Superstars

Have you ever walked with a teacher when school is being let out? I have. No matter what teacher I walk with (and I tend to bend the ear of many a teacher- go figure), I feel like I am walking the red carpet with a celebrity. Not a sentence is completed without a shout of "HI Mrs...." or a random hug around the knees by a passerby. These aren't mere teachers that roam the bus loop, they are counselors, they are roll models, they are super-heroes!

Teaching goes far beyond what is presented in text books, we all know that! How many of us have the patience and endurance to take a room full of other peoples kids, and guide them for the majority of the day? How many of us can evaluate a child's mood and give them the appropriate encouragement? I know I can't.

To all the teachers that have taken our boys in and not only taught them, but loved them- THANK YOU! Mark and I appreciate all you have done for our children. We willingly lend them to you and know they will return all the better for having you as their teachers. Good job teachers!

Computer Time

I've been trying a little experiment this last week: turning off the computer for 3 days. It sounds so easy (it's not even 3 days in a row), and yet I have really been challenged by the lessons I've learned.

Lesson 1: The world (facebook and my etsy shop mostly) still runs without my supervision. Before trying to break the fierce grip my computer has on me, I found myself going about my day only to have my own mind interrupt normal activities to suggest checking facebook. I'm not sure what I thought I'd find there, but all of a sudden, I would turn my back on my life to see what other people were doing RIGHT NOW.

Lesson 2: Without the resources of email or messaging, I had to actually call my friends. Connecting with another person through real life conversation is so much different than thinking of the perfect one-liner, spell checking it, and then posting it only to wait and see if they respond at all. (Maybe they'll "like" it or even comment back.)

Lesson 3: Facebook has been a great place to re-connect with old friends and even make some new ones, but I can't rely on my online friends for the acceptance I desire. My computer screen doesn't smile back at me, or give me a much needed hug. My computer will not hear the way I speak my words and may not completely understand my sense of humor. My computer will not look me in the eye and be glad to see me.

Of course, as I sit and write this, I'm on the computer! But...I slowly feel my creativity returning. I don't want you to read this and not be my friend anymore. I really enjoy all facets of the friendships I have made. I just am learning balance. Isn't that what life is all about? Balance between spouse, kids, chores, friends, and self?

I'd like to go from this:

to this: