Welcome to Five Minute Friday. Come write, link, read, and encourage with us. Here.
VIEW.
Go.
For those of you who've met me (or even seen a few pictures with my posts over the months) you'll notice I wear glasses. What you may not know is that they're VERY THICK glasses. My view without them is ... bluury at best. Unless you are standing right.in.my.face. Got me to thinking how two folks can look at the same thing and see very different things, actually. If you hold an open book out in front of me and take my glasses away, I'll see pages. I'll see the edges. (If you hold it close enough anyway). But I won't see the words. I won't see the beauty of the illustrations. I'll just see shadows. Or maybe on a good day, splashes of color. BUT - give me my glasses, and woo-hoo, I am seeing all sorts of amazingness. Lines and outlines. Words and sentences - because my glasses correct the brokenness of my eyes and show me the up close reality of what is there.
That's how I think God views the world. We look, and we see betrayal. Tragedy. Brokenness. Confusion. But He has glasses. Frames of forgiveness, and bifocal lenses even - of grace, and mercy. And when He looks at US, He's wearing His glasses. So He can see with clarity, through grace and mercy, and forgiveness.
I think I'd do well to try on those glasses as well as my own.
Stop.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
Song (Five Minute Friday)
Hello Friday! Hello writers! It's time to stop, drop, and write for 5 minutes on the word of the week. Throw it out there and write with abandon. No editing, no over thinking. Just ready, set, go. Then when you are done, link up over here. Then read a post, or two (or twenty, or keep going) before you, and leave a little encouragement for another brave writer. Have fun, share the love. And then enjoy your weekend.
Ready? Great. Here's my 5 minutes on
SONG
Today my baby ("A") graduated from pre-K. Can't believe she will be in kindergarten in the fall - where does the time go? At the graduation, the class sang us tons of songs. Showing off what they had learned all year, and sharing their delight in the trickiness of tongue twisters and the allure of alliteration.
We had songs for all seasons and beginnings and endings. English and Spanish. But my favorites were the songs for the letters of the alphabet. Oh, yes, we had 26 songs. One for each lovely letter. Some I had heard throughout the spring as "A" clearly loved them and sang them over-and-over-and-over again. A few I'd never heard her sing at all.
I love how excited they were to share these with us.
A is for Alice who met an alligator....
Bubba's best buddy was bingo the bear, bubba was bingo's best friend ...
Can you bake a cake ...
but my favorite of all was "I" (sing to tune of Oh my darling Clementine)
In an igloo, on an island, in a sea of icy water
Lived an inchworm named Ignacius and his itsy bitsy daughter
She was smaller than an inkblot and her name was Isabell.
She didn't need a cradle because she slept in a sea shell.
Glee from all 18 kids in the class as they sang at the top of their lungs. I think that's my favorite way to sing, too - loud and with joy. Not caring if you're 100% on key because that can be work, but this was all fun.
Stop.
PS Proud mama tonight. Here's my little grad:
Ready? Great. Here's my 5 minutes on
SONG
Today my baby ("A") graduated from pre-K. Can't believe she will be in kindergarten in the fall - where does the time go? At the graduation, the class sang us tons of songs. Showing off what they had learned all year, and sharing their delight in the trickiness of tongue twisters and the allure of alliteration.
We had songs for all seasons and beginnings and endings. English and Spanish. But my favorites were the songs for the letters of the alphabet. Oh, yes, we had 26 songs. One for each lovely letter. Some I had heard throughout the spring as "A" clearly loved them and sang them over-and-over-and-over again. A few I'd never heard her sing at all.
I love how excited they were to share these with us.
A is for Alice who met an alligator....
Bubba's best buddy was bingo the bear, bubba was bingo's best friend ...
Can you bake a cake ...
but my favorite of all was "I" (sing to tune of Oh my darling Clementine)
In an igloo, on an island, in a sea of icy water
Lived an inchworm named Ignacius and his itsy bitsy daughter
She was smaller than an inkblot and her name was Isabell.
