I'm surrounded by ART!

I'm just a lowly teacher's aide working at the same school my own kids go to, in the same town I grew up in.

You see, when I went to college in the big metropolis of Goshen (metropolis, this is laughable), I majored in Business and Art. I had high expectations of moving to a big city, having a wonderfully delicious job in a really cool design agency, interior design firm, etc. However, the summer I graduated, I fell in love with what would, a year later become my husband. You see, he grew up in remote Michigan on a farm, and big cities DID NOT appeal to him one little bit. I had grown up on a farm, and DID NOT want to live on one.

Our differences aside, we still fell in love, still got married, it's just that that big dream I had of moving to a large city and having a really cool job, just got left by the wayside. I did, nonetheless, convince him our first year of marriage to live IN a city, not the TOWN I grew up in. We moved to an apartment in Goshen. I loved every minute of it. We were close to everything. I worked at a job I sorta wanted. I was doing graphic design, just for RV's instead of some really cool clients. About a year into my graphic design job, I moved to another area at the same business, and coordinated all the salesman's dealer trips (which I got to go on, which was really cool), and kept up with their daily schedules, etc. I LOVED that job, and then I got pregnant, which I was thrilled about.

Long story short, two kids in 13 1/2 months, and I quit my job to stay home with my wonderful babies.

After 6 1/2 years of wonderful bliss staying home, I went back to work, first subbing, then securing a kindergarten para job at my kids school. I do love the fact that I'm at their school everyday, and I get to see both of them periodically throughout the day. I can attend their in school birthday parties, go on their field trips, etc.

This is NOT my dream job, but it is a job, and I get my summers off, and school delays thrown in every once in awhile. HOWEVER, whenever we have art projects in Kindergarten, my heart soars.

We get back to my "art roots" and even though these kids are NOT as excited as me to create something beautiful, they try.

One little boy, who is one of my favorites told me one day he had a dream. He said, "Mrs. Yoder, I dreamt that I was on a train, and all I had was scissors, and we had to do CRAFTS all day!" Oh, the horror! I can imagine for a little boy, THIS is not how he would like to be spending his day!

Anyway, getting on with it, these are the crafts we've finished this week.


These are warm mugs of hot chocolate. Aren't they adorable?


This one is made by a boy after my own heart. Turquoise and red! This would go great in my kitchen!

Today's craft is for 100 day. We are celebrating our 100th day of school by making cereal necklaces with 100 fruit loops, 100 crowns, etc.

These are some of the cuties in my morning class. Haley and Ellie.

Isn't she doing a great job of coloring? This is not for the faint of heart. The boys OFTEN peter out about halfway through a coloring project.

This girl really knows what she's doing!

So, I guess what this whole post meant, is.....I may not be living the dream life I always thought I wanted, but after all, it was a DREAM. I love my family, I love that I get to still be with my kids everyday, and these kindergartners OFTEN make me laugh. I'm thankful God gave me this opportunity. I'm thankful I have a job in this economy. And if I get to make "art" every once in awhile, well, that's just a bonus!