a bunch of random thoughts...

1. I had another "melt my heart" teacher moment today. TWO in a row? NO WAY!

2. I am on the ball with my canvases I am only ONE behind now. I feel very accomplished considering I always feel behind! Check out my canvas blog - the link is on the right side of this blog - to check out some of my recent canvases!!!

3. TESTING officially ended yesterday! I am so relieved it is over! I really hope my kids did good! Their behavior was great everyday during testing, I am very proud of them!

4. There are 7 weeks until SUMMER!!!

5. I am slightly obsessed with hobby lobby. I could walk around that place for hours. However, if I did, my bank account would hate me.

6. I cannot wait to see Ty tomorrow!! I haven't seen him since Saturday and I have felt a little lonely this week (more than normal) so I am extra excited to see him and spend time with him this weekend! I miss him so much during the week!!

7. I absolutely cannot wait for June - I get to see my best friend, Molly!!! I am throwing her a shower down here in Tuscaloosa that she is coming down from Boston for. I have already started planning for it and I am getting so excited for it! I can't wait to spend a few days with her! I miss her so much!

8. I am in love with these clothes from Body Central:

9. I love this new Scentsy Warmer:

It is so cute!! Email me at kealfano@gmail.com if you would like to order this warmer or anything from Scentsy!

10. Tomorrow is FRIDAY! My favorite day EVER!

i live for these moments...

i had a "melt my heart" teacher moment today and I have to share!!

I asked you to pray for the student's family at my school who passed away this past weekend. Well, we are collecting money as a school to give to the family to help with funeral costs. Our math coach came in and spoke to my Homeroom for a few minutes about why we need to give to this precious family. She explained that any amount of money will help, even if it is just change. After she spoke, the room got completely silent (which NEVER happens) and 2 of my boys got up (boys that are so "tough" and the last 2 boys I would expect to get up and donate) and went and put money in the bucket. I felt the tears swelling in my eyes but I held back. It might not sound like much but it shows me that they care. They care about others and they care about people who are hurting. They probably don't get money much to spend on whatever they want. They could have kept it and bought a snack or a drink; but instead, they gave it to a family is desperate need. My students come from very rough backgrounds and come across SO unbelievably tough and like they don't care. I love to see when they soften up. I preach to them all the time about being nice to each other (they are SO mean sometimes!!!) so its nice to see their caring hearts come out. A few of my students mentioned that they had already given previously in the day so that brought a smile to my face as well. :) It was just one of those "proud teacher moments" and all you teacher friends out there know exactly what that feels like.

2 prayer requests

My heart is heavy today. I have 2 prayer requests:

1. A 7th grade student at my school passed away this past weekend from a car accident. He was with his mother who is still in ICU, and 3 younger siblings who are ok. Please pray for that family. They were on their way to a funeral and their tire blew and they flipped multiple times. My heart breaks for this family as well as his friends and teachers. I just cannot imagine losing one of my students. My heart hurts for his teachers. Please pray for healing and comfort for all who knew him. I hurt knowing that his precious life was cut short.

2. My Meme was just put in a nursing home last week and fell last night after my Granddaddy left for the night. She broke her hip and had to have surgery today. Please pray for her healing and comfort for my family. This has been a very difficult time for us all.

Thank you.

Flapjack 5k

So this weekend was my second 5k. The last one I did back in November was great and I really enjoyed the adrenaline from running "a race". I had originally planning on doing the Rumpshaker 5k in downtown Birmingham but then I found out that Ty's church was hosting the Flapjack 5k on the same day so I figured I would just run in that one to support his church. Also, his cousin and her husband, as well as his other cousin's daughter was going to run it so we just made it into a little family event!! I had this lady run with me pretty much the whole time and she was my inspiration! She kept saying little stuff to me to keep me going! She was awesome - and she was also about 50 so I thought, if she can do it, I can do it! I wasn't as prepared for this race as I was for the last one but I did fine. No big problems other than my nose was running the entire race! so annoying! I finished in 30:30 which was 2 minutes over my last time so I was kinda bummed. However, Philip (Ty's cousin in law who runs ALL the time and has done numerous marathons) said that I don't need to focus on beating my time every race and you slow down if the temperature is over 60 degrees. So that made me feel better! I am proud of myself for completing another 5k. I have never been a runner and 3.1 miles might not seem like alot, but it is to me! I love the feeling of crossing the finish line! I feel so accomplished! :) Here are a few pictures:

The Fifth Quarter

The Fifth Quarter

Please click on the link and watch the trailer. I have not seen it yet but it is based on a true story about a 15 year old boy & his family from my hometown. He tragically lost his life in a car accident. The movie is about how the family copes with the loss and how his older brother dedicated his last season of football at Wake Forest to his little brother. The family is truly an inspiration! I am so upset I have to wait a few more weeks to see it because its not playing in Alabama yet! Please support this precious family and go see the movie if it is playing near you! The theaters are listed on the website! I promise you will be inspired!

