Whew... gonna just squeak in under the deadline tonight.
Some days, it is really, really fun to be a messenger. When you can bring someone good news - especially in celebrating a personal achievement or in winning a remarkable honor, those are the best days of being a messenger.
Some days, it is really, really dreadful to be a messenger. If you have to bring sad news or tough news, that's not fun. I used to be an Army wife. And there was one messenger I never wanted to see. The one who bears the news of your soldier not coming home. I am thankful that in my years, that messenger didn't have to come to my door. But I have friends where that messenger arrived. We all pray for those spouses, those moms, those loved ones who's family will never be the same.
But ... do we ever stop and pray for that messenger? The person charged with bringing the toughest news a family will ever hear? I don't know that I have. But I really should. I can't even imaging being that messenger. They face down a really hard mission every time that they do that, and I'm making it one of my missions this year - to pause and pray over those messengers. To give them strength and compassion. To help them make the initial news easier to bear for the families. And to thank them from afar, for always bringing the news with grace.
Stop.
Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the gang over at Five Minute Friday ...
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
The Last Day of Third Grade
A letter to my oldest daughter's third grade teacher.
Dear Mrs. P,
Thank you for this amazing year. I was nervous, I must confess. Every single day of last summer, S asked me "Mama, did the teacher letters come yet? Did I get Mrs. P? I HAVE to get Mrs. P. She is the best." And all summer long, I prayed for her to get the teacher that would make 3rd grade work. 2nd grade was hard - we transitioned to a new home, a new school, a new teacher all in the middle of the year. I desperately needed 3rd grade to work, and to work well, for her. She's a sensitive girl, my now 9 year old, and I know after this year, you are all too aware of her nature.
I was afraid that if she DID get you as a teacher, you'd never be able to live up to her expectations. Not because you are not a fabulous teacher - I know first hand that you are. Rather, she had you on such a pedestal, that I thought she would be disappointed - that 3rd grade would never be what she dreamed it could be with you. And I was afraid that if she DIDN'T have you, she'd hate 3rd grade from day 1 and it would be a long, ugly year. Not a great option either way, really.
Sitting here this morning, I am delighted to say all my fears were unfounded. Every last one of them. Not only did you live up to everything she had imagined, you far exceeded all those expectations that she held. You helped her to have a fantastic year in 3rd grade.
You encouraged her when she was unsure of her ability in certain subject areas. (Math, anyone?!) And you convinced me to let you push her harder than I thought she should be pushed - that you could get her to love math. To stop hating math homework. To look forward to it, and to believe in her innermost heart that she WAS good at math if only she'd stick with you. Thank you for that conversation we had last fall. Thank you for telling me there would be a few ugly days but you could see the light at the end of the tunnel. You were right! Most days now, she is sitting down for math homework without a fight or a grumpy word. She is excited to tell me when she's done well; when she's mastered a concept. And she can whip out those multiplication tables like she's known them forever. Thank you for seeing the potential there - for making sure that we kept her in the accelerated class and for being willing to watch it so closely. For knowing the fine line between too hard and not enough, and for walking it every day. Thank you for helping her believe in herself.
Thank you for knowing just how to handle her emotions that sit so close to the surface. For hugging her when she was sad. For seeing when she needed that. Thank you for helping to develop her confidence to speak in front of people. I have never seen her excited to present a poster in front of her class before, until you. Thank you for encouraging friendships. She has come a long way since her quiet, tentative shy moments at the beginning of the year. Thank you for teaching her to be kind. Thank you for encouraging her to show compassion and for teaching her to work through issues with her words. Thank you for fostering her curiosity and for stretching her imagination.
Thank you for teaching her, for loving her, and for making third grade everything she needed, even when I didn't know what that was.