She didn't need a cradle because she slept in a sea shell.
Glee from all 18 kids in the class as they sang at the top of their lungs. I think that's my favorite way to sing, too - loud and with joy. Not caring if you're 100% on key because that can be work, but this was all fun.
Stop.
PS Proud mama tonight. Here's my little grad:
 |
| of course, wearing her Nationals Zimmerman shirt. Because after all, I am raising Nats fans! |
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Comfort (Five Minute Friday)
It's Five Minute Friday (on Thursday this week, to catch last Friday) and again tomorrow (for the real deal). I'm squeaking in with less than 2 hours until linking deadline. Oh, well. Still made it, and that works for me. I'm not writing for anyone but me, anyway. Which is why I can't bear to skip this week. I've enjoyed taking a few minutes a week to think about something specific outside the collective delightful hodge-podge we call life.
Here's the very simple rules:
1. write for 5 minutes on the prompt. no backtracking, editing, re-working. Just slam it out there.
2. link up here with Lisa-Jo and a few hundred other lovlies.
3. leave the writer before you a little encouragement.
COMFORT.
As a mama, I find myself needing (and wanting) to give comfort to my littles - when they've had a bad day, or a tough argument with each other. When they've got an owie or when I need a little myself. I'm surprised at how different comfort looks for each of them, even at this age, though. (but really, should I be surprised? We were each created to be a little bit different while a little bit the same from everyone else).
S loves to hug my neck and bury her eyes when she needs some extra comfort. She gets hurt emotionally a lot more than she gets hurt physically. She's sensitive and caring, this one. Reminds me a lot of me when I was little. (Who am I kidding. I still get teary eyed at Hallmark commercials for pete's sake. She reminds me a lot of me even now.)
A, though, needs me to kiss the places. To pray over them. "Mama, we need to tell God to make my leg better". And this one, she's a rough and tumble girl. More scrapes than I can count. More shredded legging-knees than I care to remember. She needs to look out at the world, though, even when she needs to be held close. Instead of burying eyes and waiting to feel better before looking forward, she's surveying what her next mission will be, even while she's not healed or recovered from the one that landed her needing a mama kiss to make it OK.
So different, yet still seeking comfort in the same place. Different ways, different needs, but the same comfort from the same mama.
Stop.
Here's the very simple rules:
1. write for 5 minutes on the prompt. no backtracking, editing, re-working. Just slam it out there.
2. link up here with Lisa-Jo and a few hundred other lovlies.
3. leave the writer before you a little encouragement.
COMFORT.
As a mama, I find myself needing (and wanting) to give comfort to my littles - when they've had a bad day, or a tough argument with each other. When they've got an owie or when I need a little myself. I'm surprised at how different comfort looks for each of them, even at this age, though. (but really, should I be surprised? We were each created to be a little bit different while a little bit the same from everyone else).
S loves to hug my neck and bury her eyes when she needs some extra comfort. She gets hurt emotionally a lot more than she gets hurt physically. She's sensitive and caring, this one. Reminds me a lot of me when I was little. (Who am I kidding. I still get teary eyed at Hallmark commercials for pete's sake. She reminds me a lot of me even now.)
A, though, needs me to kiss the places. To pray over them. "Mama, we need to tell God to make my leg better". And this one, she's a rough and tumble girl. More scrapes than I can count. More shredded legging-knees than I care to remember. She needs to look out at the world, though, even when she needs to be held close. Instead of burying eyes and waiting to feel better before looking forward, she's surveying what her next mission will be, even while she's not healed or recovered from the one that landed her needing a mama kiss to make it OK.
So different, yet still seeking comfort in the same place. Different ways, different needs, but the same comfort from the same mama.
Stop.
