Digital and Media Literacy Resources

I have been gathering resources for both students and teachers to build their media and digital literacy, and working on the best curation methods for each.  My goal is to empower learners, both student and teacher, to have these tools at their fingertips and utilize them when they are authentic and meaningful to their educational experiences.
Several of the ISTE Standards have focused this work.

Digital Self (Citizen 3b: Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

I have curated a list of online resources relevant to the instruction of Media and News Literacy, and shared these with faculty members through several mediums.  I utilized Wakelet to Curate online resources in a visually appealing way.  To spotlight this topic and maximize access to the collection, I featured Media Literacy in my most recent Faculty Newsletter.  In addition to the Curated collection I included new print titles related to the topic, as well as an article on the importance of this topic.  This is a tool that I have utilized often to provide Professional Development content to teachers, for them to use them when and how they find them most meaningful.  

Digital Agent (Citizen 3C): Mentor students in safe, legal and ethical practices with digital tools and the protection of intellectual rights and property.

I often create screencasts for students on how to follow ethical practices when using information and media created by others, but the access to these screencasts has not been consistent.  I typically share them within a Google Classroom for a specific project.  I want to empower students to be able to find and access this information independently anytime they need it, so I put together a YouTube Playlist.  I originally intended on creating a separate channel, but in the end that was too complicated, so I opted to make a Playlist dedicated to this topic.  This Playlist will be shared consistently with students during each project or inquiry instruction opportunity, and I will encourage them to bookmark/ save the Playlist for future use. By providing a consistent access point I hope to Empower my student Learners to follow safe, legal and ethical practices.

Cultivating Curiosity with Curation

I have been really inspired by the AASL Standards (Library) to incorporate curation intentionally into my instructional practices (Shared Foundation IV: Curate).  Curation is something that I have always done as part of my library resource sharing, but building it into student learning strategies to Empower them as learners is something new for me (ISTE standard I. Empowered Learner).  This year I incorporated curation into my Research Seminar class as one of their learning objectives.  Students had to think critically as digital citizens to evaluate web sources and collaboratively curate a list (ISTE Standard II. Digital Citizen). They are required to consider relevance and reliability of source content, and defend the usefulness of these sources to our intended purpose.
Research Seminar has a blended learning structure, which I organize around student generated questions about the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.  As they gathered sources, students contributed to shared collections, such as this one on "Clean Water", within our school libraries Destiny Collection.  This was both a new learning activity and new tool, and a great learning process for both myself and the students.  Some things worked well and others need to be adjusted after reflection. 
In looking at additional tools available, I explored Wakelet, which I really liked.  This digital curation tool allows you to easily gather all different types of sources and displays them in a visually appealing format.  There are so many applications for these curation tools within the library curriculum, and resource sharing for faculty.  I may utilize this tool with Research Seminar students next year, rather than Destiny Collections, because of the visual appeal and ease of access.  It generates a link to invite collaborators, which I could share through Google Classroom, streamlining that process for collaborative curation.  This would benefit students who struggled this year with the sign in process for Destiny Collections.  The visual format of Wakelet also lends itself to embedding content into a website, so I could share these resources beyond the context of the classroom.  Below you can see what that format looks like, which would be very functional, not only for student access to resources, but also sharing instructional tools and professional articles with teachers and faculty.  In the past I have created Smore Newsletters to share with colleagues, but I may try Wakelet as an alternative, because I can continue to curate topics and consistently share those resources.

MakerSpace Progress

We have come a long way in our MakerSpace since the inaugural 2014-2015 school year.  We started small and made it manageable, so that it could also be sustainable.  I am so invested in inquiry instruction and my need to focus on collaborative teaching opportunities that I didn't want to build a MakerSpace and expectations that I couldn't maintain.  I believe that this progression has actually allowed our MakerSpace to grow organically and naturally, gaining momentum as students and our school community catch the vision and understand the possibilities of a MakerSpace.
The progression in our space is outlined in the Infographic shared here.  We have also attempted to incorporate collaboration, and are still working on this element.  I would love to have an active MakerSpace Advisory with students, faculty, and community members, but I have not yet been able to figure out the logistics of this kind of group.

This winter and spring we seem to have reached a tipping point in the MakerSpace though, with students coming to me with project ideas, asking for specific resources and training to be able to engage in making that is meaningful to them.
Our space is beginning to transform, with some of the furniture selected through the 7th grade project, arriving and changing the look of our MakerSpace.  The clear drawers of the mobile carts made a big impact, with students feeling empowered to access resources themselves and becoming self directed in their making.  I am excited to see it all come together, as the rest of the furniture arrives.

