CELEBRATE this week: On finding the brake pedal

Holy Cow. The past two and one half months have been a roller coaster without end, a ride with thrilling highs and unwelcome lows passing by at a hair-raising speed.  At least that is what it feels like reflecting back on that time, while I sit here drinking espresso and reading the paper (cover-to-cover, I might add).

The past few months have held wonderful events at school like Read Across America, World Read Aloud Day, and author Skype visits. Work-related, but outside I school I have attended two conferences and presented at a third. All fun, inspiring, and fulfilling, but all with a certain amount of planning and work behind the scenes.  These thrilling highs, and the joy I get from spending time with my students every day, have kept me going during another bout of hospitalizations and rehab for my father, who suffered a minor stroke. My father is still in rehab, but we hope to get him home soon.  

This is why this morning of sitting and reading the paper, and not preparing for anything out of the ordinary work-wise and knowing that my father is doing better, feels like a celebration. 

The roller coaster  has not really stopped. We've got three and one half months of school (and all the great occurrences there), plus I am presenting at a conference next Saturday.  But, this is today. It's the start of spring and it's partly sunny and forty-five degrees here. I am going to celebrate by working in the garden.