Tuesday Slice: The weekend

Our Memorial Day weekend began on Friday afternoon with last-minute packing--two suitcases and a backpack for our son, and an overnight bag for my husband and I.  Then we hit the road for DFW.

We encountered some beautiful clouds along the way:

By the time we got to Dallas, night had fallen and the holiday lights were on.

We settled into our hotel just a couple of miles from the airport.  Since we didn't have to rush in the morning, we enjoyed the hotel breakfast and arrived at DFW International with time to spare.  One last selfie, and our traveler joined the TSA line.

We stood outside the line until we saw our son pass through the xray machine, and then he was gone.  After a few texts and a quick chat to make sure he made it to the gate, we headed for the parking garage with a quick stop at the airport Starbucks along the way.

Not wanting our kids to have all the fun, we decided to take the back roads home to Austin, via Fort Worth.

We didn't realize it would turn into a tour of four county courthouses!  We stopped at each one and took pictures.  They were all built in the 1800s.  I loved the architectural details.

Meridian seemed like a good stop for lunch.  The public library was next door to the restaurant, so we just had to go in.  We were the only visitors there until someone showed up to return books.

Back on the open road...I am so thankful there are still views like this in our country.

We were tired at the end of our trip, but happy that we avoided the construction and traffic on the main highway.  When I checked the flight tracker just before bedtime, our traveler was flying over the Aleutian Islands.  We were awakened just after four a.m. with this picture from his sister:

Our children have reunited in Japan!  Our son will spend the next five weeks studying with his journalism cohort.  He'll rejoin his sister for a week of sibling fun before he returns...and we'll hit the road once more to pick him up.

Tuesday Slice: Down for fourteen

The last two weeks have beaten me 

A defeated boxer lying in the ring while
The contender paces the mat
The referee counts me down

After a few big punches
The final blow
A mere tap on the cheek

Enough to make my stomach,
My heart, my tears
Fall to the mat

If I stay down long enough
Will the pounding stop?

**********
Do you ever have weeks where you are pushing through, dealing with one stressor after another, thinking you're handling it all until just one more thing pushes you over?  During the last two weeks, I've mourned the death of a good friend; moved my child from college dorm to home; helped him get ready to travel to Japan; administered standardized testing; dealt with health insurance claims and bills; faced deadlines and stayed late at work; mourned the school shooting here in Texas and fumed over inane politician responses; received distressing news about positions being cut in our district; and, for the last blow, got into a fender bender last night--which means car insurance claims to manage.

Any one, two, or even three of these things I could handle.  The count is at nine...Enough is enough!

Tuesday Slice: Post-Mother's Day reflection

I am one lucky mom.  Despite my mistakes, my missteps, my less-than-loving moments these walls have witnessed as my children were growing up, they are marvelous human beings.

My first-born, my preemie, is wise beyond her years; her NICU nurses knew she possessed an old soul before she left the hospital.  Goal-oriented and adventuresome--these qualities helped her land a percussion spot in the middle school band, join varied clubs in high school, choose a small private college for her degree, learn Japanese, and move to Japan to work, learn, and explore.

My second-born is my headstrong, empathetic deep thinker.  Gentle with children and animals, he feels and loves fiercely. His opinions are formed by experience. He has weathered several physical storms in his young life--hand surgeries, sensory struggles, losing his voice for two years.  He began college in the midst of recovering from major jaw surgery, and managed to not only survive his freshman year, but thrive, finding his place in a service fraternity and returning to his music when he was healed.  

We have had our share of arguments, disappointments, door-slamming, and tears.  But birthdays have always been celebrated, traditions kept, I-love-yous exchanged.  There have been worries and warnings, hugs and hurrahs. 

And my children still want to come home, when they can.  I hope that never changes. 

Tuesday Slice: I spoke up yesterday

There was this meeting
That ran too long
And meandered off track a bit
And covered a lot

And during this meeting
There were several pregnant pauses

And during a pregnant pause
I chose to say something
I had to say something

I even used the word "ridiculous"

I don't know if it made a difference
I don't know if it will make a difference

But I'm still glad I said it.

Tuesday Slice: Young analysts

The third graders sat down on the "learning side" of the library while I pulled up a split screen on my computer.  Displayed on our interactive board were the results of our end-of-year library survey and a blank Google doc for note taking.

"You are going to be data analysts today," I tell the class.  "Remember the survey you took while I was at my library conference?  I don't want you to think that your answers just sit there; I have looked at them, thought about what the results mean, and will be sharing it with the principal at the end of the school year when I get my report card from her."  Some giggles erupt.  "Yes, teachers get report cards, too!"

I explain that Google forms put the data into pie charts and bar graphs, making it easier to analyze.  We start by looking at the respondent grade levels--the fourth grade slice is bigger (we have eleven fourth grade classes!), but overall, it's close to an even split among the second through fifth grades.

We continue through questions about enjoying the library experience, finding good fit books, finishing books, and the genres we like. There are questions about library lessons and programs, and open-ended responses for additional information.

When the data analysis concluded, I had the following suggestions from the third graders:

• offer more lessons on using our online catalog
• hands-on lessons on connecting the information from the catalog to the sections of the library and reading the spine label
• talk more about different authors and genres, perhaps with book tastings
• continue our book fairs, author visits, Hour of Code, creative iPad time
• invite older students back to the Book Nook for read-aloud time--they miss that!

After twenty minutes with each third grade class, I had a clear plan to start the next school year.  I hope they felt like their voices were heard.