Kudos to...Teachers.

School is out!

 Today was Tid Bit's last day of K4.  Next year...Kindergarten.  Wow, that feels weird on so many levels.

As I look towards this summer, I'm pretty pumped.  We have some fun things planned...trip with family to Montana, the beach, pool days with friends, sprinklers in the yard, popsicles in the afternoon...good times together.  Part of me is thinking to myself..."What on earth will we do everyday?" and part of me is so excited to have a cease on the rushing around the house in the mornings to get out the door.   

And then there's the sad feeling that school this past year has been a 3 morning a week routine, and that next year it's the real deal...the daily grind actually becoming daily.  And I look back at this past year at the friendships my son has made, and at the friendships that I have made, and I'm sad to see a lot of it come to an end.

Tid Bit goes to a really fantastic Christian school that's literally close enough for us to walk every day.  For a million reasons we have loved it there the past 2 years.  But next year, when kindergarten starts, that means that a lot of the pre-school kids we've come to know and love over this time will be headed out to go to the schools closest to them.  Some will stay, but over half are going elsewhere next year.  And today as we said goodbyes, I had to do my best to choke back the tears that were forming from the lump in my throat.

I've made some great friends amongst the mommies of those K4 kiddos, and while I know that we'll still see some of them, the reality is that with space and time, some relationships do get lost...and I'm kinda sad about that.  And I'm sad for my little guy too.  Some special friends who will always remain in our memories, will end up just there...in our memories.  But what sweet memories they are.

Photo by Carrie Garrett Photography

So to the mommies (and dads) of Mrs Peek's K4 class, it has been a pleasure getting to know you and to serve our kids alongside of you.  I have been amazed by the dedication and commitment of such a large number of people to pour into a group of children.  Our children are all the better for each of you.

And to Mrs. Lipscomb, aide extraordinaire, your dedication to love and nurture our children has surely earned some lovely jewels in your heavenly crown!  Your support of Mrs. Peek has been evident, and the classroom has benefited most generously from your hard work and TLC!

The year has been full.  From apple pies to pirate patched eyes, it's been a good one.  I'll never forget the worst fieldtrip in the history of the world in 40 degree rainy weather to pick pumpkins (if only I was blogging then, that was a post just waiting to be written!), and I'll always delight in memories of my little Joseph and his semi-amazing technicolor dreamcoat that I made.  And the Mother's Day tea...I left with such a full heart...so so sweet, such a reminder of this gift of motherhood I've been given.

Photo by Carrie Garrett Photography

 I wonder who it was that said...

"Those who can’t do, teach?"

 

If ever I have heard a statement wrought with untruth and inaccuracy, that just might be it.  

Our society just doesn't do our teachers justice, and statements like that one certainly do nothing to help.  Let me tell you what I have learned of teachers.  They give, and then give, and then when you think they're bound to run dry, they give some more.  They sow seeds not just into young hearts and minds, but into the lives of parents who will let them as well.  They are life-farmers, friends, mentors, creative directors, students of children, parents themselves...clearly, just the one word is grossly insufficient.  Webster defines the word "teach" as "to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in."  By my estimation, even the definition falls short in describing all that teachers do.

And this lady below...well let me tell you something, even my descriptions above can't begin to touch her.  She's been teaching for 20 years...that's a lot of life-farming.  That's a lot of seed planting she's done, and there's nothing mechanized about any of it.  She holds each seed in her own two hands and prepares the soil before she gently places the seed in the ground.  I'm not even sure how to find words for people like her...and amazingly I had the same problem last year with Tid Bit's teacher...verbal insufficiency.  When "thank you" just doesn't seem enough.

So to you who teach, as insufficient as it seems, "Thank You."  You are mind molders, life shapers, and spirit tenders, and to simply say "thank you" all for all that you do to come alongside of us as parents and teach, sow, and invest in our children...well, it just doesn't seem enough.  You are the cream of the crop.  I think that the saying should be rewritten...

"Those who can DO, who do exceedingly beyond what is necessary or expected, they teach."

