SHARING MY STORY AND A FAVORITE SONG--BLOGIVERSARY DAY 6

Welcome back my friends!
It's Day 6 of my blogiversary extravaganza and I am glad you're here! There's no giveaway prizes today, just a story and a song.
Tomorrow I've got "double the fun" planned, so  be sure to stop back! Tonight's post is a walk down "memory lane" and is entitled My TpT Tale.
The song clip at the end of the post continues to be my inspiration.
*****
Once upon a cold November night in 2013,  I bought a commercial license for DJ Inker clip art, created my first freebie, 

and opened my TpT store. 
I honestly and absolutely had NO CLUE
as to what I was doing, and learned from reading posts in the Seller's Forum, watching video tutorials posted by some of my favorite bloggers, googling tech tips, and sending blind e-mails with questions.
I uploaded more literacy packs, figured out that I needed a Facebook page to help promote both my store and my blog, started buying oodles of clip art and fonts, and waited.  
And waited.  
And waited.
I kept repeating Kevin Costner's Field of Dreams mantra to myself,  "If you build it, they will come."
Winter was a discouraging time, until folks that downloaded this freebie started leaving positive feedback!  One teacher even shared that her school was going to use this resource as part of the "blizzard bags" they were sending home to help make-up the number of school days missed due to snow!  The news  made me smile and cry at the same time!

The turning point for me was when I began getting invitations from friendly and incredibly supportive groups of teacher-authors to join thematic linky parties, Facebook Free-for-alls, and blog hops. 
I created this favorite during that time,  and it was a big hit!  Including literature links and musical moments in my resources started being my personal product "signature," and became much  appreciated by my customers!

The "sunshine on my cloudy day" finally came though when I participated in a product-swap with my friend Angie from  Mrs. Olson's Little Learners!

I used and reviewed her Camping In The Classroom activity bundle {HERE} and she used and reviewed my
Zing Into Spring Writing Task Cards

What a fun experience it was for my students and for me!  Her thorough write-up brought new patrons to my store and created a demand for more products.  Also, my blog post received rave reviews and was read by many!
Keeping up with my the demands of my teaching, personal, and blogger-entrepreneur life continues to challenge me though.  The above units need a makeover, but lesson plans need to be written.  In a perfect world, I'd love to post here 2-3 times per week, but I've got papers to grade.  I've got pages of notes about new resource ideas that I'd love to begin making, but I've got a home and classroom in desperate need of cleaning and organizing.  
Yes, my plate is a little full at times, but creating and writing has "filled my bucket" at a time in my life when it was much-needed.  Reaching out to other educators like YOU, my readers, has been the biggest and best reward of all.  I get so excited when my FB posts are "liked," and I get goosebumps when you leave comments below!  Know that I truly enjoy and appreciate our "conversations."  What you have to share and say is valued.
In short,  thank you for being here.  
Let's keep on  believing....together!
Click on the song title to sing along!
BELIEVE as sung by Josh Groban from The Polar Express
Children sleeping, snow is softly falling
Dreams are calling like bells in the distance
We were dreamers not so long ago
But one by one we all had to grow up
When it seems the magic's slipped away
We find it all again on Christmas day

Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside 
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe

Trains move quickly to their journey's end
Destinations are where we begin again
Ships go sailing far across the sea
Trusting starlight to get where they need to be
When it seems that we have lost our way
We find ourselves again on Christmas day

Believe in what your heart is saying
Hear the melody that's playing
There's no time to waste
There's so much to celebrate
Believe in what you feel inside 
And give your dreams the wings to fly
You have everything you need
If you just believe 

Just believe

As always, keep calm, continue to teach your children well, share your story, hold a song in your heart, and wish upon stars....
Peace out,