Winter blues? Sibling love

After teaching second grade yesterday, I let out a big sigh. The teacher in the room next door did too and the other second grade teacher I visited with talked about sometimes it just takes a lot to get through the day. 

There are so many on task, engaged students. Students ready to learn!! But even if 3/4 of the kids in a class have this outlook, there are some who don't and it disrupts the learning for others. 

Each of these sweet little people have a story. The not so sweet ones do too. 

If we keep investing, keep encouraging, if we demonstrate respect and kindness, I think a lot of it comes right back. Sometimes there are tough moments of waiting for it. 

This COLD weather and indoor recesses aren't doing anything for anybody! Energetic bodies begging to RUN! On grass, not ice or slush! Spring will never have felt so good! 

 Every day there are some challenges - for all of us. There are hard relationships and tough moments.

Somehow, someway, these four kids of ours get along really great. I am not sure how or why but it is one of my greatest blessings! When they are arguing or bickering it feels rough. But when they are laughing and helping each other out, sometimes I forget to be thankful. I take it for granted.

Today, while getting ready to get Hazel to school, Oren had a hard time getting organized. Hazel handed him his coat but he expressed that HE wanted to find it! He wanted to bring his toy for the car ride to school,we forgot it. Hazel was telling him to "hurry up!" There were tears and yelling on the way. And the snow had started again and I was a little mad (at Oren but mostly at the snow). He managed to get a handful of Hazel's hair while in the car and he gave it a yank. 

She got out of the car with tears in her eyes. ( I felt sad, but Miss Hazel has the WONDERFUL Ms. Rosenow so I knew the day would be okay - usually they are absolutely terrific!) We watched her walk in. I said "poor Hazel. She is walking slowly." Oren said "her head is down because she is crying." I talked to him about how he might feel walking into pre-school crying. We talked it out while in my mind I asked God to help Oren feel sorry and feel compassion.

The second Hazel got in the car, 6 1/2 hours later, Oren said "I love you Hazel." 

Thank you God. 

\

Yesterday I read aloud Thunder Cake the the second graders I taught. -- a favorite of mine

I just got home from grabbing Willem from basketball. I predict a two hour late start.

Good Monday Morning

Our slowest month of the year is probably January, then February - all of the others are pretty fast paced. Especially the months involving baseball. Try outs for Merit start today.

I am seeing some pretty full March weekends, but I am also really craving sister time! In Lynden or in Bellevue. My sisters live too far, I have recently decided. ;-)

Basketball was very fun this weekend.

Smash played hard! 

 Pirate ship fun! (great thrift store find!)

March is coming... I think this means baby chicks!

Kittitas Tournament

Willem does not stop working (even when they are down by a lot) He does not stop hustling. 

I know winning is fun but losing is so character building.

I am always proud to walk out of the gym with this kid.

Less enthusiastic but still smiling

 okay, so Monday it was sledding, hot cocoa, reading, snow forts, fires - all with a lot of smiles and enthusiasm! And great delight in school being cancelled! 

It was dreamy. 

Our garbage did not get picked up Monday - roads were too bad. So, we have no room for trash. Not so fun.  
I had a chicken become disoriented and would NOT walk through the snow back into the coop. Partially frozen it survived in the elements for four days. Vance was so proud when he picked it up and carried it into the coop yesterday (I had tried this five times). He may have been successful because the bird was half frozen and not able to fight like it had previously. But it is in the coop, all of the other hens curious to know about her adventures. 
Basin Feed has baby chicks. Currently, for sale right now.  People, don't be tempted to buy chicks now. It would be miserable to bring them home in this weather!! I know it is tempting! I would probably have 6 living in the bathroom if -- wait, maybe I could have six living in the bathroom! 
I can't focus on getting things cleaned up when the kitchen is hopping! Hungry kids everywhere. But heck, if I spent hours out in the snow sledding, playing and hiking I would be consuming a lot of calories too. 
Kids had Monday and Tuesday off. I made an effort to re-group Wednesday and Thursday and restocked at the Favored Farmhouse where I am a vendor. 
Today is another snow day. 
I have lost a little enthusiasm, but hey the snow playing is still fun (according to Hazel and Oren) Vance has plowed the driveway 23 times I think. We have added bird watching to our list of at home activities.
Our varsity basketball team plays in Wenatchee tonight and not going is bugging me but I am a WDW. (Winter Driving Wimp) I used to not be, that story is for later. 
Willem plays in Ellensburg tomorrow and Sunday. I love this idea IF the roads are good. 

 Hazel and Oren aren't tired of the snow. And I could never tire of watching them play in the snow!

Wednesday!

Snow and snow fun
and now back to school 

I think Oren may have just had four of the most fun days of his life.

SNOW DAY!

FUN in the SNOW!

