Weekend Happenings

Friday, March 28th: So grateful for my best friend, Heather, for watching Maya and Brooke for the evening. She introduced them to the game of Mastermind and had some great girl time with them.

Saturday, March 29th: Today, my dear daughter Maya turned 10! She is such an amazing, strong, intelligent, and beautiful girl. We had a big Harry Potter themed party.....most of which she planned. She dressed as Hermione. Brooke dressed as Ginny Weasley and I dressed as Bellatrix. So much fun!!

Sunday, March 30th: Today, we watched Brooke play her last indoor soccer game of the season. Tony is her coach and I don't know who has a better time! I love watching her play and watching him have so much fun coaching 6 and 7 year old girls.  :)

So grateful for a peaceful meeting at work........now onto new possibilities!

Catching Up!!

Sunday, March 23rd:  I am so excited because my writing group told me that I was on the right track with the piece of writing that I shared with them today. I shared with them a piece that I wrote about my first experience at a fertility clinic. I called it "The Hostile Uterus".....the diagnosis given to us by the fertility doctor.

Monday, March 24th: Tonight I am grateful for the listening of good friends.

Tuesday, March 25th: I am so grateful to have a husband who is working so hard to support our family.

Wednesday, March 26th: Tonight I attended a meeting of like minded women. I am so excited about the future!

Enjoying the warm weather

Today the weather was in the 60's, a much needed break from all the cold. While we started off the day at an indoor pool (Brooke's swimming lessons) and in an acupuncture office (first community acupuncture visit for Tony), we ended the day with a run (me) and some soccer (Tony and the girls). Lots of new life and new opportunities arising from the darkness that this winter has brought. Looking forward to watching it all develop!

Kid President----Message to Babies on Their First Day of Life/Maya's First Production

Message to Babies on Their First Day of Life

I love listening to this kid! He is simply brilliant. I aspire to bring as much joy as he brings each moment!

On another note, I am so very proud of Maya for her first acting performance outside of school. She was part of an ensemble that sang a few songs from Peter Pan. A big thanks to my mom and step-father for coming to see her!! Another proud mama moment!

I LOVE that spring is here and I love that when I asked the question, many of my first and second grade students knew that it was the first day of spring and that it was called the Vernal Equinox!

I am so grateful to be teaching with a young woman who is hard working, creative, and kind. She is an inspiration and a god send!

Snuggle Kitties

My snuggle kitty! I love listening to him purr........

My other snuggle kitty snoozing away against my leg.

My Precious Almost 10 Year Old

I have been thinking alot about my precious daughter Maya. She will be 10 in 12 days. She keeps talking about being a decade old and I can't quite believe it myself.

I have started to write a memoir about parenting and the beginning chapters talk about our challenges in getting pregnant. It is amazing to think back on those days. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. 

Maya is inquisitive, intelligent, brave, quirky, filled with laughter, and so very thoughtful. She loves Harry Potter, soccer, and acting. She makes rainbow loom bracelets and can write like no 9 year old I've ever seen. 

She has taught me so many things about myself and about love. Thank you for choosing me to be your mom dearest Maya. I look forward to many more years of laughter and joy together.

Catching Up!

Friday, March 14th: Thank you to my friend Robyn for a little me-time! Pedicure and a nap!

Saturday, March 15th:  Today the temps got into the high 50's and we took a hike on one of my favorite trails in Gunpowder State Park. Loved spending time with our nephew and finally taking the kids to see The Lego Movie.

Sunday, March 16th: Had a wonderful meeting today with someone who shares my spirit and values. Looking forward to the year ahead!

Girl Power!

So amazed at the power of young girls.....

New Bra Design

Fun Times With My Class

With all the crazy going on at our school this year, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to work with such fun, energetic, and loving children.

Proud Mama Moment!

Here is a Facebook post from Maya's teacher today:

"Today a child in our class brought in an 11 page play she wrote about the Greek gods. It was accurate and funny and perfectly written. The whole class read through it and allowed her to direct them in the way they spoke and accepted feedback and tried out different voices...they even made suggestions to each other. This went on for over an hour until they got through it. They were complete professionals.

This was not something I assigned or even expected to ever happen.

I got misty I was so proud at the end and they beamed like the sun...ever single one of 'em.

Thank you God for this day."

Warm Weather At Last!!!

Thank goodness that the weather turned a bit today. Maya, Brooke, and I took advantage of the warmer weather and took a short hike on our street. It made my body, mind, and soul so very happy! 

The only thing missing was TS.

Simon's Hook, Fun Friends, Connections Through Writing

Friday, March 7th: Today, I read the book "Simon's Hook" to my class. It is a book about how to deal with teases and put downs. In the book, the grandmother tells her grandson a story about a group of fish who learn not to bite the hooks that try to catch them. The fish use different techniques (swimming away, making a joke, agreeing, changing the subject, and ignoring) in order to avoid the hooks and remain free fish. As I was reading the book and led the children in their follow up activity, I realized how much I needed to hear the lesson as well. Swim away from the hooks and I will remain free. 

Got it!

Saturday, March 8th: I LOVE our friends Josh and Dana and their girls Ava and Rory. I love how we can get together just a few times a year and pick up where we left off the last time. It is a wonderful feeling to have like minded friends to share the journey with.

Sunday, March 9th:  Today I met with two of the people in my book writing group. I love how we can be from very different walks of life and backgrounds and connect on such a deep level. I have learned so much from them already.

Cromwell Valley Park

We went on a field trip today to Cromwell Valley Park to learn more about rocks. The children got to make the three types of rocks and took a long hike around the park to find various types of rocks. The teachers were really friendly and knowledgeable. It was nice to have a different kind of day.

Struggling a little bit today

Today is a tough day to find something special that I love. I am going through alot of shifting and changing particularly at my workplace and the situation is impacting alot of families. I do believe that everything happens for a reason and I am confident that in the future I will be looking back on this time with a different perspective. Right now, I am claiming that love truly is all around me----in my children's eyes, my husband's support, my friends' choosing to reach out to me, my family's reminders that all will work out, and my co-workers' unending integrity. 

Friends

This morning I awoke and found 5 messages of support from friends. I have always been very independent and I have spent alot of my life taking care of other people. I am so very grateful to be in the process of learning how to take care of myself and lean on the support of others.

Love From the Last Four Days

Friday, February 28th:   I love when a day that has the potential to go one way goes completely the other way. Really tough news was shared at work and instead of people lashing out in anger they chose to come together in support.

Saturday, March 1st:  Today I love the new possibilities that are being created from a very sad situation.

Sunday, March 2nd:  I am feeling so very blessed for all the supportive people that I have in my life.

Monday, March 3rd:  I love this snow day!!!