No Excuses... moving forward!

Hey there readers!
   Ok, so I have been struggling with getting access on my mobile to post. I have posted on my video blog site: Giveit100.com
   I am posting, in honesty and fairness to my partner in crime Mr McKellar (Mr McKellar's Blog) to confess. I challenged Mr McKellar to blog for 100 days and then I, Mrs Minaker, was unable to keep it up myself. So I am extending the challenge about 6 days. I did vlog... but I don't think that matters.
   So... to catch you up. Last weekend, my second daughter turned 4 (2,4,6! It's an even year for the girls!) and we kept it small.
1/13/14- Monday, I posted the homework. I also took a pause to think about how Tuesday was my birthday and the double mark since I have been on my own. I sat at the kitchen table, on which I was born (funny story), and I thought about how far I have come since then. When I was 18, I thought I had it all figured out and I was afraid of a list of things. The list was long. I had a short list of what I had done and what I knew. 18 years later... I am pretty sure I know much less than I ever thought I knew at 18, still I managed to get through three degrees (ok, Associate, Bachelor and Master- but still). Education is my passion so it follows that I LOVE Teaching. I never thought I would do more than get married and teach people about the Bible at 18. Now, I am married, mother to three amazing girls and teaching. My 18 year old self would be amazed. And I am NOT done yet...

1/14/14- Tuesday, My students made my birthday by singing to me. My fellow co-teachers and staff surprised me with a brownie cake! It was a pretty nice birthday. I even got a call from my father-in-law. It wasn't perfect but it was a nice day until 2:30 rolled around and I found out my car was broken into in the faculty parking lot. Even worse, the person who smashed my window also swiped my GPS. Now, this is bad news because along with knowing many things about teaching and life, I know nothing about finding my way around. I am hopeless with direction. It is a weakness I acknowledged two years ago and forewent multiple gifts in order to gift myself with a GPS. It has made my life infinitely easier and less stressful as I feel secure knowing I have something to help me should I be lost and with no cell. I can't count the number of times I have been lost- sometimes so close to home it is ridiculous- and my cell dies at that moment. UGH. So this was my solution and yes, Anniversary/Christmas/Birthday/Mother's Day gift one year, to myself and my children who were probably afraid to drive with crazy mommy who gets lost. Now, GPSless and Driver window-less I had to solve many problems... with two hungry, small children in tow. Worst of all, we had little to no cash to rent cars or fix issues or feed hungry and sad kiddos as they waited it out like champs. I finally made it home after a grueling drive. Yes, my cell died. Yes, a kind stranger, Eddy at Enterprise Car Rental in Lowell, MA helped me out with a charger. And yes, I was stuck using a very awful direction app on my phone. I got home about... 6:30. Finally got to have some dinner and went to bed VERY early.
   SO, what did I learn?
1. People like to tell you things that sound helpful but feel annoying in stressful situations. Still, most people will try to help if they can.
2. If you are in a sticky situation, remain calm. Freak out later. People help you if you keep your sense of humor about the awful things that have happened.
3. Roll with it. Seriously, just go with it. It will work out later.
4. Bad things will happen. It is probably not personal.
5. Good things will also happen. Be open to them and focus on the positive like a proton!
Now, can my birthday be over???

1/15/14- Wednesday- So, first I realized I needed a little more work to the car. Oh well. Poetry quiz sixth grade!!! Who is ready?? See videos on my blog. I am sort of out of steam. I decided I am a little more than sad about the car. It will not break me though! Poetry Jam Session is scheduled... SO EXCITED!

1/16/14- Thursday- What a day! At Hellenic American Academy, we are celebrating our NEASC accreditation. During the day, we had pinwheels and cake for the kiddos. (Mom sidenote: Bella is in the WORST mood. Woken from nap. HMMM...) Drop the kids off at babysitters. Run quickly to pick up my husband from work and make it back just in time (6:00pm) for a lovely event at the nearby Whistler House. It was great. We were all happy to have a night to celebrate with so many families from school. 6:51- phone call from babysitter. Time to go. Bella is not tired, she is sick. UH OH.
Got there just in time to have her be sick, on me. I. just. want. a. shower.

1/17/14- Friday- Quiz Day. Refocusing on my students and getting back to business. There never seems to be enough time to do all the things we need to do. Time management is a struggle considering there are REAL students in my classroom. Vocab Friday! We also have current events... Struggling with how we can make sure students show up with a printed out current event with their summary paragraph. They seems to only show up part of the time and then we never quite get to discuss them. Hmm... we will need to rethink this assignment. Meanwhile, I have many quizzes and papers to correct. And miles to go before I sleep. Bella still sick, but a little better.

1/18/14- Saturday- We are not going anywhere today. Even though we are supposed to go to dance today, it will be a quiet. Instead, we sat with a fire in the fireplace. We watched movies and kept Bella comfortable and the other girls out of the path, hopefully. Not much to write about today.
  Today, I am grateful for a quiet day at home with the girls. I don't need excitement. I need dull at this point. Bella still has a fever. Other two girls seems okay so far. Knock on wood!

1/19/14- Sunday- Took a little drive to pick up Jay's car. The girls got a little treat and out of the house. Came home for naptime and then Jay and Harper snuck out. They had a Daddy/Daughter date at the Natick Skating Rink. From the pictures, it looks like a successful trip.
I have memories ice skating. I am not the most graceful person on my own feet, let alone when you have me strap things to my feet involving balance and motion. I have tried ice skating just enough to know I need MUCH more practice.
But there was this one day...
I used to have a friend named Emily. She lived way out in the woods in a simple house, on a small farm. They had horses, chickens and a big garden. When I went over there we went on walks in the woods, fished at a pond down the street and helped a bit with chores. We hunted nightcrawlers in the summer and ran wild most of the time. One winter, I spent several nights over and we found another, small pond down the road from her house. It had snowed quite a bit and the world was so quiet out there. One of my many favorite memories of walking in the woods in snow. We ended up at the frozen pond with skates. Emily convinced me to give it a try. It was the perfect temperature and snow was on the branches, making this a winter wonderland. It was pretty magical. For some reason, I could skate! I could glide and even stay balanced. I remember doing some kind of turn or something. I am telling you, it was amazing. I felt my muscles coordinated. I felt capable of anything. I never felt that way again when I went skating but the muscles, they have memories.
One day, I married a man who could skate circles around me and even if he goes years between skates, he can still do it like he's walking. He amazes me. It seems, thankfully, our daughters might have gotten a bit of his Canadian talent.

1/20/14- Monday- Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr day. It was always a personal favorite of mine. For a man to be that influential is truly amazing. To be that strong, and determined when you know your message will not be well-received is inspiring. Of course, Dr King did not walk alone. There are so many others who supported and worked with him. Yet, he alone is remembered best. He was publicly murdered and therefore, martyred.
Why do we remember this one man? Because he stood up for what he believed and said what he needed to say eloquently. Because the imminent threat of intolerance is no longer so overt. Because, clearly, we need to be reminded of the atrocities humans are capable of wreaking on each other. Because we need to keep the hope that we can change and improve our lives and that fighting this struggle is absolutely, unequivocally WORTH IT.
And do not forget it.