It’s official! We have a college student in the house. Or, more precisely, out of the house. Last month we moved Sam into his dorm room, and he has successfully completed his first two weeks at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Goodbyes are never fun, and Sam endured a lot of them before he left: his dogs, his soccer buddies, his girlfriend, his sister. We cooked … Continue reading He’s Launched!
Sam has officially graduated from high school, and I could not be prouder. Or more relieved. Don’t get me wrong, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’d strut across that stage with an honor cord around his neck, as he’s one of the brightest students I know. But I also really know him. I know he loathes and ignores early morning alarm … Continue reading Sayonara to Sam’s Senior Year
This is (hopefully) the final in a trilogy of posts about the time our little boy told a giant lie: Post 1: Or Not to Bee (Grade 2) Post 2: Watching Your Child’s Dream Come True (Grade 5) Post 3: Sam’s Side of the Story (Grade 11) Last year Sam’s English teacher invited the Story Works Alaska crew into her classroom for a writing and … Continue reading Sam’s Side of the Story
These days I’m never sure whether I’m moving forward, backward, or sideways… which made January’s palindrome days sadly validating: February gets me as well: Groundhog day is the perfect way to acknowledge pandemic weeks that blur together in an endless loop. In our house, mornings always start with the miserable task of waking our teenagers. It’s shockingly difficult. Apparently the only thing teens hate more … Continue reading It’s LITERALLY Groundhog Day
I vividly remember the first time I stumbled across a quote by George Bernard Shaw: “He who can does; he who cannot, teaches.” Boy did that ruffle my non-existent feathers. I wanted to peck his little Nobel Prize to pieces. I’ve been in education for over 20 years, and here’s what I know to be true: Teachers find self worth by sharing knowledge, not attaining … Continue reading Best Bagels, Best Teachers
It all started with a leaky kitchen faucet. Little drips, little problems. Clark determined that the faucet needed to be replaced, and I got to thinking how nice it would be to replace the sink as well. I successfully argued that a single basin sink would be more practical, especially when it came to soaking pizza pans, rib racks, and sticky smoked salmon grates. Now … Continue reading Plumbing, Plungers, & Plagiarism
When you’re fourteen and a freshman, there is always something new in your life. For Sam, it started with his first official job as a soccer referee last summer. His love and knowledge of the sport made this a natural fit; he started with U10 games that paid $15 each. He was all smiles when his first paycheck arrived in the mail. It was $60, … Continue reading Freshman Firsts
I’m a blubbering mess. Today we said goodbye to our elementary school days. Bowman has been part of our commute and community for seven years now, and we will miss this exceptional school. Look how much our little lady has grown in her years from kindergarten to 6th grade: She was so giddy to start kindergarten, and now she’s skipping her way to middle school … Continue reading Final Daze
I know there’s a little dogsled race going on right now, but our weekend was dominated by debate. It started Friday night, when Sam’s teammates came over for a cram session before the tournament. I secretly wondered how much time 13-year-old boys would *actually* spend studying on a weekend, but they were focused: writing speeches, strategizing, researching, and (yes) dreaming. I texted this picture to Clark, … Continue reading Dedicated Debaters
“The belief that there is only one truth, and that oneself is in possession of it, is the root of all evil in the world. “ ~Max Born Sam chose debate as one of his elective courses this semester. Call me crazy, but this might be one of the most useful classes of his educational career. Pubic speaking. Active listening. Persuasive speech writing. Academic research. What’s … Continue reading The Great Debate
Profoundly Ordinary 