I hope everyone had a great Valentine's/Presidents' Day weekend! I'm grateful for the extra day for my weekend; my Saturday was spent with Project Construct training (it's really insightful yet it takes up a considerable amount of time; everything has a cost--super grateful that my school is paying the $1000 for my training, though). They have a pretty neat lake over by the community college the training is at. There's awesome sights everywhere if you're willing to look. The clouds in the sky this week were rather whimsical. Nature is astounding.
It was extra cold this week; my fluffy cat decided to stick close and cuddle with me. It's so nice to wake up to her snuggled close, purring. She's so adorable and precious. She loved basking in the heat by the fireplace, too (I don't blame her; I treated myself to hot chocolate throughout the week). Spending some extra time relaxing in bed yesterday and today was awesome. Things are always working out for me. I spent much time reading this week (winter weather provided ample opportunity to do so). I finished reading The Zen Teacher. I started reading Add More ~ing to Your Life. More books arrived for me to read; I'm looking forward to all the insight and enjoyment they will provide. I agree with Main from Ascendance of a Bookworm; books are awesome. I also love that anime; the characters are great, and I love learning more about them and their world. I'm curious to see how the devouring will progress. Life is full of incredible things.
My before care friend continued her shenanigans. She was bummed out that my parents were on a cruise (so they were asleep while we were at before care). She chose to make something for my sister instead. Apparently, my sister needs to learn a lot (alphabet, numbers, vowels, vowel teams). I told my sister that she was supposed to keep it forever (those were Hannah's words after all), but she didn't seem inclined to do so. I find it interesting how she keeps making things for my family members. I wonder how far she'll go (is any family member fair game? Is my cat fair game? Extended, distant family members??). We'll see how this progresses.
It was an interesting week in the Toucan room. My co-teacher was out with the flu, an eye infection, and an ear infection all week. The class did fine, all things considered. Things got rather tricky as the sub cancelled last minute on Wednesday, the day of our friendship party. The energy levels were through the roof. There were a few times when it felt like I was getting a bit close to drowning in it all, but we succeeded in having a safe, fun party. This experience proved that I can handle a lot more than I think I can (although, just because I CAN handle something doesn't necessarily mean that I want to experience it). I am glad that my co-teacher had a week to rest; she has the tendency to try and power through everything. She takes on a lot (and, to be honest, I probably have that tendency to a degree, as well). I've been focusing more on treating myself well and incorporating self-care into my day. My co-teacher's experience with illness was a strong reminder for both of us to what happens when you ignore all the signs and indicators along the way; if you keep pushing them aside, it will get to the point where it becomes impossible to ignore. The universe will force you to rest, and it usually comes in the form of illness. As I'd rather stay healthy, I will definitely focus on love for myself and my body--our bodies are incredible vehicles that allow us to do so much in the world, yet in today's society we often take them for granted. Don't let your cup run dry--you cannot fill others' cups with an empty cup. The better you feel, the more you can help and be of service to others. Find what you love. Find what brings you joy.
The Toucans were very excited for the holiday; they decorated the Toucan Treehouse with a multitude of hearts. Normally, when they have decorated in the past, they have just decorated the sides. This time, however, they went all out. They plastered hearts EVERYWHERE. Nothing was off limits. They started taping hearts to all the leaves on the roof of the treehouse and declared, "It's raining love!" It was super cute. They were so excited about being able to decorate how they saw fit; they were in the flow.
While I think that giving throughout the year (not necessarily for any particular holiday) is important, it's nice to know that others are thinking of you. I received goodies from students and coworkers. I received a few cards from my Toucans, I received some chocolates from students and coworkers, one of the Hedgies gave me some homemade cookies, I received hugs, I received well wishes, etc. One of the Toucans decided to give me a friendship bracelet; our class made one for themselves and then got to choose one friend in the class to give another bracelet to--out of everyone in the class he decided to give it to me, declaring, "This bracelet is for YOU!!" with a huge grin spread across his face. There's so much love in the Universe. It's everywhere. It's all around us. Keep an open mind and allow it in. Live in the moment. Tap into your inner child and make the most out of everything. You can be surprised what will manifest when you have an open mind and focus on love and joy. Stay happy; stay in tune with love; stay blessed!