The photos above were taken by a very talented mom from the K4 class, if you like what you see, you can check out Carrie Garrett Photography for more info.

Kudos to....Single Parents.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post on a day that it was just "one of those days."  And today isn't really "one of those days" but I've been doing some thinking on a specific topic the past few days.

Mothering is hard.  Parenting is hard.  Single parenting is grueling.

I'm happily married, so the single parenting thing for me just comes and goes in phases.  Right now The Hubs is working on a MAJOR project for work and so the kids and I have really only seen him in tiny spurts of time.  And the past couple of weeks, there have been several times that he hasn't seen them at all for a couple of days.

He leaves for work at 5:30 am.  Long before we're up.

My kids go to bed between 7 and 7:30pm....which lately has been long before he's home.

So for me, that's a long day of single parenting.  When you do the day shift with the kiddos, the dinner shift, the bathtime shift, and the bedtime shift...and because he's working so hard, I'm on the middle-of-the-night shift too....exhausting.  It is HARD.

Don't get me wrong...I love being a mommy.  And I wouldn't trade this season of staying at home with my kids for anything either, but these past couple of weeks, and looking ahead 6 weeks to the finish date of this project...I get tired just thinking about it.

And here's where I've been thinking and why I want to give MASSIVE kudos to single moms, and dads for that matter...

Your job doesn't have the promise of a once again shared load in 6 weeks from now. 

However you ended up in this place of raising kids without a spouse, I can't begin to understand and won't try to...but I want to tell you that YOU have the hardest job in the world.

I'm sure I've said in the past that I think stay-at-home parents have the hardest job in the world ...but really, that's just not true.  So here I go...admitting ONCE again that I've stuck my foot in my mouth.

I'd like to change that statement. We all have it hard in different ways because life is hard, but I think that single parents may very well have the hardest job in the world.  You have to be mom and dad, lone breadwinner, chef, launderer, boo-boo-kisser, the "heavy", the appointment maker, the grocery getter, the athletic supporter (I mean this in a more encouraging way...less of a jock strap type idea here.)  You are the beginning and the end and all that's in between for your kids in the role of parent here on earth.  And I want to tell you from the bottom of my heart...

I had a meltdown on the phone with my mom a couple of hours ago about scheduling a surgery for Little Bit (adenoids, ear tubes thing,) but having to do it when The Hubs has a major project due and won't be around much, and mom can't be around because my sister is moving into a new house and she's going to help her.  And I thought to myself...how am I going to take care of a pitifully drugged up baby and a rambunctious almost 5 year old at the same time...BY MYSELF?!  And then I just cried and cried because that's just hard.

But you single parents...that is your reality, and you don't need me here reminding you of it.  My goal here is to confess to you that I don't get it.  But right now, I am tasting part of it, and it is a bitter mouthful sometimes....it is hard.  And here I am complaining about the hardness....you just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and make it happen...and I for one want to say that I am proud of you.

James 1:27 says "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress"...and single parents, I think that includes you too.   Part of the job of "the church" (and by that I mean, believers in Christ) is to help out those of you who find yourself in this tough place.  And I will tell you that I think in general our world is falling woefully short in this arena.  You probably already know this firsthand.  There are orphans out the wazoo all over the globe, and I'm willing to put money on it that more times than you care to count, you've felt let down by "the church"...which really just amounts to a bunch of human people too.

So my question to those of you who live this reality...is how can I, how can "the church," really...really serve and love on you?  Be honest now...this is your chance to comment below and I hope be heard well. (you will be by me for sure.)

I don't really know what else to say....and I hope in my effort to give you the kudos you deserve that I haven't unknowingly stuck my foot in my mouth somehow.  Point is...you are amazing...and you deserve....

 
A STANDING OVATION!








**I really would like to hear your comments on this subject.  Would some of you be willing to share below for us to all know how to truly serve you well?  And if you don't find yourself in this place, I'm sure there are pieces that we can each relate to...so your comments are equally welcome here!

Kudos to....Shannon

I've been thinking...  I know, scary right?! 