Love,
One very grateful mom
Dear Mrs. P,
Thank you for this amazing year. I was nervous, I must confess. Every single day of last summer, S asked me "Mama, did the teacher letters come yet? Did I get Mrs. P? I HAVE to get Mrs. P. She is the best." And all summer long, I prayed for her to get the teacher that would make 3rd grade work. 2nd grade was hard - we transitioned to a new home, a new school, a new teacher all in the middle of the year. I desperately needed 3rd grade to work, and to work well, for her. She's a sensitive girl, my now 9 year old, and I know after this year, you are all too aware of her nature.
I was afraid that if she DID get you as a teacher, you'd never be able to live up to her expectations. Not because you are not a fabulous teacher - I know first hand that you are. Rather, she had you on such a pedestal, that I thought she would be disappointed - that 3rd grade would never be what she dreamed it could be with you. And I was afraid that if she DIDN'T have you, she'd hate 3rd grade from day 1 and it would be a long, ugly year. Not a great option either way, really.
Sitting here this morning, I am delighted to say all my fears were unfounded. Every last one of them. Not only did you live up to everything she had imagined, you far exceeded all those expectations that she held. You helped her to have a fantastic year in 3rd grade.
You encouraged her when she was unsure of her ability in certain subject areas. (Math, anyone?!) And you convinced me to let you push her harder than I thought she should be pushed - that you could get her to love math. To stop hating math homework. To look forward to it, and to believe in her innermost heart that she WAS good at math if only she'd stick with you. Thank you for that conversation we had last fall. Thank you for telling me there would be a few ugly days but you could see the light at the end of the tunnel. You were right! Most days now, she is sitting down for math homework without a fight or a grumpy word. She is excited to tell me when she's done well; when she's mastered a concept. And she can whip out those multiplication tables like she's known them forever. Thank you for seeing the potential there - for making sure that we kept her in the accelerated class and for being willing to watch it so closely. For knowing the fine line between too hard and not enough, and for walking it every day. Thank you for helping her believe in herself.
Thank you for knowing just how to handle her emotions that sit so close to the surface. For hugging her when she was sad. For seeing when she needed that. Thank you for helping to develop her confidence to speak in front of people. I have never seen her excited to present a poster in front of her class before, until you. Thank you for encouraging friendships. She has come a long way since her quiet, tentative shy moments at the beginning of the year. Thank you for teaching her to be kind. Thank you for encouraging her to show compassion and for teaching her to work through issues with her words. Thank you for fostering her curiosity and for stretching her imagination.
Thank you for teaching her, for loving her, and for making third grade everything she needed, even when I didn't know what that was.
Love,
One very grateful mom
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Hands (Five Minute Friday)
A letter to my children - about the importance of hands.
Dear S & A,
As you grow, your hands will grow and change. They're your own, you know. God made them especially for you. Hands do a lot of things, and while you don't likely know it now, they trigger memories. Lots and lots of memories.
So when you are older, like me, I hope you have many good memories - and many great characteristics tied together by the hands of our family.
May your hands teach like your Dadada's. May they show hospitality like your Mamama's. May they have integrity like your Grampy's handshake. May they be encouraging like your Nana's. May they tickle and tease in love like your Uncle Jeff's. May they be strong like your Daddy's and kind like your LiLi's. May they bring giggles like your little brother's.
May they show grace and forgiveness like I pray you have seen in mine. And may they always reach out in love, like Jesus.
Love,
Mommy
------------------
Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the lovely writers of Five Minute Friday. Come join us, won't you?
Find the prompt. Write for 5 minutes - no edits, backtracks, typos welcome. Then link up, and then leave a little encouragement for the one who linked before you. That's the heart of our Five Minute Friday community.
Dear S & A,
As you grow, your hands will grow and change. They're your own, you know. God made them especially for you. Hands do a lot of things, and while you don't likely know it now, they trigger memories. Lots and lots of memories.
So when you are older, like me, I hope you have many good memories - and many great characteristics tied together by the hands of our family.
May your hands teach like your Dadada's. May they show hospitality like your Mamama's. May they have integrity like your Grampy's handshake. May they be encouraging like your Nana's. May they tickle and tease in love like your Uncle Jeff's. May they be strong like your Daddy's and kind like your LiLi's. May they bring giggles like your little brother's.
