Tonight I'm a happy grandma. I got to spend the day with my little granddaughter and it was a delightful day. She's just so sweet and funny! Yes.. there was a lot of laughter in my house today. A lot of joy as well. That little girl brings out the best in everyone. I love her so much!
I'm going to go to bed now and wait for Mark to get home from his gig. Tomorrow is another fun filled day with my baby girl. I'm thinking the park and some shopping. Whatever we do, it's going to be fun and I'm looking forward to watching her learn and grow. She's so smart! Love... so much love. <3 p="">
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah....
What a fun and energetic night it was at Red Rocks Amphitheater! Mark and I were dancing and singing and having a grand ole time. The Beatles Tribute Band, 1964 was so amazing. They really captured the music, the look, and the excitement. Now.. to be honest, there wasn't the ridiculous screaming that went on in the 60's, but there was a lot of happy people re-living their earlier lives when the Beatles made their mark in history.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
And we're off.....
Two days into this new school year and I'm feeling hopeful, excited, and energized. This school is proving to be exactly what I thought it would be. I'm happy to say that I feel very much a part of this school already. The staff has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome and that I'm a vital part of them.
Tomorrow is our Open House. I'll be meeting my families and my students. I'm so looking forward to this because after all... there wouldn't be school if it weren't for them
My wish for everyone is that they are able to spend their days feeling useful and valued. There is nothing that feels better. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you feel valued for it and appreciated.
This is a good lesson for marriage as well. I make a point to tell my husband every day that I appreciate the way he loves me and supports everything I do. He really is an amazing person. He's great about letting me know too that he loves and supports me.
So.. off to bed.. with hopes for a wonderful tomorrow.
Tomorrow is our Open House. I'll be meeting my families and my students. I'm so looking forward to this because after all... there wouldn't be school if it weren't for them
My wish for everyone is that they are able to spend their days feeling useful and valued. There is nothing that feels better. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you feel valued for it and appreciated.
This is a good lesson for marriage as well. I make a point to tell my husband every day that I appreciate the way he loves me and supports everything I do. He really is an amazing person. He's great about letting me know too that he loves and supports me.
So.. off to bed.. with hopes for a wonderful tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
New School, New Room, New Beginning
This year marks my 15th year of teaching. Seems strange that 14 years have passed. I've loved almost ever minute of my time as a teacher. I've laughed, cried, yelled, and almost had a nervous breakdown. But what I have experienced the most is joy. Children are amazing people to spend your days with. They tell it like it is. They make my laugh. They make me crazy. They make me feel great about myself and then a second later as bad as I've ever felt.
A teacher has a lot of power. Power to lift up and power to stomp down. I wish I could say that I've always chosen my words wisely and have never hurt a child with my words. The truth is that I've hurt numerous children with angry words that I spewed in moments of frustration. Those words were always immediately followed by an apology, but they were out there and they had hit their target. Damage had been done. My goal every year is to NOT let that happen. But fatigue, stress, and frustration have their way of creeping in and before I know it, I'm in a precarious position where hurtful words are positioning themselves to spring from my mouth. Keeping them in and taking a breath and counting to ten is essential. Once in a while I'm successful and I keep them at bay. Once in a while... not so much.
So now, I'm beginning a new chapter in my teaching career. A new school and a new beginning. I'm excited about this coming school year. Something that had been lacking last year. I realized that as my 14th year of teaching progressed, I wasn't experiencing as much joy and satisfaction. I was dreading going to school. I realized I was not feeling like a very good teacher. My principal was someone who was always looking forward and asking that question.. "How could you make things better?" Of course this is a good question, because things could always be better, but before that question, maybe there should be some praise for what's going well. There were many things going well in my classroom. My student's performed remarkably well on their state test, 93% proficient or advanced. I also had a lot of love and joy in my classroom which is the most important thing as far as I'm concerned.
I decided in the middle of last school year to apply for a new position if the right one came to me. And, low and behold, this third grade teaching position opened up and Longmont Estates Elementary. This school has students that fall into the full range of the socio-economic scale. I spent the first 12 years of my career working with kids of poverty and the last 2 working with kids from very affluent homes. Now, I'm ready to work with that elusive group of kids from the middle class. I was surprised at how many teachers applied for this position. I had a LOT of amazing competition. When she called and offered me the position, I felt very honored. I know the pool of candidates she had to choose from and the fact that she chose me, really made me feel that I still have what it takes to be an effective, loving, and fun teacher.
So.. here we go. Another new school. Another new class. Another new staff. I'm ready and excited to get this year off the ground.... and hope for a "safe landing" at the end of the ride. A landing that will make me want to spend as many years taking off and landing at this school. I'm ready to stay there until I retire if that is what's in the cards for me.
