Shout Out

Shout out to all the parents and caregivers who have stepped up and stepped in.

I'm a teacher. I have supplies and strategies and resources and I am sometimes overwhelmed. It's a lot!

If you're leading your students through distance learning, I'm thinking about you.

If you're leading your students AND your own children through distance learning, I'm thinking of you, too.

We are FOR SURE in this together

The Gifts of this Present Day - Laura Ingalls Wilder

If you've been here even just a little bit you know who my hero is.

I believe we should all have heros.

Heros of faith. Heros of fiction. Heros of real life.

My hero is Laura Ingalls Wilder.

For so many ways.

Today I read some of her works.

I have everything she ever wrote that was published.

Her nine fictional (based on truth- but still fiction) children's chapter books.

I have her original book that was written for adults that the Little House books were based on, Pioneer Girl.

I have every article that she published in magazines back when she was alive.

I have read all of her inspirational writings. Those are the ones I love the most. It is a a window in my hero's heart that no other writings have.

Today I was thinking of one of her writings called The Blessings of the Year

Sometimes we recognize as a special blessing what heretofore we have taken without a thought as a matter of course, as when we recover from a serious illness; just a breath drawn free from pain is a matter for rejoicing. If we have been crippled and then are whole again, the blessed privilege of walking forth free and unhindered seems a gift from God. We must have been hungry to properly appreciate food, and we never love our friends as we should until they have been taken from us.

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. - Ephesians 5:20

As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessing of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness - just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breathe it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm.

Oh we have so much to be thankful for that we seldom think of it in that way!

These days one of the gifts to me is to really dwell in the present and choose to focus on what is here - what is good - what is true.

Much of her message is very incarnational - as we grow up to love, and to create and choose to be faithful to our place and our people -

In that sense I think this writing has been running in my mind - a melody - kind of calling my eyes to look around - that what is here in this moment is grace and goodness - and His grace is sufficient for this day and for this moment and for the future of my silly voices of girls in my home, their future.

One of the great challenges of a spiritual life and a centered and calm life is to not live in the future but to live in the grace that is here.

And that too is to learn to listen to the gifts of the Holy Spirit who speaks at all times - His presence is here, truly and really and I believe that becomes more evident as we draw our minds back from the possibilities of the future and into the gifts of the present day.

I know I will look back on these days - this present disaster - as some the sweetest days of our lives...

when we can sit by the window

sip a cup of tea

taste the luxury of a brunch

have time to learn deeply and fully - to really stretch our brains in this space, our home, but still from our wonderful schools

to talk

to walk

to see  "that it is the common, everyday blessing of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful". 

and that "They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness". 

Truly and truly.

Grateful

I am so grateful these days - and I find myself so grateful this Sunday evening.

What a quiet day it was in our home.

Mass - live streamed

Brunch cooked up by us - with all of the trimmings - such a treat on this rainy spring day.



Later that same day - An early Sunday dinner with creamy, tasty homemade tomato bisque soup and a platter of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and homemade bread sticks.





Scott led us in a Bible study on how the Lord is indeed our Shepherd as we were finishing up our meal.

These are Sundays I long for in the school year. And although there is so much uncertainty about the future right now, I feel overly grateful for a peaceful, quiet day with my family. Good food, conversation, and us.

This psalm today - Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul
and all that is within me, bless His Holy name! 
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits
Who forgives all your iniquities. Who heals all your diseases
Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, 
Who beautifies dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy;
Who satisfies you mouth with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's . 
The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 
He made known His ways to Moses; His acts to the children of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness. 
He will not always chide or be contending; neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge.
He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. 
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 

I believe words like these with the news headlines, online words, and our own sins and what is happening, can be so easy to forget - forget the words of Scripture - and that they are somehow not applicable to the situation but I really think the works of faith in a season like we are in is to root ourselves even deeper in these words and keep a sense of their truth and reality an immediacy to our situation. So these are the words we must live by in these times: The Lord is righteous and compassionate, which are are high as the Heavens are above the earth. Those are the words that need to form our days and our identity and our use of time and our sense of self - even in these strange times.

Rise Up - An Emotional Post

All around the world people are suffering.

All around the world people are adjusting to a 'new normal'.

While I thought 'distance learning' and teaching from home would give me loooong days.

I thought there would be time for tons of baking

and cleaning out closets

and watching movies with my girls

and on and on and on...

I have found in these past 5 'new normal' days that I am working harder than I ever have.

I am not on the front line.

I am not a health care worker or a physician or a nurse.

Those are the true heroes right now.

But I am doing my part.

I am a teacher.

