Yes . . . Christmas is in the air now at LME!  Is there anything more exciting to a child than this season of love, peace, JOY, and goodwill?  I notice several smiling more right now.  Carols ring throughout the classrooms during workstation time.  Capturing all the sights, sounds, scents, and sentiments of this holiday can be a daunting task at times.  The reason for the season can be so powerful that it is challenging to express the story . . . .

Speaking of sentiments, while visiting with a Miller learner today, we talked about ways to share our thoughts.  She was making a card to send her grandmother during writing workstation this morning.  The colorful materials and textures she chose piqued my interest (and look at her creative, artistic idea!).  Her words (while personal) were most heartfelt and flowing with unconditional love.  We talked about Christmas Cards and why they mean so much to others who receive them.

After leaving this classroom, I remembered  a note I received years later from a friend of mine.  She reminded me of the time she was in a special hospital receiving treatment for bulimia during the holiday season and I sent her a homemade card (not as cute as my friend’s here) to let her know I was thinking of her during Christmas.  She told me she carried this card around with her all during the season and would stop people to say, “Look at this Christmas card my friend sent to me.  I’m not forgotten.”  She said that “knowing someone cared was the beginning of recovery.”  I have her note in my memory box 35 years later . . . .

As is our Miller tradition, I begin each morning in December with a Christmas question-of-the-day, so this is the first in our 2011 series and is dedicated to my young writing friend who asked me today:  “What was the greatest Christmas Card sentiment you remember receiving from a friend or family member?”  Here’s hoping you send someone a special greeting this season; you never know the impact it may have on the other person’s life!

Note:  Speaking of impacts on others, we greatly appreciate all the Angel Tree help you are giving to the annual Miller Angel Tree!  We still have 30 “angels” who need adopting, so stop by the front office to visit with Mrs. Stanley, our caring counselor, this week to assist.