Do It

Our family motto this school year came from Spencer W. Kimball.

 

"Do it. Do it right. Do it right now."

 

We talked about how there will be things that we want to try. Like cheer leading competitively, dance, flag football, soccer, tumbling, highly qualified testing in school, etc.

 

We talked about how there will be promptings we feel to help us make a new friend, help out someone who is hurt, lonely, or scared, or acts of service we can do for others.

 

We talked about overcoming our fears and shyness. We talked about being brave.

 

We talked about setting goals that we want to achieve through hard work and determination.

 

We talked about how the Holy Ghost will speak to us, if we listen, and we should just, "Do it."

 

Don't let fear, anxiety, nerves, worry about what others will think stop us. Just do it.

 

We talked about how we may not always be successful. We may not make the team, make a friend, receive the expectation we hoped for, and that's OK.

 

But, we must do it anyway. Do it. Do it right. Do it right now.

 

Song for FHE: Nephi's Courage but I couldn't help but think of LL Cool J's jam "Doin It."

Treat: Mountain Dew right before bed - not a good idea and a new pair of running shoes for back to school

Return and Report

I love to see my kids' faces as they return back into my loving arms after their first day of school. It's never the same and it's usually pretty comical.

I also love their personalized reports of the day. One child always filled with lots of detail and the other a man of simple explanations.

But most of all, they love to share all about it while enjoying a special treat. So do I.

We couldn't return to our usual spot this year, thanks Navy. But we found a new little place to relax, recap, and report, all while enjoying decadent chocolates. Amy's Decadent Chocolates that is.

I say, "How was your day my big, sweet girl?"

She responds with a deep breath, "Mom. I just don't know about my teacher. She is nice and all, but just way too nice. The kids were not listening at all. She had no control. One kid she had to ask him to stop so many times and then she never followed through on her consequences. Her classroom management was just not there!"

I smiled as she said this to me. The other parent who I was chatting with, that happens to be a substitute in the area, was in shock. He said to me chuckling, "What child knows about classroom management?"

I say, "How was your day my handsome, smart boy?"

He says, "Good."

"How was your teacher?"

"Nice."

"Did you make a friend?"

"Four."

"Do you like where you sit?"

"I think so. Oh, I beat some kids at tether ball."

"I missed you sissy and bruhyer."

Amy's Decadent Chocolates

Jack - 2nd Grade - Mrs. Cummings

Afton - 3rd Grade - Mrs. Hansen

A Teacher

When I was a teacher, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night because I was busy worrying about my students. I would be lesson planning in my head, texting my friends - fellow teachers - to talk about what we should do the next day or that week. (Their husbands got used to my late night texts.) Or I would be practicing what I would say to help my kids, (my students) understand a skill better. How could I act it out better for them, writing a jingle or creating a poem, a helpful poster maybe, anything to make it more relatable, to help them make a connection so they will always remember what I taught them. I did this because I loved them. I loved my job.

For 8 years I did that.

And now. I do it for my family.

Now, that I'm a stay at home mom, I am not able to sleep at night because I am busy worrying about my family. I stay up lesson planning in my head, without the help of my friends, because they're busy working. I still practice what I will say to help my kids, (my actual children) understand a skill better. I try and think about how I can act it out better for them, writing a jingle or creating a poem, a helpful poster maybe, anything to make it more relatable, to help them make a connection so they will always remember what I taught them. I do this with all things, not just academics, but spiritual things, life lessons, everything. I do this because I love them. I love my job.

However, there is a big difference from my first job to my second. There is something that I miss and long for desperately. Something that I felt on a regular basis in my first career. Something that made me feel good about myself regularly, as if I was making a positive impact on others. I miss the feeling of being appreciated and accomplished.

The other day I received this text from a dear friend, who just so happened to be one of my teacher friends I'd text with lesson planning late at night years ago. This friend trusted me enough to be her daughter's 2nd and 3rd grade teacher. She trusted me and knew that her daughter would be in good hands, she'd be loved and thought of constantly to help her learn and grow. She sends me these texts from time to time, and every time she does, it melts me.

I know that my job at home is where I'm supposed to be. I know that there is no greater role for me than to be a mother to my 3 children. I know that I am blessed to be able to be a stay at home mom, thanks to my husband. I know that this job is way more challenging than my first role as a teacher, and heart-wrenching, as well. I know that, "No other success can compensate for failure in the home."

But lately, I can't help but feel like I'm failing.

So to my children and husband tonight, I had something planned special for you. I had been thinking about it for weeks, trying to get you excited about a special time in your life and hope to make it an enjoyable memory for you in years to come. But, tonight just didn't work. And I'm sorry.

I'll try again tomorrow. Because I know something from personal experience, a teacher doesn't quit. She's figures out a different way to help her students learn, and that usually comes from late nights without sleep worrying about her kids, lesson planning, thinking of jingles or poems, or possibly even a helpful poster.

 

Lake Life

My brother-in-law texted me the other day asking if summer was already over in Seattle. I responded a bit sad, as he had just posted tons of pictures of his family enjoying their pool in sunny Las Vegas.

The last few days were not sunny, and I thought for sure we'd have at least until September.

So I looked at pictures of us enjoying Lake Sammamish just a week earlier and was glad we had a taste of that "Lake Life" while it lasted. (Big shout out to Easton and his sweet family for inviting us for a fun night!)

But, I must say, today was a beautiful, sunny day in Bremerton and we soaked it up!