Personal Childhood Web

There are very few people in my life that I feel nurtured and cared for me as a child. For this assignment I do not have five. I have one. This is a picture of my grandmother. She was 19 years old in this picture. She was a huge part of my life. She was my life line. She was always there when I needed some one to put me in my place and tell me how it really is.I did not live with her but knew that she was just a phone call away. I remember walking into Sears with her holding my hand. She made me feel safe, secure and beyond loved. She has been gone or 3 years and they have been 3 very hard years. I grandmother taught me how to treat people. She taught me how to stand up for myself. And with her teaching me that, I had taught my own children how to stand up for themselves. I also carry this over into the children I teach.

I remember the first time I ever heard my grandma say a bad word. I was shocked but laughed so hard. In her living room, there is  picture of a lake in Rome, New York where we are originally from. Anyways, this picture had a light on it. Every time I stayed the night there I knew that if the light was on that she was in her room and if it was off that she was laying on the couch. When I cleaned my grandma and grandpas house this past Saturday I stood there staring at that picture. I asked my grandpa if I could turn it on. I needed it on so I could feel her there. I was given her engagement ring when she passed away. It will be given to one of my children. I have so many memories I could write a book. 

As I have gotten older I can say that I can add more to the list that make me feel nurtured. 

God shows me every day that I am loved and special. Though he does not always give me what I want, he gives me what I need.

These are two of the most important people in my world. They are my two bestestest friends. They help me and my children in ways that can never be appreciated enough. They are always there when I need any thing. They remind me that I am a great mom and a wonderful person when I forget. 

My last is my small group and church. My church family has been so special to me. They helped me through the passing of my grandma. They provided meals for my family after I had to have surgery. They are just there for me. I may not have a close blood family, but I have a close church family.
 

My Blog

This is my favorite children's book. I cry every time I read it. I love getting the same reaction form reading to children. It lets me know that they get it. I remember one year I had a little girl start crying and give me the biggest hug. When her mom picked her up that day she ran up to her, cried and told her "I'll love you forever" I am sitting here tearing up just looking at the picture. I had to explain to the mom what it was about and she too started to cry. 

These are my brothers, sister and myself taken two years age. I am the runt. I even think I was standing on my toes to make me taller. I am not a picture person so they are really rare.

It has never failed that every  year there is a child in your classroom that touches your heart like no other. This year I had a little boy that just loved me to death and the feeling was mutual. My Big D as I called him would do anything to make me happy. On our last day together, he tried to drag me to his car when his mom came to pick him up. He cried all the way home. It made me one of the happiest people to get a promotion to the school he was going to. I was able to call him and tell him that he was still going to see me when he goes back to school. His mom says that she had to mark off days on a calendar for school to start because he knows that he will see me again. Mom said that when we got off the phone he was running around the house screaming "I get Ms. Stacey!" Things like this make my whole year worth it.


What fuels my passion for early childhood are those light bulb moments. you know the ones when a child just gets it. They pedal on the tricycle, they build a structure with different size blocks, they go pee in the potty for the first time. Those moments when you give a mom a card and a hug for getting her GED, when you let a mom cry one your shoulder after losing her parent. Those times when a child who has not been in your classroom for 3 years still calls you and sings Happy Birthday. That is why I do what I do!!!