Friday, May 10, 2013
The Walk (the non 5 minute version)
So. By now, you may have figured out that I walked the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, Washington DC this year. It was my 4th year. If you're unfamiliar with the walk, here's the short version of how it works: you pick a city, you raise $1800 (or more) through the generous gifts from your friends, family, friends-of-friends and even perfect strangers. You get up at a wee hour on a Saturday morning. You walk 26.2 miles. You sleep (you hope!). You awake Sunday and walk 13.1 more miles. That's 39.3 miles in 2 days. After 4 years = I've hoofed 157.2 miles. Not counting the training walks that lead up to the event.
But to me, this walk is about so much more than just the walking. Sure, it's a great way to lose some weight or get in better shape. Those are great bonus items that come out of the experience.
First, the funds raised stay in the local community where the walk is conducted. So the walkers this year raised $4.5 MILLION and it stays here in DC/NoVA/MD (trivia - around here if you see DMV it could either mean the dept of motor vehicles OR DC/MD/VA. so check context). (Click here to see the grants given out this year. They give it out at the closing ceremony, so all the walkers know their immediate impact. Very cool)
Someone asked me why I walk. That's a long story - so feel free to read on. Or just skip to the end for rest of the pictures.
I started with the 2010 walk. Why? Someone told me they didn't think I could do it. (there's nothing quite like indirectly daring a Jersey girl to do something to get her fired up). So I decided I would. I started my training and my fundraising and had a friend join me on the journey. It's not easy, but it's nothing like what the women (and men!) who battle breast cancer face every single day. Those folks are doing brave, hard work. This? This is a 2 day strain. And when you do it with friends, in honor of family, in memory of a loved one, it's an inspirational weekend like nothing I've experienced anywhere else.
Along the way over the years, I have met a lot of AMAZING people.
Year 1: I met a woman - she was 30 years old. Yes, 30. There's a history of breast cancer in her family, so she went to the doctor for a baseline mammogram. That way they'd know what to watch for later. She came home scheduled for a double mastectomy. Remember her age? 30. I walk for her. One of my dearest friends' mother-in-law lost her battle a few years ago, after fighting valiantly for many years. I walk for her. And for her granddaughter that she may know a world with a cure.
Year 2: I met my walker buddy Jessica around mile 6, just before we got to the White House. We walked every single step together this weekend. (more on that below) We're both walking, among other reasons, with the hope that our little girls will never have to walk. My tentmate that year was an Army sergeant. She uses part of her leave every year to walk - in honor of her sister and in memory of her mom. I walk for them.
Year 3: I met my walker buddy Reid around mile 10 in Georgetown. He lost his lovely wife, Ellicia, Dec 31, 2006 after a brave battle. He walks every year in her memory so this year (2013) was walk #7 for him. She left behind a loving husband, 2 darling children and countless other family members and friends. Reid's active duty in the US Army. So he serves us all every day and then spends his free time (he uses leave for this) training and walking every year in Washington. DC was a special city for them and no matter where he's stationed, he returns to DC every year to carry on. I walk for Ellicia, Reid, their kids and millions more just like them. Families still fighting, or families fighting to carry on after a loss.
Year 4: I've added a lot of names to my walking list. My aunt. Elisa - a fellow Vandy alum. You can read her story here. Monica - a friend of a friend. Elissa - a friend of another friend. And Brandie. I met Brandie through twitter - as we were both talking about our walk journey last year. Brandie walks in Chicago. She fights every day. You can read her journey here.
That's a lot of folks - and a lot of links. But that's the thing about breast cancer. Did you know that EVERY 3 minutes someone else is diagnosed? So I walk, for all these folks, and for my girls - so that someday it won't be every 3 minutes. The theme from the walk a few years ago was "Every statistic is someone's best friend". How true that is. We're all connected on this journey to a cure.
This year's phrase: the more of us who walk, the more of us survive. So I set out this year on a gorgeous sunny day in DC. Couldn't have asked for anything better. In light of all the rain we've had since Monday, I am that much more thankful for the sunshiney blessing of the weekend. The walk starts with an opening ceremony.
