Peak of my day: Having my students run up to me and hug me with their faces lit up and say, "Mrs. E I did it! I improved my score!" My students are doing state testing all week and today was the reading portion and all of my students improved. It's been my goal to have my students feel proud of their own success and not just try to get a good score for me or their parents, but themselves. It was a happy day! I'm hoping the week will be filled with many more of these moments.

I turned the big 24 . I was down in the dumps the night before my birthday and didn't expect my birthday to be anything special, but I should have known better with the husband I have. Jesse came to my school and surprised me in the middle of my class. He brought cupcakes and lit a candle and sang to me with my fourth graders. I then regretfully told him that my kids couldn't eat the yummy cupcakes he had made because you aren't allowed to bring home-made food into the schools anymore (lame I know). You can only bring in store-bought goodies. So Jesse ran to the neighboring store and bought cupcakes and came back to my class. He got to spend a few hours watching me teach and then celebrate with my kids. That was pretty close to perfect for me. My kids all showered me with notes and candy and hugs and I even got to leave work right when the bell rang instead of working a few hours after. At home Jesse had the dishes done, the house cleaned, the laundry done, and all the details of the night coordinated. He had me open my present which was much needed hairspray, mascara, my favorite coconut cookies, and a gorgeous gold watch. He's getting better and better at surprising me ( I'm never surprised because I admittedly am too much of a control freak) and the watch and cupcakes at school were both a huge surprise that really made my day. He always makes sure I know I'm the most important thing in his world. We met up with some family and friends at my favorite local spot, JDawgs, and then headed back to our place for cupcakes that Jesse slaved away making all day. Jesse ended the night massaging my feet and playing with my hair as I fell asleep. 24 is gonna be a good year and my husband made sure it started out that way. He left this morning with my brother to meet the rest of my family at our river house for the weekend. I couldn't go because my kids have state testing and I can't take the time off, but boy does Jesse deserve the break. He's been doing year-round school on top of work and taking care of me, which has been a huge task the last month. I just love that my husband can go on vacation with my family without me there....it's unusual that a husband gets along with your family just as well as you do.

Last night was supposed to be our date night so we went out to eat, stopped by Barnes and Noble to browse, and then headed to the movies to see The Lucky One. It was definitely not my lucky night. We went to two theaters and got tickets only to realize that there were no two seats open together. So we had to get refunded twice and finally faced the facts that we weren't going to be able to see this movie. I was already on the verge of a break down so this just sent me over the edge. My sweet husband counseled me through the tears and made me feel that I was entitled to these moments of anger and hopelessness due to our life the last year and half, but that I couldn't let it consume me and determine my future situations. I fell asleep soon after and got some much needed sleep. I was able to sleep in a little longer than usual and then Jesse took me to see a morning showing of The Lucky One, which did not disappoint. We grabbed some lunch and ate at the park while we soaked up the sun and 80 degree weather. Hallelujah! During our lunch date at the park I opened my fortune cookie and read "you will soon witness a miracle". I don't choose to believe that was just a luck of the draw or a random coincidence. I've been praying for a miracle and this was a comforting and hopeful reassurance that our time will come. I'm back in the apartment ready to take a nap and Jesse just headed out the door to go golfing with Travis. My husband deals with a lot from me especially as I try to get a grip on my emotions and I'm grateful how committed he is to me and how stable and strengthening he is. He gives me daily words of hope that get me happily through my day. Everyday I'm grateful for my husband. He isn't just good for me....he is and will always be the BEST for me. I don't like getting cheesy/mushy about Jesse, but occasionally I feel I need to publicly express my awareness of how much he does for me. His calmness perfectly balances my tendencies to be high-strung.

My first year of teaching is coming to an end and I"m ready for the summer to rest and gear up for next year. Work is getting more stressful with state testing coming up and hoping my kids can prove with their scores that they actually learned something from me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I always get cute notes and pictures from my kids, but I wanted to share a note that I got from one of my fourth grade girls. Her mom has emailed me a few times telling me how much her daughter loves me and my class and it always boosts my spirits to know my kids enjoy being in my class. This little girl assembled her own envelope out of lined notebook paper and inside was a note that read (with all the spelling mistakes included):

"Mrs. E you are awesome, cool, nice, and always smileing at me. I love you. I'm happy that I'm in your class for langer arts."

Notes like this just melt my heart. It's so amazing to me that just smiling at my kids really affects them.

One of my second grade boys came up to me this week and in his Hispanic accent said, "Teacher, you got nice hair."

Oh how the compliments of my little boys really pick me up and make me feel special.

Spring break is coming to an end and I have to go back to grind of work tomorrow. No pictures were taken over the break, but I got to indulge in pure relaxation which was definitely needed. Some highlights from the break:

-lots of time in the spa

-finding my new summer swimsuit

-getting glasses (so I can finally drive at night)

-seeing The Hunger Games for the third time with my family

-getting lots of family time

-Easter Sunday

-visiting with my in-laws

-a perfect beach day before the week of rain hit

-getting to spend the night with my grandparents in St. George on the way home, which included Cafe Rio with grandma and dominoes at the kitchen table

-eating sushi two days in a row

-missing my husband, our Utah life, and Utah friends (this all made me appreciate my life a little more)

One more month filled with teaching, packing, moving, cleaning, and looking for a new place to live in the fall and then we are off to California for the summer. We need a summer at home and are so ready for it.