And I am responsible for the fourth grade education of 22 nine and ten year old students.

I don't have time for tick tock videos (what are those anyway?)

I don't have time for posting 'we're bored' Instagram photos.

I don't have time to sit around and watch the news.

I don't have time for any of that.

I am their teacher and these 'distance learning' day are school days.

So I am working at learning new ways to teach.

I am learning technology that I never wanted to or thought I'd could ever need.

I am learning how to love and care through Google Classroom and Google Meets.

I am learning how to teach multiplying fractions without manipulatives and children right in front of me.

Without partners.

Without math stations.

Without anchor charts.

Without me.

I am not a hero.

I am just doing my part.

And I sure am glad that it is Friday.

Scott and I have had some really late nights and some really early mornings figuring out how to do what we are doing. And somehow {maybe it's my lack of sleep} it bothers me that America thinks it's one big lounge in your PJs excuse - a time to check out - to veg and watch the news all day or movies all day. Maybe it's because my parents modeled for me the value of hard work. My grandparents modeled it. And now we do it.

And this video, a parent sent me. To all of those health care workers - you are heros.

And to the world (not that anyone sees this) please stay home {and Trump, stop talking about the economy and opening back up by Easter) ... this is for you...

Just Click This Link 

It sort of feels like this should be a Friday - but it's Thursday.

Never has there been a longer week.

We are trying so hard to be successful at our new normal.

I love teaching - and teaching from home is still teaching. But it's too much time in front of a screen. In order to teach and reach my fourth graders twice a week I set up 44 different google meets - they are like face time.

We talk, I type notes on a second computer for things they need - things going well for them - things I need to do for them.

It's a whole different way to teach - one certainly that wasn't touched upon in college.

And my girls are in front of screens too much too.

So this afternoon I had exactly 23 minutes before a staff meeting on line and then more google meets with kids so we got outside.



It's amazing what fresh air and sunshine can do.



One more day and then we exhale - one week of distance learning and distance teaching almost done.

Well On Our Way

It is Wednesday.

I've met (on line but face to face) with 22 students.

I've gone to 2 staff meetings.

I've answered a thousand parent emails.

The girls have done all of their google meets (face to face) with their teachers.

They have done all of their work.

It has been going really well.

A few things we've worked out here and there because we're all working from home.



Tonight the girls started another "new normal".

Their private viola lessons are now face to face through zoom.

That was a bit trickier to figure out than all of the other technology because of the instruments and hearing their teacher while playing.



But we figured it out.



I'm proud of them for adapting to all of these changes so quickly.

And I'm blessed to hear their music, their teacher, their lessons once again.

Music makes everything better.

Tea Time

I believe that traditions are the anchors in a family - they are the something that you can hold on to and know for certain there is beauty and comfort and love.

These pictures I took early in March - long before we ever thought there could possibly be schools closing and 'distance learning'. But seeing them cheered my heart because I remembered this lovely tradition that we will continue in challenging times throughout our lives and beautiful, easy, wonderfully happy times in our lives.









They are a tradition in our family. Tea Time on a Sunday afternoon.

I've done this - forever.

The girls have had tea times in the snow.







They've had tea times in pretty restaurants.

Tea times have been in the summer, fall, winter, and spring.



Tea times have been along the ocean in Hawaii







Tea parties have been themes for birthday parties.





Best of all are the tea times around our kitchen table.

It's a place where I can lead them to truths - to pour in their hearts and fill their minds with goodness.

And we all cherish them so...

First Day of School

Today was our 'first day of school' and it was awesome! So so so good to be back! Although of course not back in the classroom... but this day counted as a day of school so I was in my teaching mode all day.

It sure was a cozy 'first day' of school. The snow fluttered down all day long. I 'attended' an online staff meeting with my principal. I sent out my first email since all of this started to my families with details about "Distance Learning". I set up 22 google meets so that I can be face to face with each one of my students, one at a time starting tomorrow morning at 8:40am. I can't wait to 'talk' to them, see their faces, and begin to actually teach! Right now they all have the learning plan for the week and today on their fist day they started to work through it. Tomorrow I solve all of the problems.

Today I also uploaded my first Google Classroom! I'm doing something from that classroom that I call "Baker Novel Time". I'll be reading one chapter a day to my own girls and I'm recording it for my students. So excited for that daily classroom routine to continue at home!

It was a 'first day' for my girls at home as well as Scott who is a principal. There were a few times this morning that all 4 of us were on a google meets (like of like a face to face conference call) at the same time! It was exciting to listen in while I was answering emails to Abigail talking to her Chinese teacher. So so cool to hear all that was going on!

