Tough Week

Wow, this has been a tough week. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say, that this is the kind of week that the nuns back at Sacred Heart were talking about when they said that "God doesn't give you more than you can handle." I'm not so sure about that, but knowing that these ladies thought so does give me some confidence that at least God has faith in me to accept if not master the situation. How do I do it? Some people ask me. I am not sure, really. I have the greatest kids and they are a source of confidence and inspiration. They are busy living their lives, somehow trusting that I'll figure out how to help us make it. I have wonderful, loving supportive friends. I share what's going on in my life. Maybe that's how I do it. I talk. And, I try and listen. And, I accept hugs when they're offered, cards, smiles, emails, facebook messages, and tweets. The events of this week have taken my focus off of my students for a bit, and I have to try and remember that when I'm with them, I need to be WITH them.

My Dad

I think that I am a good teacher. And a good mom. On most days I make way more mistakes than I should. But if I am good at either job, a big debt is owed to my mom and dad. But it's dad that I want to focus on. I just spent Saturday with him and although he's 92 he's still as sharp as he was at 52(a fact that gives me great hope). I have so many memories of my dad. I don't remember Dad yelling. He would get upset, of course. He would get frustrated. Dad never said anything negative to me about my figure, my ability, my work ethic.

A few of my memories stand out. In 1982 when I took a group to England, my dad stood on our front porch and told me he'd gotten a passport. I assumed he was going back to India or China where he had served in the war. No. He said "if you need me while you're in England, I can come and get you."

In college I was miserable. William Woods had a rule that you could not spend the night in the first term more than 4 nights in a semester. So every Sunday my dad came to Fulton to get me. And he took me back every Sunday night. My mom told me that he cried seeing me so unhappy. But he didn't let me quit. He just made it possible for me to stay.

In high school a friend of my brothers lived way out in the country. The family was poor and proud. Dad must have known something of their circumstances. This friend wanted to stay at school for the bb games. Dad figured out she was walking home in the dark more than 5 miles just so she could be a part of the school. Dad stopped her one night. She was stubborn and told dad he wasn't going to take a ride from him. He smiled and said okay but he wasn't leaving so she might as well get in the truck. From then on dad gave her a ride home. He was the only one who could have.

So if I am persistent or kind or friendly it's because I learned how to be at my dads knee. Thanks dad. I wish for every child a man like you in his or her life. You led by example. What I know and how I act I owe to you.

New Year

It's a new academic year and things are challenging at OHS. New school opening. Enrollment. New teachers. New faces. My promise to my students. I love the study of history and I love sharing that story with my students. I promise to be enthusiastic. I promise to listen and to care. I promise to challenge your preconceptions and make you think. And we will have some fun.

Back to School Blues

Usually I am quite excited to get back into the routine of school. But, this year feels a little different. For the first time in a long time (2002) I will not have a child at Archbishop O'Hara. How strange! Having your own child at the school where you teach is a balancing act. Sometimes you are too hard on them because you know too much. Sometimes you let them slide because you know too much. You are always mom first and remembering confidentiality, limits, boundaries, can be quite challenging! But, I will miss seeing Matt in the hall. And, now I will worry from a distance about whether he is going to class, who he is hanging out with, and what he is up too.

It's out last one to start college. It all seems so odd. Boys are definitely different than girls. We haven't had the countless trips to the mall to get just the right rug and bedspread. No 60.00 visits to Beauty Brands for the liter sale to stock up for all semester. I miss it. A little.