** back up. The experience starts Friday night at event eve. Where you hand in your last checks (I was at $4092 with the checks as of last Friday but donations are still coming in!!) And you can sign up for next year - I did, I was #206 at 7:30 Friday night - and you can start to get the adrenaline flowing through your veins. The music is rocking, the people are dancing, and the town is painted pink. It's a sight to behold. Which means I didn't get any pictures. HA!**
So Saturday morning (I hotel it Friday night so Dad doesn't have to drive me downtown at 5am. KUDOS to my mom and dad who come and stay with my kids every year - and bonus shout out to my dad who always drops me off and picks me up at the end. You guys are rock stars and I am SO thankful for you!!). Where was I? Oh yes, Saturday morning I walked about 3/4 a mile from my hotel to the start line. (Metro isn't open that early. And I never stay at the event hotel so I can't ride the shuttle. But - you always need a good warm up before the start, right?!) I dropped off my gear and met up with Jessica. I signed the pillar.
Refilled my Gatorade bottle. And then we waited for the event to start. There's always an opening ceremony. (I learned after year 1 to walk with kleenex handy at the beginning). We learned how much money the participants raised ($4.5M!). We met some amazing walkers & crew. There was the 27 year survivor who raised over $102,000 this year. And this was her 10th walk! There was the man who lost his wife, but thanks to clinical trials like the ones supported by the funds we raise, she was able to see their daughter get onto the kindergarten bus before she died. There were more - so many more. Stories of survivors and families and friends. Sisters and brothers. Moms and Grandmas and kids. It's really emotional and completely overwhelming. And we were all there because we're In It to End It. And then we all joined hands - we're all connected in this fight for a cure. And then after we were all sobbing (ok, not all of us, but a LOT of us, me in particular) they played some awesome peppy music and we hit the road. Walking through the city is a great way to see the sights. And early on a sunny morning when the city is still sleeping just made it that much more spectacular. Like this glow on the Jefferson Memorial.
And then the clouds cleared. So by the time we hit the Capitol, it looked like this:
And then we made it to mile 9. Last year, two of Jessica's BFFs walked with us. This year they were our greatest cheerleaders. So at mile 9 (which was actually the same spot on the road -- new route this year -- that Jessica and I met a few years ago, Stacie and Michelle went out to breakfast at a restaurant along the route. They requested a window seat so they could cheer for us. And they got the whole restaurant involved. WOOOT! Here's the sequence of events as we walked by:
And then we walked on. White House? check. Georgetown? Check. NBC Studios? Check. Sock Monkey? Magic bust bus? check, check.
Mile 26 (end day 1)? CHECK! Started around 7am, finished around 5pm.
After I reached the end of day 1's route, I hung out in the wellness village. Dinner was pasta, veggies, salad, bread and BROWNIES. Shower trucks were provided so we could clean up. And then visit the medical tent (treat my one blister) and the massage therapist - hooray for a free massage!. And then it's "camping out for a cure" night. There are tent angels who set up the tents for us. My tentmate this year was a lovely woman named Nancy and this was her first walk. She's walking for her sister. Lights out around 8:30 and we were all tucked in our pink tents. I am not kidding, this is one of my best nights of sleep all year. Love being outside. (As long as all the campers remember to not slam the porta-potty doors in the middle of the night. That's the worst noise EVER. Sunday morning came early, even with the early turn in Saturday. Took down the tent and headed across the field for breakfast: eggs, frenct toast, home fries, fruit, and the best oatmeal I've ever eaten. I look forward to the oatmeal every year. I don't know how they make great oatmeal for 2,000+ people, but I am thankful.
We hit the route at 7:30 and began the journey to the end. Included Embassy Row and a trek by the National Cathedral. (of course no pictures of that this year!). Jessica and I hit some tough miles from 6-9 on Sunday butpowered trudged through it together and then our second (or was it 4th by now) wind kicked in. The last few miles actually went by quickly and before we knew it we were at the end!
Thanks to Jessica for walking alongside me for every single step. And to Stacie and Michelle and the hundreds of others who cheered us on. Thanks to the crew who kept us fed, filled our water bottles tirelessly, and kept the streets safe for our walking. We could not have done it without you.
