Dad

Free Fallin' - the song that takes me back
to driving up north in the truck
still makes me giggle a little

You're not lost unless you run out of gas - the rule that takes me back
to the snowmobile trip that would never end
but my hands stayed warm under yours

Can't can't do anything - the wisdom that takes me back
to awful math homework at the kitchen table
I was right, I have never used it

You can do anything if you put your mind to it - the advice that takes me back
to all the times I said I couldn't and you said I could
you were right

Wonderful tonight - the tune that takes me back
to every wedding we ever went to and danced together
even if the words weren't for daddy/daughter 

It all ends up in the same place - the words that take me back
to my foods touching on my plate and the only thing you said that I never believed
it's still gross, foods shouldn't touch

Day 2: The Snow Pile

"Mom, look!" Emma cries out, her nose an inch from the window.  "They are making a new snow pile!"

With eyes glowing, Maddie asks, "Can we go play outside, Mom?"

Avery comes bounding into the room, hearing all the commotion.  She begins to jump up and down at the sight of the big, yellow snow plow. 

"Can we go make a fort?  Can we? Can we? Can we?" she shouts.

In the span of 30 seconds, the snow day went from good to magical.  The snow pile in the cul de sac is back!

This fall, we moved to a new town, a new street, a new house, all with new possibilities.  We have begun to stretch our wings and explore this new town and all it has to offer.  We have been able to spread out in the new house and find out what it feels like to not be on top of each other all the time. 

Similarly, we have begun to learn about our new street.  There is the older, retired woman who lives in the house on the hill who knows the people we bought the house from.  The one who started asking questions and created a few rumors when we brought in a small dumpster.  No, we are not removing the fireplace (say what?), we are just trying to catch up - to remove the boxes from the move that are (finally) mostly unpacked and the boxes that joined the piles from Christmas and a November birthday.  Then, there is the young window a couple houses over with the two young boys who take turns playing on the snow pile - because, of course, girls and boys can't play on the snow pile at the same time.  There is also the neighbor to the right who feels the need to shovel each time we get an inch of snow.  On the left, there is the house that sits empty because the owner is in a nursing home.  It's a quiet street and we are smack dab in the middle/back of the cul de sac. 

Each time it snows the city arrives with a plow truck.  Each time it snows we end up with a snow pile in the middle of the cul de sac.  It is a beacon for the children on the street and my kids are no different. 

There is much to be done when the snow pile arrives.  There are tunnels to dig and slides to be made.  Steps to be carved and snow to be packed.

And best of all?  On this second snow day in a row, when the kids are beginning to wonder what they are going to do all day, the city finally arrived with the snow plow.  The magical pile has been created again. 

The day holds new possibilities and new promises.  And wet snow clothes, and red cheeks and runny noses.  Cups of hot chocolate and plates of cookies.  And smiles.  Lots of smiles.

Thank you Mr. Plow Man.  You just saved the day.

Day 1: Thank Goodness For You

 

I read a story recently where the author talked about how interesting it is to think about when we met certain people in our lives.  Have you ever thought about the timing of those meetings?  Did you meet that person at just the right time in your life and it changed everything?  I met someone a few years ago that changed my teaching and the way I think about teaching forever.  I will always appreciate that person and what she did for me.  She will always hold a special place in my heart.  At the same time, I had another friend that held similar teaching ideas as me.  We used to "talk shop" a lot in those days and the learning that was happening during that time for me was just explosive!  I would learn from my guru and talk it through with my friend and my learning curve was amazing.  I treasure those days, those memories and those thought processes that led me to this place I'm in today.  This line of thinking led me to this poem and it's fitting because these two relationships encouraged my own writing habits to bloom as well - some good thoughts for the first day of the Slice of Life Challenge.

I thought about you today.
I wondered how you were doing.
I remembered when we met and what that changed in me.
I thought of all the changes that happened after you came along.
I wondered what would be different now if it weren't for you.
I remembered the encouragement you gave me to try the difficult instead of fearing it.
I thought how differently things may have been if you hadn't come along at just that point in time.
I wondered if I would be the teacher I am today.
I wondered if I would be confident in my own writing.
I wondered if I would even be writing this slice today.
I remembered your kind words.
I remembered how you may me feel about my knowledge, my abilities, my desire to learn.
I remembered the time we spent learning together, talking, growing together as peers.
I thought about how funny it seems to call you my peer.
I thought about how you share your knowledge with such passion that people WANT to absorb it all.
I thought...
Thank goodness I met you.
Thank goodness you walked into my life and rearranged my thinking.
Thank goodness you decided to make a difference because that is what brought us together.
Thank goodness my life brought me to you and you to me.
I thought about you today.
I appreciated you today.

Welcome to March!

I can't believe it's almost March!  I've been looking forward to starting the SOLC challenge this year.  I know it is just what I need to get back into writing as a habit.  Life has gotten hectic and time has gotten away from me.  Oh sure, there is still time in my day to write, I just haven't made room for it.  But I want to and that is half the battle, right?

