What a Week - Part 2 (Thursday and Friday) - Saturday to be Shared Later

 Thursday morning was set to be a work day.  It was just what I needed so that I could be ready for a full day of students on Friday and the following week.  I was hopeful that I could everything ready for 5 days of instruction by the time Thursday's work day was complete.....FAT CHANCE.  

5 am alarm followed by a 5k before the sun was up, felt like a great way to celebrate the "Because I get to" mantra that continued to play in my head and my heart.  I decided to try calling Medical Associates before I went to work even though it was before 7:30 am.  I was thrilled when the receptionist answered and said that they had a 9:50 orthopedic appointment available with Dr. Rock.  That seemed perfect.  I could take the 8:00 class that my principal was leading in the library and then I could run Will to the doctor.  Everything seemed to be falling into place so nicely. 

Will and I checked in at the kiosk on the 3rd floor of the building and proceeded to the waiting area.  The nurse called us back and I began with the words, "We plan for Will to continue playing no matter what we find out today."  

The nurse did her fact gathering and then left the exam room telling us that Dr. Rock would be in shortly.  When Dr. Rock entered the room, I repeated that we were planning for Will to continue playing as this is his senior season. 

Dr. Rock gave us 4 possibilities of what he thought it was before sending us for an xray:  meniscus tear, broken knee cap, kneecap dislocation, or torn ACL.   Xrays showed no break so Dr. Rock brought in a model of the knee and declared the worst possible outcome:  NO SPORTS.

  We had been up front from the beginning.  Will had been playing and would continue to play.  I was mourning for my son as we left the office.   As we walked out to the car, I could tell that my 17 year old was processing big emotions.  As we drove out of the parking lot and stopped at the first light of te drive, I looked over.  Tears. I reached out and held his hand as he cried.  This felt surreal.  Hours earlier I had been celebrating getting a doctor's appointment so quickly and now I wanted to simply rewind time and never make the appointment.   While driving back to Lancaster, calls were made to the coach and the trainer.  We figured we had 2 options:  sign an AMA waiver or get a 2nd opinion.   With just 27 hours before the big game, it might be impossible to get a 2nd opinion.  

I returned to work and got things started for my school plans, had a grade level meeting, a health needs meeting, and tried to get a little more done while drafting a waiver saying that Will could play football.  By 6:00 I wasn't being very productive at school so I headed home.  I was WIPED out, drained completely.

It was now a waiting game for the legal team to either approve or deny our written request for Will to play that would override the medical note.

I rarely sleep well the night before a new school year and Thursday night had some extra worries so my sleep was nearly nonexistent (43 sleep score according to my Garmin).   

Thankfully, the excitement of the new year helped me rise and shine.  Welcoming the new crew of 5th graders was a great way to start the day.  I am also a huge believer in new beginnings, new months, and choosing JOY, so I let that lead my day.

By 10 am I got the news that the legal department wouldn't allow the waiver to be used.  On to Plan B.  Thanks to an amazing coach, an appointment was made for Will for 3:30 that afternoon.  Roger was able to pick Will up from school and I was able to meet them at the doctor's office right here in town.  There was a glimmer of possibility.

I was able to finish my 1st day of the new school year with the same positive energy that I try to use every day.  As soon as I had dismissed my students for the long weekend, I was moving to the doctor's office to be there for what we were counting on to be good news.

By 4:10 we had the 2nd opinion and we were going to make it to have Will at the football bus in time for the 4:15 departure!!!!!

While it seems like it would be the end from there, it wasn't. 

My nerves were bundled in my heart and my stomach.  With each offensive play, I was on the edge of the bleacher holding my breath until the play was over and Will was still standing on both legs.  Add to that the intensity of playing against a team that was ranked 2nd in the state....  We were first to score: 6 to 0.  Then Prairie was up 7 to 6.  With another score we lead 12 to 7.  The last 6 minutes of the game were intense.  The team pulled off a 28 to 27 win over Prairie du Chien!!!  It was the most exciting win I have seen in all of Will's years playing football.

I'm sure there are details I am forgetting.  I may even add some things later but for now we celebrate!

Our saga continues but I think we are on our way to good things.  

We continue to use lots of ice at our house. 

All of this is just another reminder to do things when you can.  Don't put things off.  

"Because I get to."

Passion!

#headupheartout

What a week! - Part 1

 Amidst the scent of freshly waxed floors and freshly sharpened pencils and the echoes of excited chatter, Day 1 of the new school year began, a blank slate filled with infinite possibilities.  Monday's chatter wasn't excited students.  It was the staff as we started the 2023-2024 school year with a whole district breakfast and meetings. It was a smooth start to the week with all the necessary things to get everyone on the same page about expectations for the school year.  After being at the high school for the first couple of hours, I went back to Winskill where our staff meeting began in the library.  My principal always leads with a strong vision.  His beginning of the year meeting was no different from others: high standards were set, sucesses were celebrated, and inspiration for the year ahead was created.  The morning was over quickly and I had just enough time to run home and get a few miles in before the afternoon work time.  Like with any first day, I came home from school at 3:30 exhausted but excited for what would come.  Quick clothing change and Roger and I went to Dubuque to watch Kate play soccer.  After the game it was a not so healthy dinner of Sonic---my first time!  Fried foods at 10 pm don't make early wake up calls for running easy.