Thanks most of all, though, to the fighters. The survivors. The men and women who battle this disease every day. May you continue to bravely soldier on. May you ask for help when you need it and may there always be someone there to lend the hand you need. Until the day we see a cure, I am proud to keep walking for you. For the more of us who walk, the more of us survive.
Click here to see the flickr photostream with a ton of photos from the event taken by the camera crew)
PS
A few fun facts about the weekend:
in the 10 miles of the Avon Walk, across all the cities, the walkers have walked more than 5.9 million miles to date. And eaten more than 248,000 graham-cracker-PB&J sandwiches. I account for 157 of these miles and at least 20 of those sandwiches over the past 4 years.
But to me, this walk is about so much more than just the walking. Sure, it's a great way to lose some weight or get in better shape. Those are great bonus items that come out of the experience.
First, the funds raised stay in the local community where the walk is conducted. So the walkers this year raised $4.5 MILLION and it stays here in DC/NoVA/MD (trivia - around here if you see DMV it could either mean the dept of motor vehicles OR DC/MD/VA. so check context). (Click here to see the grants given out this year. They give it out at the closing ceremony, so all the walkers know their immediate impact. Very cool)
Someone asked me why I walk. That's a long story - so feel free to read on. Or just skip to the end for rest of the pictures.
I started with the 2010 walk. Why? Someone told me they didn't think I could do it. (there's nothing quite like indirectly daring a Jersey girl to do something to get her fired up). So I decided I would. I started my training and my fundraising and had a friend join me on the journey. It's not easy, but it's nothing like what the women (and men!) who battle breast cancer face every single day. Those folks are doing brave, hard work. This? This is a 2 day strain. And when you do it with friends, in honor of family, in memory of a loved one, it's an inspirational weekend like nothing I've experienced anywhere else.
Along the way over the years, I have met a lot of AMAZING people.
Year 1: I met a woman - she was 30 years old. Yes, 30. There's a history of breast cancer in her family, so she went to the doctor for a baseline mammogram. That way they'd know what to watch for later. She came home scheduled for a double mastectomy. Remember her age? 30. I walk for her. One of my dearest friends' mother-in-law lost her battle a few years ago, after fighting valiantly for many years. I walk for her. And for her granddaughter that she may know a world with a cure.
Year 2: I met my walker buddy Jessica around mile 6, just before we got to the White House. We walked every single step together this weekend. (more on that below) We're both walking, among other reasons, with the hope that our little girls will never have to walk. My tentmate that year was an Army sergeant. She uses part of her leave every year to walk - in honor of her sister and in memory of her mom. I walk for them.
Year 3: I met my walker buddy Reid around mile 10 in Georgetown. He lost his lovely wife, Ellicia, Dec 31, 2006 after a brave battle. He walks every year in her memory so this year (2013) was walk #7 for him. She left behind a loving husband, 2 darling children and countless other family members and friends. Reid's active duty in the US Army. So he serves us all every day and then spends his free time (he uses leave for this) training and walking every year in Washington. DC was a special city for them and no matter where he's stationed, he returns to DC every year to carry on. I walk for Ellicia, Reid, their kids and millions more just like them. Families still fighting, or families fighting to carry on after a loss.
Year 4: I've added a lot of names to my walking list. My aunt. Elisa - a fellow Vandy alum. You can read her story here. Monica - a friend of a friend. Elissa - a friend of another friend. And Brandie. I met Brandie through twitter - as we were both talking about our walk journey last year. Brandie walks in Chicago. She fights every day. You can read her journey here.
That's a lot of folks - and a lot of links. But that's the thing about breast cancer. Did you know that EVERY 3 minutes someone else is diagnosed? So I walk, for all these folks, and for my girls - so that someday it won't be every 3 minutes. The theme from the walk a few years ago was "Every statistic is someone's best friend". How true that is. We're all connected on this journey to a cure.