This is going to be so different. And although I love a busy classroom with lots of excitement and learning, teaching is teaching and I'm doing it!

One day of distance learning down!




And this... I couldn't help myself -- I just had to comment on a blog post about moms who are 'teaching at home' these days...

This isn't about homeschooling (I think that's really great) It was tips (the blogger was asking) on getting school kids through these now home learning days... 

I can't give 'homeschooling' tips because I've never done that (until now) but I can give teacher tips as I'm a 4th grade teacher. It's okay to let some of it slide these days. There is some 'learning' that can only happen in a classroom - only in the relationship between a student and a teacher. And that can't happen right now. It's okay. What they are given right now is 'work'. It's not the magic that happens in a classroom with a dedicated teacher who knows each student inside and out, the curriculum inside and out, the process of learning inside and out, the age/stage of those particular children inside and and out. Just like there is no replacement for the love of a family and for being home --- there is no replacement for a teacher and a student and learning that happens in a classroom. A tip to parents out there? Keep in mind that what they are doing at home right now is some 'work'. Some learning? Sure, but mostly just work. Your tips are great! Just keep in mind that there is no replacement for a wonderful teacher. And I surely hope this whole thing our world is going through right now doesn't become a battle once again between those moms who work vs those who work at home or a battle between moms who teach at home and those who are teachers.

Team - Work

This is my team - well, this was us on Valentines Day - it was PJ day



I love that we're all the same age. And that our kids are all the same age/stage. And that we all love teaching. And that they let me be me.

This was my team today.



No two other people on the planet I'd rather figure out how to 'teach' from a far as we navigate this new 'teaching' normal.

How I Want Them To Remember This

It took us the weekend to catch up on our exhaustion.

It took Monday and Tuesday to reorganize and get this house back into shape.

It took Wednesday to get the girls and Scott and I all organized for our new normal - school at home {for all 4 of us}











And now it is Thursday.

If feels like we've been out of school for at least a month. We're only on day four. That's what no viola lessons, no orchestra, no tennis, no crazy nights driving everywhere will to do you.

One thing I'm certainly looking forward to when I transition to "distance teaching" next week is not being tired. I'll be home. I won't be wearing a dress. Or tights. Or shoes. I'll be wearing leggings or jeans and most definitely slippers. I'll have my days to teach and help my girls through any of the kinks of their own distance learning. And we'll have our evenings F R E E. This whole concept is new to us. And I'm really looking forward to it.

_________________________________________________________________________________

One thing I've been thinking about is how I want my girls to look back at this whole situation.

How do I want them to remember it?

I want them to remember that I loved being home. And that I loved having them home. And that I loved these days.

I want them to remember that I kept it organized and simple and easy.

I want them to remember that I kept it interesting with lots of time to be a family. Walks in the sunshine and old 40's Judy Garland movies in the afternoons.

I want them to remember what it felt like to go nowhere at night. No viola, no lessons, no orchestras.

I want them to remember what it felt like to not rush.

Rush a meal.

Rush to get in the car.

Rush to get ready in the morning.

_________________________________________________________________________________


I know that as the mother in this home that I am the thermostat because I am the heart of the home.

I know that I need to be content with the way things are now.

In these next weeks I am going to provide...

stability

peace

chocolate chip cookies.

I am going to read aloud a delightful book that we pick together.

We are going to start a new devotional as a family each night.

We are going to go for a walk in the sunshine together.



I am going to make this a time of sweetness in our own way.

I am so delighted to be home and to have them home.

And that is how I want to remember this...

"In the multitude of my anxious thoughts within me, your comforts cheer and delight my soul!"  Pslam 94:19

Giovani Solisti Celebration

We are on day #3 home because of Caronovirus. (music first)

It is sunny and 55 degrees here today so we are going on a nice, leisurely, looooong walk after lunch to get some much needed vitamin D and feel the air on our faces.

I was looking through my phone photos and found this really happy one - I don't think I ever blogged it - but I did blog the event.

It was back when Anna got into Solisti, a very competitive auditioned orchestra this February. We all went out for a fancy dinner to celebrate.

Love the happiness in our smiles and our faces.







It's nice to have the time look back and see the joy in our lives during these days. I am grateful for this memory.

Lessons from an Enchanted Forest

Isn't this little phone picture just magical?



To me it looks like my daughters are in an enchanted forest - exploring - happy as can be.

I love Anna's hand holding up her dress.

I love how Abigail is following closely behind.

It was taken quickly on my phone when we were in Alaska.

I hired a family photographer to capture these photos here - but I love this one (above) so much!



Sometimes when you don't know the changes that are coming you don't realize what you are in.