What a morning!!

So I had to share this because I had quite the morning!! I had to get up early to be at school early because of testing. I felt like it was the first day of school, I was so nervous. I jumped right out of bed (which is unbelievably unusual - I usually hit the snooze about 10 times!) and got to the bathroom, grabbed the towel off the back of my bathroom door, and guess what comes crawling down my door out of my towel? A. Nasty. Roach. UGH! I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE roaches! Did I say hate? Cuz I HATE them!! I can do spiders all day long but roaches completely creep me out. I have been known to climb up on top of tables and couches to get away from roaches. Ugh, they gross me out.

Anyways, back to my story. After chasing the darn roach around my whole bathroom with a shoe (they run fast and can ball up and squeeze through anything!), I finally killed it. Now, normally I leave the smashed roach for my boyfriend or someone else to clean up but obviously I was by myself so I had to do it. So, I got a HUGE wad of toilet paper and scooped it up and down the toilet it went. I felt on top of the world. What a woman! :)

I took a shower, got out and went to the kitchen to eat breakfast. There were no clean bowls in the cabinet, so I opened the dishwasher to grab a clean bowl and what comes running out? A FREAKING ROACH!!!!!!! 2 in a matter of about 10 minutes! I literally shouted out, What the crap!?? It crawled all up in the dishwasher so I got the RAID out and killed that nasty beast! Again, I couldn't leave it so I maned up and got a huge wad of paper towels and scooped it up. Gosh I am one awesome roach killer!!

Kathleen - 2, Roaches - 0

Let me remind you that we started testing today and I was trying to get there early! I just knew that this was going to throw off my whole morning which you all know means that your whole day is thrown off and sucks. I was so nervous that this was a foreshadowing to something going wrong during testing. Thankfully, testing went well and my day was alright other than the kids being super hyper after testing!

I just had to share this near death experience I had with roaches this morning. Good thing I made it out alive to tell.

Thankfully, my apartment is spraying because we NEVER see roaches, it is very RARE!

I am running my next 5k Saturday - proceeds go towards Ty church's missions. :) I'm excited! Wish me luck!

a not really surprise!

Ty came down today and "surprised" me (ok, i begged him to come). He has started to do this every couple of weeks and I love our mid-week dates! I know I sound so silly saying that its so hard to go 5 days without seeing him but it is!!! Monday night I was missing him and my parents and cried myself to sleep. It just hits me sometimes. I am so glad he came today! I am so stressed about testing starting tomorrow and I needed to get my mind off of it! We hung out at my apartment and then went to Olive Garden for dinner (yummy!). It was a much needed afternoon/night. He just left :( but I get to see him Friday! :)

Please remember to say a prayer for me and my kids tomorrow! We test tomorrow, Friday, next Tuesday and Wednesday. I really hope everything goes smoothly and the kids do great!!

back!

Well, I finally had 2 seconds to sit down and blog! I have missed it! My spring break was awesome and relaxing! We went hiking, I took care of my niece and nephews, went shopping, and ended the week with a lake trip! It was a much needed break from reality but it is always SO hard to go back to the real world after I have had a week off. There are 9 more weeks of school and then its summertime! I am so excited! This weekend at the lake it was so beautiful and it was kind of a tease because its not summer yet! Ty and I went on a date Friday night to our favorite little restaurant at the lake - its such a cute little, small town restaurant. I just love it! Our food was absolutely amazing too!

On a completely different note, this week is testing for us. I am very nervous - this is my first year doing testing because last year I taught 1st grade and didn't have to worry about the state tests. I really hope my kids do good and behave during the tests. Please say a prayer for them (and me!) if you think about it. Most schools in Alabama are doing their tests this week and next week so they all need your prayers! Thank you!

Here are some pictures from my Spring Break! Sorry they are small - they are from my iphone and I don't know how to get them bigger!

me and sassy pants! poor thing was sick! :(

i just LOVE her - she brings so much joy into my life!

hiking

My favorite time of the day at the lake - sunset!

love this place

this is what i do while Ty is fishing....

so pretty!

my new little man! check out his bib! ;)

had to share this...

I have a Teacher's Devotional that I read every night before I go to bed. My quiet time with God is before bed. I cannot do it in the morning - I do not like mornings, I actually despise them. I love crawling in my bed at night and picking up my devotional and spending time in prayer with the lights off. This devotional has been crucial this past year. Everytime I am struggling with something, I swear I pick it up and the devotion for that day is about exactly what I need it to be on. Its crazy insane. I love how God works like that. Its so incredible.

