Focus on the Positive

We have a lot of great things going on at my school right now, all focused on encouraging positive behavior. We've started "Top-Notch Tuesday," where kids are encouraged to "dress for success." We also have a "Last Ram Standing" competition where we're competing to see which first hour class class can go the longest without a student having a tardy. We are making both short and long-term goals to help kids to engaged and focused, and a lot of us have in class incentives to encourage positive behavior like: turning in homework, coming to class prepared, working hard in class, get an A+ on assignments.  This might sound like a lot, but we've found that focusing rewarding and supporting the kids who do the right things creates a positive environment and encourages more kids to do the "right" things.

Do we still have kids who need a little extra help and assistance from us, of course, but punitive punishments don't seem to cause any change in behaviors, but encouraging the positive does.  All these things help make where I work a great place and keeps our attitudes in check too. This translates to home as well with Grant. If I take the time to encourage what I do want to see, he does more of that. If we walk around focusing on the stuff around us we don't like, it can be all consuming. However, if we look for the good, it's so much easier see.

I recently got my first kimono from Target when they had a buy one-get-one 50% sale. I've already worn it a handful of times. Now, I wouldn't say it does my pregnant shape any justice- this is an XS and it's very roomy, but there is something nice about having this oversized item in my closet.

29 Week Bumpdate

Weeks along: 29 weeks today

Size of the baby: 15" long and 2 1/2 pounds, about the size of a butternut squash

Must haves: I really haven't been having cravings, which is nice.

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good. I sleep with a pillow between my legs, which helps and I'm not super uncomfortable yet. I think my body has finally adjusted to sleeping on my side.

Baby Movement: She's moving quite a bit. I feel it the most in the evening when I'm still on the couch.  It seems like all my movement during the day keeps her pretty still.

Gender: It's a girl!

Name: Hannah Elizabeth

Weight Gain: 15 pounds

Challenges: I'm pretty much the size of a beached whale at this point. I know I've only gained 15 pounds, but on my 5'4" frame it feels like a lot. I catch my self huffing and puffing after what should be an easy flight of stairs too.

 Best moment of the week: I get tomorrow off, I'm soooo excited!

The Perfect Dress

So, this dress, I'm in love.  I found it online and it's currently on clearance for $13! It's stretchy and the perfect fit. I can actually wear it now, and obviously after the baby.  I even went back online after it arrived and ordered it in the other two colors still available. Yes, I did. I'm also loving this scarf I a scored online too for only $5. I have't been shopping recently, so these were nice treats.

Life Lately

Here are some pictures from Instagram I thought I'd share to give you an update on life lately.

Although it's still pretty nice out, I'm ready to start wearing my fall clothes. This combo is one I wore a ton last year and I'm sure it'll be on repeat again this year too!

Vest: similar / top: similar / Leggings: Liz Lange same / Boots same / Necklace chloe + isabel c/o 

Trust

As someone who really likes to have a plan and often times feel control over what's going on around me, at times that's just not possible.  Grant has been in school for over a month and it's going great. It's really been good practicing in trusting that his teacher knows what she's doing and Grant's positive attitude towards school.  It's such a weird shift from talking to his daycare teachers everyday to simply having a box colored in on Grant's calendar saying what "color" he was at school that day.  I'm thankful for his teacher and his school.  I know it won't always be this easy, but it's been a great start.

As a 7th grade teacher I feel like I finally can relate to the hyperventilating, helicopter parents that sometimes come along at the beginning of the school year. 7th grade is their kid's first year in middle school, and a new experience for both the kids and parents. This week we had a parent meeting, which the mom requested, because her son has a lack of organization. However, he's doing pretty darn well in school and gets 95% if his homework done on time. It's as though she thought her son was the only kid with organizational issues and literally let out a giant sigh of relief when we assured her that her son wasn't that much different than any other 7th grader and that his is doing just fine.

Then the next day I had a phone call with a parent who was concerned her son needs a tutor and he has a "B" in class. Yes, a "B." I had to reassure her that he son is doing just fine, and that if I had major concerns, I would have called her. 

In both situations these moms had the best of intentions, but their lack of trust in their kiddo or their kid's teachers was really keeping them from having peace and believing that they've raised good kids who will be just fine. See, we can't control everything, and that's ok.  When we walk around worrying and working to control things it's robbing us of the peace we can have. Just like I've been working to trust Grant and Grant's teacher that school is going well, that same thing goes for us trusting that God has it covered too. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight." 

Just like the parents I met with week let out a big sigh of relief when they were reassured that everything is ok, we can let out that same sigh of relief when we begin to believe that God will take care of us too. Worrying is no fun, so if this is something you're battling with today, I want to reassure you that it will all be ok. Whatever valley you are in won't last forever, I promise.

Although the weather is still varying by day, I just adore these boots I got recently.  I've been wanting a great pair of brown leather riding boots and have tried a few pair I just haven't loved, but these ones are winners.

How to Shop on thredUp, Part 2

It's no secret that I love thredUP. Last spring I wrote a post about how to shop and save on  thredUP, and I thought I'd create a follow-up post for my new readers, and to show off some of my favorite  thredUP finds. This past year I've gotten many of my favorite things in my closet from them. I've heard time and time again comments about the cool pieces I've found, but also how hard it can be for others to find anything "good." 

Only Grace

This last week I was reading Galatians and Paul was writing to a group of people who had the best of intentions, but were totally missing the boat when it came to living the Christian life. They thought they needed to "follow the rules" in order to be saved. Paul makes in abundantly clear that we are under a new covenant, one in which we are saved by grace and not by works or anything of our own doing. 

As someone who is a "rule follower" and "list-maker" I can see how the people of Galatia got it wrong. They wanted to check off all for boxes for what Old Testament law had said. However, Paul makes a really solid point, if anything needs to be added to the finished work of Christ on the cross, then he died for nothing. "For by grace we are saved through faith, and not my works, so that any man can boast." We are saved not because of anything we have done, but simply because of Christ's love for us.

Now, that doesn't mean mean that we can completely disregard rules, laws, and God's declaration for how we are to live our lives, simply because we are saved my grace. Just the opposite, in fact, it means that we should do our best to listen to the law, because of the love for God and Christ. We follow out of love, not out of a belief that it's earning us a spot in heaven. 

It makes me think about why I say and do what I do. My motivation should be to show an outpouring of Christ's love, and to show others how great the God is that I serve. It's not about rules and a list of "do's and don't," and to make that would not be to show who God really is. I challenge you to think about who your are in Christ. Do you consider and live your life as though you are saved by grace, or is it about checking off a bunch of boxes on a "to-do" list? 

I've been starting to pull out some of my fall clothes, which I'm super excited about, but our temperates are still in the 80 degree area most days.  I loved the idea of pairing this cardigan with this all white outfit and am happy with how it came together.