Joyful.

Wow! Has it really been another week? I love writing weekly updates because it gives me a chance to reflect on the whirlwind of a week and gets me excited for the next. This week was absolutely amazing. I honestly feel like I had the best week that anyone could have possibly had. There are so many things to be joyful about right now and I feel like I have been smiling from ear to ear  since Monday.

On Monday, my kids were working on counting objects in the teens and representing it with a numeral. I found a video online that sings about numbers in the teens that start with a one. Many of the students can tell you there are 16 objects, but they write 16, so I had to think of something to make it concrete. Thanks to YouTube, most of the students switched it around and got to enjoy rapping and dancing in class. I've quickly learned that songs are not only fun for me, but they are a reward for them. There is one student I constantly have my eyes on because his moves are out of this world!

On Tuesday, I started working with my students on decomposing numbers. I was really nervous about this, but they loved my "game" and picked it up in no time. We started with the numbers 0-4 and will be working tomorrow on 6-9. It is such a great feeling to see your students learn something new and truly understand it. i was blown away. That is one of the joys of being a teacher.

On Wednesday, it was a Totally Free Afternoon (TFA). It was such a nice surprise for us all  and not one corps member took that extra time for granted. It was incredible to have the afternoon free, I think we all forgot what that feels like. Some of us were acting like it was Christmas. My friend and I walked a few miles out of our way in the scorching heat. But we ended up at the most amazing smoothie joint. The sweat was worth it. We seem to walk way out of our way anytime we try to go anywhere, so we are getting some nice exercise out here!

On Thursday, I received a care package from my best friend! He loaded it with school supplies, and even stuck a real cactus in there! It was completely unexpected and very much appreciated. It is so good to know that my friends are supporting me from so far away. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

On Friday, I went to my mailbox and pulled out a letter and a package. The package was from my family which had the most adorable baseball picture of my brother. I miss him so much and would give anything to have him in my class this fall. It was also loaded with marshmallows, which were gone in about 2 seconds. Thanks, Mom! As for the letter, it was from my dearest friend asking me to be her maid of honor in her wedding. I was so overjoyed and had to hold back the tears! She means the world to me, and I can't wait to watch her walk down the aisle! So happy I get to be right by her side.

Other things that made me way too happy:
-A call to two of my friends to catch up on anything and everything. Nothing is more comforting than talking with those who know you best.
-A call from my sister that had me wanting to buy lots of plane tickets home in the future :)
-A beautiful run outside that took me to the top of a little mountain. Not only did it feel so great to run, but the scenery reminded me of God's grace and how thankful I am to be here.
-My sweet first graders! Eating lunch with them and talking with them is absolutely amazing. On Wednesday I told them that it was almost time to pack up and go home and I here a student say "Aw man, I wanted to stay here with you!" That literally made my day and I always remind them of how much I miss them. They are wonderful.

The apartment hunt is over and I officially signed my lease. It is such a relief, but it has me wanting to move out of the dorms ASAP. The location is beautiful and I can't wait to make it my own. My roommate and I went on a "hike" (seriously more like a walk up a tiny rock) and could not stop talking about everything we were looking forward to. We couldn't seem to get our mind off of our first housewarming dinner party. Let's just say we have a lot in mind.

I was able to go back to a delicious restaurant with my friend from Colorado. The food and drinks were just as perfect as the last time. It truly is the most relaxing Friday getaway. Even though she will be heading back to Colorado soon, I think I have many road trips ahead of myself!

Like always, Phoenix is beautiful and my kids are wonderful. I am counting down the days until my family will be right by my side to experience all that Phoenix has to offer.

Shoot me an e-mail for any lesson plans or fun song suggestions :) Pictures to come soon!

All my love from Phoenix,

Jacey xxo