up my faves list.  Nothing super spectacular.  Work, running the house, being a small group leader.....just a regular week....but there are always blessings we can find. 

What made you smile this week?

Do share!