Thank You...Just Thank You

So, in 2007, I thought I'd write an email asking all of you to help me fulfill some of my kiddo's Christmas wishes. I thought if I got enough to buy each kid a book, I'd be doing an amazing amount of good. You surprised me though: I got an amazing response from all over the country. I was able to get each of my kids a gift that year.

So, in 2008, I tried again. And again...you responded in force. Not only did you send an unprecedented amount of gifts, money, and toys, but Sgt. Walker from the Air Force picked up my email and came with gifts for my class.

So, in 2009, I tried again. That year: we were able to give the ENTIRE 2nd grade (all 100+ kids) gifts. It's been that way ever since. This year: Merino High School also came with money, books, and donations for our ENTIRE SCHOOL. Never underestimate your power: I am living proof that I had a "dream" that my little 2nd graders would get 1 or 2 Christmas gifts and it blew up into something that I had never imagined. Celebrities tweeted about it and sent amazing gifts. People from all over the world (I had gift cards arrive from Holland, Germany, and Italy) sent books, school supplies, money, and the Air Force came like never before. All of you: my family and friends; sent your clothes, you held fund raisers, your children sent their birthday cards, children made ornaments and sold them to buy my kids gifts, offices gave of their time to come visit and bring the kids socks and flash cards, and too many other generous and wondrous gifts to count.

Please click here for a link to the main gift drive. Then click here for a link to the Air Force taking all of their (and YOUR) donations to Bryan's house (little boy in my class who is suffering from a brain tumor) on a day that I had a tragedy prevent me from going. That is a little boy whose last Christmas will be the most joyous he has ever known. Because of all of you.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. These children will never be the same. And neither will I.

Christmas Drive Update

This is an incredibly humbling post to write and I've been putting it off for a few days as I was waiting till I felt I had the "right" words of appreciation, or the phrase that would express "enough" how amazing all of you are. I just don't think there are any words that can tell you how generous and full of love you all have proved to me that you are. Even those of you who I've never met.

Please click here for the previous post I sent out to everyone in the beginning of November. I had asked for help from all of you to provide a "gift or two" for my class of 24 2nd graders. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine what has been pouring, (yes, in waves) into the office and my inbox for the last few weeks. Countless people from all over the world have stepped up and donated their time, their resources, their money, their own kids' clothes, books, services for families in need, gift wrapping and distribution help, and much, much more. Below is a quick list of all the wonderful, generous, and amazing help I've received since November...I hope it astounds and touches you as much as it has me. It has, and continues to bring me to tears.

*Gift cards to Target in amounts from $5 up to $100 from people all over the world. One little boy sent me his birthday card he had saved from Target because he told his mom, "Those kids need it more than I do." I've also received checks, money orders, and cash from everyone to my close friends and family, to strangers from as far away as Rome and Amsterdam.

*The University of Colorado Health Center gathered boots, coats, books, and random toys for all the kids.

*An office here in Commerce City gathered their workers together to donate flash cards for all the kids.

*Leah Rimini (star of King of Queens) was informed of this over Twitter and immediately asked all her fans to help my class. Within 3 days, she and her friend Sonya had created a gift list with pajamas, toys, crayons, and flash cards for every single child and it was fullfilled by all of Leah's fans from all over the world. Click here to see the link...

*I've received gift cards to have a pizza party for the kiddos in the future.

*So many of you have contacted me personally and have arranged specific donations based on the kids' needs. There are boxes and boxes and boxes in the office filled with boots, coats, books, school supplies, blankets for every kid, socks, underwear, backpacks, and so much more. The stack of boxes is incredible!

*A book party was held in UT for my kiddos and every single child will be receiving their very own hardcover book based on their reading level. They raised enough funds for that AND books to be donated to our school library so the whole school can enjoy them.

*A church in VA was able to collect over $1,000 for Bryan, my child who is very ill with brain cancer. This will go towards food, transportation, clothes, and gifts for him and his three brothers for the next several months. The Boulder Running Company is also dontaing custom shoes for him and his family.

*The USAF here at Buckley Air Force Base adopted the entire 2nd grade (all 92 kids) and have written individual letters to each child, have gotten gifts like hoodies, toys, socks, playground equipment, etc. for the ENTIRE 2nd grade. Not just my class. Not only that, but they are coming in uniform next week with Santa himself to give the kids their gifts and to spread some holiday joy before the kiddos leave for the break.

*A 8th grader in Boulder raised money by selling ornaments she made herself to buy each child a gift bag with oranges, toothbrushes, mittens, books, etc. She didn't have enough to fill each bag with what she wanted, so she went to her school's PTA and asked them to make up the difference. They happily did so.

*A junior women's league is coming next week to help me start wrapping all the gifts. They are staying late after school every day to be sure it gets done in time and I wasn't doing it all by myself.

*I still get to go shopping this weekend with all the gift cards you have sent. I plan to "fill in the gaps" and be sure every child has shoes that fit, jeans that aren't too short, a warm coat, and possibly a toy or two. This shopping trip is always the highlight of my entire year!

...and there are so many more stories still to come.

Seeing all of this written down has again brought me to tears. There just aren't enough words to describe how amazing the kindness and generosity of complete strangers are to a school of kiddos whom you've never met. I will be posting pictures all next week as we give the kids their gifts, so be sure to be checking back often.

I wonder if all of you who sent even $5 have any idea of what the power of your gift is going to do. As I sit here writing this in my heated classroom (after having to hug a little boy this morning for 10 minutes to warm him up because he had to walk to school in the 8 degree weather with no coat), I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. You have made an extreme difference in the lives of these kids. It's something they will NEVER forget.

And neither will I. Happy Holidays to all of you.

