MIA

Sweet mercy!  I haven't posted in (several) months!  I just mainly came here to let you know where I was and what I was up to.  A lot has happened since August that I'll be happy to share with you in the coming months, but today I'm just thankful.

So where have I been?  With my class.  Engaged in their lives through smiles, stories, and huge bear hugs.  The Lord has blessed me with 15 sweet, smiling faces that greet me daily.  I can't tell you just how much they mean to me.  I'm not typically a crier, but tears start to form when I realize they will be leaving me after May.

I got this cookie cake for my kids this week because of their AWESOME midyear test scores.  I've never been so proud of anything in my entire life.  I also got this cookie cake because I love cookie cake and that's sure enough a good excuse for me to get myself a VERY large piece of cookie cake.

Last year was a struggle for many reasons.  I had some classroom issues to deal with and my kids weren't growing like I thought they should, but I was enjoying my blogging and TPT profits.  My weekly goals centered more around "how many products I could get up" and "how/when I should post on my instagram, facebook, or blog to get myself out there" instead of how far I should be taking my students.  This year I realized I had it all wrong.  Teaching isn't about blogging or making products for other teachers to use, it's about being there for your students and letting them see that you love them daily (duh!!).  Now, don't get me wrong.  It's very possible to all of that at once!  There's tons of teachers out there that do it!  Most of them have a family too that they're able to manage, and blogging and TPT really benefits their teaching.  I just haven't mastered all of that yet, and obviously I needed to get my priorities straight.

This year, I haven't created a single TPT product since August (nor have I blogged obviously), and I don't regret it for a second.  For the first time, I can tell that my students really see how much I love them.  Their behavior and academics improve daily, simply because they know I love them and they know I'm proud of them no matter what.  I'm not sure what I've missed the prior two years of teaching with my classes.  I've always loved my students, but I've never had such a bond with them.  It's fabulous, though!  And I could seriously loop with this group of kids through 6th grade if that was realistic.

So don't be ashamed to take a break from TPT.  I realized I loved making resources for my students, but making them perfect for TPT and other teachers consumed my time.  I had set TPT goals for myself, and believe it or not I still made profits.  Did I reach all of my personal financial goals for 2015?  No, sure didn't.  But to me, the relationship I have with my students this year and their success in the classroom is worth more than my weight in gold.

So hopefully I'll be blogging more here in the coming months about the amazing progress being made in my classroom, but if not, you'll know I'm living every glorious moment of bliss with my little ones through May.