May they show grace and forgiveness like I pray you have seen in mine. And may they always reach out in love, like Jesus.
Love,
Mommy
------------------
Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the lovely writers of Five Minute Friday. Come join us, won't you?
Find the prompt. Write for 5 minutes - no edits, backtracks, typos welcome. Then link up, and then leave a little encouragement for the one who linked before you. That's the heart of our Five Minute Friday community.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Nothing (Five Minute Friday)
I didn't really have anything to write about this week - ironic for the word "nothing". And then I read my friend Matt's post about the game we were at on Sunday. We saw Yu Darvish throw an Eephus pitch to Adam Laroche. It's one of the craziest pitches to watch. And the batter thinks so, too, as he usually stands there looking a bit dumbfounded.
What does that have to do with the word nothing? Well, I decided to find out where the name "Eephus" came from. Turned to my old pal Google, who sent me right to our favorite information source: Wikipedia. Baseball folklore at it's finest in there. While nothing is for sure with these things, the word may have come from the Hebrew word of the same pronunciation (EFF-ess) which means "nothing." I don't know how to type Hebrew characters on here. Go read the wiki link.
So, my five minutes this week was spent in study and learning something new and fun. Since my girls were with me at the game, I could show them the replay and talk about it with them. Now we have 3 Nats fans that know a little bit more about nothing.
----
Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the Five Minute Friday crew, including the #FMFparty gang on Twitter.
What does that have to do with the word nothing? Well, I decided to find out where the name "Eephus" came from. Turned to my old pal Google, who sent me right to our favorite information source: Wikipedia. Baseball folklore at it's finest in there. While nothing is for sure with these things, the word may have come from the Hebrew word of the same pronunciation (EFF-ess) which means "nothing." I don't know how to type Hebrew characters on here. Go read the wiki link.
So, my five minutes this week was spent in study and learning something new and fun. Since my girls were with me at the game, I could show them the replay and talk about it with them. Now we have 3 Nats fans that know a little bit more about nothing.
----
Linking up with Lisa-Jo and the Five Minute Friday crew, including the #FMFparty gang on Twitter.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Close (Five Minute Friday)
I was away last weekend, on a road trip with some super fun friends. And then I came back and it was a whirlwind week as we are in the home stretch for this school year. Come on summer!
So it's another Thursday and I had nothing on my mind all week related to the prompt. Close. I didn't even know if I was reading it close - as in near, or close - as in shut the door.
And then in the final minutes of the link being open, the final 2 hours, I am making time.
Go.
While I was away this weekend, my kiddos missed me more than they usually do. They hugged me extra tight when they got home from their dad's house. And held on extra long when I tucked them in for bed. I don't know if it is a phase they're going through, or normal growing pains that come with split families or what.Not that I ever object to extra snuggles from my girls!!
Every morning this week, my 9 year old has asked me to snuggle with her in bed. "Mama, can you come in a few minutes before normal wake up, just to hold me close?" I can't turn her down. I know all too well that in a few short years she'll be all grown up. She won't want to cuddle with mom in the morning before school. I pray she'll always at least want to hug me, but I don't think she'll want every one of these morning cuddle sessions by the time she's 16.
So I will cherish the time now, while she's asking for extra time for mom to hold her close. And praying every single minute that it helps form our relationship solid enough that when she's grown, she'll want to come back and have a little extra mom time. That the physical closeness we create now will bind us together and she'll be as close, or closer, as I am with my mom. Sharing all our thoughts as friends when we're grown, and with great memories of when she was my little girl.
Stop.
PS .. one other perspective on close. I posted 2 weeks ago, on our GRATEFUL day, about our campaign in May to help raise awareness about NF. The generosity of friends and strangers has exceeded all expectations and we are so thankful. And as the month of May draws to a close, we are so close to $30,000! If you'd like to be a part, it's not too late. Just click this hyperlink. And it is never too late to spread the word. Because even though the fundraising campaign will come to an end, NF is still here. My friend Ethan is facing some extra tough challenges this summer with another surgery pending in August. So, if you would, pause and lift him, his family, and his doctors before The Lord today. And whenever you see #EndNF come across your timeline. And whenever it pops into your head. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Also Linking to Five Minute Friday.