Mara

The Power of a Moldy Carpet

..."I will be unconventional. I will choose which rules to bend/break to ensure that every child has the best possibility of a future. I won't become discouraged by the politics, or the families, or by my own circumstances. I will be passionate. I will always rejoice at the smallest accomplishment...as that proves I am giving my best. Most of all, I won't be afraid to try new things and to keep learning. The kids in my care deserve that from me." --Mara Kimling, June 2003

I was going through my work files last week and stumbled upon a letter a professor had me write to myself years ago back when I was taking my graduate course work for my teaching license. I know that sounds crazy. It was dated June of 2003. I had to stop and think for a minute on why she would have had us do such a silly thing. Then I remembered: she was one of the best teachers I had ever had. She inspired. She motivated. Most of all, she lead by example. I remembered she told us that teaching was a hard, hard job and 1/2 of all new teachers leave the profession before 5 years. She said it was thankless and lonely. She said we would never be rich. She said while we were young, fresh, and excited, she wanted us to write a letter to ourselves telling ourselves WHY we were choosing this profession. She said to pour our hearts out. Then she took the letters from us and mailed them to us exactly....you guessed it...one year into teaching.

I remember getting this letter and barely glancing at it. I remember I was fresh out of my first year of teaching and I was so exhausted, the thought of reading something else made me feel sick. I remember I scanned it, thought about it for all of 2 minutes, and filed it away. And there it stayed. For the last 7 years.

I've had a pretty bad problem with water leaks in my classroom. My file cabinet has grown a lovely case of mold and mildew. One day after play practice last week, I decided to go through it and try to get rid of the stuff I didn't need anymore. I came across this letter buried in a file folder labeled "New Teacher Stuff." (very eloquent, I know.) I opened it for nostalgia sake. Then read it. And read it again. And read it again.

Then I sat down in a haze of tears. I remembered how excited I was then. Before the pressures of student loans, politics, parents, unmotivated students, roofs that leak, kids that physically attack you, low salaries, technology that never works, criticism from society, unrealistic district and state expectations, and most of all...my own life problems that affect my daily moods. I wondered where "that" Mara has gone. The one who wrote about rejoicing and celebrating the small things. The one who woke up every day excited for the possibility that TODAY may be the day that Brenda finally gets it. Or that my autistic kid will make eye-contact with me. Or that Shania will tell me she's going to be a doctor and it's all because of me. Or a grandma will come find me to give me a hug to tell me how much of an influence I've been on her grandkids and thank you so much.

I've been gone for a while. I'm not sure when exactly I made my exit, but I think it has happened gradually, or my evaluations (which are always good, thank goodness) would have suffered by now. I sat on the moldy floor of my room and held the letter in my hands for quite a while. I wondered what I could do to bring myself back. If there was anything...

Later that night, I thought about when I was the happiest teaching. Family and friends have been telling me for a long time to leave this school district and get a job somewhere "easier." Somewhere closer to home. In a school where every child does his homework, every parent is involved, there's no kids doing pole dances, parents in jail, or 2nd graders reading at a kindergarten level and no one seems to give a crap about it. I thought about that and my answer to them has always been that I like it here and I've established a good name for myself here, and it's safe. But is that the truth?

The truth is I love it here. I love the dirty kids I get. I love that a smile from me might be the only smile they get all day and I have a REAL possibility here to affect them in ways I wouldn't in an "easier" school. So what else can I do to get that spark back that has been lost for so long?

It hit me hard when the answer of what to do came to me. I was happiest when I was teaching AND in school, finishing my MA. I love college. I love the discussions, I love the reading, I love researching and finding out something new. I love learning something in class on Tuesday night and being able to implement it in my classroom Wednesday morning and seeing immediate benefit from it. I've never given myself license to think about going back to school before because I already have my MA...what else could I do? A PhD in education seems silly, so I never thought about it until now. Until...a glass of wine, a friend, and an internet search provided an answer.

I'm going back to school for my Reading/Writing/Elementary Literacy Endorsement. It's about 27 credits (or 9 MA-Level classes) and when I'm finished, I'll have the option to become a Literacy Coach. Or an Intervention Specialist. Or an Instructional Coach. Or, I can use my new skills to be sure I am providing amazing reading instruction to my classroom of kiddos. In this district here in Commerce City.

So I'm going through a tedious and rushed application process to get accepted to the University of Colorado-Denver in time for the January semester. All of this happened so quickly, that I barely had time to register any of it until yesterday afternoon when I was on campus meeting with my academic advisor. I got all the paperwork I need to complete this weekend and threw my backpack over my shoulder and left the building to go pick Maelin up from preschool...

There was an amazing sunset last night. (really, it was crazy awesome...multiple people posted pictures of it on Facebook, but I digress...) I was walking through the campus that I have spent over 8 years of my life on and I know so well. I know the shortcuts and the hiding spots. I know the cheapest parking lots. I know which buildings have the best burrito dudes. I know every inch of the library, the gym, and the education department. I have worked closely with many of the professors and they smile at me when they see me in the halls there. As I was walking through the campus watching the sun set below the mountains and thinking about everyone and everything in my life that has gotten me to this point...

I was happy. I was confident. I was amazingly excited for what was to come. Imagine me: someone who didn't even graduate from high school with a Masters in Elementary Mental Health (turns out I had a 3.96 gpa that I was reminded about last night from my advisor) with an added Instructional Literacy endorsement. That puts me 10 credits below a PhD.

I'm already feeling better about the direction my life is going. I've decided to go for something that is going to make me happy, fulfilled, excited, confident, and most of all, an extremely effective master teacher. I'm not going to sit around and let the grass grow under my feet and allow myself to fall any further into the "woe is me...my job is so hard and no one appreciates teachers anymore" hole. That hole sucks. And it's not who I am.

As I've been in tears for the last few weeks due to many things going on including how stressful (but amazing!) the Christmas Gift Drive is turning out to be, (another post on that soon), I've decided to follow my own advice. That I wrote over 8 years ago...

"...If it's important to you, you will find a way. If not...you'll find an excuse."

Bryan Needs Your Help!

This has never happened before and I hope I'm eloquent enough in my description, but as I'm sitting here in tears, I apologize for what might be not my best writing...

We are getting a new student on Monday. His name is Bryan and he's 8 years old. I got to meet him just now and you never saw a little boy so excited to come to school! He shook my hand super hard and said, "Nice to meet you" and couldn't wait to come see where he was going to be sitting. He was wearing a baseball cap, so I treated him like any other new student...gave him a supply box, and a new name tag, and shook hands with mom and dad. Then they left, clutching the homework I was giving out over Thanksgiving Break. (yes, I'm that kind of teacher...)

