It’s been a year.

You know that song "it's been a year..."?? Well, it's been a year. If we're being honest, it's been a couple of "years." They haven't all been bad. There have been some really great moments. Core memories that I'll treasure forever. Surprising the kids with a trip to Disney Christmas 2020, baseball weekends at Baum … Continue reading It’s been a year. →

Day 304 of 366

Lessons from Home: Quarantine Edition In the spring, our lives shut down. We did not leave the house for much—not church, work, school. No family visits north. Only trips to Texarkana were for doctor visits. All activities were suspended. No more cheer, dance, t-ball. No birthday parties. No get-togethers with friends. No play dates for … Continue reading Day 304 of 366 →

Day 161 of 366

LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters. Every teacher knows that. Why? Because nearly every one of us has had (or at least seen) a poster with those words hanging on a classroom wall. It’s a powerful statement. And that’s where I’ve been lately. Silent, so I could listen. I’ve watched friends and … Continue reading Day 161 of 366 →

Day 134 of 366

I glanced up from washing my hands. Paused. Blinked.Looked again.Looked closer.Blinked again.And there it was. A closer look revealed not just one, but several. Some I probably couldn't see, because the bathroom lighting is so poor. My heart sank, my confidence deflated as I physically felt my youth fade away. So much new growth. Yet … Continue reading Day 134 of 366 →

Day 97 of 366

Been awake since 9am Sunday. It’s midnight Monday night. Lots of mom guilt.Lots of teacher guilt.Lots of guilt. Lots of anxiety.Lots of unknowns.Lots of going and going and going. Because if I stop, then what? I function better in high stress situations. I move into survival mode. There’s no time to let anxiety and fear … Continue reading Day 97 of 366 →

Day 31 of 366

If I had only known. If I had only known that it would be the last real conversation. The last real hug. The last real “I love you, sweet pea.” If I had only known that he’d go home and slip into what would become the longest 27 days of mom’s life—the longest 21 of … Continue reading Day 31 of 366 →

Day 30 of 366

Before Christmas, we had a potluck at work. I chose not to participate. At first, I antagonized over whether or not I should participate. Then, I felt guilt for not wanting to participate. But I also knew that I would feel worse if I did participate and not finish everything else on my to do … Continue reading Day 30 of 366 →