I love the way Laura Ingalls Wilder shared her thoughts in Saving Graces, Inspirational Writings (devotionals).

"As I studied the subject, it was impressed upon me that in order to thoroughly enjoy anything, one must feel the absence of it at times, and I acted upon that theory."

We all feel the absence right now of freedom. If we are doing 'our part' then we are home. Totally and completely home. Day in and day out. And the absence of that freedom of movement right now - the changes it brings (distance learning to come) helps us to realize that one day when it is back how much we will enjoy it.

Family Meeting

On Saturday night we had a family meeting. A gathering time of hearts. We took time to process what is going on - to listen to our girls. We intended it to be a time to think about how we'd use these next two weeks 'off'. There is a gift of time at home given to us. And Scott and I both felt like we needed a bit of a schedule or at least some goals and expectations. We know that order in the home, in the schedule, can help to bring order to our minds that are so easily distracted with all that's swirling around.

Anna came up with 5 things she'd like to do each day, and that she'd like some time to process and unwind each day on her own - to write in her diary, to write a story she's in the middle of { think it's actually 600 typed pages}.

Abigail told us some things she'd like to do each day as well. {listening to them practice the viola make our home so sweet} And knowing that Abigail is a social person I know that being cut off from being actively engaged in school will be tough for her so we're making sure she's 'heard' each day. Scott loves to play games with her, I love to bake with her, and her sister loves to have fun with her.

We are all making an effort to support each other during this difficult time of stress and uncertainty. And we are making an effort to enjoying being home both relaxing our hearts and minds together and to get a few things done.



There were tears as she realized that everything is cancelled. It was really the first time it was all sinking in.

Of course that was three days ago - and it feels like three months of things have changed since then even. It feels as though it gets deeper each day.

We are certainly not going back (since I wrote this last Saturday night) in two weeks - not even close. And we are headed into "distance learning" as of Monday...

so much uncertainty.

In our house...

comfort, yes

fear, no.

Closing

Today I closed my classroom door, drove home, cried, and fell asleep by 8:30.

It was the most emotional week of teaching I've ever had. Ever.

There was a complete scare, a classroom evacuation, students in tears, some chaos, and rushed goodbyes... all details I can't write about here.

It wasn't good.

And oh how I didn't want to leave this beautiful place, my classroom where I spend so many hours each weekday.

Leaving with uncertainty. Leaving with confusion. Leaving with more questions than answers. Leaving with my heart heavy and so sad.

We are home now. All home for the next two weeks. {possibly longer} We will do our part and stay home. And pray for the world, our country, our state, our families, and those we hold dear. And yes, for those children and their families in my classroom.

On Playing House - and doing your own thing

I learned how to decorate from my Mother. Our 'growing up' home was always so lovely. And Cozy. And pretty. And I adored my rainbow bedroom.

When I grew up and was a young bride at 23 I also leaned on the tips I read in the little Susan Branch books I had. She used things around her house, and believed in having things out that you love.



Lately (in the fullness of life that is mine -- notice I didn't say busy), I see such amazing decorated homes. Those on instagram that I follow. Most of the time they are inspirational. I really do get good ideas from the two or three that I love to look at. But lately, their homes have been too "put together" for me.



I like to have the things I love out. I like vintage (not Target dollar spot). I like pretty. I like mugs from England or treasures I've found at antique stores.



So, it's okay to still look at those amazing living rooms with kitchens that clearly didn't make 4 lunches, prep for 4 breakfasts, make healthy snacks for 4 to get through the day, and on top of that clean up the yummiest dinner.



And of course I don't take pictures of my kitchen when there's flour all over, chicken, greasy pans to wash... who wants to see that? No one!

But it does remind me to be me. To have out the things that I truly love. And that is the best part of "playing house"



Here's another post that explains a little more about my decorating feelings.

The Wonderful Things in February

(yes, we still use a great big blotter calendar and a pencil)

Singing "A Million Dreams"



Not usually part of my "the best of...." posts but I'm sad. Everything has been cancelled. All of these special concert events. There is so much these kids (and of course my own daughters) work so hard for. Caronavirus. I'm glad that I live in a state that is taking it seriously. But I'm sad that there might not be concerts like this for the rest of the school year. I've been going to concerts for so long I don't know what I'll do without them. Sigh...



A Snapshot of our lives right now



My great big P I N K post



A D R E A M S come true post



The T H I N G S around my house post




We celebrated Valentines Day



No photos but it was the best night of music... Chocolate Cafe!



It was a blessed month for sure. I got to he Scott's wife, Anna and Abigail's mama, and 22 precious 9 year old's 4th grade teacher.


Best of December was here...