Headlines

My daughter is growing up in a world where the most dangerous mass shooting ever occurred.

My daughter is growing up in a world where an affluent man can rape an unconscious woman and receive a slap on the wrist for fear harsher ramifications will damage him.

My daughter is growing up in a world where people who typically voice their thoughts on political matters by voting are staying silent because of the utter lack of promise in the candidates.

I go to work each day of the school year with young adults who are utterly convinced that the world they are about to inherit is absolutely, 100% fucked. Yes, that is the word they use. Yes, they do say and write it to me. Does it offend you? I hope so...because I find it terribly offensive that the world we're building for the youth is -- you got it -- fucked.

Yet, this notion is nothing new to me. As a teenager, I remember thinking and talking about the sad state of affairs my peers and I were about to dive into as *gulp* adults. Why, then, would I go on to a profession where I'm to guide our future leaders into the world? Why, then, would I intentionally bring a child into a world that seems to be imploding? Someone far younger and far wiser than I said it best:

It's that very belief that reminds me that there are two sides to every story. I do believe in the power of good over evil. And spending time with my daughter, my friends' children, my students...my God, if anyone can fix this world, it's them. So...on the flip side...

My daughter is growing up in a world where people from all around the globe band together to show love and support for someone - anyone - enduring tragedy, on the planet - anywhere.

My daughter is growing up in a world where an anonymous victim can use her situation, circumstances, and eloquent response to spur citizens to action on behalf of an unknown who could be their mother, their sister, their daughter.

My daughter is growing up in a world where all men and women have the opportunity to run this country because there was someone, somewhere who at some time truly believed that everyone is equal...regardless of credentials. 😉

The headlines today are bloody, dark, and depressing. But that's today. Once this day is over, we have tomorrow to try again. And if you can't quite see the light, just remember:

And the Livin's Easy

Like most people, I love summer. Even though I'm not really acclimated to hot weather (sister has low heat tolerance!), the brightness, the freshness, the long-lingering days are a welcome respite from the rest of the year. As a teacher, though, I particularly relish the first day of summer: it offers so much promise when it goes well, and today...well, today just may have been the best start to summer I've had.

Gracie and I started the day by making a fresh summer fruit salad from the goodies she chose at the orchard. For a kid who normally wants to start her day with M&Ms and Doritos, this was a highly welcome change.

Even better? She loved it!

If there was any way to top eating what she'd chose from the orchard, it would've been going back to get more...so we did. At the Strawberry Festival, Gracie, her daddy, and I made fruit skewers:

Planted a pumpkin seed in exchange for three free pounds (woot!) of Pick Your Own pumpkins in the fall:

Made a strawberry on a stick paper craft:

And decorated our own chocolate-covered strawberries...nomnomnom:

Once all the activities were done, we simply ate...

...and played.

After cruising through the store to check out the bees hard at work 

and grab a fresh-strawberry slushy,

we decided to play

and eat a bit more.

And fittingly enough, we capped off the festival with a family photo because this was one of those times that was so fun, so simple, and so happy that it bears recording for posterity's sake.

These were the first few hours of my official summer vacation. In a few weeks, I'm sure I'll be lamenting the heat & humidity or griping that there's not enough to occupy me & my 3-year-old during the sweltering days. But until then? It's summertime and, so far...the livin's easy.

Kids These Days

Like most people, I can't wait to walk out the door at the end of my work day. I'm exhausted, hangry, and just ready to go. In fact, it surprised me on Thursday that the kids were sad about the end of the year because, um, hello...? End. Of. The. Year! But at the end of that particular day, I had the chance to see some of their thoughts from the year (with a busted student desk standing in as my version of a yearbook...):

I figured that, given the opportunity to deface school property-with teacher encouragement, no less!-they'd be gung-ho. What I didn't expect was both the quantity and quality the kids wrote for me. Some of the best, in terms of sincerity and wit:

And there were dozens upon dozens more in varying degrees of snark and authenticity. Interestingly (or y'know, actually not...), not a single student referenced a book we read or a test-prep assignment or a research paper. They did, however, mention encouraging and laughing and just being present. It's almost 😉 like they saw through the formality of it all and realized that we, their teachers (or at least most of us), are here because we care. A particularly meaningful gem? This note from a graduating senior:

There were other thoughtful tokens, too. 

Gorgeous, right? And the student who gave them to me has never been in one of my classes. She has, however, spent many mornings joining her sister in my classroom for visits and chitchat and, as it turns out? She enjoyed those conversations almost as much as I did.

It's humbling and so terribly rewarding to know that, even though it isn't every day and it isn't every kid, what we do matters, and it matters to the ones who need it most. Yes, I love walking out of the school doors and getting the summers 'off'...but, man, I love how I get to spend (most of!) my work week. When other people talk about "kids these days," I just smile, nod, and say, "aren't they great?" Because, the truth is, they are.

Have a happy summer, sweethearts, and congratulations to the class of 2016!