Friday Faves

Happy Friday, friends.  Here's a little inspiration to begin your holiday weekend. 

a video that offers truth...

a photostream that inspires...

a friend I adore...

a song for singing along...

The gorgeous image above was taken given to me by my friend Se'lah.  You can get to know her generous spirit, here. 

A bowl of cherries or the pits? You decide.

Today was a rough day.  It really was.  There were quite a few insults and unkindnesses.  So tonight I am reminded more than ever of how important it is to be grateful.  

I am thankful for my beautiful, peaceful home, a happy family, and dogs who are unfailingly glad to see me.  I am thankful for open-hearted, curious children to teach, and friends to teach alongside.  I am thankful for life, for breath, and for the moon in the sky.  I am thankful for smiles, for tears, and for books that make you think.  I am thankful for my daughter, my husband, and time to talk over a delicious dinner.  I am thankful for love, for my Lord, and for this quiet evening.  I have so many things to be thankful for.  Look here, I've already nearly forgotten what was difficult about today.

What about you, friends?  What blessings are you counting this evening?

Did you know I have another blog?  This post came from there. 

Why don't you...

... shake off your inhibitions?
... sing in public?
... dance exuberantly in your car?
... participate in a poetry slam?
... paint your fingernails in alternating colors or rainbow stripes?
... go line dancing with a few friends?
... sing a lullaby to your love or your grown child?
... try karaoke?
... do something that makes you nervous?
... volunteer for dunking booth at your child's carnival?
... be the loudest one singing "Happy Birthday"?
... wear a hat all day? (one that isn't a baseball cap)
... make funny faces at strangers as you look through a store window?
... wear the macaroni necklace from your child?  All day, and not just till you get in the car.
... actually sing instead of mumble the National Anthem?
... try square dancing, pottery, piano lessons, ballet, belly dancing, theater - whatever it is you've been longing to do?
... remember that you are free, and nobody is laughing?
... decide, "Who cares if they do laugh?"
... be your own best, most silly, happiest self?

Sunday Morning Poetry

Let Evening Come

Let the light of later afternoon

shine through chinks in the barn, moving

up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing

as a the woman takes up her needles

and her yarn.  Let evening come.

Let dew collect on the hoe abandoned

in the long grass.  Let stars appear

and the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.

Let the wind die down.  Let the shed

go black inside.  Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop 

in the oats, to the air in the lung

let evening come.  

Let it come, as it will, and don't

be afraid.  God does not leave us

comfortless, so let evening come. 

~ Jane Kenyon

from Collected Poems copyright 2005

fifth grade

Today was a big day for me as a momma...

It was the first day Sloane has ever gone to school without either Jeffrey or I in the building.  

I have to admit, my stomach hurt a little bit as I dropped her off. 

At the door.  

She didn't need me to walk her in. 

My heart ached a little, even as I was so proud of her.  

I wasn't worried about her, of course not.

I was sad, because she took another step away. 

A necessary one, yes.

But still...

A friend of mine is about to send her daughter to college. 

Last Sunday was likely the last time their family will ever worship consistently together. 

You know what it's like once they go off to college.

Elyse is just 8 years older than Sloane. 

And my heart aches a little more. 

And I get up, wipe my eyes, and remind myself that these days are fleeting.

I'd better make them count. 

I am NOT giving up!

I am just postponing my blog redo.  

For the record, HTML is annoying, even with generous tutorials. 

I feel sheepish and a little silly about it, really.

That's what I get for making a big announcement that I am redoing my blog. 

When will I ever learn to just quietly go about my business?  

I seems I always have to do the big TA DA!   

Anyway.

I have been feverishly getting my classroom ready for tomorrow. 

Back to School Days are here again. 

I love it!  I love children with all their curiosity and wonder. 

I love their silliness and their ease at making friends. 

I love to prepare lessons that excite and engage.

I love new school supplies and even sharpening 100 pencils.

I love preparing my room, making everything perfect, 

and watching it come to life once the children fill it.

Happy Back to School, friends. 

The above is a picture I took of my new school.