Tuesday began in a similar way to Monday:  up and at school by 7:30.  Reading team and writing team meetings.  Breakfast while at school (thank you, Community First Bank, for providing it!).  There was a district lunch being provided at Memorial Park but I ran home to switch some laundry and get a few things done while I had the chance.  I returned to school for the afternoon and was able to get some things finished but I knew there was so much more to do.  I left at 3:30 but was able to convince Roger to walk back to Winskill Tuesday evening to complete just a couple of tasks with me.  We left Winskill by 6:45 and picked up Subway for dinner on our walk home.  As I was winding down for the evening I heard Will come in from practice.  It wasn't his normal entrance.  I could hear him bringing in some things.  He walked into our bedroom and I saw the giant, plastic wrapped, ice encased knee.  "I'm okay," he said.  I'm at a point in my life where I think when people say that, it means they really are NOT okay... just my opinion.  Apparently he had felt something during practice and gone off to the sideline for a little while.  The trainer had looked at him and worked with him to get the ice around his knee and his coach had sent home a cooler filled with ice to continue to 15 minutes every hour of icing. 

Made it to the mid week point and got outside for my morning miles! I knew that I needed to run because I COULD.  I have no reason not to be getting out for miles.  I am physically ABLE.  My 17 year old son can barely walk and I CAN RUN.  That was the push I needed to get out the door.

  It felt wonderful!  I knew I needed the day to start off this way because it was the day of the Back to School Bash which meant a little bit longer of a day filled with lots of EXCITEMENT.  I'd get to meet all my new families!  This was also the day of the active shooter drill at the high school.  Will was participating in the event.  I was walking to a 9:15 meeting when my cell phone started ringing.  I answered my phone to hear, "This is Brittany from Grant Regional.  I have WIll here.  Can you present yourself at the registration desk?"  My first thought was that something had happened with his knee and that he was at the emergency room.  

        "Yes.  I'll be there," I replied.  Then I realized that Will might have been at the active shooter drill.  "Is there about the drill at the high school?" 

          "This is Brittany from Grant Regional.  Can you present yourself at the registration desk?"   

         With that answer it felt confirmed that it was just part of the drill but I quickly grabbed my car keys and ran out to my car, drove quickly to the hospital, and entered the emergency room doors.  In those 2 minutes, I had to have been feeling and processing every possible emotion.  The biggest one being - What if Will's not okay?

          Once I saw him and hugged him, I drove him back to finish the drill, and I returned to Winskill to continue my preparations for the Back to School Bash.  Hours went quickly but I was ready when families began arriving at 4:30.  During the conversations at the school event I had the opportunity to talk with the school athletic trainer.  She recommended making an appointment with a doctor for Will's knee.  I was going to take him to acute care on Thursday but she thought trying to get him in with Orthopedics was a better idea.  That call went on my to do list for Thursday morning.  I finished the Back to School Bash and headed home to enjoy dinner and an early bedtime.  

I have so much more to tell about the week.  Part 2 coming soon.

Declare It Day - One Month into 2021

How's your momentum going so far this year?   How much thought do you give to momentum?  A few weeks ago, Mel from Fellow Flowers wrote about momentum and a conversation that she had with her daughter Alexis when they were finishing up their run coming down a hill.   Now I know that I am not a science teacher (Kudos to any of you that are.  I had a super awesome science teacher in high school - Mr. Etnyre.  I am always fascinated by science but could never teach it.), but I do love what momentum can represent - ENERGY!  I have been thinking about this whole idea of momentum/energy since the year began.  I want to increase the things that move me forward and decrease the things that are holding me back.  Sounds simple, right?   I wish it were.  

Here's one of the ways to get momentum going in my life:  set a powerful goal.   That's what Declare It Day is all about.  It was so awesome to be participating in my 5th DID with Fellow Flowers. 

This was definitely different though.  I wasn't able to go meet up with the crew and run any miles like in the past.  Instead it was a Zoom meet up last night - different but still so fulfilling.

When the new year began, I chose BELIEVE as my word for the year and it really is going to help me build and keep my momentum going to reach my 2021 Declare It Day Goal. A second step in maintaining momentum in life has to do with getting and staying motivated.  I've been working on that with book clubs.  My current book club is Get Out Of Your Head by Jennie Allen. While in the book, she talks about it as spiraling and not momentum, I feel like it's really similar.  Creating that new normal where we are operating in our purpose...sounds like momentum to me.  Jennie Allen talks about how if we don't believe (yes - she used that word) our minds will spin and spin looking for a place to land.  Much of this is about thoughts and positive thinking.  I am determined this year to use my BELIEF in myself to keep motivated and fixated on my declaration.