Two nights ago, I picked it up and this is what I read:

"The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit, but anyone who is reckless only becomes poor." - Proverbs 21:5


The occasional disappointments and failures of life are inevitable. Such setbacks are simply the price that we must occasionally pay for our willingness to take risks as we follow our dreams. But even when we encounter bitter disappointments, we must never lose faith. 


The reassuring words of Hebrews 10:36 remind us that when we preserve, we will eventually receive that which God has promised. What's required is perseverance, not perfection. 


When we encounter the inevitable difficulties of life-here-on-earth, God stands ready to protects us. Our responsibility, of course, is to ask Him for protection. When we call upon Him in heartfelt prayer, He will answer-in His own time and according to His own plan-and He will heal us. And, while we are waiting for God's plans to unfold and for Hid healing touch to restore us, we can be comforted in the knowledge that our Creator can overcome any obstacle, even if we cannot.


Wow. If you know me, or have been reading this blog at all, you know that this year has been very difficult for me. I had to leave a job I felt very comfortable and got a job completely out of my comfort zone. This has been the most difficult thing I have done in my life. It is emotionally and physically draining. I have felt like a failure so many times this year. There are times I left school not knowing if ONE kid learned anything that day.

When I read this, tears almost dripped down my face. I felt like all the weight of this year lifted off my shoulders. It is so exhausting trying to get children to respond to you when they want to do the complete opposite. All the while, trying to do my very best to teach them everything that they are supposed to know before going into 7th grade. Its so exhausting. I rest in the peace of knowing God is here to protect me and he wants me to persevere, he doesn't want me to be perfect. He has a plan and a purpose for this year. I already know that I have made relationships with students - which at the beginning of the year seemed impossible. And that - TO ME - is more important than anything that happened in a textbook. Having a child KNOW that you care and love them who doesn't get love at home is what I set out to do back in August. Yes, the tests and scores and courses of study are so unbelievably important, but I am a teacher who believes in relationships as well. I believe that I need to be a positive role model for children who don't have one. And most of mine don't.

God has shown me smiles and laughs the past few weeks which is so needed. He has revealed that He is the only one who I need to impress in the long run of eternity. He has helped my heart stay happy and helped me stay positive when the devil has tried to knock me down. He has restored my broken heart and soul.

I am so glad I picked up my devotional and read this passage the other night. What a blessing God's words are to us.

my new favorite show

Did any of you watch this show on Sunday? It comes on Lifetime and it is truly amazing! I DVRed it and just watched it tonight. Tears have been pouring out of my eyes for an hour! It's about soldiers surprising their loved ones and coming home from deployment. It is so sweet! I really don't think I would be strong enough to be an Army wife. It takes a special person to do that! I could not miss my husband that much not knowing when I would see him again. Not to mention, all these precious kids who miss their daddies (or mommies) and don't get to see them for MONTHS! I just cannot imagine not seeing my mom or dad for that long. I get sad when I don't see them for 2 or 3 weeks! This show is the sweetest thing. I commend all your Army wives out there...yall make such a sacrifice and I really don't think I could do it! If you have not seen it, watch it!!!! It comes on Sundays at 10/9 central!

Thank you to all our service men and women, yall are heroes!

what ive been up to this week

sorry its been a week since ive updated! everyday after school ive had errands to run and ive been painting canvases and wooden letters til bedtime everynight!

for my niece's room!

Last monday, christen sent me this - which totally made my whole day week! 

look at his sweet bib! ohh how i love him!

Ty came here this weekend - a nice change from the normal weekend. i love spending time with our families over the weekend but i love a weekend with just us two! we went on a date friday night to Outback (yum)! it is our favorite place to eat! we go there at least once a week!

After dinner Friday night, I got us lost in Tuscaloosa. oops :) We drove around for about an hour trying to find this store we had been wanting to go to. Thanks to old faithful (the iphone), we successfully made it! Ty is so sweet, of course didn't get one bit mad or frustrated! Just laughed at me! :) Oh how I love him!!!

Saturday we went to breakfast and this place that one of my co-workers told me about. it was so cute! a little old house that was wall-to-wall in alabama paintings. i just loved it! we spent the rest of the day laying on the couch watching movies and i cooked him dinner! today we have done nothing and i have loved every minute of it!

so every since i got my iphone, ty has insisted that i shouldnt have spent my money on it and blah blah blah - well, this weekend i dont think he has put the thing down! he is completely obsessed with it!!! i think he's going to get one, which is awesome because then we can do facetime during the week while we are apart!

Well, there are 5 more days until Spring Break!!! I think I can, I think I can!!! A whole week off - what will i do!? Probably NOTHING! :)

I hope everyone has a GREAT week!