Back to School Portraits

The girls and I went back to school on the last day of August. It was a whirlwind from the second we got home from Disney to the first second of school. I was oh so busy (with my family by my side) and then two days before the official start I teacher meetings. My parents took the girls those two days. Anna at her high school orientation and Abigail at my parents house. We were busy working out the new details for Abigail before and after school. There was so much to figure out. Scott was so good at all of the details and even though he's an elementary school principal he took time off to be at Anna's orientation.

There was an open house at my school the day before (I have no pictures) It was a 'meet and greet' where the families come to walk around. With all of the business I STILL wanted to fit in pictures for my girls.

We'd ALWAYS gone to our town center for photos. And I just didn't want to skip it. Some things I just would not change!

So we all went just the day before school and I'm so glad we did.

Here is my beautiful Anna headed off to high school.



Beaming and ready



I was in awe of her excitement and envied her 'it's all gonna be okay with this new adventure' attitude. I so wanted to feel that exact same way with my new huge life change. I clung to her every word.





I was so proud of her. And so excited about all that lay ahead of my girl.



Love this one of her, just her as I always see her.



Abigail, she has twirled her way through elementary school and now is in fifth grade. It is her last year at our sweet elementary school.



Happiness and joy she brings everyone around her.









And she is ready too. Ready for new responsibilites and new changes coming her way this year. I'd keep her little and with me forever but I can't. She has to share her gifts with the world too.



These girls of mine. I can't believe how they've taken on these new changes with ease, determination, and kindness. It hasn't been prefectly easy on them, me going back to the classroom but I'm beaming with pride with how they've done. I love them oh so much.











adore her







always my baby girl





If you read this some day darling daughters, please know that mommy's heart was bursting his 'back to school' year. You are the daughters and I am the mommy but somehow you taught me so much this time. I watched how you did all of the new changes with such a beautiful attitude. You cared for each other's hearts and for mine at the same time. Your ease and your responsibility amazed me. I couldn't be more proud. I love you both so very much and can't wait to see where this new adventure takes us. God is in control and we are all so blessed.

September Weekend

With Anna gone all weekend playing viola at her Orchestra retreat it was just an Abigail weekend.  It was such a sweet weekend just the three of us.  We missed Anna like crazy and it sure was a different dynamic with just us.  It was quiet, and there were pockets of time that Abigail was lost in her room making things or playing American girl.

They planted mums together.



With all that one on one time we did some special things too.  Abigail and I went to our favorite clothing store, Hanna Anderson and got a few new things for her fall wardrobe.

Scott took her on her first really long bike ride, to her school where they had a picnic lunch.  So sweet.  She fell on the way there and came all the way home, bandaged up her knee and off they went again.







Here's there "we made it" text to me!



We had our weekly date night on the couch with the first Hallmark autumn movie of the season.  Those movies are kinda silly but by the end of teaching all week we need a 'not think' kinda movie.



It was marvelous to see Anna in the afternoon on Sunday.  I only wish we were able to hear her concert... no parents invited... they performed at a senior center after playing all weekend.



There was reading Rebbecca of Sunny brook Farm.





The weather looks hot for one last week but then that's it!  Fall is here starting on Friday... and this no A.C. classroom teacher just can't wait!

Friday Afternoon

Anna left today for a weekend of playing chamber music and orchestra. With her viola in hand and her sleeping bag in the other she was beaming.



We couldn't have been more proud of our little girl for saying yes to this weekend to grow in her viola skills.

Today was Good

We had no school today because of the Jewish holiday.

I loved my quiet house in the morning.  I loved the slow pace.  I loved all of us being together all day.
There are colds going around.  Coughs.  All except for me.  Thank goodness one of us.  I have to stay healthy.

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Earlier this week Anna asked for a new devotional.  She didn't want to order one on Amazon.  "I want to look through them.  It's a touch and feel kind of thing."

So we went to the Christian book store this morning and she was so happy.  Which made us so happy. I mean what 14 year old asks on her day off to go buy a devotional?





We stopped at Christmas Tree Shops?  Do you have one near you?  I think it is a New England store, and it's amazing.  Picked up some goodies for us.









Spent the rest of the afternoon going through family emails/dates/calendars, etc.  Feels good to be calendar organized again.

After Abigail is in bed it's time to plan for my fourth graders.  I love to plan.  And guess what?  It's a Friday, that feels like a Monday!

The School Nurse Called

At 2:00 I glanced down at my phone and saw 3 missed calls. One from Abigail's school nurse, 2 from Scott. There was also a text from him saying "call me when you can". I was on my way to a meeting across town. I pulled over and called Scott.

"Abigail passed out at school. I've got her. We're on our way home."

"Wait! What?"

"She's going to be fine. I'll be home with her."

I called the school nurse who explained the whole thing.

She was outside in PE class running and she passed out. The kids and PE teacher noticed, called for her and by the time she got there she was awake, but a bit disoriented. Abigail says she remembers her heart beating fast and the next thing she remembers is her friends and the nurse standing over her.

She didn't get hurt falling because they were outside.

I am grateful for the amazing school nurse who responded in a minute and knew just what to do.

She took her time, checked her vitals and brought her in when she thought she was alert enough.

Of course I drove straight home to be with my girl.

She rested in the evening and we spent time together.

