Thank You, Dear Teacher

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Thank you, dear teacher.

After months of cold days, suddenly, it’s warm out and when I picked up my son from school yesterday, his blonde temples glistened under the sweat that was forming on his brow.  It’s always startling to me, really—those temples that are still so very white blonde, only revealed from a short summer cut—since the rest of his head is darkening now that he’s getting older.  Where did all that blonde hair go?

You were at the door like you always are, morning and afternoon, with the line of students behind you, waiting for parents to fetch them.  It’s always a picture I look forward to seeing—the happy kids, children I’ve come to know,  at the end of the day—and my son often stops to hug you before running to hug me.  That’s the way it is now, sometimes.  You’re the first to get the hug before he skips down the walk to throw his ever-growing arms around my waist.   How did his arms get so long?

A year has ended; hair has gotten darker; arms have gotten longer, as they’ve reached for the sky.  We parents have watched it all happen right before our very eyes, marveling at how fast time passes.  As a chapter closes for them and for you, I want to thank you on behalf of all parents.Continue Reading

The Crossovers

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Today, we crossed over.

My son finished kindergarten today in a ceremony his school calls kindergarten crossover.

As I watched him walk across a metaphorical bridge between kindergarten and first grade with tears in my eyes, I couldn’t help but to think of the past crossovers in our lives–his and mine, forever bound now in his face which looks so much like my own.

When he was born, I crossed over from a woman who acted so sure to a mother who was only sure of one thing: her love for the tiny baby in her arms who stared at her like he was memorizing her face–line by line.Continue Reading

Making Time to Smell the Mint

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“Will you come and smell this mint, Mama?”

I was so tired this morning and as usual, we were dangerously close to being late when my son called to me.

For once, my morning exhaustion wasn’t due to my toddler daughter.  Instead, my son woke us up at 5:00 a.m.  When he came into her room this morning, he was looking for me.  I was already there, almost asleep again with her.  I tried to shush him out of the room but he had something to tell me.  The something turned into nothing, but the damage was done:  my daughter was wide awake.  And while I tried my best not to act or speak in frustration, I wasn’t at my best and regretful words spilled out.

We all rebounded; he apologized for waking us up and I apologized for my words.   He made me a coffee in the Keurig and I made him a waffle.  And we moved on, but our pace for the morning was rushed after our tired bodies spent too much time snuggling on the sofa.

While I was loading up the car with backpacks, lunches, and other school supplies, he ran to the garden to find that fresh mint had sprouted.  My hands were full with his sister and my coffee when he called to me, “Will you come and smell this mint, Mama?” Continue Reading

All in Time

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A few days ago, a very well-meaning friend gave me advice on ways to market my writing, improvements to my webpage, and ideas on publicity. I read her words and realized their merit.  But after some time considering her advice, I just realized that I can’t do it right now.  I’m doing all that I can in the here and now to achieve my dream.

And so I wrote to her and told her that I am doing what I can.  I am listening to my inner voice of what my limits are and I am honoring that for now.   There have been so many times in my past when I haven’t honored my limits, but I’ve been working on it.  And this seems like the perfect time to practice what I have been saying I will.   This is a test, one of many.  I plan to pass it.  Continue Reading