A teacher has a lot of power. Power to lift up and power to stomp down. I wish I could say that I've always chosen my words wisely and have never hurt a child with my words. The truth is that I've hurt numerous children with angry words that I spewed in moments of frustration. Those words were always immediately followed by an apology, but they were out there and they had hit their target. Damage had been done. My goal every year is to NOT let that happen. But fatigue, stress, and frustration have their way of creeping in and before I know it, I'm in a precarious position where hurtful words are positioning themselves to spring from my mouth. Keeping them in and taking a breath and counting to ten is essential. Once in a while I'm successful and I keep them at bay. Once in a while... not so much.
So now, I'm beginning a new chapter in my teaching career. A new school and a new beginning. I'm excited about this coming school year. Something that had been lacking last year. I realized that as my 14th year of teaching progressed, I wasn't experiencing as much joy and satisfaction. I was dreading going to school. I realized I was not feeling like a very good teacher. My principal was someone who was always looking forward and asking that question.. "How could you make things better?" Of course this is a good question, because things could always be better, but before that question, maybe there should be some praise for what's going well. There were many things going well in my classroom. My student's performed remarkably well on their state test, 93% proficient or advanced. I also had a lot of love and joy in my classroom which is the most important thing as far as I'm concerned.
I decided in the middle of last school year to apply for a new position if the right one came to me. And, low and behold, this third grade teaching position opened up and Longmont Estates Elementary. This school has students that fall into the full range of the socio-economic scale. I spent the first 12 years of my career working with kids of poverty and the last 2 working with kids from very affluent homes. Now, I'm ready to work with that elusive group of kids from the middle class. I was surprised at how many teachers applied for this position. I had a LOT of amazing competition. When she called and offered me the position, I felt very honored. I know the pool of candidates she had to choose from and the fact that she chose me, really made me feel that I still have what it takes to be an effective, loving, and fun teacher.
So.. here we go. Another new school. Another new class. Another new staff. I'm ready and excited to get this year off the ground.... and hope for a "safe landing" at the end of the ride. A landing that will make me want to spend as many years taking off and landing at this school. I'm ready to stay there until I retire if that is what's in the cards for me.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Brit Floyd, a Pink Floyd Tribute Band at Red Rocks Amphitheater
Such a great night last night with Mark at Red Rocks. An evening under the stars with an amazing psychedelic light show along with some of the most amazing guitar solos I've ever heard. It was magical in so many ways. It was Mark's first time at Red Rocks and my first time of really understanding and appreciating Pink Floyd's music. It was so powerful. The visuals were stunning. The music was beautiful and disturbing all at the same time. Many people over the years have asked me if I liked Pink Floyd and my answer was always that I never really listened to them. Of course I know, Money and Another Brick in the Wall... who doesn't? I even asked my 75 year old mother and she knows those two songs. But, as far as Shine on You Crazy Diamond and Mother.. Who knew? I was amazed that such beautiful melodic tones could exist in a Rock and Roll format.
So.. in my defense, when Dark Side of the Moon came out, I was 11 years old. I don't know many 11 year olds who can appreciate the lyrics of these songs, or the 17 minute running time of the songs. I was listening to Donny Osmond and David Cassidy at that time. Not too deep.. but OMG!!! They were so cute. :) Now, I'm madly in love with a guitar player.. a guitar enthusiast.. and I'm beginning to appreciate the soul of those 10 minute guitar solos. I'm beginning to understand that being a guitar player isn't just about playing the notes. It's a physical expression of your heart and soul. When Mark plays, I am mesmerized by him as I watch his beautiful hands move around on the strings of his Strat, or Gretsch or whichever of his 15 guitars he's bringing to life at the moment. I fall in love with him just a little bit more with each note. I am moved to tears at times. I watched him be moved to tears last night as Darlington, the musical director and lead guitar player for Brit Floyd, played the solo to Comfortably Numb
Now I can say that I am a tentative Pink Floyd fan. I don't believe I will ever understand it the way Mark does, but I can at least I have an appreciation for it. What I can say for sure is that I love experiencing new things with my husband. I love the way his eyes light up when he looks at me and says things like, "I'm more in love with you today than yesterday!" and I believe him when he says it, because each day of my new life brings the same revelation... I'm more in love with him than I was yesterday.
Life really does take amazing twists and turns. There are times in one's life where sadness, loneliness, and fear prevail, but if you persevere and make the best of each situation as it arises, you will be rewarded with times of extreme happiness, love and peace. Right now, I'm in the best place I've ever been and I'm living in each moment of it to the best of my ability. I have a partner in this life, a true partner in every sense of the word and I plan on appreciating him in every way I know how.
Thanks Pink Floyd for giving me a second chance at your music. 40 years and a lot of life's ups and downs have allowed me to understand you and appreciate what you were saying with your hauntingly beautiful music.
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