Today is the second installment of Thankfulness Thursday. This week’s theme, be brave.
1. Eight happy little query letters left my computer today as I fought back some serious stage fright. It took courage to press send each time, but I did it! I’m sending them out in batches of eight because eight is my lucky number… 8/8/83, born. 8/8/08, engaged… Big sigh of grateful relief that I got this far.
2. Speaking of engaged, yesterday was my three year wedding anniversary. Today I’m grateful to all the incredible people who made it the happiest day of my life. My family, Alex, and my friends, THANK YOU! It’s funny to admit, I actually had to push myself to be brave to let this day happen. My inclination was to run away and get married with a tiny audience, but I’m so glad we didn’t. I realized in the process that involving others wasn’t about putting on a show, but instead about creating a community of love and support from the people with which we’re grateful to share our lives. Incredibly and humbly thankful for this day and everyone we love.
Three years ago!
Three years later! (Still smiling!)
A big thank you to my glorious family.
And to our glorious friends!
3. One of the bravest people I have ever met is 10. This week, she brought in the Black Eyed Peas track “Where is the Love?” Before playing it for us, she gave the class a little speech about how she chose it because she felt her classmates needed to reflect on how they treat one another at school. She then demanded that students sing along with her and would not stand for any laughter or horseplay. She is my hero this week. I wish I could tell you her whole life story. If you’re anything like me, you’d cry with amazement.
4. Sometimes I try things when I teach that require me to be brave, like taking 30 fifth graders outside to attempt a human model of our solar system. Watching the students laugh as they unsuccessfully tried to orbit the student in the middle (playing the sun) reminded me why I teach. So thankful for that happy little reminder. We’ll try again when it’s not 100 degrees outside…
Studying the planets and creating our own maps of the solar system has been a highlight of our fifth grade year so far.
There you have it. Four things for which I am grateful on this fourth day of October. Thanks again to the lovely Ashley over at Domestic Fashionista for the inspiration and graphic! Wishing you a brave and thankful Thursday.
oliviaobryon 
I don’t comment often. But I love you!
Maybe if you got that blog of yours going you’d comment more often 😉 Love you too.
Congratulations on 3 years! I love-love-love your bridesmaids color scheme!
Thank you!! I have a love for all shades blue/purple 😉
What a lovely post! And I have a close identical one set for next week as we also celebrate our 3 year anniversary next week! I love that we got married just a week from each other! So glad you linked up again and I love the stories of your students! You sound like an amazing teacher!
Congrats to you guys too! Look forward to reading your post next week, what a nice coincidence. And, thanks for the encouraging words, teaching often kicks my butt, but there are plenty of happy moments to be thankful for– a big thank you to you for giving me a reason to stop and appreciate them!
You sent out eight queries and I sent my manuscript off to Harper Voyager. Must be some sort of coincidence, right? Anyway, great post. Good luck with your queries and happy anniversary!
Awesome! That’s a very exciting, big deal! I hope it works out exactly as you envision it 🙂 And, thanks as always for the encouragement.
So you just celebrated your leather anniversary…congrats! I did that last month. Your story about your brave student got me choked up. Good for her! 10 years old and already changing the world. The outdoor solar system story had me smiling…go creative you! As for your queries…good luck & fingers crossed. You are awesome!
Haha, yes, leather. My dad actually pointed that out last night… Well, he asked which one it was, so then I looked it up and laughed. Hope you celebrated your leather anniversary in style 😉 Just such a funny milestone. Better than paper, I guess… Thanks for the kind words! The solar system was fun, just wish it wasn’t so hot so we could have spent more time getting it right… I think fall might finally be here, though!
Enjoy the fall…we don’t get that this far south… As for my leather anniversary? It was great. I even blogged about it back in Sept, LOL!
Yes, that’s a right, a world without fall. I’d miss the changing colors on the trees, (or does that still happen?). You’re in Florida, right? I’ve never been but the beaches look gorgeous, so I might be willing to trade fall for that 😉 And, I remember your leather post, actually, just forgot it marked three years too!
I actually miss the fall. Beaches can be overrated. They’re beautiful, but sand and bugs are everywhere. Hazards of the tropics, I guess. Anyway, you seem like a terrific teacher!
I can see that– and, thanks, the encouragement means a lot because it often feels like a very tough job!
Great post … congrats and good luck on the query letters. Congrats and may you have many more on the anniversary. And, I hope you keep sharing these stories about your students. Those little things they do are pretty incredible.
Thanks! And, I agree, it’s actually really nice to reflect on the wonderful little moments each week. I think I’ll have to find a way to keep it up even after thanksgiving and the disappearance of Thankfulness Thursdays. Helps put my job in perspective! 🙂
I love reading these happy posts. Happy Anniversary! You guys are an adorable couple and stories about your students continue to show me what a wonderful, caring teacher you are.
Thanks Melanie! My students are pretty incredible, it definitely helps me appreciate my job more to stop and reflect on the good things. Hope you have a great weekend and are settling into all of your changes in routines! 🙂
Congratulations on the celebration, and good luck with the queries! Nice story about your student, too. I hope the kids responded in a positive way to her.
Thanks Jeff! The kids were actually pretty receptive to her demands 🙂 Her leadership impressed us all!
Congratulations on 3 years of marriage. Thank you for being such an energetic teacher. I’m not sure if you knew this, but 8 is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. Also, 8 has one of the best School House Rock songs, “8 is Great.”