A little love for the real heroes...

 

       

 Now that the Super Bowl hype has died down and the celebrity media crews have moved on from the latest Justin Bieber escapade to the Olympics, maybe it's time for the rest of us to sing the praises of the unsung heroes in our lives...the firefighters and police officers...the road crews keeping our streets and highways plowed and salted...the teachers, school administrators, and support personnel responsible for our children and grandchildren...the plumbers and electricians who keep our houses running efficiently...the store clerks and restaurant wait staffs who make our shopping and dining out possible...and how about the mommies and daddies who are doing their best to raise a new generation of responsible citizens?                                                             

                                                                          

By now you might be wondering, just where is she going with this? Where did this come from? Well, it came from a recent iPad message from my daughter. Her almost-four little boy, my sweet firstborn grandson, had just told her, "you're not a woman, you're a mommy, so talk like a mommy". She added, "Truth. As I sit here in my pajamas, dirty hair, and not enough sleep. About as far away from a woman as I can get." My response was to remind her that her children LOVE her as their mommy, that she is much more important to them than any other woman they know. These words were a little boy's only way of expressing this kind of love. And this little snippet of conversation got me thinking about the unsung heroes in our own families  

 

Not just the mommies who haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks, if not months, and who would love to get their hair professionally cut and colored, but instead choose to spend their hard-earned money on replacing those quickly-outgrown shoes, and coats, and shirts, and pants.


There are also the daddies, loving and dedicated family men, who work long hours and even second jobs to make sure that those precious children have every opportunity to grow up safe, and strong, and secure.




Add to this, the loving grandparents who give up their own days off to take care of the children while the mommies and daddies are off to work, or when they just need an hour or two to rest and maybe even spend a few hours renewing the closeness that came so easily when there were just the two of them.

 

So, as you watch the Olympics and cheer on those amazing athletes, don't forget about those amazing people in your own family, in your circle of friends, and in your community. Take a moment to give these unsung heroes a little love, too! 

 

                                                             
          

Snowy memories!

December and the Christmas holiday always mean a very busy time in my life, so it's no surprise to see that I haven't even looked at this blog since mid-December!

My delightful visit to Rochester, New York, was extended by two days, thanks to a New Year's night snowstorm. No complaints here!

Even better, when I returned to Ohio, we were blasted with more snow and extreme cold, so my Christmas break from school was also extended by two days. Serendipity for sure!

There were so many wonderful moments during my week long visit, but one small evening moment gave me a reason to smile when I returned home.

 

As I was unpacking after my return home, I decided to grab my camera and go outside to take a few photos and fill the bird feeders in the backyard. When I went to put on my boots, I felt something a little bit sharp in the toe of my boot. Upon pulling it out to investigate, I discovered a slightly crumpled package of Starbucks Via coffee...Christmas blend, which I had taken with me to New York. And then I remembered....

 

 

 This cute little guy who likes to play peek-a-boo with mommy's kitchen towels, also discovered my package of Starbucks Via packets.

Not wanting to induce unnecessary tears of frustration, we had let him continue to play with the packets and the box. Somewhere along the way, little Jackson must have toddled over to my boots, inserted a coffee packet, and then quietly returned to his play. All of which speaks to this truth...we spend money buying kids and grandkids all kinds of toys, but they are often most amused by the packaging!
                                              

                                         

Reflections on days of summer past...

School starts tomorrow, so I consider today to be my last chance to do whatever I please, whenever I please...within reasonable limits, of course!
Of course, as a teacher, I have been "at school" off and on since early August, preparing my classroom, attending meetings, and getting things ready for another year in the classroom art studio. There's no way I would ever be able to jump in on the first day of school without at least a week or two of preparation!

Today is Monday, normally a work day, but we had our annual "Meet the Teachers/Open House" yesterday, so today is a well-earned day of relaxation and reflection.

All in all, it was a good summer for me!  June was a quiet month mostly at home with my husband, who was recovering from a knee replacement in mid-May.


Peaceful Center Hill Lake

July got off to a bang with my family's big reunion at Center Hill Lake in Tennessee, which was great fun! So many new additions to the family since we last gathered in 2011...new babies, new relationships, anniversaries, engagements...all the joys of being part of a very large extended family!



Snuggle time with Papa

Learning to captain the pontoon
















       In mid-July I spent five days with two of the best friends one could ever have. This was our seventeenth summer together...so hard to believe how quickly the years go by!

Celebrating 17 years of summer friendship!

When our summer reunions began, we were teaching together here in Ohio. Over the years, we have supported each other through moves and changes and watched our children grow up and raise families of their own. Although we live miles apart and lead very different lives, when we get together each summer we pick up right where we left off the summer before. It's like we've never been apart...truly long term friendships are a blessing!

Late July meant a quick few days at a Muse Machine advisor workshop, just a brief taste of school activities to come, before heading north for the baptism of grandson, Jackson, and a visit with my daughter and her family. Unfortunately, Papa was unable to join us because he was recovering from a second knee surgery...another story for another time!
 

     Jackson wore the family heirloom Christening gown, originally made for me by my great-grandmother out of the train from my mother's wedding dress. It was worn by my siblings, several of our children, and now our children's children! What a family treasure!

And now, my summer freedom is ending... 

 

...but it was all good!