Listen to Life

Join in with a little life story at Two Writing Teachers.

I went to the apple orchard this weekend. Got my donut, cider, watched my kids enjoy all the activities, took photos of the amazing pumpkin crop, it was wonderful. A sun shiny grass glistening kind of morning.

My children's favorite activity was the enormous slide. You have to walk a hill to get to the top, wait in a moderately long line and then WHEEEE!

My husband and I sat on one of several available benches that are near the bottom and listened as child after child came down.

Every little face was elated. Huge smiles and giggles were everywhere. It was pure and un-messed with joy that almost always ran from the bottom of the slide back up the hill and into the line for more!

We sat there and listened to life. It was magical.

Dinner Conversation

Yesterday, after dinner...
"Mom, can I get one of those things like you and dad?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"You know one of those things you and dad write poetry in."
"A writer's notebook?"
"Yeah, can I get one?"
(chills) "Of course you can get one, maybe this weekend we can go pick out a special one."

This evening after walking in the door from school...
"Hey dad when are you gonna take me to get a writer's notebook because I really want to get one tonight, can we go to the store?"
(Shawn) "Well, I really thought we would wait until this weekend, but let's see if we have time after dinner."

(Mom and dad have a conversation that the pharmacy/everything under the sun store down the road might have a notebook).

After dinner and a short trip...

And, he's already put a poem on the first page inspired by one of his favorite Jack Prelutsky poems, "High Atop a Lofty Mountain."

This kid has a lot of notebooks, but I think he knows that there is something special about "this" notebook. There's definitely something special about him. Love this seven year old.  

Children Should Be...

Seen
Much can be learned when we look beyond the surface of a child and really see them.

Heard
Listening leads to discovering the best in children.

and Believed
What is real to a child is real enough for me.

Join in and slice today with Ruth and Stacey at Two Writing Teachers.

The Little Things

Slice and share at Two Writing Teachers with Ruth and Stacey.

It has been a day of many little things that bring me joy.

During our morning drive this morning my son said to me, "MOM, I just saw a blue heron again in that pond back there."

"Well then, we are going back because I have yet to see this heron you keep telling me about and I want a picture." My son knows this is my favorite bird, I always point them out with delight on the rare occasion when I see one. He seems to have caught the blue heron bug too.

I was amazed to see not one but two unique birds. I am still unsure of the exact species. The darker bird may have been a Little Blue Heron or a type of Sandhill Crane. The other bird was white and I think it must have been a White Egret. I did read this evening that the juvenile of the Little Blue Heron is also white. A mystery, but one I will hopefully be able to solve as I get more peeks at these fabulous animals. I may need to take a different camera tomorrow and zoom in a bit better. Hopefully they are still there.

I love how you can see the fall colors and the egret's white reflection on the water.

I had a day full of support at school today and felt like a lot was accomplished just because a couple of people helped me. I have some great colleagues and was reminded how lucky I am today.

Tonight my daughter said, "MOM, I know how to draw a HUMAN!"

"Really? Show me!"

There we sat as she drew and I watched.

Can you figure out her favorite color?

Tonight was soup and salad night for dinner. Soup was in the freezer and salad was a quick throw together. My favorite kind of food, easy, tasty and quick!

I am taking more and more steps each day. I can't walk at work yet, but I'm closer to the day that I can.

Now I am sitting on the couch while my kids read beside me. I am relaxed and ready for the rest of the week to roll out.