FIRES
HOT CHOCOLATE
RED CHEEKS
IMAGINATIONS
YUMMY FOOD
DRIFTING SNOW
SLEDDING
SNOW FORTS

Friday

Merit was messaging with  a friend/aquaintance a couple of weeks ago -the friend was going through a tough time. He is depressed and does not really see a way out. The messages were concerning. I asked Merit to share their messaging with a teacher or counselor. He did. Finding a "go to", trust worthy adult up at the HS is not a hard thing to do. Talking with teachers who care, there are plenty. We are blessed. This crowded school with halls that don't seem wide enough still provides a good place to learn because of the people who are within those walls. 


At times I dislike my blog. It is like a diary that I have invited anyone to read. But I am nudged to keep with it. Knowing that the documenting of my thoughts is what I often find therapeutic.

Random thoughts, fun thrifting purchases, the kids' interests and baking tips are one thing, the heaviness of this week is something quite different.

If I can help one person, if I can encourage somebody, it is worth it to me. 
If my mom had written in a journal or wrote her thoughts somewhere it would be such a prized possession.

Keep praying with me for the Sullivan family, please. Brynn's funeral is Saturday. They need prayers every day but Saturday may be even more difficult. It will be healing day too though - an important celebration of a beautiful girl. 
We know to love, encourage and build up our students, friends, children, family... because we have become reminded again that life is short. 

I was looking at some pictures of Brynn through Facebook and one that made me sob was her just hanging at the arcade, I think it was the arcade, sucking on a ring pop, looking as cute as can be. Just being a happy kid. She had no idea her death would come so soon. Her family had no idea they would be living without the joy of sweet Brynn.

She is experiencing perfect peace, no pain. 
We have hope in Jesus.

a day of tears

I am 43 years old and tragedy takes my breath away today more than ever. I know we have HOPE in Jesus. I do not feel desperate. But some days when we learn of something tragic, something so sad, of a great loss -- the tears do not stop. As I get older, it is incredibly real to me the MANY who are affected, I would like to say this has helped me become more wise. I don't know. It has helped me want to help the hurting. I wish I had the words of comfort. As we journey along those affected by loss, our care is felt. So, we journey, we pray, we care.

The day of my mom's funeral I remember thinking that my siblings handled the day, the hugs, the conversations and the sympathy with such grace. Right after the funeral service, our family ate our lunch in a back separate room of the church basement. We could exit as we pleased, to then visit with the many people who had come to pay their respect. I tried to hide in that room. The emotions, the conversation, the hellos and hugs seemed exhausting. I wanted to scream "we can't do this without her." I cried for days, weeks, who am I kidding I still cry for my brother Phillip. He was in 8th grade and suspended from school at the time of her death. Messy, sad, heartache. We could not do it without her. Yet we are, but some days not very well.  Looking back, I appreciate all of the people who reached out that day and in the days following (our support system was and is incredible) but at that moment my heart hurt so terribly and my brain felt so foggy. I was calloused and I was sad.

Fast forward. Time passed and heartache remained. The void remained. Both of my sisters were married the summer after our mom's death. When we gathered for holidays and birthdays there was a void. Nothing was as easy or as fun. We lost our grandpa Ken after our mom, very hard because he was such a stand up guy but he had fought a good fight. Around the time I felt like family gatherings had more joy than tears and had more laughter than heartache, my nephew Case died. It was in the days that followed that I vowed to trust God's plan even though I was far from understanding it. The way my sister Natasha handled his funeral was with a grace and love that again I could not fathom. God gave this to her. She allowed Him to give this to her. Her life is forever changed. So is her husband's. Grief is not temporary.

My dear friend Lisa who lost her husband suddenly and tragically, she hugged the people at his funeral. She talked with them with a grace and a patience and an appreciation that made me respect her even more and made me cry as I looked back on that day. She knew that God had a plan.

Grief does not look the same. The hardest days can come at the beginning but sometimes they wait.
The grief lasts, but can look different with some time and some healing. Coming alongside the bereaved would be my advice. Care and compassion matter.

Last night a seven year old girl - a Longview Elementary student - died in a car crash. A darling girl with a twin brother also in her class. Back to trusting God's plan even without understanding it. There is so much we won't know this side of heaven.

When I walked into the school this morning, the feeling of sadness and the will to support was powerful. Our PE teacher and music teacher have taught this girl, her twin brother, her older brother and sister  - these teachers get to know and love the families and are invested. It was a day that tried to shake our school, yet the love, care and encouragement did so much to help our children get through.

This little girl's death made me think of her darling personality of her BRIGHT, social, sweet being! She was such a dear girl. And it made me think of her dear mom - a woman I do not know.

It made me think of my grandma who has lost two daughters, of my sister who lost her son, of friends and family who have lost loved ones, It was a day to cry and to be weak and to want to somehow help in the days ahead.

God, please comfort them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. 
Revelation 21:4