As I looked back on my declarations from year's past, I saw a pretty common thread of good habits and improving myself. Last year my declaration was to simplify-- get out of the mindset and thinking of more is better.  I'm not really straying from that tremendously this year.  This year I will believe in my faith, my journey, my own strength, and my abilities to overcome.  So much of what holds me back is in my own head.  

I've been working with Kate to prepare for her ACT test in March and one of the key things we keep reading is how important mental preparation and confidence is.  Many things we have been reading are about developing a positive mental attitude and simply believing that YOU WILL DO WELL!  Intend to do your best and believe it.  That's my big declaration for this year.  I'm going to stop believing the lies in my head and really do the things in my heart.  

This will be my year of doing more than just going through the motions.  That may seem like momentum but it's not.  In that sense it's an illusion.  That is more like drudgery than anything positive.  

I am going to live this year with momentum that is filled with meaning!

I promise that it wasn't a typo in the word abilities...just didn't have enough space for all my words...

Here's to new beginnings EVERY day:  365 chances to get better each and every year.  Use your momentum and move toward the life you want and can make happen!

Added just for a little motivation:

Will I Am

Set Your Mind to Something....and DO IT!

 

Lancaster in the mornings is a quiet town.  It's my favorite time to roam the streets of town.  In the hours just as the sun rises, it's extremely quiet.  As we run from our house at the southern edge of town to the opposite side where City Limits Road marks a northern border, Kate and I can often count less than 6 cars that go by us during the mile and a half trek.  The sound of a tiny squirrel running up a tree can startle us. I love this quiet time.

  I think my love for this quiet running time is also connected to my love of reading and writing.  These things are done perfectly in quiet.  That isn't to say that I don't love conversation and a little noise too.  I do.  I love the time in my classroom when students are sharing ideas out loud or discussing what they've read.  I love sharing my writing and what I'm reading too - that's why I have this blog 😉😉  But it's about the balance of doing the things that you need to do to be successful.

  This year has been different but it cannot be a year with no goals or hard work.  Even with no races I am continuting to work hard with my running (Thank you, Kaiti, for keepingn me going :-)) 

When my students enter my classroom next week I want to be able to inspire them.  If I am not working toward goals and doing something to better myself, how can I expect them to set a goal and work toward it?  

I hope that the kids who come into my classroom (and those who have already passed through it) know that I care about them and want them to set their mind to something BIG and DO IT!

Go do great things today!

Time for Some Reflection

There are so many days that I take pictures at school to remind myself of all the things that we are doing.  There are other days that I get to the end and realize that I haven't taken a single photo.  Some days I am just in the moment and other days I really get to sit back and watch as these amazing 4th graders learn from each other!

Today we stopped our math lesson just a little early to play Factor Captor.  It's one of my favorite math games.  Once students realize the strategy behind it, it's a great challenge!

We didn't get to play for too long this afternoon (about 20 minutes) but those 20 minutes were amazing.  There were conversations about the numbers that were being chosen.  Thinking was happening so naturally.

I assigned the partners and I never heard anyone complain (they should know better than to complain, right?).I used our lunch card color partners to assign partners.  It worked out perfectly.

Did I tell them the rules and expectations ahead of time?  Yes.   Did they play by the rules and expectations.  Uh huh.   And then they got a chance to just play and build and create with the unifix cubes.

It was a great way to quickly review math facts (factors and factor pairs).

It makes me realize that I need to plan in Game Day Fridays for math.  I know that today wasn't Friday but it felt like one since I won't see the kids tomorrow.  This was a great way to finish the week together.

Some great thinking was happening!

We did have to do some work before we could "play".  It was great to have student leaders to share their thinking with the class.

I am telling my day backwards a bit.  We finished up our scarecrow so that we could hang it with all the others.  It turned out pretty well!  Lots of creativity and an excellent team-building activity.

Before we headed to the computer lab, we took a second to pose with our straw pal.

Now let's back up to Tuesday.

Myleigh accepted our Golden Spoon Award at the PBIS assembly.  Our class earned this honor by being polite in the cafeteria.  The next goal is to earn the Golden Slipper.  We have quite a bit of work today to practice our walking silently in the hallway but I know that we can earn that award soon!

Before the PBIS awards began, Kendra was honored with her award.  What a wonderful treat that her grandparents could be there!

As I reflect on this week, I have so many things that I am proud of.  I am proud of the good friends who see when their peer is sad and cheer them up.  I am proud of the students who do EVERY assignment.  I am proud of the kids who go above and beyond my expectations.  We aren't prefect but we are working every day to be better than yesterday.  Here's to the 2nd quarter of the school year. :-)