Three Thanks

Good morning!

I apologize for the lack of posting this week, but it's been a pretty busy week, and it's been kind of tough getting back into a routine while recuperating from the Lincoln Half Marathon. However, I thought that today would be a perfect day to get back into the swing of things with Three Thanks.

Please link up with me and Aly at Here Comes Happiness to share the three things for which you are most thankful this week. And, if you don't have a blog, please share at least one piece of gratitude in the comment section below.

Also, please stop over to Aly's blog and send her some positive thoughts. She tripped while running yesterday and fractured her elbow! She is one hurting unit (who is trying to take care of a nearly five-month-old baby with one arm), and I know seeing a lot of happy, healthy, healing thoughts on her blog would make her feel just a smidge better.

~~ONE~~

I am grateful for warm weather. This week has been absolutely gorgeous.

On Tuesday, Shaw and I were outside from 3:00-4:15 for tennis practice, and then we picked up Kate and headed to the boys' soccer game, where we were outside from 5:00-6:30. And then we took advantage of the Teacher Appreciation Day deal at Chiptole (buy-one-get-one-free), and ate outside on the patio.

Yesterday, it was like July weather! The high reached the low 90s, and the humidity felt like it wasn't too far behind. It was the kind of weather where you're in a constant sweaty state. It was awesome.

And as a result of the glorious weather we've been having, I am already rocking a pretty sweet sports bra tan line. I. love. tan lines.

~~TWO~~

I am grateful for the new restaurant that opened in my neighborhood: Eatery A.

Source

Ingersoll is my favorite neighborhood in Des Moines. Aside from it being the neighborhood in which I live, it is also full of really super-fun restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. Until recently, however, the only "classy-ish" place to eat/drink was Star Bar (which, as you know, I love).

Enter: Eatery A.

I went there for the first time last night with Emmy Jean, and I loved it. Had it not been so busy, I would've taken photos of the beautiful refurbished barn wood, the spacious patio, the eclectic fixtures and decorations, and more. In addition to the ambiance being pretty awesome, the food and drink were great, too. First, there is a killer happy hour from 3-6 p.m. every day -- seven days a week. During happy hour, pizzas, draft beers, and wines are half off. This means that you can get a pizza for $5, a beer for $2.50, and a glass of wine for $3.50. Yes, please.

We opted for the fig and prosciutto pizza (omg), and I had a Moscow Mule (not on happy hour but on my list of cravings). Both were amazing.

I can already tell that this will be a regular hangout for me.

~~THREE~~

I am grateful for the thoughtfulness of students.

Three years ago, I had a student in class with whom I strongly connected -- or, to put it more accurately, who strongly connected with me. She had a lot of issues and, essentially, just needed someone to listen to her. Basically, over the course of the next couple of years, she became like a little sister to me -- one who made me angry and frustrated a whole heck of a lot, but one for whom I cared unconditionally.

In October 2011, when I ran my first half marathon, this particular student surprised me by standing at the finish line. I totally broke down in tears when I saw her. Shortly thereafter, she made me a beautiful gift in art class:

It is a box (obviously), but it's decorated beautifully and so incredibly thoughtfully. The lid and the sides are a mosaic of glass shards and beads, and the top has purple (my favorite color) pieces of glass that form a large E. The side panels of the box have inspirational quotes mod-podged onto them. And the inside lid, as you can see, is absolutely beautiful. "And miles to go before I sleep" is a line from one of my favorite poems, a line that I hope to have tattooed on my foot at some point in the near future.

As you can see, I keep all of my race memorabilia -- aside from my medals -- in this box. It is packed to the brim with race bibs and more.

On Sunday, I texted this student and told her how I loved this box, how I still used it, how I still remembered her standing at the finish line of that first race. She responded such a thoughtful message: "Aww, this is the sweetest text I've ever gotten! You are so nice! :) Just remember I'm always with you during every race cheering you on even when I'm not actually there! I'm so proud of you and I love that you still use that box! Miss you! :)"

It's a good reminder that while teachers are supposed to be making an impact on students' lives, students make such a huge impact on ours.


For what are you especially grateful today?