An Eddy Adventure

Each January, in Room 106, my students and I read and discuss Freedom Walkers together. This book is the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We discuss in depth many topics: Civil Rights movement, Jim Crowe laws, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., sundown towns, segregation,  and integration. We also listen to Martin Luther King’s speech. Halfway through our reading, I always ask them to respond to two questions in their journals: 1. How can people work together to bring about change? 2. What is your dream? On Friday, I read the journal responses of my 125 students. Once again, I was reminded how much I learn from my students in Room 106. Once again, I was reminded how fortunate I am to be a 6th-grade teacher. Here are their responses: 1. When people work together, we can:            Create kindness            Improve our health            Improve our environ...

Blessings I love this word. It makes me feel happy. It even sounds happy. Definition: 1. Approval; Encouragement 2. Acts or words of one who blesses 3. Something conducive to happiness or welfare 4. Prayers asking for God’s favor and protection; Grace said before meals My entire life, I have heard this word used in all of the ways listed above. However, it has always been difficult to truly grasp its real meaning. The definition could be so ambiguous or inexplicable, at times. I have always heard the word used in the following four sentences: “Count your blessings.” “It turned out to be a blessing.” “You are a blessing.” “She received a blessing.” When I stop and think about this word, I always think of my four sons. They really are blessings to me. They do provide happiness. When I turned 16 years old – 5,844 days into this adventure called life, I cried. To this day, I am not sure why I cried. I just remember it was a very em...

Family is a powerful word. Saying it aloud, hearing the word, seeing the word – no matter the form, emotions of all kinds are immediately generated – no matter who you are. There are two official definitions for family: Merriam Webster’s Definition ~ 1. a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household 2. all the descendants of a common ancestor However, the actual definition of family is different for everyone. Some have a warm, happy feeling fall over them. Some have a dark cloak of fear envelope them. Some grasp for a meaning of any kind. Some create their own definition. Family for me has evolved in ebbs and flows. I am the youngest of six. My family was large, at times loud, and often, frenetic. My parents each came from large families. My father was one of 10. My mother was the eldest of 12. Which means my extended family was even larger, louder, and more frenetic. With these groups of people, I call family...

Today, my sweet grandson experienced his first snowfall. By “experienced,” I mean he actually watched the snow fall through the window; noticed something new was happening outside; and showed excitement and wonderment as he saw the ground turning all white. He was filled with glee as he watched his puppy dog enjoy the snow for the first time. His sweet mommy allowed him to go outside and experience it first-hand. He was able to walk around in it, feel it on his face, and reach for the flakes, as they fell. I got to “experience” the above moments via technology: videos and photos. These moments warmed my heart. His beautiful blue eyes lit up as he watched the snow, felt it on his face, and tried to touch the flakes with his small mittened-hand. I often forget how wonderful life is through the eyes of a small child. Pure happiness! Life can drain me of my happiness as soon as I open my eyes each day. I awake to an alarm at too-early o’clock every day. My mind...

Faith Today is a Snow Day! Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. On this day, I am reminded to know what I believe and why. Faith is personal. Faith is a noun. Definition: 1. Complete trust in someone or something 2. Strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion Faith in God has been at the very core of my being from my very earliest memory. Faith is a journey. I was baptized (immersed) at the age of 9 on December 3, 1972. I was 3,355 days into this adventure of life. I have been a baptized believer, Christian, for 16,479 days. Today, I am on my 19,834 th day of this adventure called life. This adventure for me is more than halfway over ~ if I am blessed (or as my parents would have said, if the Lord wills). My faith is still being tested. My faith is still being sharpened. My faith is still growing deeper. My faith is still my stronghold -- in this adventure called life. My parents taught me about faith. My parents ...

Pride  is a huge component of parenting. Parenting is a huge component of pride. Growing up, I strived to make my parents proud. I wanted to see in their eyes a sense of pride when they looked at me. The “look” was a reassurance to me I was on track. The “look” could only come from them because I cared what they thought. When I became a parent, this feeling did not go away – it evolved, it grew. I still searched for the “look” of reassurance from them. However, it was no longer on a daily basis. It occurred now at pivotal times – moments! The “look” of reassurance came through words on the page or from their voice. We no longer lived close. I was states away. This “look” became more important to me because I was now developing my own “look” for my children. This “look” was becoming a treasured family heirloom. As I passed my “look” forward into a third generation – I found myself looking over my shoulder for their “look” telling me – reassuring me – I was s...

Listening is an art! :: Somewhere something incredible is waiting to be known. ~ Carl Sagan, astronomer What is the something incredible you are waiting to know? There are so many possibilities out there. There are so many subject areas from which to choose. There are so many places to go. There are so many people from which to learn. It all starts inside you. Do we have the time to search for something incredible? Do we have the patience to narrow down our subject areas? Do we have the courage to travel to new places? Do we have the desire to learn from others? Stop. Think. Imagine. Listen. Listen with your ears. Listen with your eyes. Listen with your mind. Listen with your heart. Learn from someone’s words. Learn from someone’s nonverbal communication. Learn from someone’s life experiences. Learn from someone’s personal feelings. When we stop, think, imagine, and listen, we will learn something truly incredible! We...

Writing is important. Writing lets you express yourself. Writing lets you put your thoughts on paper. Writing is powerful. It builds your memory capacity. When you hear about something and you think about it, then you choose to write it down, it stays with you longer. Writing lets you discover how you really feel and/or think about things. Writing lets you share your thoughts, if you choose to do so. I have always been a writer. I have always kept journals. I have always written poetry. I have always written short stories. I have even written children’s stories.  I have never really shared my writings, unless it was for a class assignment or to share with my students as I modeled the process of writing – until this blog. It takes a certain amount of courage to choose to share your writing with others.  Sharing for a class assignment was not difficult. I knew I would learn from my instructors’ feedback. Sharing with my students is easy becau...

Mom Memories – Moments - Milestones Lassie Marie Perrin Strong: January 6, 1922 – June 26, 2014 She lived 92 wonderful years. I was blessed with her in my life for just over 50 years – not nearly long enough. Her parents were Luther B. Perrin and Florida Beatrice Harp Perrin. Her name came from my Grandpa. When he was overseas during WWI, he noted the little girls were called lasses. She was the oldest of 12.    She grew up during the Great Depression. She was spoiled by Grandpa. He bought her Easter bonnets. She was smart. Her hair was so blond, it was almost white. She could easily be lost in the cotton fields of Texas. She would wait for the mail with her little brother. If no mail, he would say “No mail today, little folks!” She loved to prowl and explore – especially, in other people’s cedar chests. 😉 She skipped 8 th grade. One of her favorite jobs, during her school years, was grading papers for her tea...