Being Thankful

I was a substitute mommy over the weekend. A friend of mine and her husband went on a little weekend trip and it was their first time to leave their two darling little kids overnight. Luckily for me I wasn't a single parent. My dear friend Mary (http://www.xanga.com/MARYMISSMARY) co-mommy-ed with me. Mary is the K-3 teacher, so she had little Noe last year. This year he's in my class. We are lucky to be two of his favorite people. His little sister Sara is only two, and i was wondering how much separation anxiety she would go through, but she did great. Unfortunately Sara wasn't feeling very well, and she was quite generous with her bugs. Noe caught it on Saturday. Despite sneezy, runny noses we managed to have some fun - running around on the playground, going to a birthday party, and blowing BIIIIIIIG bubbles in the bathtub (I think I like that as much as the kids!). I started to come down with the bug on Sunday. Luckily, I got Airborne into my system in time to keep me from getting a full blown case of the flu.

This morning I got to my classroom at the usual ungodly hour of 6:58. I had about a 1/2 hour until my room was full of kindergarteners because it is my week to do early-bird and night-owl (early care & after care). I was drugged up to keep me from feeling the little fever that was pestering me this morning. Thank God for DayQuil!!! I couldn't take a sick day because we're in the middle of evaluations before our first round of parent-teacher conferences. The thought did cross my mind that maybe I could be contagious - so I tried to keep from hugging and kissing the little faces that were begging for "bisous". I wasn't really looking forward to the day. Just as I started class, I found out the music teacher was sick which meant an extra half hour of improvising something for the kids to do instead of getting a little break...

But something amazing happened as I was stomping around the classroom singing The Elephant Song that Miss Sheldon taught me in Second Grade. I looked around at the laughing faces of 15 little four year old elephants and realized - I really love this, even when I'm sick! I can't imagine trading this job for anything.

I've been introducing the holiday of Thanksgiving to the kids over the past couple of weeks. I have been trying to explain the concept of Thankfulness to them, but I think it's lost on most of them. It's good for me however. I have so many things for which to be thankful. I have a job that I love, and two assistants that are incredible. I have a Dad who is such a great example to me in every way. I couldn't love my stepmom more if she was born into my family. How many people can say that? My five siblings and three sibling-in-laws are the most incredible support system I could ask for - not to mention awesome friends. My best friend & I have known each other since we were 12 & 13 - I think she can read my mind (kything, maybe?). My grandparents' faith is so rock-solid, and their prayers have surely made a huge difference in my life. I could keep going on and on about how many rich relationships God has blessed me with - both family and friends. And then there are the things...

Sometimes I feel a little guilty.

Then I stop and imagine, if I had kids, wouldn't I be good to them? Wouldn't I love watching them enjoy the good things I gave them? Of course! Their happiness is a reward worth much more than the pennies I spent on the trinkets that entertained them.

That's when I stop and say thank you to God.