Then the secretary called and asked me to come back to the office. She told me this... "Ms. Corzine, is there any way we can add Bryan and his family to your Christmas Drive? It seems that Bryan has brain cancer. He is dying. He is only going to be coming 1/2 days because the chemo just takes it out of him, but he is so excited to keep going to school as long as he can and mom didn't want to tell him no. All their money is going to medical costs and from the looks of the information I have from Children's, this will be his last Christmas."

So again, I'm putting out a plea to all of you: let's make this little boy's Christmas spectacular! He has one brother who is 12 and another who is 2. Any gifts you would like to collect, send, or donate for Bryan and his family this year will go directly to him. If you aren't sure what to get, please send a Target card and just write "Bryan" on the envelope and I'll make sure he and his brothers have a Christmas that they'll all remember.

The address to send anything you can still find in your hearts to is:

Alsup Elementary School
c/o Mara Corzine
7101 Birch Street
Commerce City, CO 80022

Words can't describe how touched and amazed and humbled I am by all you've already done. The smile on Bryan's face today when I met him showed me the true spirit of children: pure happiness. Despite his pain and his fear. He'll be coming 1/2 days and I can't wait to help him and be here with him for as many of those days as possible.

Thank you.

--Mara

Hope

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible."--Christopher Reeve

Less than a week away from Thanksgiving. Christmas is just around the corner. Maelin and I have already set up the pink Christmas tree in her room and she's been bugging me for weeks to set up the big one. As our new place is rather small, we've been debating about where it's going to go. Her vote is in front of the TV. I've been trying to explain to her that that's not the best idea, but she's determined. I think we'll have to negotiate that one.

I have more hope this Christmas than last year around this time. I remember spending a lot of time mourning the fact that it was our first Christmas without our mom. My mom LOVED Christmas: one of her favorite things to do was to buy these ridiculous puzzle boxes and throw gift cards in them for us. Anyone who knows me knows I have NO patience whatsoever, so I never even tried to attempt to open the darn things. My brother was a huge fan though and I have many years of memories of him sitting there doggedly trying to open the box and he always would: and the smile on Mom's face was awesome. She was so happy to be able to do fun things like that with us.

Another fun tradition was for her to take us to the Nutcracker every year. We've done it almost every year that I can remember. In fact: that's one of the last times we were out together in public two years ago before she got really sick. I have a treasured picture of us at the show and even though you can tell she's not feeling her best, she's wearing the largest smile. In that spirit, we've got a whole gaggle of people going to the Nutcracker with us this year! In all, we've got about 10 people: my aunt and her girls, our whole family, and some dear family friends. Even though I'm sad that it's another year my mom won't be joining us and I'm wishing she could watch the joy on Maelin's face when the Sugar Plum Fairy dances, I'm hopeful that this will be the start of many fun family memories for Mae. That was always my mom's favorite part and Maelin has already picked out which tutu she's going to wear to show so she can dance "just like the pretty ballet girl." It's going to be bittersweet, but I feel so blessed that my family will all be together for that night.

My sister is coming out to visit from CA and she and all my siblings and kids are spending the night on Christmas Eve and we're going to try to create a real "Christmas Morning" for the kiddos. I have a fireplace, so we'll make cookies and write the letter to Santa and do the whole bit with candies and Skittles in the stockings that we never got to do when we were kids. My younger sister is doing the cooking (thank God, as I'm not the best cook: I tend to even burn pans), and my older sister and her kids are performing "The Night Before Christmas" for all of us. My mom happened to record that book for all the kids right before she passed away, so we'll actually have her voice there to narrate.

Hope is a tricky thing. Too much of it, and you tend to live in a constant state of denial. Not enough of it, and you become a bitter pessimist who is pretty certain of how miserable life is and how nothing is good enough. I think I've got a much better understanding and grasp of hope these days. I'm hopeful that this holiday season will be better than last years' and I can finally put my grief to rest. I'm hopeful that Maelin will be able to look past my imperfections and my bad days and remember her childhood with a happy, joyful heart. I'm hopeful that I will finally be able to become the mom, teacher, and friend that I'm meant to be.

I'm thinking that the holidays are going to have their times of longing, sadness, grief, and wistful thinking. But I'm hopeful that I can use those emotions to spurn a desire to create something magical for myself and my family.

And maybe by this time next year: I'll be writing about joy, magic, love, friendship, and possibilities.

I'll keep hoping.

Back To My Roots...

Lifetime member. Troupe #1674. Card-carrying Thespian. One of the things I loved most about high school was being a member of the drama group. I made amazing, life-long friends, was able to dance, sing, yell, scream, laugh, cry, and perform many different types of roles to my heart's content. Performances, plays, theater will always be one of my very first loves.

Well, it seems I have an opportunity to put some of that fun to work! Our elementary school has found a VERY small amount of funds for us to put on our very first play! The First Annual Alsup Drama Club! And guess who they asked to help with it...yup! So very excited.

We have no budget. We have a script borrowed from another school. We have volunteers helping after school to run rehearsals. We have students helping after school to paint scenery. We have no auditorium, so we'll set up folding chairs in the gym. We have "actors" who have NEVER performed in front of an audience larger than their own classrooms before. We have students getting ready for tryouts who can't even practice at home much because their parents don't speak enough English to be of help to them...

No matter. "For the love of the theater...", we have dozens of kiddos who are super excited and already preparing their tryouts. For me. The person who will want to choose every single one of them for just having the guts to get up in front of 3 teachers and possibly be eliminated. For a silly, elementary school play.

That's passion and I'm so thrilled to be able to be a part of it. So here we go: twice a week rehearsals after school and performance scheduled for February. My old Thespian Troupe from Centaurus would be pretty proud of me now.

Christmas Help Needed!!

Hello all my friends and family,

It's that time of year again, Christmas time! It is such an exciting time for Mae and I at home! As I muddle through the stress that is daily life, I sometimes forget how lucky Maelin and I are. We go home to a warm home. Mae has plenty of clothes and food and toys and isn’t really lacking anything.

