It's a Vivas Thing!

You are here: Home / Archives for Hope

Not quite the adventure we had in mind…

Today was a pretty productive day. My youngest daughter and I worked out, then we grabbed the Drama Queen and went grocery shopping, went home and made a great breakfast and watched, “Mama Mia!”  We followed it off by cooking dinner together and then took the DQ to babysit.

And so since we were down to just the Princess and myself, we decided to head out to Red Rock in search of a little adventure! There really wasn’t too much…we did a little hiking and some photographing…you all know how much I love the sun!

With the day coming to a close, we headed out…only just as we exited, the car started sounding really funny….like scraping metal.  At first, I thought perhaps I had somehow caught something…but I pulled over…and nothing. I could tell it was bad and coming from the front, so finally managed to get enough service to call my oldest son to come to my rescue. He brought up fond memories of him getting stuck in the middle of nowhere and needing to be rescued and how I was just like him….ha ha

We managed to get it close enough to town to call for a tow and three hours later, I finally made it home to my comfortable bed, courtesy of my son the chauffeur!

Now I’m stuck at home for the holiday weekend, which probably isn’t such a bad thing after all…

Taking the Time to Notice…

Growing up, my family spent almost every weekend camping…and playing softball. Having lived in the city for the past 27 years, it’s hard for others to imagine me as anything other than a city girl. Until I start to share my stories, and then they laugh. You see, yes, I am a country girl at heart. If I could have it any way, I’d be in an A-frame cabin in the woods spending my days wandering around with my camera taking pictures and ending the evenings with a fire while listening to the crickets and watching for shooting stars. And somehow, there’d  be lightning bugs as well.

I’ll admit, I don’t know how I’d survive anymore without the ability to run to the store at a moment’s notice, but I’m sure I’d save on my grocery bill!

Two things stand out to me from my childhood.

One is my mom and the horseback rides we would take. We would spend the entire day, sun-up to sun-down, riding. We got to where we could spot a deer, rabbit, snake, lizard, skunk, bird….we could spot them anywhere. We knew how to listen and to watch.

The other is my dad. He loved to take pictures. He was always showing slide shows of the photos he took. I have enjoyed spending time with him sharing photos as I grew older. One of my favorite photos is this one, where he and B-boo are sharing photos on one of our camping trips.

Cayton Campground

My dad taught me how to notice the little things as well. We’d go on walks and he would take time to point stuff out. A flower here, a butterfly or bee, the way the water ran over a certain rock in a river, or the shape that some sticks in the woods made. And if we were too noisy, he’d “shoosh” us so we wouldn’t scare off any animals and miss seeing them. And he would spend time with me talking about the photos we took.

Now I enjoy taking photos as I take walks with my kids. My youngest son loves to be my assistant. He helps change lenses and points out things I need to take a photo of. I mean, how many photos of bunnies can one possibly take, right? But, he’s starting to notice the surroundings now when we walk. Once home, I love to put them up on the computer and go over them with the kids as we critique them together.

Too often, we become so busy with life. Especially living in the city. We work hard all week, and spend our time relaxing in front of the television or playing video games. And there is nothing wrong with any of it. But I think in doing this, we often forget to notice what is around us. We forget to notice the little things. My advice? Take time to notice what is around you. And if you have a camera, try and capture it as you go along.

Here’s some fun from my weekend.

Why I Love My Job…

If you had asked me when I was a young girl what I wanted to be when I grew up, managing a charter school was not even a thought. I mean, I knew there were different types of schools (my children would be the first to tell you that their mom went to school in a house in the country), but still, all schools were considered pretty much the same.

Only they are not.

But anyway, working in/at/near a school never crossed my mind.

And then I had children and learned how important an education was and how much more important was they way they learned and how they were taught.

And so I ended up at this little charter school in the middle of the desert instead of a ‘normal’ school in the mountains of Colorado.

Every year we start out excited, looking forward to a fresh year of how we can impact our students and their families. We wonder which kindergartener will not know their first name because “Mommy calls me Papi.” We hand out tissues and reassure those parents that their student will be ok and we promise to let them know if they are not.  We welcome back those we haven’t seen all summer, and reflect with sadness those we will miss as they have moved on.

And then, about mid year, we start winding down, trying desperately not to let the exhaustion set in, and just pushing thru to the end of the school year.

By April, the kids are done, the parents are done, and the staff? Well, some days it’s all we can do to hang in there.

But then, we begin to take a look at what we’ve accomplished this year. The mountains that the students have overcome, the bonds that have been formed, and the accomplishments that we were able to play a part in.

I love the excitement of the little ones as they shout out, “Miss Hope, Miss Hope” and share with me the birth of a new baby brother, or a game that they played in or something they ate for lunch…and well, sometimes the “ew” stuff that I probably didn’t need to know about. And then there’s the hugs, or a child who will walk up and grab my hand as we head down the hall together. Or those who stop me on the playground and ask me to play tag with them.

There’s the excitement of those who are heading over to the secondary building. They know I am there as well, so will ask questions about what they can expect, or will they still see me at lunch, or in the halls in the mornings or questions about the advisors that they haven’t gotten the chance to know yet.

