Humor Me

Have I said that I love my job? I'm very blessed to be able to be around goodness each day. I love my 600 little kiddos at school and all the wonderful faculty, staff, and parents that I spend my days with.

One of the things that makes my job so enjoyable is the interaction with the children and listening to the remarkable things that come out of their mouths. Some things are just sweet and innocent...

Girl at lunch: "Heather, do you think you could be my school mom? I just miss my mom so much during the day. If you could be my school mom I think I'll be okay."

And some things are sad.

Boy on the playground: "I'm really sad today."
Me: "What's up buddy?"
Boy: "My grandpa just died. I've been watching my mom cry for 2 days and I don't know what to do."
Me: "You know, I bet just being around you makes her feel better."
Boy: "No, she just says I remind her of him. "
What else could I do but just hug him? And be grateful he would share this with me so I could hug him.

Then there are the things that are light-hearted and memorable and delight me to the core.

Heard on the playground from 2 kindergarteners...
Boy 1: "Hey! Guess what? I Just went down the firepole for the first time!!!"
Boy 2: "Woah, dude! Was it scary?"
Boy 1: "Nah, I just cowboyed up."

Then in the lunchroom where I run around helping kids open milks and Gogurts, clean up messes, and try to keep general order with 150 kids at a time...

Boy: "So, Heather, I guess you're just like our maid, huh?"
Me: "I guess so, although I'd rather be more like your mom than your maid."
Boy: "Nah, you make a good maid."

I've got a million of these little golden moments. I need to write a book about them. But I'll leave  with the most recent and cutest one this week~I had kind of dressed up colorfully (instead of my usual blacks, greys and browns) for parent-teacher conferences and was wearing a belt and some boots with my outfit...

Boy: "Heather, I need you to come here!"  (I walk over to him and he grabs one of my hands in both of his, and gazes into my eyes.)
Boy: "Heather, I just want you to know you look AMAZING today!"
Me: "Well, thank you!"
Boy: "Heather, do you want to know why you look so amazing?"
Me: "Well yes, of course."
Boy: " Because your belt is so MASSIVE!"  

Needless to say, I am wearing that belt more often!

You'll Never Guess

I am in heaven. Each Tuesday and Thursday when I arrive at school, our school choir is practicing. Because Christmas is less than 3 months away (did you realize that?) they are practicing carols. I love it. It starts my day off beautifully and I am in a good mood the entire day after hearing them.

For an elementary school, our choir is quite large~around 100 students. They sound darling but our teacher who directs the choir, and all of the wonderful parents who help her, can bring out the absolute best in the children.  One of my favorite Christmas songs is Somewhere in My Memory (from the Home Alone movies).

I absolutely melt when I hear it. When I walked into work this morning that's what was being sung.  I was mesmerized and humbled by those angelic voices. I actually asked my boss if he could find a way to pipe it out to the playground for me...

I know that there are people who aren't comfortable with Christmas this soon. That's ok. I'm lucky if I get to September before I turn my Christmas music on. I revel in it. I love to live the season all year long. Those who know me know that I mean living the season~not decorating for or celebrating quite yet~but letting the feeling permeate my heart all the time. I can't help it. That feeling is ever~present. I have this sense that on the first Christmas when the Christ-child was born, I was probably singing with the angels at the top of my lungs. I like to think that in heaven my voice could actually sound appealing. It gives me goosebumps to picture it.

At any rate, when people ask how I feel about Christmas music this early...I will say that I love it. I am listening to the Pandora Johnny Mathis Christmas station most days and loving the choir music in the mornings. I love Christmas music almost any time. Except Halloween.

Let's Get This Party Started

School starts tomorrow for Meghan and I. I have fought it. I have had the silent countdown going off in my head for weeks. I am mourning it. But accepting it.



Cassie 1994







I don't mind school. I was a fairly good student. I love working at a school. School is a good thing overall. But each new school year signifies the passage of time and the inevitable steps away from time with my children. I love being a mom. I don't feel like I've had enough time being a mom or had enough time with my children. It goes fast. And that time is precious!

 Meghan 1998



With these feelings are also thoughts of excitement for what may lie ahead for my children. There are so many amazing opportunities in life and I'm excited for my girls  to go out and find them! I am trying to teach them to be kind, to be themselves, and to go live life remembering how blessed they have been. As I cannot change the fast pace of time, I am going to accept it and embrace it. Another school year is beginning. So let's get this party started. Here's to another great year of growth, happiness, experience, love, and fun. Counting our blessings all the way.


Cassie 2013

Meghan 2013