Looking Up?

Had a huge and awesome post written and almost done. Then it got deleted. I swear...I need to figure out how that keeps happening and never do it again. Because it was a good post. And I just spent a half hour typing it, and I'm not typing it again. And because my quickie version I'm about to type now is going to stink. Here's the stinky highlight reel:

-This week started out really bad and full of emotional turmoil and frustration, but it's been going much better since and I'm feeling refreshed and at peace. Not perfect, and circumstances still aren't super fantastic, but I'm feeling better. One class still needs to get kicked in the butt but my other two seem to be doing leaps and bounds better...which is really saying a lot considering how much of a challenge they've been.

-I'm learning to see and hear and appreciate God in areas and settings that I haven't bothered to notice Him before, and I'm loving it. It's a different way of looking for Him than I'm used to, I think, and even though I am well aware of areas in my walk with Him that need improvement, idols that need to be cast away, and priorities that need to be adjusted, I am also taking this opportunity to appreciate the gift of these times with Him too.

-The girls in my Bible study that I've joined this fall are fantastic. I love getting to know them and I love every time I am able to spend with any or all of them. Tonight only four of us could make it so we sat and colored and shared personal struggles as well as hilarious stories....laughter is so deeply connected to joy for me personally, and I laughed a lot tonight. I'm so thankful for these developing friendships and the comfort they bring me in this strange new phase of life.

-My kids are making me laugh again. There's been a few rough patches or two in the last several weeks, but we're back on a smooth-ish surface and I'm realizing once again how hilarious they are. I sneezed during silent reading time today and a student waved me over to squirt a ridiculously large blob of hand sanitizer into my hand. Then he whispered "there's stuff going around. You don't want to get sick, Ms. M." Two of my other boys are in the middle of a fake fight about how one of them beat the pants off the other in a computer game yesterday after the benchmark test. They chase each other around and fake threaten each other and fake hit each other. At LUNCH they were doing this today. I mean, come on. As dumb as it is, though, its also hilarious and they know I think so...so they haven't been very motivated to stop. I mean...they're thirteen.