We no school tomorrow so it will be good to all be home.

I'm not quite sure why it happened. She was hydrated. The only thing we can come up with is the weather and her congestion. It has been so humid here. Not hot but terribly humid.

Our elementary schools are not airconditioned since it's only hot in September and June, the first and last months of school. But on a day like today, AC would have helped.

This happening to her today reminded me of the so many times she was home sick (and not so sick, wink)

Oh how I loved these days (here's one back here)  oh that sweater!

Here's another one

Milestones for a Returning Classroom Teacher

Tonight was Curriculum Night.  In our town (and in each school) there is one evening that the parents visit the classroom without the children.  Teachers give a presentation about the curriculum for the year, classroom expectations, procedures, etc.

I remember all 9 of my (pre stay at home) curriculum nights.  I was always nervous.  For some reason I wasn't this time even though it had been 13 years since I was in the classroom.

Good things come with age. A confidence in presenting to parents even for 45 minutes just me.

Two days ago I filmed the children explaining to their parents the various parts of the room and the different procedures.  Scott edited all of the clips together and created a movie for me to show tonight.  Instead of me doing all of the talking for 45 minutes the students did some.  It was magic.  The parents loved seeing their kiddos in the movie. The kids love making their clips and I loved it too. I sure wish I could post it here on the blog so you could 'meet' my class and see my room all put together but I can't post them online.



I felt so happy when I drove home tonight for the opportunity to be in these families lives.  I got the sweetest email from our curriculum specialist who dropped in during my presentaion.  I love teaching!

Seems like a year Ago

I am so happy. And so very grateful for this new stage God has brought me to.

And oh so busy. I thought life was full before. Well, it wasn't. Now I'm responsible for 19 fourth graders... their reading, writing, mathematics, on and on.

I used to be able to sit at our dining room table and write my blog posts while Anna did homework. (after Abigail was all tucked in) Now after Abigail is tucked in at 8 (on the dot, if not sooner) I'm still at the dining room table with Anna. This time I'm writing lesson plans for the next day.

I'm really only one day at a time. Sure, I'd like to be all planned for a week but that is just not possible this year. Although I taught for 9 years before my girls in a classroom and 3 years as a reading tutor in the schools, this is so so different. And so much more work (in a good, wonderful way) than I remembered.

It is a whirlwind of wonderful, confused, happy, joyful, anxious, all rolled into one.

I go from 4:30 am til 10:30 pm each and every day. I've never been busier but I've never been happier. Really.

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When we got home from Disney I had a short 8 days to set up my classroom before Open House when the families would come to meet me and see the room.

I was trying to remember how to set up a room, what kinds of 'parts' I wanted to have in my room, and it was all so overwhelming.

At that point it didn't feel real. I barely slept, I spent a crazy amount of money for all that my room needed and I enlisted all of the help I could get.

Scott was amazing. Okay, he's still amazing. As an elementary principal he's my 'go to' each and every night for lesson planning, curriculum questions, classroom management, etc. He and I (of course) share the exact same education beliefs and they are STRONG.

Creating a classroom together, helping me plan each night, pulling me off of the floor when I've had too much or am too stressed to think straight has brought us unbelievable close and I am so grateful for THIS new stage of life we are in.

Baby Anna on my hip? Absolutely, I'd go back to that in a heartbeat. Sometimes I beg God for just one day of that. But I can't and I know that. So here I am.

Here are a few snapshots from my phone during those 8 crazy days. We went in a million different directions from store to store, in the classroom for all hours; it was nuts but it was wonderful.

I'll share my 'afters' but here are the 'befores'.

We hung clean, cream fabric for all of the bulletin boards. Then Scott hung yarn so that each student would have their own personal bulletin board. I wish you could see them now!



There were many days that after we spent the whole day in the HOT unairconditioned classroom (and stores) we'd paint all night. Yes, true! We painted bookcases white for a clean, fresh look.



If you've read my blog for more than ten minutes you know that children's literature is 'my thing', so my classroom library was very important to me. I sifted through hundreds of books.



From anywhere I could get my hands on them. All sorted by genre.



We went through every closet, every self. Emptied and sorted every thing!



More clean fabric in the back of the room.



The coat room had ugly shelves so we headed to the fabric store.



And Anna sewed one GIANT curtain.



I have the sweetest tree and picnic tables right outside my classroom door. We had many dinner picnics there in those 8 days.



Bought mason jars and plants, and so so much.



Covered everything ugly with light green fabric.



My little family never left my side.



Freshly painted white and stocked with books my adorable Abigail.



The book sorting went on for DAYS!



We bought area rugs and pillows, lamps and cozy chairs all to make the classroom library a welcoming place to be.



Meanwhile my Dad was in his basement painted a huge moon for me.



And then my Dad met me at school on a Sunday afternoon and hung wooden letters and his amazing moon painting.



Do you see Wendy, Michael, John and 'Peter' (as in Peter Pan) flying over London in the moon? My first read aloud is the unabridged Peter Pan and this is the theme of my classroom "Think of a Wonderful Thought"





We worked every second of the 8 days, hardly sleeping Scott and I. And we did it. Just in time we did it.

Right now my classroom is filled with the energy, happiness and joy of 19 fourth graders. And it is tiring, and so wonderful.

I'll share the 'after' pictures just as soon as I catch my breath.