• Clean House
• Gather stuff for Goodwill
• Organize and Get rid of "Junk" in a number of places around the house
• Finish Washing Dishes
• Put Away Everything

• A weekend visit with Mom
• A trip with Mom to a Bed and Breakfast
• Christmas Shoebox Shopping
• Rest and Relaxation

Don’t you just LOVE seeing kids learn something?

Today, I watched my seventh grader begin to understand algebraic equations.  It was neat seeing him explain the process of  solving the problem and realizing that he actually understood what he was talking about: mostly.

Today, I listened to my eighth graders read a story and add expression.  I watched them make comments and predictions about what was happening in the story and I knew they understood the concepts in the book.

Today, I listened to a second grader explain what would happen if he were nocturnal.  I listened to him tell me why he would work at a power plant (because they need constant maintenance) and have to pay higher power bills (because you would use more electricity if you were up all night).

Today, I watched as my first grader listened excitedly to a story about a pumpkin that fell off a truck into a lady’s yard.  I got excited with me as explained what would happen when the lady covered the pumpkin with dirt. 

• “It would grow,” he said. 
• “How do you know that?” I asked. 
• “Because she just buried a bunch of seeds!” 

Today, I had a discussion with a sixth grader that showed he not only understood what he was learning but was able to apply it to his everyday experience.  The conversation went something like this:

• T (a second grader): Mrs. N, do you have an accent?
• N (another teacher in the room): What? Why do you say that?
• T: Because of that word you just said.
• N: What word?
• T:  You said 3 cent.  That’s wrong. It’s supposed to be 3 cents!
• N: Thank you for pointing that out.
• J (sixth grader): You know what?  He (T) reminds me of Socrates.
• Me: Socrates?
• J: Yeah, the Greek philosopher.  He’s the one that was executed by poison right?
• Me: Yes, he had hemlock put in his drink and was poisoned.
• J: Yeah, that’s who I meant.  He was poisoned because he kept correcting everybody!

Fortunately for me, T did not figure out what J meant by his comment…but I thought it was great that J was actually able to remember and relate what he had learned in his Core Knowledge social studies to something that happened in the classroom.

For today’s Show and Tell, I thought I would share my spoon collection with you, as well as a few stories.  I have a total of 92 spoons from 26 states, Washington D.C. and 5 different countries outside of the US.  I love getting spoons of places I have been, but accept spoons from other people as well.  I enjoy unique and different spoons and can usually tell you where all of my different spoons came from, even when the place is not referenced on the spoon.  In fact, those are usually my favorite spoons.

I have also included a picture of six of my favorite/special spoons.  The first two are from Costa Rica.  I spent eight days there on a mission trip last summer and fell in love with the people.  I love these spoons because they remind me of what God did during that trip and how much love he gave me.

The third spoon is a teapot spoon given me by my grandmother.  This one is special simply because my grandmother gave it to me.

The next spoon was given to me by some friends who went to Italy.  They got this spoon at the Vatican and had it “blessed” by the pope.  Now, I’m not catholic, so I don’t really think there is anything special about the pope blessing my spoon, but it is neat to be able to tell people that it was.

The butterfly spoon is my all-time favorite spoon.  I bought it in Charleston, SC and I love it because it is so very unique.  I have not found another spoon like it anywhere.  I love butterfly’s and just think that is a beautiful addition to my collection.

The last spoon is special because my sister gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday.  I know this because she had it engraved for me with my name and age.  I had just started to collect spoons that summer and she thought she would add to my meager collection, little did she or I know at the time that my collection would grow as big as it has.  I plan on continuing to add spoons as I go new places and am always looking for that “unusual” design.

Forgive me, for not praying enough, not sharing enough, not loving enough.
Forgive me, Lord, for not being more explicit in my witness.
Help them to see Your love though this time.  Help them to come to know the love of the Father, even through this death.  Make the impossible, possible.  Bring reconciliation to my family.  Bring them peace and comfort. Amen.