Happy Birthday Mom

This is my Mom and I when I was 3.

In May I did a tribute to my Dad; today it is my Mom’s turn. Today my Mom turns 70. My Mom does not seem 70 to me that is a grandma age; oh wait she is a grandma and has been for the last 22 years.

So I have been trying to decide what I would say about my Mom. I think in away it was easier to write about my Dad because fathers and daughters have a different dynamic than mothers and daughters. There are so many things to say about my Mom but they do not really capture who she is.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of my Mom is her smile, when she smiles her beautiful blue eyes light up and her happiness radiates across her whole being. This smile of hers makes me smile even when I am not there to see her I can still imagine her smile. She smiles often, especially around her grandchildren.


Mom and Kenzie



My Mom is between her two brothers.

The most important part of my Mom’s life, at least from my perspective, is her family. It is how she was shaped and how at times she has defined herself and in turn how we as a family define ourselves. My Mom puts all of us first and at times has actually put herself last, even when she should have been much higher on the list. The times that she went without so that we could have what we needed. I think most Moms do this but when it is your Mom that is giving up it leaves a mark on your heart because you realize just how important you are to her.

My Mom grew up in a large loving family and she sees her sibling often. They have supported each other and their extended families through thick and thin. My Aunts and Mom giggle like school girls when they get together, especially when my Aunt from Arizona comes to town it really is like they are teenagers all over again. Food, I can not talk about my Mom and her sisters without mentioning food believe me there is always something to eat. I do not think my family ever gets together without eating, everyone brings something to share and when I am home for a visit my Mom makes what I ask for which is so cool of her.


My Mom and Dad, this is one of my favorite pictures of my parents.

I remember when I was in school the bus used to drop me off at the end of the road, it was a long walk at the beginning or end of the day with school books. I mentioned to my Mom that other kids were getting dropped off and picked up right outside their doors but we had to walk. My Mom did some investigating and went to some school board meetings and got the bus to come part way up the road so we did not have as far to go to the bus stop. It was that image of my Mom that stuck with me when I had to fight for our youngest son to receive the services he was entitled to within the public school system.

When I was sick, tired, achy or frustrated my Mom took care of me and even now if I’m sick, tired, achy or frustrated I pick up the phone and call my Mom she makes me feel better just by listening. When I was in middle school I got badly hurt on a trampoline in gym class, I had to go to the emergency room and my Mom stayed with me through that. She was there when I woke up from my knee surgery and she wiped my tears when my heart was broken by a boy. She came and stayed with us each time one of our boys was born. She cried with me when I miscarried and was happy for me and with me when I carried a pregnancy to term.

My Mom has also been a rock for my sister and brother and there have been plenty of times when we have said we do not know what we would do without Mom. She is there in a pinch and helps in whatever way she can. She and my Dad are a team and that is why when I got married I wanted both of them to walk me down the aisle and they did.



So Mom we all wish you a very happy birthday with many more to come and we all love you very much. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAY DEAR MOM HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! That is all of us sing off key, well except for Colin he is right on the mark.

I am sure my sister will also post something about our Mom with pictures as well and that Mom will see this at some point. We Love You MOM!!

In the Blink of an Eye

We all know life is short and that we all die. This is a fact that we can not escape but as human beings we try to escape that reality and then it comes up and bites us in the butt. So after the news I had today I picked up the phone and called Son #2 at college, came home and hugged Son #1 and my husband when he came in the door. I sent my family an email and now instead of outlining the trade map for tomorrow’s class I am writing this.

Yesterday I had an icky feeling mid-afternoon like something was wrong but I could not put my finger on it so I just pushed it out of my mind. I get these feelings once in awhile my husband tells me I am spooky I just think that at times I am “very tuned in” to what is happening around me. Then last night I had a dream about a co-worker being at a funeral, so I was just slightly unsettled when I got to work this morning and I opened my email to read that a co-worked and friend lost her husband to a motorcycle accident yesterday afternoon. This friend of mine is a young teacher and is expecting their first child and her husband were perfect for each other. They each walked to beat of their own drum compared to the rest of us but their drum beats kept perfect time together and they were so happy. Now her life and the life of their child will be forever changed because of one moment in time.

The driver that hit him made an illegal U-turn and crossed 3 lanes of traffic to do so. To make matters worse his wife and two young children were in the vehicle and all four of them were injured as well. This is something they will live with for the rest of their lives as well. The driver could very well face vehicular manslaughter and if he does so the lives of his family will also be forever changed.

Why am I writing this all down…to help myself process this senseless act…to let some of my anger and sorrow out…I have to keep it together at school for my kids. They were upset enough as it was. So take a minute and hug the people you love or call them to say I love you.