This year's phrase: the more of us who walk, the more of us survive. So I set out this year on a gorgeous sunny day in DC. Couldn't have asked for anything better. In light of all the rain we've had since Monday, I am that much more thankful for the sunshiney blessing of the weekend. The walk starts with an opening ceremony.
** back up. The experience starts Friday night at event eve. Where you hand in your last checks (I was at $4092 with the checks as of last Friday but donations are still coming in!!) And you can sign up for next year - I did, I was #206 at 7:30 Friday night - and you can start to get the adrenaline flowing through your veins. The music is rocking, the people are dancing, and the town is painted pink. It's a sight to behold. Which means I didn't get any pictures. HA!**
So Saturday morning (I hotel it Friday night so Dad doesn't have to drive me downtown at 5am. KUDOS to my mom and dad who come and stay with my kids every year - and bonus shout out to my dad who always drops me off and picks me up at the end. You guys are rock stars and I am SO thankful for you!!). Where was I? Oh yes, Saturday morning I walked about 3/4 a mile from my hotel to the start line. (Metro isn't open that early. And I never stay at the event hotel so I can't ride the shuttle. But - you always need a good warm up before the start, right?!) I dropped off my gear and met up with Jessica. I signed the pillar.
 |
| Washington DC Pillar at the start line |
And then we made it to mile 9. Last year, two of Jessica's BFFs walked with us. This year they were our greatest cheerleaders. So at mile 9 (which was actually the same spot on the road -- new route this year -- that Jessica and I met a few years ago, Stacie and Michelle went out to breakfast at a restaurant along the route. They requested a window seat so they could cheer for us. And they got the whole restaurant involved. WOOOT! Here's the sequence of events as we walked by:
 |
| we hear the banging on the windows |
 |
| we run up to the window like hooligans (action shot) |
 |
| cue awesome pose of happy walkers |
After I reached the end of day 1's route, I hung out in the wellness village. Dinner was pasta, veggies, salad, bread and BROWNIES. Shower trucks were provided so we could clean up. And then visit the medical tent (treat my one blister) and the massage therapist - hooray for a free massage!. And then it's "camping out for a cure" night. There are tent angels who set up the tents for us. My tentmate this year was a lovely woman named Nancy and this was her first walk. She's walking for her sister. Lights out around 8:30 and we were all tucked in our pink tents. I am not kidding, this is one of my best nights of sleep all year. Love being outside. (As long as all the campers remember to not slam the porta-potty doors in the middle of the night. That's the worst noise EVER. Sunday morning came early, even with the early turn in Saturday. Took down the tent and headed across the field for breakfast: eggs, frenct toast, home fries, fruit, and the best oatmeal I've ever eaten. I look forward to the oatmeal every year. I don't know how they make great oatmeal for 2,000+ people, but I am thankful.
We hit the route at 7:30 and began the journey to the end. Included Embassy Row and a trek by the National Cathedral. (of course no pictures of that this year!). Jessica and I hit some tough miles from 6-9 on Sunday but
Thanks to Jessica for walking alongside me for every single step. And to Stacie and Michelle and the hundreds of others who cheered us on. Thanks to the crew who kept us fed, filled our water bottles tirelessly, and kept the streets safe for our walking. We could not have done it without you.
Thanks most of all, though, to the fighters. The survivors. The men and women who battle this disease every day. May you continue to bravely soldier on. May you ask for help when you need it and may there always be someone there to lend the hand you need. Until the day we see a cure, I am proud to keep walking for you. For the more of us who walk, the more of us survive.
Click here to see the flickr photostream with a ton of photos from the event taken by the camera crew)
PS
A few fun facts about the weekend:
in the 10 miles of the Avon Walk, across all the cities, the walkers have walked more than 5.9 million miles to date. And eaten more than 248,000 graham-cracker-PB&J sandwiches. I account for 157 of these miles and at least 20 of those sandwiches over the past 4 years.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Brave (Five Minute Friday)
It's (not) Friday. The word this week was BRAVE. And Friday I was on the road to meet some really, really brave folks. So I hope you'll forgive the late post - as this fit the word better than anything else would have this week anyway. Welcome to the *late* edition of Five Minute Friday. Where we stop, write, and post without editing, overthinking, backtracking or any of that. Just raw writing. And there is always grace with this writing. So even if it isn't Friday, give us 5 minutes, write a post, link up over here, and then leave a little encouragement to the brave writing soul who linked up before you.