And as they grow into teenagers, there’s a new type of relationship that forms; one where many won’t like that there are certain expectations that must be followed as they get older; and those that appreciate that there are certain expectations that must be followed because they have gotten older.

And finally, there are our seniors. Those who have made it all the way through and are now working on those scary, overwhelming-I-can’t-do-this senior projects. I love getting to be a part of the “yes-you-can, I’d love to help you” part of their last year with our school family.

Part of my job is planning all those fun events through the year, making them all fit together like pieces of a puzzle. And the end of the year is a final culmination of, well…everything. There’s talent shows and programs, and field days and dances.

There’s Kindergarten graduation, where those same parents who had the hardest time letting go at the beginning of the year are now beaming with pride as their students strut across the stage in the little caps. They once again wipe away the tears as they realize their children are not babies anymore, but students who will move forward each year, slowly letting go as they grow up.

And finally, there are our seniors.

I call them our seniors, because you see, we have put our everything into helping them to realize that despite it all, thru all of the hard work, sweat and tears, they can move mountains. They have come a long way from that first day of kindergarten when they first walked thru our doors, to the young adults who are ready to conquer the world as they depart thru them one final time as part of our student body.

We join the parents in beaming with pride. We join them in letting them go; in moving forward into this thing called adulthood. We look forward to their visits; to that time when they will come in and share about the new and exciting things going on in their lives.

We are exhausted and we look forward to the summer where the halls are quiet and peaceful. Thank goodness summer break has started.

This is why I love my job. Here, we can make a difference. We are part of a unique family, where we all matter. I never dreamed of working at a charter school.

Now I can’t imagine my life without it.

A Little Push Never Hurt Anybody…

My daughter was complaining recently that I push her too hard.

Working in the education field, I hear that a lot. Parents who won’t let their children breathe. Don’t they know how hard their kids are trying?

It’s hard as a parent knowing when to push and when to back down. We want our children to succeed. We want them to know what they are capable of.

We want them to be able to see themselves how WE see them…to look within and pull out that strength that is there…

I try hard not to be one of those parents…you know what I’m talking about.  😯

Don’t get me wrong, I am sure at some point I must have dreamed that my kids would make straight A’s and go to MIT or Harvard or be the next man or first woman to walk on the moon…

My kids can do anything they set their mind to; I know they can.

The thing is, I want my kids to learn how to push themselves. And they will only do that if I lead by example. And it is really, really hard sometimes.

My daughter will learn that they only way to get healthy and in shape is to push herself thru it. For now,  I will be with her every step of the way. So, yes, I push. I push myself to get up and get to that gym and exhaust my body, because I.can.do.it.

And so can she.

Sometimes, we all need a little push. A push to get out of bed. A push to try harder the next time. A push to do those things that we just don’t want to do. A push to learn something new about ourselves. To see what we are capable of.

And sometimes we need a little push to just relax. Have some fun. Take some time to ourselves. Stop working. Enjoy each other’s company.

A push to be a better me. A better you. A better us.

And sometimes we need a shove….but that’s a story for another day.

challenge

 

 

 

Mother’s Day 2016

It’s funny how things change. Twenty-five years ago, my life took on a change. After spending some time with my next-door teenager, I became a believer and started attending church. It was at this church that I made life-long friends. It was here that I met the man I would marry and spend the next 24 years with; where we would raise our children.

And in a moment; everything can change.

….And so we begin the next 25 years in reflection of who we are and where are we going?

I’ve spent the majority of this past year in phases. And as I look forward, I have to look back.  And what has it taught me?

There is a Spirit that lives within me that provides strength and peace when I allow it.

We are stronger than we realize.

It is ok to simply be the best me I can be.

My children don’t expect me to have it all figured out. (What a relief!)

My teenager can understand and handle that mommy has a broken heart; and help as we overcome.

My children are stronger than I could have ever imagined.

It is ok to let it all out…food for the soul.

There is grace; patience; acceptance.

I have amazing people in my life who have loved me thru it all; the good, the bad, the ugly.

Today, I spend time accepting and learning to feel better about myself.

I spend time enjoying long walks. (Take walks.) It is then that I can ponder and reflect and be encouraged by what God has surrounded me with. I listen to the birds and the wind in the trees; laugh at the hummingbird that dances in front of me. I follow the butterfly as it flits along my path and notice the squirrel that peeks out in curiosity.

I spend time talking to my kids. And listening. And just enjoying being with them and laughing and crying and laughing some more.

I won’t lie. It’s hard being a single mother. R-E-A-L-L-Y hard. I work a lot. And there seems to never be enough time; and most days I feel like a failure when it comes to this new role . I don’t now how I’d get thru it without all of us pitching in to make it work. But….we are making it work.

And so today, Mother’s Day takes on a new meaning. We’ve started over. Starting the next 25 years at a new church; one that is just beginning. This time, I am not a young woman just beginning her life, but instead, one that is older, and can hopefully make a difference.

It fills me with joy to be a mom; and I am grateful times seven plus one.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all.