Please take a moment to read the following letter and possibly even forward it along if you see fit:
I work in a very impoverished school district. At last count, my school is over 95% free and reduced lunch, and our annual residential turnover (how quickly kids come and go) is 36%. (which means kids are constantly moving, staying with relatives, switching schools, etc…)

To put it bluntly: I have 24 8-year-old kids. 2 of them are homeless: they either live in shelters or with other family members. Most of them don't have their own coats, boots or enough food to eat at night. They are constantly asking for “more breakfast please” and they tend to save some of the snacks we get to take home to their siblings. The school provides free breakfast and lunch that we serve every day and for some of my students this is the only time they even get to eat. Two of my kids have family members (a mom or dad or brother) in jail, and the vast majority of my kids don't have enough books, pencils, paper or even crayons at home to do their homework.

It's not that all of the parents are deadbeats or don't care: I've met all my parents and most of them are devoted to their kids and passionate that their kids MAKE IT: they want their kids to rise above their situation and become better than they themselves have it.

I'm making a passionate plea to all of you: I know we are all tightening our belts this holiday season, just like the last few years, but if you could find it in your hearts to sponsor a child, so this Christmas every child in my class gets at least one present this holiday, I would be eternally grateful. There is nothing more heartwarming than the smile on a child's face when they are used to getting nothing (which reinforces to them that they don't matter and they don't deserve anything) and someone, somewhere, shows that they care about that child and that they MATTER to someone.

I hope the pictures, cards, and notes that you’ve read over the last few years lets you know how much YOU and YOUR HELP has made a difference to these kids. I still have kiddos from the upper grades come back and tell me that “2nd grade was the best Christmas ever! Remember we got all the books and toys?” Comments like that show that we ARE making a difference to these kids. And I’m so excited to do it again.

To share a quick story about this with you, I’ve had 3 students every year in my class from the same family. They live with grandma as both parents are in jail. Grandma works at the Hostess bakery here in Commerce City, so you can imagine what kind of budget they’re on. The girls are amazing, bright students and grandma was doing a great job with them. She came to me last spring and said something like, “Ms. Corzine, you need to know that you are my girls’ angel. You have made them smile every Christmas for the last 3 years and they talk about you all the time. Shania wants to be a teacher just like you because of the role model you are for them. Thank you for being here for my girls. You and people like you are the reasons my girls will make it.” I gave her a huge hug and filed that one away in the reasons I teach where I do.

This summer, I found out grandma passed away from liver cancer. I don’t know where the girls are now. I’m hoping they are well and the lessons they learned from all of us and grandma are sticking with them. I have a basket of goodies here in my room for them WHEN I see them again that I’ve collected from all of you over the years. I’m hopeful one day I can give it to them.

I've included some sayings from my kids' writings when I asked them to write about what they wanted/needed this holiday season: (I didn't edit their responses)

"I nned some math cards and things for my baby sister cuz she don’t hav close.”
“I would like some books please because I want to be smart when I grow up to be a smart doctor and sciencetest.”
“I would like bots to kep my fet out of the snow. The snow is cold.”
“Dear Santa, Pleese bring me some glases because I candt see. It would be grate to see.”
“Warm pj’s would keepe me warm at nite.”

I wanted to scan in all of the cute pictures but for time sake, I think you get the picture. Very few of them asked for things that most kids would ask for…

Here's the deal: My principal and I thought if I sent this email to everyone on my address list and you forwarded it on to your friends, we just might be able to get every child one thing that they want. We'll take anything EXCEPT cash/checks. Gift cards to TARGET would be the most helpful because we could trade them in for gifts.
If you'd really like to donate books and be sure that's where your gift was going, you can make your check out to SCHOLASTIC BOOKS and I will be sure to use it for that. We'd also love any books, school supplies, etc. I will make sure every child in my class will get something new this Christmas and hopefully, fill up their little hearts with a small amount of joy in the process.

Please send what you can to:
Alsup Elementary School
c/o Mara Corzine
7101 Birch Street
Commerce City, CO 80022

I'm here to tell you that all of us together can make a difference for these kids. They make me smile and laugh everyday with their unbreakable spirit, kind hearts and laughter. I assure you that even a pair of gloves and a book from a stranger matters to an 8 year old. They get a sparkle in their eyes. I need to get any donations by Friday December 9th to ensure I can go shopping and get things ready before the kids leave for break on the 15th!

I thank you in advance for your action and your caring. I wish all of you an amazing holiday season with your families and friends.
Warmest thanks for your time and thoughtfulness….

Mara

p.s. Some of you have been asking for class stats, so here they are: 14 boys, 11 girls. I have boot, coat, and clothes sizes so email/message me if you’d like that information. Thank you!!

p.p.s UPDATE: A dear friend has created a gift list online at Walmart if it's easier for you to click on this link and have a gift sent directly to the school. If that's not your thing, Target Gift Cards in any amount will help get the individual needs met. Thank you!

Our First Rockies Game

We headed out to the baseball field last week to show Maelin her first Rockies game. We had to bring Toto along (he goes where we go), and we met a good group of friends. It was the Fans Appreciation night, so fireworks were scheduled. Thought it would be a great time to introduce the little one to the joy of live sports.

She LOVED it. Although...it was hard for her to see anything since she's so small. So she had the most fun just running around the stadium, eating Dippin Dots ice cream, playing ABC Food on my iPhone (best app ever), asking me questions like, "Mommy, why is the football game so loud?", dancing when it was time to dance at the 7th inning stretch, singing and playing with our friends, and then...it was firework time.

We were super excited to stay in our seats to watch them as we were down really low and looking right at the west stands, where they were scheduled to be shown. However, Maelin saw the crowds being moved from the west stands onto the baseball field so they could watch the show on the ground. She flipped out and wanted to go down there with them. Being the bad Mommy I am, I figured we could find a way around the ushers and security and get down there. So we packed everything up, said a quick good-bye to the group, and hurried off. Turns out the Rockies staff knew what I was attempting and nope...there was NO way I was going to get us on the field. So I had to drag Maelin back to our section. The whole time, she was just sobbing and saying, "But Mommy, WHY can't I go on the field with the people? I'm a good girl!" It was awful. Lesson learned: do NOT try to break the rules with the 4 year old in tow. Just stay put and let her realize that rules are for everyone.

By the time the show started, she forgot all about being sad and loved it. She totally loved it. Then the music came on and we were all dancing and then it was time to leave. More tears. More drama. "Mommy, I don't want to leave! I want more football!" (yes, it was a baseball game, but considering she barely watched any of it, I gave her that. She watches football with her dad, so that's the sport she knows). I finally got us out of there, fought the game traffic home and the little thing was crashed in bed at 11pm.

Note to self for future baseball trips: 1) Leave Toto at home. He's a pain in the ass to carry around the stadium especially when the child keeps dropping him in the middle of a crowd. 2) Bring cash. Lots of it. Dippin Dots are pricey. 3) Make sure iPhone is fully charged so she can play and I can actually watch part of the game. 4) Eat dinner before we get there (which we did, thank god). Can't imagine what it would have been like if she was hungry. 5) Do NOT try to switch seats. Just stay where we're at and act like it's the best spot in the entire world. 6) Take lots of pictures and write it all down later because nothing is cuter than my little girl looking at me and saying, "Thank you Mommy for the football game. We do fun things."

Loved it.

 

 

 

 

Summertime Fun

Since school has started, I've been spending all my time now grading papers, creating lessons, attending meetings, talking to parents (or really, having parents yell at me, but that's another post for another day), testing students, playing games on the playground, and a thousand other little things that makes summertime seem awfully far away.

I stumbled upon these pictures when I was cleaning up my phone and I decided to post them as a quick reminder of why I do what I do: why I love my job for the few weeks of freedom that it grants me during the summer. It's such precious and amazing time to spend playing with Maelin...she's growing up so fast.

Hope you enjoy!

Wanted for her 9th birthday: Clean Water for Africa

I've tried to write this post 4 times now and I find I can't say anything the way Rachel did, so I'm not even going to try. I'll just give you the background and you can click on her link and read it for yourself.

Suffice it to say: I am humbled and grateful for stumbling upon this story today. As I drove to work worrying about my credit card bills, my poor car that's starting to fall apart, and the gas prices, the one thing I didn't have to worry about was whether Maelin has clean water to drink. Or that I've lost her.

Here is Rachel's story and then at the end of this, I've provided the link to her website. I hope it moves you the same way it did me.

Nine-year-old Rachel Beckwith didn't live long enough to reach her goal of raising $300 to bring clean water to African villagers. She died in a 13-car accident on Interstate 90 in Bellevue, Wash., last week, the Seattle Times reported. Since then, hundreds of thousands of dollars have flowed into the charity page she set up shortly before her accident, with more than 9,000 people contributing $368,000 to Rachel's cause.

The 9 year old told her family and friends she didn't want presents for her June 12 birthday, only donations to the non-profit Charity Water.

"I found out that millions of people don't live to see their 5th birthday," Rachel wrote. "And why? Because they didn't have access to clean, safe water so I'm celebrating my birthday like never before. I'm asking from everyone I know to donate to my campaign instead of gifts for my birthday. Every penny of the money raised will go directly to fund freshwater projects in developing nations."


Rachel had only raised $220 by the time her birthday came, so she closed the page. But after the tragic accident, Rachel's pastor at Eastlake Community Church, Ryan Meeks, brought the page back up and publicized it on the church's website. As news of Rachel's cause spread, more and more people found and donated to Rachel's page, many leaving personal comments about how touched they were by her selflessness.

"Thank you for your generous heart and for inspiring such generosity in others," wrote an anonymous donor who gave $45 to the charity. Another donor who left $9 wrote: "Say hello to my Jesse."

Rachel's mother Samantha Paul posted on Monday that she was in "awe" of the flood of support. "In the face of unexplainable pain you have provided undeniable hope," she wrote. "I know Rachel is smiling!"

Read Rachel's Webpage for yourself. Rachel can explain much better than I ever could.

Certain I Can Fly

My mom has been gone for over a year now. In that time, I've had the opportunity to spend some time alone in Italy contemplating where I want to be a year from now. My daughter has grown 3 inches and has learned how to count to 100. I've moved twice. I've taken a music test in the hopes of becoming the music teacher for my school. I've lost a few friends, but gained perspective. I was in a car accident. I've cried tears over found treasures of hers. My family scattered her ashes at Disneyland amidst the smoke of the fireworks. A dear family friend found the love of her life. Another family friend lost hers. I've said things, done things, and reacted to things in ways I'm not really proud of. Maelin learned how to put her head under the water and how to sing "Stay Awake." Through all of this...I think I may have found part of my voice.

Wandering the streets of Rome all by myself with no map to guide me was the best thing I could have done. Imagine the scene: I get off at a Metro stop and I have no clue where I am: just a sense of where I want to end up. So I start walking. I stay on the left hand side of the narrow street, careful not to twist my ankle on the cobblestones, as this side is in the shade and it's blistering hot today. I stop in a shop and ask in my haltering Italian for a bottle of water. I pay the $3 and drink it in grateful gulps. As I continue to blindly find my way through the confusing, noisy, overwhelming city, I stop and peer into the small shops I'm wandering past. One shop seems to call to me to step in, and it's not because of the air conditioning that feels so welcome on this hot day. It's because of the lady who is inside.

She looks just like my mom. Oh, she has the trademark Italian nose which my mom didn't have, but her stature and posture is just the same. She has the same crooked smile. She has the curly brown hair that my mom spent hours trying to straighten (just as I do). She even has her green, sparkly eyes. I stand in the corner and try to gather my breath. I know that this woman is a random Italian lady, but for her to show up at this time, on this day...makes me pause.

"Ciao", she says to me. I stumble back and say hello. I look around the shop. It's a doll shop. For anyone who knew my mom, you know she had an amazing collection of matryoshka dolls. This shop has tons of those, obviously imported, but to me it's a sign that I'm in the right place. Doing the right thing. Finding my voice, finding my lost heart, finding my confidence, finding my happiness again. Figuring out that I have so much at home to be grateful for and to be happy about. I ask "Quanto Costa" in my awful Italian, while pointing at a set of dolls. She answers me with a smile and says something way too fast for me to comprehend. Oh well. I browse through the shop and choose a handmade wooden puppet for Maelin. She'll tangle the darn thing all up, but no matter. This doll is coming home with me as a symbol of everything that hasn't changed in the last year...

These things are still here and even better than they were the last time I was able to talk to my mom. These are the things I longed for when I was in Rome and the things that made me want to get behind the plane to scoot it along so I get home faster.

My amazing, beautiful, brilliant little girl. She's growing up way too fast for my liking, but she still hugs me and sits on my lap and tells me I'm the best Mommy in the world. She has the ability to throw herself into my arms and erase every single trouble or worry I may have away. Every single day with her is a gift and even though there are times when I'm exhausted, or too busy, or sick, or stressed out, or sad, or distracted...she's an absolute joy and I am so lucky to be her mom. I can't wait to teach her how to play the piano, to take her to Italy with me, to help her with her homework, and to teach her about loss and the dignified way to handle it.

My friends and family are still here. These past months have taught me who "has my back" and who will be here for me no matter what. I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many people who would "bury a body" for me if I asked them to. Some of these people I've known for years, and some I've just been lucky enough to meet or become reacquainted with recently. Some are people I only get to talk to a few times a year, but that doesn't matter either because since I found my voice again, I've found a new appreciation for the ability to call them my friends.

I have an amazing job with amazing people. Just today, I had to step in and help restrain a student I had 2 years ago. He's gotten much stronger and it was a bit scary. However...I have 16 kids in summer school that need me. I am teaching them how to read. How to write. How to think and comprehend. How to analyze. Even though summer school is taking away some time from Maelin, I'm so grateful that I get to spend my mornings actually feeling like I'm possibly making a difference for even one child.

After I leave the doll shop with Maelin's puppet safely wrapped up, I stop in the middle of the piazza to get my bearings. Which way back to the Metro station? I see tour groups, cars and vespas zooming by, street vendors begging the tourists to buy a fake Prada purse. (of COURSE I got one!) I see the shadow of St. Peter's Basilica in the distance. The smell of freshly baked pizza is waifing down the street and the gelato shop across the way just finished making their waffle cones for the evening. The flower vendor is cutting the fresh bouquets, and the locals are all hurrying to their local bar for their evening "apertif": the quick glass of wine and snack you have after work with your friends. I experience a fresh wave of homesickness because in finding my voice here in Rome, I found what really matters.

My daughter. My friends and family. My life here in Denver. I wouldn't trade one bit of it. Yes, our future is uncertain right now, but I know that I'm following my heart and I'm not being held back because of fear. I know I'm making the right choices for Maelin and I to live with authenticity. When she's experiencing her first heartbreak, or her first love...I'll be able to tell her that life is short and not to be chained in by other people's expectations. Or other people's judgements. To live with bravery and to make the scary choices because you have faith that it will all turn out all right in the end.

Or to quote someone who is wiser than myself; "To jump off the cliff before you're certain you can fly."

Time to Study

I can play any instrument. I'm not saying that to brag or boast, it's just the way I've always been. I took about 2 years worth of official piano lessons when I was a kid and I was in orchestra, jazz, concert, and marching band, and played for years in the Boulder Youth Symphony as a teenager. I was a very informal piano teacher for about 4 years, and I can harmonize pretty well. My singing voice isn't fantastic (as my karaoke proves), but I can carry a tune. I've taught myself pretty much every instrument (including the snare drum!)...minus the guitar. I was able to teach Italian kiddos in Milan and Bologna, Italy how to sing in English, and how to perform and dance. I even have a music note tattoo on my ankle. It's always been my passion and my love and most people who know me, have seen an example of two of how music has affected my daily life.

There's a reason I've never mastered the guitar. My brain just does not understand chords, tonalities, and intervals. There's a reason I failed my college math class and had to change my major. I'm just not wired that way. But...I've got three weeks to prove myself wrong.

Our music teacher is very unofficially gone. I was able to conduct the elementary music program in May for our school and I got rave reviews, even though I only had 2 days to work with the kiddos. I was so frustrated at my lack of control: if it had been up to me, the kids would have done a musical study (Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, The Music Man, Sound of Music, etc.), and done a collage of songs and dances from those. We just didn't have time. I would have taught a few of them to play simple piano selections. I would have composed recorder music for others. I would have thrown in some sign language. Can't do much of that in two days though...but those are my dreams. Especially for our population of kiddos: music and art and dance is so important for them and it's been breaking all of our hearts that the kindergarten kids cry before music class because they don't want to go. That's not the way it should be.

So I have been officially asked to apply for the music teacher position in our school. I'd be teaching 6 classes a day: one each for K-5th grades. I'd love it. I'd really miss my 2nd grade team, but imagine what I could do! We'd have talent shows. I'd teach everyone simple piano songs. We'd compose our own music on the xylophones. We'd learn square dances. We'd watch ballet and compose the music for them. We'd learn about instrument families, composers, dances, theater, and we'd have twice-yearly shows. I'd even try to teach strings/woodwinds after school for the 5th graders (brass instruments are not my speciality). Most of all: I'd make it fun. They'd learn so much and for some of them, it'd be the highlight of their day. Even special needs kids can learn rhythm or appreciation for classical/jazz/big band music.

There's just one problem: in order for me to accept the position which has been enthusiastically offered to me, I need to pass the Colorado State Place Music K-12 Licensure Test. Did you catch the problem with that? I'd be teaching K-5: this test covers everything through 12th grade. That's all music theory and history. That is such an incredible amount of information that, A) I either never learned or just absorbed through my own self, or B) I need to learn because I never heard of it in my life, or C) I never understood it to begin with.

To give you an idea of some of the stuff I need to know, click this link. It's incredibly overwhelming and is almost enough to make me even not want to try. Add to that: I only have one chance to take and pass this test before the beginning of the school year. June 25. I get back from Italy on June 24. Anyone else see the problem with that? I'm already starting to hyperventilate.

I've bought two music theory/history books and I've started plugging through them. I can honestly say that all of it sounds familiar, but I probably only really know about 30% of it. The rest I'm guessing at. And not even very well. I've been taking the practice tests and they are just serving to tell me everything that I don't know. If I were to take the test now, I think I'd get about a 40% on it. That is not passing.

But I'm going to try. My mom would want me to at least try for it. All my friends and co-workers especially think I'd be awesome at it and they really want me to at least try. So I'm taking my music theory (which is boring as hell, btw) books with me to Italy. I'll read them on the piazza's with a cappuccino. I'll read them in the evenings when Maelin is asleep. Before I start summer school, I'll spend the Tues/Thurs that she's in school at the library studying as hard as I can. Then I'll come home and take the insane test where they play me 20 seconds of a classical piece and I have to explain who the composer was, if it was pre or post baroque style, what key it's in and why, and many other things. I'll have to analyze different selections and explain them. I'll have to compose different pieces according to a prompt with proper key, functions, time signature, and placements. And I have 3 weeks to learn all this.

I'll keep you posted. I'm not super hopeful, but everyone around me says I'd be awesome at it and try my best. That's all I can do.

EEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Music Program...On Video!

Click here for a link to the video for the 1st part of the music program, and here for the link to the 2nd part. I think in total, they're about 16 minutes. :-) The only song that I was able to teach the kids from scratch is the last one on video 2. We also added a lot of dancing and stuff to the rest of the songs that they knew already.

Thanks for watching!!

I am now a music teacher!

The two grade levels getting ready for tonight's show...there's sure a lot of them...

Whoa. Crazy, crazy week. I got a phone call at 6:30pm on Monday night from my principal. She basically said the music teacher is gone for now and the less I know about why, the better. The music program for the 1st and 2nd graders is still scheduled for Wednesday night. Could I please take over?

Um. Sure. I guess. Holy crap.

So I get into work on Tuesday to assess the situation. My God. We couldn't find any music, the kids said they knew some songs, but not enough and they're really lame songs, and there's no scenery, programs, order, or anything. The kids didn't even know where to stand.

I've spent every waking minute for the last two days downloading music, printing/creating programs, organizing over 250 6-8 year olds, coordinating with parents, the principal, the other teachers, the custodians, and oh yeah: teaching them one new song and dance for the performance. I would have LOVED to recreate the whole bloody thing from scratch, but there was just not enough time. So I added some dance, some props, some movement, and some more music.

Tonight will be my first time directing any sort of musical program since I was in Milan, Italy in 2002. That was easy because the kiddos were singing English and no one understood them anyway. :-) And we had 2 weeks to work on it. And it was all mine: created from scratch.

That's the hardest part: to stand up in front of all these kids, parents, and my fellow teachers to perform this when I KNOW the kids could have done better. We could have nailed a super amazing program if I had just had more time. But...something is better than nothing.

And it's been super fun. I'm incredibly worn-out and exhausted, but it's been a hoot. We'll see how it goes...

I kinda like being a music teacher.

A Different Meaning to Mother's Day

"Linnie" with Maelin in October, 2007. Maelin is 6 months old here and my mom is thrilled to be spending some time with us.

Mother's Day is quickly approaching and this year it's hitting me that it's going to be about ME. Maelin and I. Not my mom. In the past, I've always, always, made sure I had gotten my siblings together to order her flowers, take her to dinner, buy a gift, and make sure we did something special for her. I happened to stumble upon a gift we had given her about 10 years ago in her desk: a "Mother's Ring"; it has all four of our birthstones in it. I remember how excited I was to give it to her for Mother's Day as this was one of the holidays we didn't celebrate growing up. It felt so nice to be able to take a day and really make sure she knew how much we loved her, we were proud of her, and we were so grateful to have her in our lives.

Mother's Day doesn't mean that to me anymore now that she's gone. I've been spending the last few days trying to decide what kind of traditions I want to create for Maelin and myself now that it's just us. Some friends have given me great suggestions: from taking her to paint pottery, to planting flowers, to dinner with my sister, to a drive up to the mountains, to visiting my mom at the cemetery. I even tossed around the idea of spending Mother's Day with my Aunt Laura and her girls like we did for Easter. It'd be kind-of like creating my own substitute for a Mom.

But I don't need a Mom-Sub. I have a mom. She's gone now, but I see her in Maelin's smile. I hear her when Maelin asks me for the thousandth time when are we going to Disneyland again? I hear her voice at the store telling me how to pick the perfect watermelon. I feel her when I see pictures or stories of her two cats who are being lovingly looked after in different homes.

I knew she was watching, smiling, and super proud of me when I booked my trip to Rome this summer. I felt her strength when I made the decision that the trip was going to make me a happier, calmer, and less grief-stricken person, therefore making me a better mom for Maelin. I felt her pride last weekend when I was playing the piano for a group of over 100 people: a piece I had only 45 minutes to learn. When I stood up at the end to the applause, I could hear her whispering to me how proud she was of my musical abilities and how glad it made her that she scrimped and saved in order to get me to piano lessons. She drove me to every one. Paid for every one by herself. Called her friends on the phone so I could play for them. Came to every concert. Bought flowers on those nights with little notes telling me how magical my music was and how happy it made her.

I feel her watching us every night when I read to Maelin. Maelin has inherited her love of books and is constantly asking me to "Read just one more, Mommy!" I hear her laughing at me when it's 10:30pm at night and Maelin is still up and awake: a happy little night-owl just like she was. I feel her pride when Maelin turns down an ice-cream in favor for something salty: the child has been known to lick salt right off of her hands. My mom always had salt packets in her purse for a "salt-emergency"...you never knew when you'd be stuck with a popcorn that needed it and you didn't have any.

Most of all: I feel her love for my brother, sisters, and I. Now that I'm a mom, it's so overwhelming to have this little person in my world and I can finally appreciate how my mom must have felt about us. How happy she was at our conferences when we got good grades (which we all did...at least, most of the time.) How worried she must have been when we were late. How she probably stayed up late crying when I slammed the door during an argument. How she wondered and agonized over how she was going to get food on the table for four kids. How fulfilled she must have been to be able to take us all to Disneyland as many times as she did. Her joy at our weddings, and her sorrow when we called her crying when we thought those marriages weren't going to make it after all. Her love for our friends and how she became their "Linnie" as well.

I feel all of that now. That's why Mother's Day has such a different meaning to me now. I'm trying to find a way to honor all of this for my mom while creating new memories and traditions for Maelin. I don't think we'll go to the cemetery this year. That's not what my mom would want. Maelin knows her Nana is "in the ground" and I don't think that's what my new Mother's Day should be about. I think we'll sleep in late. We'll have a fun breakfast. I'll let Maelin pour the pancakes or heat the waffles. We'll go to the flower shop and I'll let Maelin pick some flowers for me and her Nana. We'll take them home and I'll let her get as messy as she wants planting them for us. I'll tell her stories. Maybe we'll take a nap. I'll be sure she knows how much I love her. We'll meet my sister and her kiddos for dinner and Maelin will go to bed as secure in my love for her as I did every single night of my life.

Because that's my new meaning to Mother's Day. Not to be sad or grief-stricken. But to be grateful and happy for everything I had. And still have.

Love you Mom. Happy Mother's Day.

Things I Can't Control

A friend and I were recently talking about the difference between control, influence, and care.

Things I can control are limited to ONLY things I have power of change over: my beliefs, my attitudes, my reactions. Things I have influence over are things that I might possibly be able to change, but probably not. These would be things like how quickly Maelin learns to read or my annual job review. Things I care about are all the extrinsic forces that are beyond any of our control but they do affect our daily lives. Traffic, the economy, and gas prices fall into this category.

I was thinking about this conversation today when I had to have a conference with the secretary about two of my students. I won't name one of them, but I had to buy her a pair of shoes this past Christmas as she was clomping around in Grandpa's old ones. Social Services has been out a few times to talk to us about her home life. It seems she was removed from her house over the weekend and Dad (turns out he's a drunk), is forbidden from even seeing her or her siblings anymore. She's living in Arvada with Grandma and still wants to keep coming here for school. Another kiddo you might know about is my little Sierra; her mom died in September of kidney/liver failure leaving Sierra and her sister Casi (in 5th grade) all alone. They've been living with their Aunt. Over Spring Break, Dad shows up to take them on a visit and doesn't bring them back. He decided he wants them and we're not sure where they are or what's going to happen. Poof...they're gone.

I cried for both of these girls this morning. Not sobbing tears, but just sadness at the lack of control these kids must feel each day. Then I started to feel sorry for myself for my career choice: if you think about the homes some of these kids come from, how crazy am I to think I have any chance to make any sort of positive change for them? It's like climbing uphill in the snow with no shoes and wondering why you get frostbite. Started to feel ridiculous. Stupid, even.

But then I remembered my recent realization about control vs. influence vs. care. I care about these kids. They affect my daily life. But I have no control over what happens outside of my classroom. I can make sure they're loved and warm when they're here and I can buy them shoes or clothes, but I have no control over whether Dad sells those clothes at the flea market so he can buy another bottle of Vodka (true story, as it turns out...). I can make sure I'm the most positive role model possible, but I have very little influence on whether or not they'll end up in college. That's up to them and where their life takes them. However...I can control my thoughts and reactions.

So that's what I'm going to be focusing on for a while. I care about so much that I actually have very little (or any) power over. There are so many things that aren't the way I'd like for them to be right now. Most of these things fall into the care category, so I'm going to put them aside. It doesn't mean my heart isn't breaking over them or I don't wish it were different a thousand times a day. It means I'm going to spend my "daily energy" focusing on what I can actually control: my reactions to my students. My energy for my job. My beliefs about the type of person I am and who I'm trying to raise Maelin to be. The types of people who are my true friends and the boundaries I need to create for those who aren't. The types of classes I can take this summer in order to be the type of teacher that I still believe I can be.

I can control these things. There's where my energy and my tears are going to be spent from now on. I'm leaving behind the rest of it. I'm going to end this quick post with this quote from Elizabeth Gilbert, author of "Eat, Pray, Love":

"This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something."

A PBR Wedding!!!

Congrats Pete and Megan!!! Can't wait! What a super fun time! A wedding at the PBR brewery! (could I possibly use any more exclamation points??? ) :-)

Finding My Voice...A Year Later

It's been over a year since I last posted on this blog.

In that time, Maelin has grown 4 inches. I've moved two times. We've gone to war in Libya. We had another anniversary of Sept. 11. Three of my best friends have had babies. One of which is just coming home today from almost a month in the NICU. Maelin has started preschool and graduated out of the Monkey Room and is now in the Crocodile Room. My class size has gone from 26 to 29. I traded my CrapBerry in for an iPhone and love it. My sister moved from Seattle to Sacramento and we've been out there to visit her.

I had my first Christmas by myself...no husband, no mother. One of my old students skipped 8th grade and is now kicking it over at the high school. One cousin went to Ireland and another one is graduating in a couple of weeks. Another friend adopted an adorable little girl. The first anniversary of my mother's death has come and gone, so has her birthday, the first Christmas without her, the first Thanksgiving. My family all went to Disneyland together to scatter her ashes by the castle...praying the whole time we wouldn't be caught and sent to "Disney Jail." Maelin rode her first roller coaster with her arms up in the air, squealing the whole time. I got in my first car crash. My sister beat thyroid cancer and has been declared "healed".

I'll be going back to Italy this summer: this time, all by myself. Not sure how long I'm staying or where I'll end up, but I'm hoping to find my heart again along the way. Lost about 30 pounds from the magical "Stress Diet" that I'm on and I really wish I could bottle and patent it as I'd make millions. I've stood hugging my uncle while fireworks exploded over our heads just wishing my mom could see us for even one minute. I've realized she's not coming back. I haven't gone through her things yet. I'm hoping as long as they stay boxed up, there's a potential for another little treasure to be discovered.

I've really found my groove at work and am really loving my job again...despite huge class sizes and all the outside forces working against us. Maelin and I have played in a mountain stream until our feet were numb, but laughing the entire time. I've learned that love comes in many different packages and I'm grateful for all the different ways it presents itself...even if it doesn't seem to be what I want or need at the time. I've learned the hard way to trust my instincts and not my heart. I've rediscovered old friends and moved on from others. I've learned the true meaning of heartbreak and loss. Of saying good-bye and being thankful for the lessons learned. Of friendship. And of loyalty. And hopefully...I've found my voice.

Stay tuned. I'm here now. I was lost for a while, but I think I've found my way back. To what matters most. My friends, family, and the reasons why I get up every day...

Keep checking. A whole new year has started...