Anyways, I've been thinking that I am blessed beyond measure to know a LOT of really neat people.  My husband says I'm a master networker...but really the truth is that I just LOVE people.  Everything about you.  I love that we all have different stories, struggles, joys, talents, pitfalls, personalities, senses of humor, ways of looking at things, pictures, homes...I mean, truly I LOVE people.  I mean, we all have people on occasion who grate our nerves, or people we're closer to, and honestly I think that's how it should be.  You should hold some people closer than others because everyone can't know all your secrets or all your junk, and you should learn to love people who are hard for you to naturally love because in the process you generally learn a lot about yourself.  Anyways, all this to say that I am often overwhelmed when I think of the people who I have the privilege of sowing into and who sow into me.  And so my thinking has been that I want to take a chance here and honor some people I know.  Maybe it won't do a thing for you but make you think that I seemed nice that day.  But what I'd really hope that it'd lead you to do is to think of someone that you could honor by telling them how much they mean to you and how neat you think they are.  I mean, don't you love it when someone unexpectedly gives you kudos...just for being you.  So I'm going to do that today and I hope that maybe you will too.

So today, my first post of "Kudos to" goes to Shannon, my friend and next door neighbor.

First what you should know about Shannon is that she is going to shudder that I'm even giving her public kudos.  She probably doesn't think she deserves it, but let me tell you how much she does.

She is beautiful inside and out.  Her heart is made of gold and she is so thoughtful and kind.  She's so much nicer than me...ALL THE TIME!  She's the friend who knows you're feeling rotten and brings over a Honeybaked Ham for you, because she thought it'd help out...and it does.  The thing that makes it ever better is that she just does it without asking because she knows that's what you need.

She's always apologizing because her kids play all over her house and leave some evidence of it around...but you know what, who cares.  She plays with her kids rather than spending all her time and energy picking up after them.  She does crafts with them even though she doesn't give herself for being crafty, she is silly with them, and the girl loves on those 3 boys like crazy.  Oh, and did I mention that she has 3 boys...2 of which are 3 year old twins.  And I'm just gonna say this here too...if you have twins, then nomatter what you think about yourself, I just need to sit at your feet and soak up some of your wisdom....because oh my goodness...you are amazing!

You know what else is so neat about Shannon...she is super creative.  She thinks she has a silly fettish with fabric and paint, but seriously...the girl has some awesome taste.  She isn't afraid to try new things and figure out how to make it work.  She just painted and antiqued this neat old china cabinet that she found and it is awesome.  And she has about probably 30 other pieces of furniture crammed all over her house that are projects in waiting.  She's a visionary...she has ideas that are awesome and they're just waiting to ooze out and become something tangible.

Shannon I think also has a huge heart for people, but she's shy too.  She doesn't give herself nearly the credit that she should, so it seems fitting to me that I give some to her here...where all of you can see.  So I guess I'm being a little bit of my occasionally forceful self and forcing her into the open where all of you can see her for who she really is...and that's a pretty amazing person.

Oh yeah...she's ridiculously smart too.  She has her JD which means she's a lawyer, but she uses that information to be a helper to other lawyers as a legal librarian.  See what I mean, she helps people...all the time.  I think it's part of her nature...she sees a  need and she fills it.  She's also particularly handy should you ever want to find out if anyone has a police record, or want to know who bought the house across the street, or if they have a police record....truly...she's handy that way! LOL!  So you see...she's a smart one too.  She works 1 day a week doing the legal thing so that she can spend time with her kids the rest of the time.

Anyways, there's way more that I could say about her, but for now I think I just want you to know that I am honored to call her my friend.

Do me a favor...when you read all of that above about Shannon, what do you think in your mind? If I didn't know her, I'd be thinking something like "dang...she's a rockstar"... so, would you honor Shannon in the comments section by just sharing how my words about her stirred you to think about someone you may know, or about her?  Thanks friends!

Now go out and give someone some Kudos today!  PS. Kudos by definition is "acclaim or praise for exceptional achievement."  I KNOW you all have exceptional people in your life too...so tell them!