We went to the zoo!

I loved it! This video was a favorite of Selah's. We all agreed that it was, "A very unpleasant sound." ( for the best effect, imagine Selah's little pixie voice saying that slowly and distinctly.)
I went a little crazy with the photos, but am taking more time than I can afford to download this one pathetic little scene. I hope that their noise comes out- it was so strange. At one point they were carrying on with constant shrieks. Turns out it was only their lunchtime cries of anticipation. Talk about overreacting!!!
It was great to be with Rosie and the 2 little ones!. I LOVE THEM!

November's Journey.

Well, in an attempt to not become totally obselete, I am forcing myself to inform anyone who might care and has not been swallowed up by that newfangled invention- FACEBOOK- about my current journey.

I went from my best class in 18 years in 4th grade to the "Kindergarten from Hell," (spoken by one with 9 previous years of Kinder experience in a very hard area) in a month.

And yet, I felt like God had ordained it for something really good for me. Well, it was good for my seeing some personal progress. Even though I didn't do it perfectly, as I did put in some time for groaning and complaining, I was able to be gentle and kind in lowering the boom on the little, wild, um, how-do-you-say, monkeys. I swear, God makes them so darn cute for a reason. It's so that they survive.

After many parent communications, new, creative forms of time outs and multiple compliments and rewards when they were caught LISTENING, walking, and staying where they were supposed to be- my little class began to emerge as teachable.

I have to say that I was blessed with an amazing assistant for almost 1/2 of the day, and the teacher whose class I was given was there as a "floater," and was also constantly involved in the clay forming process as she was able.

So, after 2 and 1/2 weeks, the higher powers said,"Okay, we can re-open first grade.

And they did. And I took it. I took, leaving the former teacher with a smaller and better class.

( The extra kids from the Kinder they closed were sent back to their jungle- oops, I mean other class with a teacher with different standards....

And I ended up with that which God had promised, A REALLY GOOD first grade class.

I am in awe. I don't know how I could get 2 such classes in 1 year.

The transition was exhausting and wore me out, but the light is shining already.

And I carry a deeper sense of His working in all things, forming something of His character in us- forging something in the dark to be used for the Light.

Double Bumped

Well, I was teaching 4th grade, but then we didn't get enough kids to justify the 5 4th grade classrooms. So I was chosen, the excuse was that I have the least seniority of them all, to go to Kindergarten. At which point my work and home computers both died. And I began moving all my stuff and entering a tiny and very undisciplined world where normal 1 minute activities take 15 and simple directions often need to be mimed. And I got the classroom which has the bathroom for the other Kinders to come through all day long. Did I mention that many of them don't speak English?
So project training began. I had great help- for which I am very grateful. But I have been exhausted and bummed.
So, after all of that, we found out that we can bring back the Kinder's original teacher- who has been a "Floater" and in and out of my room testing. She is sweet, patient, and bi-lingual. The title is actually wrong- I didn't get double bumped, I volunteered to take the re-opened 1st grade and give Mrs. "Mary-Poppins" Falcon her class back. While I have to move again, I will be getting a much better class, without a public bathroom, and children who are already, in part, trained.
I also have been told that they are a really good group and I will be working with an awesome 1st grade teacher-team.
It feels like Joseph, finally getting out of prison-and entering into a place of leadership and blessing. I hope my feelings are right.
This morning I read, "Don't grow weary in doing what is good." I needed that- it's getting tiring. But, one day I hope to get this message right: I CANT COMPLAIN!
I have a job, a great school, beautiful grand babies with great parents, and so much more!

Rose's shower

Rosie's shower with her Quaker friends and a few of us from her housing was very fun!~
Did I mention that the lady who owns this beautiful place was once a pilot and loves rabbits. Her house is extremely clean though- they're house trained. The big grayish pillow in the one ladies' lap is one of them!
That scene is out of her living room window. Her backyard is just gorgeous, with a large meadow behind.

Rosie's Shower!

It was really a delightful affair! It was so comfortable and fun! There was delicious finger foods, chicken wings, vegetables, humus, dips and fruit., and more.
But what stands out was the warmth and friendliness of these virtual strangers to me and to those of us who didn't know these lovely ladies before. I ended up just loving Barbara, and the rest of them. No wonder they're called the "Friends."

I almost forgot I had a camera- and at one point I got to hold the star- little Isai, which was so precious, so between eating and holding, I think I just had too much fun.
They were also very generous! And they love Rosie! Of course!! A very gracious bunch of ladies.

100 Year Reunion

Really it was just a Mudugno/Fusano family reunion, which we've not had with all of my Dad's extended Italian family in a long time. But at the planning committee, my Dad pointed out that it is, indeed the 100 year anniversary of my grandpa's (Papanan) arrival to the USA.
This is not my usual kind of post- just that I'm excited to see everyone and it's been fun working with a group of cousins on it.
I wonder what we've done to make America a better place.
I think the thicker skin, the ability to laugh at our own ethnicity and the humor has been a boon. We are not a needy special interest group. Maybe not so interesting to many- period. But "thatsa alrighta" Cause we like ourselves.
On a more serious note, I grew up listening to my Nana pray, and when she was old, she told me once, " I worry about the kids, that they don'ta know God. I pray that they know God every daya."
Okay, so my accent isn't so great, but it really impacted me. So I feel like those of us who DO know God have a legacy, and a responsibility to pray for our cousins, nieces, nephews, etc., so that Nana's prayers will be fulfilled.

In Revelation, it talks about "golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Rev. 4:8
Then again, "... Another angel.. came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar , which was before the throne.
An the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God.
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth." Rev. 8:3-5
May we fill up the bowls in heaven with our prayers for our loved ones, knowing that they go before God! And may we see His kingdom come and His will be done as the filled bowls get ignited with the fire from heaven and comes down to earth.

In My Backyard

I have a garden in my backyard. I sit on the porch and listen to the chorus of birds, the occasional rooster crowing and far off dog. And I meet with God. I love to sit there.
But my meditations were interrupted by any interesing scene the other day.
And I decided I have a new pet. I've named him Napoleon.
Napoleon is one of many sparrows that come and eat at my bird feeder. I'm happy to say, after many weeks of being absent, they still come, shortly after I refill the feeder.
And then the adorable little leader, Napoleon, lands and proceeds to spin and peck and chirp in the loudest possible chirp for it's tiny size at any other sparrow that tries to land on that feeder.
Eventually, I think he gets hungry enough to ignore a few that sidle their way discreetly down the chain and allows them to eat while he's eating. You really can't eat and guard at the same time, and I'm sure he must tire of his selfish game at times.
But even then, he'll make a surprse attack on any other tiny creature brazen enough to try to make a frontal attack on "his" food. How adorable! (Yes, my tongue is in my cheek)

In the one picture I am holding a feather. While sitting, reading and feeling God's Peace, I saw a feather float from the tree straight to me, sitting in my chair. I just reached out, opened my hand, and it settled. I don't have a great analogy for what it means, but it was really cool.
I really love my backyard!

Hiking above Flagstaff!

I took Selah and went with a friend of Rosie's, and now mine, Uli on a hike at the area called the Snowbowl. There are many beautiful trails up there. And this one was pretty much level, allowing us to get pretty far with a very curious 2 year old. Maybe over 1/2 mile!
But we saw every bee, bug, spider web, and interesting rock there was along that path!

Looked up, and down.

We explored the insides of anything that was hollow-ish!

Got up close views of every kind of flower that we loved.

And walked on every accessible fallen log as well!

My LATEST grandchild:Isai!

Esai Leal! Born Aug. 14, exactly one month after his cousin Miles. ( I already accidentally called him that once!)
But he is beautiful, as you can see, and very quiet. He looks around a lot, doesn't cry much. Loves to eat. Good baby!
His sister adores him, wants to hold him, and "pet it" a lot. She noticed today that his eyes "came out" Momma explained that they opened. We love him!