Flying

I dream of flying. Scratch that... I dream I can fly. I feel the wind curl around my body as I stretch through my toes and fingertips. I have no fear. It is as natural as breathing. As I fly over mountain tops, follow the rivers, breathe in the freshness of the earth and see the vivid colors and indescribable details, I actually fight to stay in the dream.

The closest I came to flying was last summer when Bre and I took silk lessons. However, it was much more difficult than in my dreams and there were no mountains, trees, or rivers... just the mat below that would lessen the impact of my fall. As I climbed the silks, every muscle screamed, "What are you doing?" Yet, when I got to a place where I could settle in and suspend in the air, I was home.

Will I take silk lessons again? No, probably not. Will I treasure those moments of feeling strong and confident as I felt the release from gravity and lived my dream of flying? Oh, yes!

 

 

 

 

I Love NYC

It all started Valentine's morning. Alarm, snooze button and morning cuddles... or so I thought. Instead, Brett turned on his lamp and handed me two pieces of paper. Paper #1 was an airline ticket to NYC and paper #2 was the hotel information. Um... Happy Valentine's to us! It was a quick two days, but we definitely made the most of it!

 

Our first morning started of at Ellen's Stardust Diner with aspiring Broadway performers and bacon bowls. Tears streamed down my cheeks when two of the servers sang Lily's Eyes. I could have stayed there for hours!

Next stop... the double-decker tour bus.

Time Square...

...and Broadway! That really is the Broadway sign between my hands. Besides, I can't be on Broadway without doing jazz hands... duh!

I was at a loss for words at the 9/11 memorial. Such a somber, sacred place.

I will never forget holding my newborn baby, Brooklyn, as I watched the dreadful events in 2001.

The Survivor Tree stands in front of Freedom One. The Survivor Tree (an 8-foot stump) was found among the wreckage and nursed back to health. It is now a thriving 30-foot tall tree... representing strength, determination and growth. I read the story in the pamphlet, photographed the tree many times and continued to wander back to it while pondering its significance. Brett understood what it meant to me. While in the gift shop, he bought me a necklace that has a single metal leaf from that tree.

I wear it with pride. I am a survivor.

I can't have a child named Brooklyn and not visit the Brooklyn Bridge! The best part of the bridge was hearing the story of how it was built. A woman named Emily (first self-taught female civil engineer) oversaw the final years of its construction. Once completed, no one would use it because it was built by a woman. Barnum & Bailey took their circus animals across it to prove it was safe... and it's been used ever since!

Flags waving, ice skaters laughing... Rockefeller Square gave me chills.

There is so much beauty in diversity and I could have stayed for hours just watching all the people.

Quick stop at Radio City Music Hall.

A bit more night-time sight seeing before eating dinner at Carnegie Deli and watching the Broadway show Pippin.

That is an exciting, full and exhausting day!

Day two started with seeing beautiful buildings such at the Trinity Church.

The ferry tour to see Lady Liberty... in all her glory. Took my breath away. I saw her all lit up flying in to NYC a couple nights prior and she brought tears to my eyes. To see her up close... priceless.

So beautiful...

Um... go to NYC and not have a treat from the Cake Boss Cafe?

I don't think so! So yummy!

Next stop... Top of the Rock. Friends and family that read my blog... you know what I was thinking up here. I was imagining all the prayers ascending to heaven. I was imaging the spirits coming and going. There is just so much going on that we can't see with our mortal eyes. I looked around in awe at all the buildings and people. I found it strange that with so much going on below, it was so quiet. It wasn't the cold that took my breath away, it was the view. Amazing!

Overlooking Central Park. One day I hope to walk through it...

when it's warm and green!

I've always loved the climactic meeting at the top of the Empire State Building from the movie Sleepless in Seattle. I couldn't help but ask Brett to take this picture of me. Why? Because Brett and I have watched this movie together many times... and I get emotional every time. Love it!

Thanks, Brett, for a memorable trip to NYC.

I love you!

Substitute Teaching

"In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn." Yes, Phil Collins, I completely agree. For three months I had the joyous opportunity of teaching and learning from hundreds of first through eleventh grade students. I could list the number of classes I taught, or all the subjects... however, I'd rather remember and share special moments. Some of my favorites were eating lunch with my daughters, playing basketball at recess with the boys... and hand-games and hopscotch at recess with the girls, receiving countless hugs, finding notes in my lunch bag, feeling a small hand slip into mine, playing the ukelele, teaching my daughter's classes, playing learning games in Spanish, singing and dancing in theater class, finding sweet notes on the white boards, teaching music classes, giving out hundreds of dum-dum suckers, creating a putting course in the hall, and much, much more!

