James 1:4...

"But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

I'm clinging to this today. I pray for patience in many ways, but mostly with my students. I seem to have even less of it since returning from maternity leave.

It's been a rough couple of days for me, but I want to start on a good note. Last week was the crazy wintery weather. Houston SHUTS DOWN when it drops below freezing. You'd think it's the end of the world, literally. So Trent was off work on half a day on Thursday and all day Friday. That was great for Levi and me because we miss him when he's at work! But...Dad gets kind of bored at home. The result: cleaning out the attic space. Everything but the kitchen sink! Oh wait...there's even a kitchen sink in there!

By the way...it never snowed.

I started back to work on Monday and I could never have fathomed how hard it would be. I cried just a little on Sunday night, and not at all Monday morning. Mimi is here staying with him this week so I know he's in good hands. Monday night was a different story. I forgot how hectic the life of a teacher is and the realization that I now have NO time for myself and just a couple of hours a day with Levi hit me like a brick wall. My first day back we went on a half day field trip. Now, that might sound fun....but field trips are NUTS. Throw in having to sit in a cold, dark, maintenance closet while pumping and we'll just sum it up with it was a BAD DAY. They cancelled school the Friday before I came back because of the "snow," so they announced teachers would have to work on SATURDAY the 19th. So now they're telling me that out of 12 DAYS I will get to see Levi for ONE??? Have they lost their minds? I think so. My students were a huge challenge to me before I went on maternity leave and not much has changed. They are, by far, the most difficult group I've ever had.

I didn't have too much morning duty with Levi before I went back to work, Trent always got him up and fed. Now I'm dying to get up there and get him out of his crib in the mornings! He smiles so big at me first thing in the morning and is very excited when I hand him over to Daddy for his breakfast! It breaks my heart to have to walk out that door!

On a lighter note....my funny student quotes from the last two days.

Monday - (about my "backpack" my pump is in) "Mrs. Coleman is that like your lunch box?" hahaha. I just said "kind of" even though it's really Levi's lunch box. :)

Tuesday - Me: "Can you not see well with your glasses?"

Student: (shakes head no)

Me: "Make sure you let your mom know that your glasses don't seem to be helping your eyes enough."

Student: "I told her and she said to drink carrot juice, but I don't really like carrot juice."