So it's another Thursday and I had nothing on my mind all week related to the prompt. Close. I didn't even know if I was reading it close - as in near, or close - as in shut the door.
And then in the final minutes of the link being open, the final 2 hours, I am making time.
Go.
While I was away this weekend, my kiddos missed me more than they usually do. They hugged me extra tight when they got home from their dad's house. And held on extra long when I tucked them in for bed. I don't know if it is a phase they're going through, or normal growing pains that come with split families or what.Not that I ever object to extra snuggles from my girls!!
Every morning this week, my 9 year old has asked me to snuggle with her in bed. "Mama, can you come in a few minutes before normal wake up, just to hold me close?" I can't turn her down. I know all too well that in a few short years she'll be all grown up. She won't want to cuddle with mom in the morning before school. I pray she'll always at least want to hug me, but I don't think she'll want every one of these morning cuddle sessions by the time she's 16.
So I will cherish the time now, while she's asking for extra time for mom to hold her close. And praying every single minute that it helps form our relationship solid enough that when she's grown, she'll want to come back and have a little extra mom time. That the physical closeness we create now will bind us together and she'll be as close, or closer, as I am with my mom. Sharing all our thoughts as friends when we're grown, and with great memories of when she was my little girl.
Stop.
PS .. one other perspective on close. I posted 2 weeks ago, on our GRATEFUL day, about our campaign in May to help raise awareness about NF. The generosity of friends and strangers has exceeded all expectations and we are so thankful. And as the month of May draws to a close, we are so close to $30,000! If you'd like to be a part, it's not too late. Just click this hyperlink. And it is never too late to spread the word. Because even though the fundraising campaign will come to an end, NF is still here. My friend Ethan is facing some extra tough challenges this summer with another surgery pending in August. So, if you would, pause and lift him, his family, and his doctors before The Lord today. And whenever you see #EndNF come across your timeline. And whenever it pops into your head. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Also Linking to Five Minute Friday.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
It's not Just About MY Journey (OneWord365 May Check In)
Time to reflect again. On where my journey has gone in May. As much as I am lousy about posting on time, I am still in the window, and reflecting each month on the journey this year has allowed me to see things I might not have - to notice effects of my word focus that I would likely miss when I do my end-of-year lookback. Because without pausing now to actually write them down, I am not sure I would even catch them. Lost in the other parts of my life.
May has been a WHIRLWIND. Birthdays and parties and SOL exams and baseball and end of school.
** SIDEBAR. SOLs are Standards of Learning exams, I think but in reality they're an attempt by the state of Virginia to see what our 3rd grade - and higher - children have learned, and they cause a LOT of stress. This is my 3rd grader's first year and she's so afraid of not following directions that this is what I got:
S: "mom, my teacher said we need to go to bed EARLY the night before the test."
(my thought: this is likely geared at the parents who let their kids stay up late... but my kids already go to bed at 7:30?!)
me: I think we will be ok sticking to 7:30, sweetie
S: MOM! MOM! no, I will get in SOOOOOOOO much trouble if I don't go to bed early. and I might not do well on the test. what if I fall asleep?!
me: ok, well what time do you think is appropriate, then?
S: 6:30. I think that will work.
me: (stunned silence) wellll, ok, if you think that is what you need?
**END SIDEBAR**
But as I look back at May, there's another journey we got to celebrate. One that has nothing to do with where I am, what I'm learning, where I am going. And it is just as important as all of those things.
My little brother graduated from college this month. It's been a long journey for him to get there. I am so proud of him. Graduating with honors. It is not my place to share his story. But it is totally my place to brag on his accomplishments! Recipient of the Bachelor of Arts degree, with a double major in History and Political & Governmental Affairs, CUM LAUDE. So here are a few pictures with the family: my kids, my folks, and the graduate.
