Day 26–only 5 more to go!

Last night’s pity party is over!  Boot straps are firmly in place and reinforced.  Today is a day to actively seek the positive.  With that in mind I decided to keep a list of all the positives in my day (and to periodically sing or hum “Accentuate the Positive” as necessary.)  I am happy to say that I accomplished both and whilst I didn’t record myself singing, my list of positives follows:

1. It was 37 degrees this morning!  That sure beats the 9 and 7 degrees that were recorded earlier this week. Perhaps we will have spring after all!
2. I had time to read a few slices before leaving for work this morning—interesting and inspiring, as always, and a wonderful way to start the day. 
3. I remembered to remove the trash bags from my car.  This may sound trivial but it is a major accomplishment.  Each Thursday morning I put the trash in the back of the car to drive it to the end of the driveway and leave it there for pick up.  My driveway is not that long, but clearly it’s longer than my short term memory.  Approximately 40% of the time I remember to stop and deposit the bags by the side of the road and then I award myself my mental gold star. The other 60% of the time the trash accompanies me to work and sits in my car… all… day… long.  Ew. 
4. Gael Lynch gave me some great feedback when I expressed some regret and embarrassment about my on line pity party post.  Thanks again, Gael!
5. I have a wonderful colleague who decided to turn Thursday into Thankful Thursday.  Every Thursday.  For The Entire Year!  She writes individual comments to everyone in our wing and leaves them at their desks with a small chocolate token.  Today’s comment was such an upper!  Thanks, Erin!
6. My reading lesson was engaging and successful, too!
7. A student from another first grade class was coming out of Library today and called over to me.  Beaming ear to ear and clutching a Magic Treehouse book, he exclaimed, “I’m checking out my first chapter book and I already read the whole first page…WITHOUT STOPPING…and I can’t wait I’m going to read it on the bus and then I’m going to read it at home in the peace and quiet!”
8. I confiscated a note as my class went into specials.  It read, “I cant toke be coes my tooth hrts it’s not wegle can I have the papr aftr you red it.”  Translation:  I can’t talk because my tooth hurts.  It’s not wiggly.  Can I have the paper after you read it?”  Why is this a positive?  Because this is one of my most challenged spellers and he spelled tooth correctly, finally put the e on have and used a contraction with an apostrophe!  Woohoo!
9. Read aloud!  I love, love, love read aloud and I especially love reading Lulu and the Brontosaurus.  Such fun!  Lots of laughs and great book talk!
10. Being a bit overdramatic at some point today, I said, “Phew!” several times in a row, with accompanying gestures.  A student called out, “Hey, that reminds me of Kevin Henkes.”  “Why?” I asked, a bit puzzled.  The student responded, “You know… How he repeats things.”  Mentor authors in action!
11. On the way home the fog was hovering low over the ground and as I rounded a corner, there was a solitary deer, delicately picking her way through the snow.
12. I’ve just written my 26th blog post in a row!  What a wonderful experience this has been.
13. Oh, and one more.  Did you notice?  I used the word “whilst” in my writing.  Having a British principal who is inclined to do so with great regularity inspired me!  I feel so cosmopolitan! 

Above is my optimistic attempt to embed a video of Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters singing “Accentuate the Positive”.  If it works, consider it officially added as number 14 on my list!