Now, for my non-Friday Friday post - 5 minutes on:
BRAVE
This weekend I walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. 39 miles, 2 days. Full of inspiring people, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children. All walking for - or with - someone they knew, or wish they'd had a chance to know. Lots of stories, lots of personal journeys.
But the bravest walkers of all - and the bravest non-walkers for that matter - for some of them crew, and some of them just cheer and some of them are present in spirit only - are the survivors. The men and women who battle breast cancer day-in and day-out. The ones who fight to get up in the morning. The ones who battle chemo, and radiation. Reconstruction and side effects. Drugs and sickness. Tests and more tests. These souls who see the worst the disease can throw at them and fight back despite the longest odds.
These brave souls are why I walk. With hope that one day we'll be able to say we've beat it forever. I walk as they fight - to help them fight another day, or to help them have a home cooked meal along the way. To support a clinical trial that buys them a few more years - so they can see their baby grow up, or at least go to school. So they can live to walk with us. I met one lady walking this weekend - she is 27 year survivor. THAT is brave. For her, and all the others who have gone before, and who are yet to come: YOU are brave, and I am proud to fight for you and your loved ones - to give you another day in which to show us all your courage.
Stop.
*Note, another post all about the walk will be coming later.
Now, for my non-Friday Friday post - 5 minutes on:
BRAVE
This weekend I walked in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. 39 miles, 2 days. Full of inspiring people, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children. All walking for - or with - someone they knew, or wish they'd had a chance to know. Lots of stories, lots of personal journeys.
But the bravest walkers of all - and the bravest non-walkers for that matter - for some of them crew, and some of them just cheer and some of them are present in spirit only - are the survivors. The men and women who battle breast cancer day-in and day-out. The ones who fight to get up in the morning. The ones who battle chemo, and radiation. Reconstruction and side effects. Drugs and sickness. Tests and more tests. These souls who see the worst the disease can throw at them and fight back despite the longest odds.
These brave souls are why I walk. With hope that one day we'll be able to say we've beat it forever. I walk as they fight - to help them fight another day, or to help them have a home cooked meal along the way. To support a clinical trial that buys them a few more years - so they can see their baby grow up, or at least go to school. So they can live to walk with us. I met one lady walking this weekend - she is 27 year survivor. THAT is brave. For her, and all the others who have gone before, and who are yet to come: YOU are brave, and I am proud to fight for you and your loved ones - to give you another day in which to show us all your courage.
Stop.
*Note, another post all about the walk will be coming later.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Teaching Appreciation
It's coming up on teacher appreciation week. And it's true, I don't think I do enough to show my kids' teachers how amazing they are. Working on that. Jen Hatmaker does a bang-up job of putting this in words. If you haven't read it, you should take a gander over there.
One of the things I value about S's teacher this year is that she's teaching the students to appreciate each other. I am especially thankful for this, as S was "the new kid" after Christmas break - our move caused her to switch elementary schools. Here's how the program works:
Every week, there is a "Star of the Week" in class. The poster comes home (BLANK) with the next week's star kid on Monday. The student fills it out (this is S's). I'll put her responses in parentheses. It contains stuff like how old you are (8), how you get to school (walking), who's in your family (mom, A, Whiskers & TicTac), what do you want to be when you grow up (art teacher).
It asks for your favorite color (purple), animal (cat), sport (baseball), school subject (math & music), food (chicken poppyseed). Basic stuff.
