In my fifteen years of teaching and eight years with my own children in school, this, by far, has been the most challenging and unpredictable year.  I think most, if not all, teachers and parents would agree.  The global pandemic has impacted us widely and deeply.  And as hard as we may try, we are powerless to protect our children from its effects.  We are having to rethink the ways we parent and teach, how we lead our families and classrooms.  We are learning to face our grief and say, it’s okay to feel this way. I can vividly remember the moment, seven months ago, w ..read more

Last week I went to Costco for my monthly stock up trip.  I left right after school on Friday, thinking I would get there by 3:00 and beat the rush.  But as I pulled into the parking light, I saw that I was too late for that.   Maneuvering through the crowds and the crazy people who stop their carts in the middle of the aisle to feast on samples, I breathed deeply as I made my way down my list. As I made my way to the kleenex and toilet paper I noticed there were only a few packages left.  I thought that was strange since Costco always has their shelves fully stocked ..read more

Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope the holidays were enjoyable and peaceful for you and your families.  For me, it’s a time of year that stirs up a lot of different emotions. Gratitude and happiness for all that I have, as well as grief and sadness for what I have lost.  I love the joy and energy of Christmas, but I also feel relieved that it’s over. Anyone else? I feel like I can finally take a deep breath, exhale, and take time to reflect on another year that’s passed.  I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions, since I never seem to stick with that diet or exercise as much as ..read more

A couple months ago my family moved.  Again.  The last time we moved was only a year and a half ago, and as crazy as it sounds, I believe all of this was part of God’s plan for me.  Much of the time I don’t understand God’s plan, and I don’t think we’re supposed to, but I do trust it.  I trust that he has a plan to heal the broken, hurting parts of my life and to show me that I am worth so much more than I ever believed. He’s showing me that my circumstances don’t define my worth, that he does.  That when I trust in him he provides for me beyond what I ever imagined wa ..read more

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to church.  The church we attend isn’t your traditional church, they have a full-on band and play really loud music.  It feels more like a concert than church, but I love the feeling of the music and being able to sing as loud as my heart desires.  To me music is the ultimate way to worship.   For Christmas services, our church goes all out with the music and always brings in an extra element of flair – a choir, bagpipes, special lighting.  But the one thing that remains the same is the last song.  They always ..read more

In my fifteen years of teaching and eight years with my own children in school, this, by far, has been the most challenging and unpredictable year.  I think most, if not all, teachers and parents would agree.  The global pandemic has impacted us widely and deeply.  And as hard as we may try, we are powerless to protect our children from its effects.  We are having to rethink the ways we parent and teach, how we lead our families and classrooms.  We are learning to face our grief and say, it’s okay to feel this way. I can vividly remember the moment, seven months ago, w ..read more

Lately I’ve been waking in the early morning hours with my heart pounding, breathing constricted, feeling lightheaded, and my mind racing.  These are the symptoms of my anxiety that I have worked so hard over the years to manage. Right now, in the midst of waiting for decisions to be made about returning to school, my anxiety is rearing its head again.  In March when COVID first flared up, officials made the decision to close schools for the safety of everyone.  Once I was safely sheltered in place at home with my two girls, I felt reasonably safe.  We followed the protocol ..read more

My heart is heavy.  I knew the call would come but even knowing doesn’t make it easier to accept.  Schools will remain closed and online learning will continue for the rest of the school year.  It’s unusual to get a day off of school when there’s a blizzard, and now we have two and a half months without school?!?  I can’t even wrap my mind around that.   Teachers were given one time slot to go to school and retrieve our belongings.  We had to grab what we needed and leave, maintaining a six foot social distance.  We couldn’t even hug to comfort each othe ..read more

My girls and I committed to taking a walk every day during this time of social distancing.  The fresh air, sunshine, and movement are good for our bodies and souls. And we often find these beautiful moments of connection to each other and our emotions when we’re out in nature. One day last week, we packed a picnic and followed a trail that led to an open park area.  My energy was low, as it has been many days during this stressful time. We’d been at home for over a week, and everyone was more on edge, and I knew this would be good for us.   A drainage ditch with water ran parallel to our ..read more