One More Step

At the end of the 2008/2009 school year I was nominated and applied for a teaching chair position for the school district I work for. I heard nothing over the summer so I assumed that I was not selected for an interview. I was not bothered by this because it was the first time I was nominated and I thought teachers with more experience were selected. I thought in a few years I will be able to apply again and then today I opened a surprising email.

I have been selected to interview for the postion. This interview is in a few days so I have to prepare for this interview. The first part of the interview is with a panel of "judges" that will ask me about my classroom practices and educational ideals. Then I have to "teach" a 15 minute lesson to the "students" which are the judges.

I am so excited and so nervous, I have to capture what I have 50 minutes to do and condense it to 15 minutes. I'll keep you posted. Any suggestions would be welcome.

The last 25

Okay here is my last 25 I think.

76. Having lots of students in my room for after school tutoring
77. Socratic Seminars that run themselves
78. 80 degree days in the fall
79. Sunshine
80. Making my students laugh when they are stressed
81. Dogs sleeping at my feet
82. Reading old love letters/sweet cards
83. Helping new teachers get better at their craft
84. Sticky notes
85. Cold manderin oranges
86. Comfortable shoes
87. The smell of baby powder, even though it can kick up my asthma
88. Paper Dolls
89. Carosel horses
90. Antique hand-help fans
91. Postcards
92. Dressing up for Halloween
93. Group hugs, we started doing that 22 years ago when son #1 was a baby.
94. Scapbooking
95. Hearing "I love you"
96. Reading Twas The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve after we get home for the Christmas Eve service
97. Dimples
98. Vintage clothing
99. Well written essays
100. That I actually was able to come up with 100 things that make me happy

Things That Make Me Happy Part 3

I'm not sure I will make it all the way to 100 today but if not I'll just have to keep thinking. So here it goes.

52. Homemade ice cream or frozen yogurt
53. A bonus check
54. Sitting next to the reflective pool at the water gardens
55. Going to the Stockyards and just wandering around and checking out the "goldfish" as I wander
56. Watching a waiters face when I order a half a glass of unsweetened iced tea and lemonaide, it is called an Arnold Palmer
57. Opening presents Christmas morning
58. My birthday
59. Coming up with creative ways to get my students to learn new vocabulary
60. Trying a new resturant
61. Listening to the music I grew up with, especially when no one is home so I don't have to hear complaints
62. When I have the house to myself
63. Homemade veggie soup on a cold day
64. Being told I'm the hardest teacher in the building
65. Having friends over for the holidays
66. The belief in miracles
67. Discovering a new store or resturant
68. Shopping at a Farmer's Market
69. Going to a County Fair
70. The Main Street Art Festival
71. Days when my hands don't hurt
72. The challenge of taking grad classes
73. Running into people when I am out and about that I haven't seen in a long time
74. Discovering a new author
75. A new haircut

Okay so I still have 25 more to go; this sure is harder than it looks. I noticed a lot of mine are connected to food and work.

Things That Make Me Happy

Okay here is the next installment of however many I come up with.

31. Watching Red Wings hockey;especially when they win!
32. Writing letters of recommendation for my students.
33. Getting hugs and hand shakes from my former students as they graduate.
34. A really good salad;especially if I didn't have to make it.
35. The smell of baking chocolate.
36. Cheesecake
37. Getting into grad school.
38. Getting thank you notes in the mail.
39. Being invited to a wedding.
40. Scapbooking
41. My roses
42. The smell of a clean house
43. Baby toes (Moms understand this one)
44. Hugs and Kisses
45. Emails from my Aunts
46. Slow dancing with my Love
47. A joke or story that makes me laugh outloud
48. Black and white movies
49. Being the first person to put a knife into a brand new jar of peanut butter. As an aside son number 1 and I race each other to do this and it only counts if the old jar is completely empty. I know we are strange that way.
50. Watching re-runs of Friends.
51. Dress pants that don't need to be altered in any way.

I don't think I repeated any of the first 30 but if I did it just means that it makes me really really happy.

The Most Awesome News

For those of you that have taken AP classes this will not be news to you but man it is exciting for me because of the ramifications.

When a student takes AP classes and passes the exam with a 3, 4 or 5 they are recognized by College Board. Once they pass at least 3 AP classes with a 3, 4 or 5 they are considered a National AP Scholar. It is much harder to do than people realize and the school I teach at has not had a National AP Scholar student in 10 years. That is a long drought. This year we have 2 that's right 2 and both of them had me and my AP World History class is the first AP class they took, sat for, and passed the exam.

What does this mean for my students? It means recognition by College Board, it is placed on the top of their transcript and it means money. The students that reach this level get scholarship money and for both of these students that is a very big deal. One wants to be an engineer and the other a history professor. Yes I had a little something to do with that.

So when I heard the news today I did my little happy dance, pumped my fist and said YES. If two can do it than it can be two more and two more until we are in double digits, where we belong and where I know we can get.

YES!