Congratulations, Jeff! You worked hard for this - you put your heart into it - and it shows. I am so proud of what you have become and what you have accomplished. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of YOUR journey. I love you!
-------------
Linking up with the One Word 365 check ins over here.
May has been a WHIRLWIND. Birthdays and parties and SOL exams and baseball and end of school.
** SIDEBAR. SOLs are Standards of Learning exams, I think but in reality they're an attempt by the state of Virginia to see what our 3rd grade - and higher - children have learned, and they cause a LOT of stress. This is my 3rd grader's first year and she's so afraid of not following directions that this is what I got:
S: "mom, my teacher said we need to go to bed EARLY the night before the test."
(my thought: this is likely geared at the parents who let their kids stay up late... but my kids already go to bed at 7:30?!)
me: I think we will be ok sticking to 7:30, sweetie
S: MOM! MOM! no, I will get in SOOOOOOOO much trouble if I don't go to bed early. and I might not do well on the test. what if I fall asleep?!
me: ok, well what time do you think is appropriate, then?
S: 6:30. I think that will work.
me: (stunned silence) wellll, ok, if you think that is what you need?
**END SIDEBAR**
But as I look back at May, there's another journey we got to celebrate. One that has nothing to do with where I am, what I'm learning, where I am going. And it is just as important as all of those things.
My little brother graduated from college this month. It's been a long journey for him to get there. I am so proud of him. Graduating with honors. It is not my place to share his story. But it is totally my place to brag on his accomplishments! Recipient of the Bachelor of Arts degree, with a double major in History and Political & Governmental Affairs, CUM LAUDE. So here are a few pictures with the family: my kids, my folks, and the graduate.
Congratulations, Jeff! You worked hard for this - you put your heart into it - and it shows. I am so proud of what you have become and what you have accomplished. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of YOUR journey. I love you!
Linking up with the One Word 365 check ins over here.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Break (Five Minute Friday)
Lisa-Jo gave us a break, a prompt free week. But a few lovely writers want to go anyway. so the prompt became break, and the link host moved for one week, and still I write on Thursday. Some things still happen as expected.
Go.
I could have used this break as a time to skip a week. Get the rest of the things done that I need to get done (like finish the Christmas cards <-- don't judge!) and finish the laundry. Pack for the trip tomorrow. Write the letters so overdue. But I was craving a break in my day. Overwhelmed at work with a new project and a 4 day weekend looming ahead in all its splendor. And still I needed to stop for a minute. Refocus my brain. Or think about something else. Perhaps inconsequential, but the refreshing mind break. So I can tackle this afternoon and get it all done. And then walk away tonight not having to get out 3 status reports in the middle of the night and being able to leave my laptop at home this weekend. Means no good pictures of the trip until I get back, but also means a break from email and the temptation to work because I have an extra minute without the kids asking for this or that. so, taking a break now to ensure I have a break this weekend - this is a worthwhile 5 minute pause indeed.
Stop.
THIS week, link up over here!
Go.
I could have used this break as a time to skip a week. Get the rest of the things done that I need to get done (like finish the Christmas cards <-- don't judge!) and finish the laundry. Pack for the trip tomorrow. Write the letters so overdue. But I was craving a break in my day. Overwhelmed at work with a new project and a 4 day weekend looming ahead in all its splendor. And still I needed to stop for a minute. Refocus my brain. Or think about something else. Perhaps inconsequential, but the refreshing mind break. So I can tackle this afternoon and get it all done. And then walk away tonight not having to get out 3 status reports in the middle of the night and being able to leave my laptop at home this weekend. Means no good pictures of the trip until I get back, but also means a break from email and the temptation to work because I have an extra minute without the kids asking for this or that. so, taking a break now to ensure I have a break this weekend - this is a worthwhile 5 minute pause indeed.
Stop.
THIS week, link up over here!
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