Slice of Life~Reinvention~

This summer I was a specialist for summer school and used the money to buy new living room furniture. To my surprise once I put the new furniture in my house I decided to paint. It spiraled into a crash 12 hour painting fest. My wonderful mother helped me the entire 12 hours and my brother painted for an hour (he braved the 12 foot ceiling; I tried, but that's another story.) One year after my world turned upside I feel at peace; my solace-my reinvention.

Slice of Life~June 23, 2009

Idea from Ali Edwards
For Today: June 23, 2009
Outside my window...my shasta daisies are blooming. Sunlight hits the green leaves and white blooms.

I am thinking...about where to start on the National Board for teachers process…I hear entry four calling my name.

I am thankful for...my friends. At 31, I have found friends who love me for me…quirks and all.

From the kitchen...nachos.

I am wearing...green capris and my favorite summer top-brown with polka dots and ruffles.

I am creating... a new layout for my living room; my furniture arrives Wed.

I am going...to have a jello pudding pop.

I am reading...about vocabulary instruction.

I am hoping...it cools off…100 degrees in June isn’t a good sign for July and August.

I am hearing...my cat purr on my bed as I write.

Around the house...toys haphazardly placed by my favorite girls.

One of my favorite things...is my daughters love to be outside and enjoy nature.

A few plans for the rest of the week...summer school, new furniture, and scrapbooking a few pages this week.

A picture to share...this was taken yesterday while my kids played in the “beach” in the backyard.

Memoir Monday~Night Wanderer

Inspired by my 5 year old
*****

When my brother and I were younger we were convinced our parents were having wild parties without us after we went to bed. We would quietly do as we were told and go to bed at 8:30 PM. Then meet in the hallway and sneak down to the den where my parents were enjoying what I now know to be the only quiet time of their day. We would giggle and then just before they would yell at us to go back to bed we would run. Oh, the thrill of doing something "naughty."

Now the roles are reversed. I am the parent "having the party" while my 5 year old gets out of bed millions of times. Last night as I was once again tucking her in bed I whispered, "I promise Mommy isn't having any fun without you!!"

Just quiet time.

Slice of Life Saturday

I posted it on my blog for my kids. I have to say..can't wait to scrapbook this pic and story. Click on the link below.

Click here to go to The Snow Girls Blog.

Memoir Monday~Why Must You Use Your Ugly Voice?

More of a slice of life, but touched my day none-the-less. I have been co-teaching with a fellow colleague in our reading academy this summer. I am the specialist in the room instead of the core teacher. As a class we have been looking at words and recognizing text clues and reading with expression. Today I read the book "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More" by Karen Caltrow. We continued our discussion of the clues authors give us as readers as to how the text should sound when we read aloud. When I got to the second page and said, "YA AIN'T GONNA PAINT NO MORE" with much gusto and a child leaned over his desk and said to the teacher, "Why does Ms. Snow have to use her ugly teacher voice!!" Ahhh. Lesson learned. I haven't had the students all year and should have prefaced "sometimes I will be raising my voice when the author asks me to from the clues in the text." Needless to say I giggled the rest of the day.

Memoir Monday~Missing

"Barbara, I have been sneezing all morning. I am going to get my medicine," I explain to our building secretary as I sign out. "Bye!" I yell as I walk out the doors.

I go to the drugstore and my phone begins to ring. I hit the ignore button and pay for my prescription. As I continue to my car I call my mom back.

Instead of her usually perky hello she says, "Lynnelle, I can't find Emma. I have looked every where for her. There are several others canvassing the neighborhood..."

"I'm on my way!" I try to dial 9-1-1 while driving, but my hands shake so hard I can't hit the key pad correctly. My mind goes to the worst possible place. Kidnapped. Taken. Gone....

I park in my driveway, grab the house phone and the world seems to be spinning. It felt like I was in a movie. I was watching someone else's life. This couldn't be happening.

"9-1-1."

"My daughter is missing. She has Down syndrome. We can't find her."

I remember telling the operator what she was wearing. How tall she was. All the while looking around. I look down to see Gracie gripping my finger. A police car drives up. In the distance I hear "We found her." I drop to the ground. Another mother found her a block away--Emma was picking wild flowers. My heart stopped. She's safe. The sobs echo for all to hear. Emma gets out of the car. She walks up to the officer. "Hi, me Memma," she says as she reaches to shake his head. He checks her over and says, "Yes, we know who you are and we are glad you are safe." I say nothing, but hopefully the look on my face echos my thankfulness.

I didn't even ask the woman's name. I just hugged my daughter. I hope she knows what I owe her.

Over 2,000 children goes missing a day. Now, I wonder how many are found and how many must continuously feel the anguish I felt for 15 minutes. Heart wrenching.

Ponderings

I have spent the last few days being the "learner" instead of the teacher. I have learned a few things. I am lucky to work for a district that pushes my thinking forward and has consistently asked where can you refine your skill? I have learned not all teachers have a sense of humor. I have learned you can become fast friends when you move into a small hotel room for two days. I have learned I am not the only adult who likes to be in bed by midnight. I have learned that friendships can happen in a matter of minutes. I have learned that ignorance still bothers me. I have learned that I can still learn in a classroom setting. I have learned that I am ready. Ready to grow as a teacher.