There were moments when I taught the students, but there were MANY more moments when they taught me. I heard words of encouragement from one child to another that melted my heart. I witnessed acts of love in the classrooms and halls. I saw students cheer each other on academically and in sports. Above all... I saw growth. The type of growth that occurs when youth are becoming their own. I saw them face challenges and conquer. I overheard hurtful conversations and witnessed them work things out and come to a resolution. I watched frowns turn to smiles as kind words were shared. My favorite? Seeing the expression of relief and happiness when they felt safe and included by someone that truly cared about them.

One day, after giving extra love and attention to an energetic and sweet second grade boy, he told me I was the key to unlock any door. As I thanked him for his kind words, my heart filled with gratitude knowing that these youth are our future. They are the ones that will unlock countless doors! They are wise beyond their years and have the ability to deal with the fiery darts of the adversary. They are a choice generation. Being in their presence is an honor and my purpose was only to be a guide on the side.

As Gibran said, "No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind."

I loved walking among the youth, seeing their faith and sharing in their love. For this short time in my life, I will always be grateful.

Nothing like getting sweet notes from sweet girls!

 

I love you too Brookie Cookie!

I chose to hold the guinea pig instead of the tarantula. I'm so brave!

My first self portrait!

Seriously? Could they be any nicer to me? I don't think so!

One Voice

Have you ever watched someone perform and their nerves got the best of them? Have you watched someone sing in front of hundreds of people and forget their words? I have and I learned a valuable lesson. As I watched a beautiful young woman sing a well-known Christmas melody, she forgot the words and stopped singing. As fear and embarrassment spread across her face... one man in the audience courageously began singing the words for her. Tears ran down my cheeks as I silently thanked the man... and wished I was the one brave enough do to the same.

Pancakes for Charity

The rolling cart was filled with freshly cooked pancakes, syrup, plates and utensils. My goal was to sell pancakes for charity. As I walked down the hall, a man passed by that caught my attention. He was dirty, weary, bent over and he looked as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "Pancakes, two for $1," I said. "No thanks," was his reply. "For charity?" He then stopped and pulled out his wallet and handed me a dollar. I placed two pancakes on a plate, then added four more. I topped it off with syrup and handed the plate to him with a gentle smile. As our eyes met, tears in mine, he said only two words, "Merry Christmas." I wish that weary man knew that his $1 for charity, despite his circumstances, allowed me to hear more than his two words... my heart heard thousands.

Brook's 12th Friend Birthday Party

There's nothing like packing in a week's worth of fun in four hours! The girls were fantastic, so helpful and so gracious. Brooklyn is blessed with amazing friends... and I'm blessed to be her mom.

The day Brooklyn saw her MRI that showed her cyst and blood on the brain were completely gone, she knew she wanted to give back. During the car ride home, she said she wanted her birthday party theme to be SERVICE. She didn't want presents, she just wanted to do a service project for Primary Children's Hospital's Forever Young Zone.

Each of her friends brought 10 composition notebooks and they put together 200 journal kits for patients and parents.

A few friends wrote on the bags, and the others put in the pens and notebooks.

200 kits completed and ready to be delivered to Primary Children's!

They loved doing the service project. They were happy and excited to give back. It was also very emotional as we all talked about how much we love Brooklyn and what an amazing girls she is!

Brooklyn ordered a baked potato bar with all the fixings, salad and watermelon. Yum!

12 going on 21!

The girls were so wonderful. They continually offered to help with everything and always showed gratitude. They are amazing young ladies!

Filling up their bellies to have enough energy for all the fun!

Each of the girls decorated their own shirt with bleach pens.

They were creative, bold and girly.

Cute cousin Alli... always hamming it up!

We then went back to our house to play messy Twister with washable paints. I have never heard so much giggling and squealing. The girls even attacked me! Of course, I didn't post those pictures. They'd be used as blackmail!

Prepping to get messy

Sweet Grace face... love that girl!

Kloe  and Miranda

Alli and Brook

Twister lasted four rounds, then the paint wars began.

Cute Hailey... always such a sweetie!

Sophie, Katie and Elsie... such great friends!

The girls found the paint bottles... and that's when things got really messy!

Can you tell they had fun? I can't tell you how many people slowed down as they drove by, or came out of their houses to see what was going on. They all just watched with huge smiles on their faces.

Brook and Whitney

Brook petting her painted spikes. It'll be years before her hair fully grows in... but we don't care. We love her spikes!

Showering off so they can go jump in the pool

Cute Hailey and her green arm pits

Pool time!

It was getting dark, but all of the girls had a great time jumping in and out of the pool, playing water games and filling up water balloons. Great times!

As the girls swam, their shirts were drying and the designs were developing right before their eyes.

When they saw them, they were so excited!

The best part is they liked them and they fit!

Sophie, Hailey, Alli, Elsie, Brook and Katie

Alli is the youngest grandchild and I'm the oldest... so we partied it up together.