I am a bit late for my FFF.... life these days are a bit hectic as we are working overtime to get things done before next week when I have my facial surgery and plan to go incognito for a while... One of my favorite memes is hosted by Susanne, here! This meme is all about blessings and being intentional about realizing them.
1.When I found out I had a squamish cc on the end of my nose I was a bit taken back... Then, when locally, it was taking me over 2 months to be seen for a Mohs surgery consultation, I was blessed by a couple of friends who convinced me to contact UVA Medical and I was immediately seen in 4 days and have been coordinated with the Mohs and the plastic surgeon teams for surgery next week. I am so thankful for good friends, for outstanding technology, and for two wonderful doctors who are both caring and highly qualified to be helping me with this...
For anyone who might be interested in what I may very well be facing next week.. this video of just snapshots as a dear lady recovers from her surgery is very well done. I am probably looking at about a 2 month recovery... hopefully, by Christmas when I see our grands!!
2. Autumn is such a favorite season to me.. the cooler weather and the flaming colors are so beautiful.. but there are so many wonderful memories associated with autumn as well...
National Park Service
family picnics on the Blue Ridge Parkway, campfires with s'mores,
cups of spicy cider by a lovely fireplace with good friends, goodness the smells, tastes, and love associated with Fall can not be discounted!!!
3. I am not trying to brag with this next blessing... but you have to know just how much it blessed me, especially at this particular time.. God's timing is awesome..I taught fourth and then third grade over a span of 30 years starting in 1973. I retired then at age 53 in 2003. I had aging parents who became my new focus and life changed dramatically for me..Over these 14 years since retirement .I have changed so much. I feel like a different person and can hardly believe that I actually taught all those years. I loved my students, but as time went on with standardized testing and teaching the Sols standards which took us away from the creative means in which we taught actual thinking skills, we were not allowed to promote subjects that were not assessed on a standardized test, teaching became so rote and boring I was glad to give it up at that time. I longed for the good old days...oh, how we used to have such delightful years and had great scores as well!!Anyway, last week I got the most amazing surprise and treasure I could ever imagine! This was posted on my Fb page...
You have no idea how happy I am to see you are alive and happy. For years I've wanted to let you know what a positive impact you have had on my life, and now all your Facebook friends will know as well.
I had you as a teacher in the 4th grade (around 1978ish). In my 20 years of education (k-12, BFA at VCU, and MA in Illustration at Syracuse) your class probably had the most impact and fun. You were an AWESOME teacher. I still know the Preamble to the Constitution and Patrick Henry's speech that I learned from you. I remember the layout of the class. I remember you telling us stories about your life like the time you went to the Ground Round. You told us that you had peanuts on the table and could just wipe them off onto the floor! I thought "what is this fabled Camelot!?!" I remember being in a play. I don't think it was the Nutcracker, I think it was A Christmas Carol because I remember Chet H. holding me up on his shoulder as I said "God bless us everyone." I remember you laughing when I told you that you reminded me of Wonder Woman (you and Linda Carter have the same eyes).
But what I remember most is story time. You would draw on the chalk board using different colored chalk. And as you would tell the story you would draw a little bit here, a little bit there, but by the end of the story those little parts would become a full illustration. It was magic to me. Magic. I knew I had to be like that. I wanted to draw just like you.
So I worked on it. And worked on it. And worked on it. Thankfully, God gave me talent and I knew in the 7th grade that I was going to be an artist no matter what. So I have! For the past 22 years I've been a professional artist: a graphic designer, web designer/developer, print design, and now a 3d modeler and animator.
I have told many people this before: it all began for me right in that classroom with you. I'm sure I'm not the only child you had a serious and positive impact on. I'm sure I'm one of hundreds who loved you so much. You were a LOT of kid's favorite teacher.
I've always wanted to tell you that. Now, at 48 with a 7 year old boy (Wyeth...named for N.C. Wyeth) and 5.5 year old inspiring artist Lillie, it's become even more clear what a special person you are to have affected so many young children. Anyway, I could go on and on (and some might argue I just did!), but I felt that you deserve to know how I feel. If you ever have a bad day please feel free to look at my art and family on my FB page and know that you had a very heavy influence on all of that. Perhaps that will put a smile on your face as you did one little boy so many years ago.
Van
Anyone have a hankie!! I mean all of this plus he is a Christian, as well!!
4.Another wonderful surprise came this week in the mail..our oldest 'grand' is Birdie,, age 4. She just started preschool this month and is developing amazingly. Intellectual stimulation and structure is what she was hungering for... she is such a precociously brilliant child.. full of questions and spirit, and always on the go... and into everything.. this summer she made my birthday card and for a 3 year old it was so sweet, but mostly scribble..this week I got this thinking of you card!
She has learned to be so satisfied doing quiet activities..
she loves coloring and drawing...
and I believe she will be an avid reader.. already she has most of her books memorized and retells them to her little sister!!
5.I love third Thursday nights...A group of our best friends from church meet at a favorite eatery.. Bellacino's ... we never know how many will join us but it is usually at least 5 couples. we just keep adding tables to our group and try to segregate the hubs from the wives... and have such a grand time together..then we go to the auditorium of our local library where a teacher of Bible prophecy and expert on world events especially pertaining to Israel puts it all together form the Biblical POV... he has been a ministering for 40 years.. he is so down to earth and knowledgeable about scripture and God's prophetic word in scripture that even when he answers our questions he quotes the text chapter and verse...it is so amazing how the events of today are falling right along side what was prophesied centuries ago. And most importantly we never come away frightened by what is happening but assured that God is in perfect control and He has us all in His hand!! Next month he will be discussing how the earth is groaning in these last days... volcanoes, earthquakes, fires, storms and how it is all in His plan!!Nothing takes God by surprise!!