Then it gets a little more fun / insightful. How are you a star? (I help my friends when I can). I show others I care by ____ (playing with them when they are alone). And then you write 3 super-cool facts about yourself. (I was entertained listening to S debate for many hours which 3 facts to choose. We had a long list. Here are the winners:
1. I went to Tennessee by car.
2. In Australia there is a city named the same as me.
3. I want to know more about King Tut.)
Then you color it in, add a picture (or 4... ha ha) of whatever zings you. Bring it back to school Friday morning.
On Friday after lunch, you present your poster to the class. And then for the Friday writing assignment, EACH student makes you a page to put in your "Star of the Week Book". They all write something they learned, or something they have in common with you, or something they appreciate about you. And they draw a picture. And the teacher assembles it into a little book (the star draws the cover for their book while the class is making the pages). And your star gets to bring home a treasure of memories about what her classmates value about her.
Here are some of my favorite things from some of S's pages (I left the spelling errors and excessive exclamation points in tact as that is part of the fun of 2nd grade)
* I love the Natinols too!!!
* I play baseball. You are cooooooooolll!
* I like purple too (this friend drew her a purple star with her name in it)
* I like the way you smile.
* You went to the Nationals first game that's awesome! (with a lovely drawing of S & A and 2 purple cats)
* Your a great friend
* WE DONE AWESOME ON ARE SHOW!!! (reference to 2nd grade concert / assembly which was a couple of weeks ago)
* Did you find Nemo and Dory in Sydney?
* You are a very nice friend. I bet your a great big sister!
* You rock Sydney
* Your cats have good names
and my absolute favorite
*You have an amasing laugh
So, here's a huge shout out to S's 2nd grade teacher ... my superstar of the week this week ... who is taking the time to have her students learn to appreciate each other. We would all do well to take time to share with our friends, our colleagues, our community what it is about them we value or appreciate.
One of the things I value about S's teacher this year is that she's teaching the students to appreciate each other. I am especially thankful for this, as S was "the new kid" after Christmas break - our move caused her to switch elementary schools. Here's how the program works:
 |
| S's Star of the Week poster |
It asks for your favorite color (purple), animal (cat), sport (baseball), school subject (math & music), food (chicken poppyseed). Basic stuff.
Then it gets a little more fun / insightful. How are you a star? (I help my friends when I can). I show others I care by ____ (playing with them when they are alone). And then you write 3 super-cool facts about yourself. (I was entertained listening to S debate for many hours which 3 facts to choose. We had a long list. Here are the winners:
1. I went to Tennessee by car.
2. In Australia there is a city named the same as me.
3. I want to know more about King Tut.)
Then you color it in, add a picture (or 4... ha ha) of whatever zings you. Bring it back to school Friday morning.
On Friday after lunch, you present your poster to the class. And then for the Friday writing assignment, EACH student makes you a page to put in your "Star of the Week Book". They all write something they learned, or something they have in common with you, or something they appreciate about you. And they draw a picture. And the teacher assembles it into a little book (the star draws the cover for their book while the class is making the pages). And your star gets to bring home a treasure of memories about what her classmates value about her.
Here are some of my favorite things from some of S's pages (I left the spelling errors and excessive exclamation points in tact as that is part of the fun of 2nd grade)
* I love the Natinols too!!!
* I play baseball. You are cooooooooolll!
* I like purple too (this friend drew her a purple star with her name in it)
* I like the way you smile.
* You went to the Nationals first game that's awesome! (with a lovely drawing of S & A and 2 purple cats)
* Your a great friend
* WE DONE AWESOME ON ARE SHOW!!! (reference to 2nd grade concert / assembly which was a couple of weeks ago)
* Did you find Nemo and Dory in Sydney?
* You are a very nice friend. I bet your a great big sister!
* You rock Sydney
* Your cats have good names
and my absolute favorite
*You have an amasing laugh
So, here's a huge shout out to S's 2nd grade teacher ... my superstar of the week this week ... who is taking the time to have her students learn to appreciate each other. We would all do well to take time to share with our friends, our colleagues, our community what it is about them we value or appreciate.
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