31 Days, 31 Reasons to be Thankful: January 22: Snow Delays

Yesterday was a teacher in-service day. It's one of those miracle days where we as educators have the chance to sit down and get some work done. Really, it's the one day of the quarter that we don't have to bring a ton of work home to do.

At the end of the day, our principal made the regular announcements...but with a special added twist.

After working hard all day, getting over 100 progress reports and 3 IEPs written, this was nothing short of music to my ears:

"...and, staff, we have a 2 hour delay tomorrow."

The heavens parted. Angels sang. Beams of bright white light shone down upon my school. 

The reality is, it's only 2 hours. Actually, for me, it's one hour because the faculty and staff report an hour earlier than the students. That really doesn't matter, though, because it's the novelty of the time that counts.

That extra hour of sleep is the sweetest hour I will ever have, and on top of that I have ANOTHER hour at work where I can get work done! Just imagine...I can organize my files, finally make those copies I've been needing, clean out my bottom drawer...

On a grander scale, what I am really honoring here is the concept of "found time". The snow delay is really a reminder of how precious time is. The day doesn't get any longer, yet it is "found time". It shows us what a precious gift time is.

Even if you didn't have a snow delay today, I invite you to take a moment and relish in time. Steal a moment and enjoy it's gifts...there are only so many afforded to us so we need to make the most of what we've got!

What would YOU do with an extra 2 hours?

"Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery."  -Bill Watterson

31 Days, 31 Reasons to be Thankful: January 17: Children

Aside from being a small business owner and artist/jewelry maker, during the day I masquerade as a speech-language pathologist at a suburban elementary school. Friends, I say this and mean it with all my heart:

I LOVE MY JOB

I have never, ever had a day when I woke up and thought, "ugh, I DON'T want to go to work today." That right there is worth all the money in the world.

Nothing brings joy and light into my world quite like my students do. They are hilarious, hands down. I try to keep a mental list of some of the things they say and do. For today's post, here are a few of my favorite "teacher moments"; these are the little rays of sunshine that make my day so much brighter.

Things I never thought I'd ever have to say out loud:

1. "Don't show your poop to anyone. That is your business."
2. "We don't lick each other."
3.  "Mommy's underwear stays at home. She does not like when you bring her private things to school."
4. "We do not put our feet on other people's lunches."
5. "You must stay in your space; Johnny (name substituted) can't eat his lunch when you're sitting on him."
   

I started to share some things that the students say, but that's for another post.

Do you have funny children in your life? What brings you joy?

"Those who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well."  -Aristotle

Back to School

I suppose it had to happen. Every year (since the beginning of time, apparently...), summer comes to an end and we find ourselves settling into the reality that fall is just around the bend.

I most often write about my jewelry business, but at this time of year in particular, my "day job" responsibilities inevitably return. In addition to designing and creating upcycled vintage jewelry, I am a speech-language pathologist at a suburban elementary school. It is a career that I absolutely love, mostly due to my absolute and unconditional passion for my job and my school. As I prepare to once again pack my lunches, iron my dresses, and brew my morning decaf, I am reminded of just how fortunate I really am. Tomorrow, I will walk into my school and welcome 59 brand-new faces into our kindergarten class and will calm down the parents of these 59 newly liberated children. I will talk about the things these children will learn, the experiences they will have, and the joy we as teachers will have in educating this fresh new crop of students.

In my world, it is the end of the summer, not January, that marks the new year. The commencement of a new school year wipes the slate clean and gives us all renewed hope. This year, I will have the opportunity to teach children how to communicate, how to learn, how to make friends. We will count money, play games, and learn lessons every minute of the day. I will dress them up for Halloween, trace their little fingers for Thanksgiving turkeys, and hand them ornaments to hang on my all-pink holiday tree. I will take them on a hunt for Leprechauns, fill plastic eggs with erasers and plastic bunnies, and help them paint flower pots for their mothers. Then, in June, I will once again pack up my classroom, exhausted yet (hopefully) thrilled with the year's accomplishments.

People often ask me how I am able to balance my energies between being a speech-language pathologist and running a (pretty darn nice!) small business. I can't lie: it is, at times, completely exhausting. But, after thinking about it for awhile, I think I can safely say that focus is the only answer. When I am at my school, I am Miss McClure the Speech Teacher 100% of the time. Between 8:30am-4:00pm Monday-Friday, my entire world revolves around my role in the education of these wonderful children. On the other hand, I am fortunate enough to have a balance that allows me to leave work at work, and I return home at the end of the day to pick back up as Lucy, the artist behind bel monili. I create my wares with love, keep up to date with my online matters, and happily pack up my Subaru to head out to the next wonderful show.

So friends, tonight is my New Year's Eve. I wish you all health, happiness, and prosperity in the year to come, and I hope that when our paths cross, we will each have joy to share.