I have even talked a friend, maybe two, into joining in the challenge this year.  They are very unsure that they can write a post that many days in a row...but I know they can! It is my hope that by having someone new to encourage along, as well as being a part of the welcome wagon, will help solidify my writing habits again. My writer's muscles need some stretching and I can't wait!  I'll consider this post my trial run.

The days run together
time slips past
the clock ticks faster
or at least it seems
tasks get prioritized
jobs rearranged
but
time must be made
created or shifted
it must
I must
because it is time
to write again!
Welcome to March!

Tango or Two-Step?

My pen has been on hiatus
My notebook in a box
Don't know what they been doing
But I know what they have not

No dancing across the page
Laying dormant
Sleeping in wait
Like spring's flowers during winter's snow
Collecting? Maybe.
Restoring? Recharging?
Who knows?
But dance I have not
No tangling with words
Uninspired busy-ness has kept me from the page

But now...
I've started reading
and proven that it's true
readers read like writers
and long to join in too

So...
My pen will take the floor
No more wallflower standing silent
A tango? A two-step?
I cannot be sure just yet
but dancing shall be done



Looking back, I realize it has been months since my pen last hit the page.  May, to be exact.  Part of me can't believe it's been so long!  Part of me isn't surprised at all! 

Since May, many things have happened in this little life mine.  In my last post, I showed the photo of the for sale sign in my front yard.  We cleaned, held showings, cleaned some more, over and over and over until I wanted to poke my eyes out.  In August, we accepted an offer on our house and put in an offer on a new home. 

In September, a new school year began.  I won't lie...it's been a roller coaster experience this year.  Three weeks into the school year, just as things are beginning to settle in a little, the administration in my district decided that the class sizes were too small in kindergarten (16-17 per class) to warrant 5 classrooms and so they cut one out and redistributed those students into the remaining four rooms.  My classroom absorbed four new friends.  They are great but it caused a shift in the classroom dynamics.  It lead to another beginning, another round of settling in and learning routines.  Along with those challenges, there are two students in my classroom with physical challenges.  One is physically unable to do many things but mentally is able to participate in most things.  She has a one-on-one aide that helps her through the day, which is an enormous help to me, but it's a challenge to rethink the how of each lesson and activity ahead of time to ensure her success.  I also have a student who is unable to process what she hears or speak.  She is learning sign language and has a full time interpreter in the classroom with her.  This also sparks some new challenges for me.  She is capable of doing every task that her peers can do, but there is often a language barrier because her signing skills equate to the understanding of a two year old's speech.  She just isn't experienced enough in language and the signs for things to understand everything we ask of her.  It involves some pre-teaching of skills, lots of vocabulary building, and much trail and error.  We are all enjoying learning signs though and the kids are soaking it in like the little sponges that they are. We also have the typical behavioral challenges, those students who's parents are uninvolved and those who hover.  It's a quirky little group but I love them all the same.  They are a neat bunch of kids but I'm exhausted at the end of the day.

At the end of September, we closed on both houses, moved out of the old house and into the new house all in the same day.  It was quite a day!  It was mostly a blur and I think I'm ok with that. 

Now, we have mostly settled into the new house.  Most of the boxes are unpacked (just don't look in the laundry room or garage please).  We even have pictures and some decorations hung on the walls.  We are settled back into a normal routine and are enjoying the newfound ability to stretch out a little at home without being on top of each other all the time.

And so...
I think the time has come for me to unpack my hobbies.  I have begun to read again and with that has come the desire to write again.  I have no plans for great works but sure does feel nice to tango with my pen again.

Slice of life...here I come!

Breathe In...Breathe Out...

It's been so long since I have been able to sit down and write.

I've been pretty busy lately.

Doing this:

Our house has officially been on the market for 4 days.

We have 2 requests for showings scheduled already...one for today and one for tomorrow.

We spent last weekend working our tails off to get everything cleaned, de-cluttered and prepped for pictures and showings.  Now the waiting begins...

We meet with the loan officer tomorrow afternoon to start pre-approval for the new loan.

We have our eye on two houses and are waiting to get our visits arranged.

It's all happening so quickly!

And during the busiest time of the school year!

It's a little overwhelming.

But in a very good way.

Cross your fingers for us! 

Playground Time!

It has finally happened!  We have finally had a few nice spring days!  It seemed as though winter was never going to end.  The cold days dragged on and on.  The dark mornings lasted forever.  The nights of eating dinner with darkness outside the windows are over!

My children have had a bad case of spring fever and it has been so nice to be able to get outside lately to play and blow off a little steam!  We are all happier for it.  Over the weekend we were even able to head out to the playground.  We live down the street from an elementary school, so when the weather is nice we often head down the street to play.  There is something for everyone to enjoy there!   

You may notice a couple things in these pictures:

1. It was a beautiful day and we were enjoying the nice weather for a change!
2. My daughters dressed themselves.  Honest.
3. My son doesn't love having his picture taken...I had to sneak up and zoom in!
4. The one heading up to the really tall slide?  Yep.  That's my 3 year old daredevil. 
5. Slides are the cause of major hair static.  :)