I am working to keep up with the student requests in the MakerSpace, and to facilitate the self direction of making, by building a Badging System.  As I generate new projects I am using a template and project pattern that can become a "Library of Badges".  In addition, I have enlisted the help of our technology specialists to build a system for tracking student badges and displaying a MakerSpace Leader Board in the library learning commons.  We have been using the language of badging and the Badge Project Sheets for the last few months, as a kind of soft launch to this idea.  I am also creating 10 Summer Maker Kits for students to check out over the summer, which incorporate project ideas, materials, and books to explore.  The kits, which range from "Fashion Design" to "Music Making" to "Arduino Coding" to "Weaving" will become 10 additional badging options, which can easily be pulled for students to work on
independently during the year as well.  Inside each kit are 3-4 project challenges or ideas, with basic materials to get started, and links to additional resources.  These kits and badges will be launched full force over the summer and into the fall.  I needed to generate enough options to make it sustainable before bringing it to students.  My hope is that this will add motivation to complete and share projects as students catch a vision for the MakerSpace Leader Board.
My next focus and challenge for the MakerSpace will be getting an
Advisory group off the ground.  My first priority is to get students engaged in the planning and direction of this space, but I would also love to have faculty and community members involved.  There is such a wealth of knowledge and skills that I would love to see shared with our students.  In addition I am looking for opportunities to add a global purpose to our making.  I would love to find "real" challenges and problems that our students could be working on during their time in the learning commons.


The possibilities with MakerSpace are endless, which is so exciting, but can also become overwhelming.  It has been incredibly important for me to explore what others are doing, glean ideas, and be inspired by all the making happening out there in and outside of schools.  I attended the NY State Maker Summit in Albany this spring, which was a great opportunity.  I continue to spend hours on Pinterest gathering ideas and inspiration, and am constantly encouraged by the blogs of other librarians and makers.  Through the resources for this project I will be adding #makered to my Tweet Deck to use as another resource.

Becoming an Evidence Based Library

"Growing Innovators, Building Community, Connecting Globally"

This is my mantra, my attempt to concisely capture all that I want our library program to be for our students and teachers.  This mantra stems from our goals for instruction, programing and professional development, and I would like to use them as the base for gathering evidence to speak to the success of the high school library program.  These are big ideas and goals, and I am continuing to work through specific, concrete methods for identifying and gathering evidence.  I have started by breaking each of these big ideas into concrete goals for this school year:

Growing Innovators:

• Continue to develop inquiry skills in our students.
• Identify and gather meaningful data in our library program.
• Implement a badging system in the MakerSpace.

Building Community:

• Move forward on the redesign of our library learning commons.
• Create and work with a library advisory club
• Increase promotion of literacy

Connecting Globally:

• Begin to infuse lessons with design thinking concepts.
• Build authentic audiences
• Invite in real world voices

In order to move forward with gathering evidence, and not becoming overwhelmed at the enormity that this task could become, I have developed a few steps I can take immediately within each element of my vision. As I am gathering evidence I also want to be aware of ways that I can share this information with stakeholders, so this is also outlined in the chart below.

Goals	Evidence Gathering	Sharing Strategies
Growing Innovators
Continue to develop inquiry skills in our students.	Identifying benchmark lessons/ inquiry skills at different grade levels to identify "holes" in the implementation of our WISER inquiry curriculum.	Teachers: Newsletter Blog PD opportunities Infographics Administration: Student Achievement       Connection- Infographic Strategic Planning
Implement a badging system in the MakerSpace.	Participation numbers in the MakerSpace	Students: Social Media
Building Community
Create and work with a library advisory club	Numbers participating in library programs... though I also want to capture quality participation and not only quantitative data on this topic.	Students: Survey Social Media Presence
Increase promotion of literacy	Literacy Promotion ---- Book Checkout (Do the books I promote/ display/ booktalk get checked out at a higher rate than other titles?)	Students: Displays Social Media Presence
Connecting Globally
Begin to infuse lessons with design thinking concepts.	Track opportunities to implement Design Thinking	Teachers: Newsletter
Build authentic audiences Invite in real world voices	Participation from community members (both local and global) in library programs and/ or instruction.	Students: Social Media

Why I'm a Teacher Leader, and You Can Be Too

Sometimes when I am passionately sharing my latest professional development project or an inquiry lesson I'm collaborating on I receive a puzzled look and the question, "But I thought you were a librarian?"   I am a librarian, a teacher librarian, but if your perspective on my role is that of a traditional librarian I can understand this confusion.  So I would like to share why, as a teacher librarian, I am qualified to be a teacher leader.

1.  I actively seek out and participate in professional growth opportunities that will broaden my perspective and understanding on both instruction and content specific standards.

2.  I share new information and resources with my learning community, both locally and digitally.

3.  I embrace new challenges and educational shifts as I look for the opportunities within them.

4.  I am willing to fail, to reflect, and to grow as I try new things.

5.  I recognize and value the expertise of other educators.

6.  I collaborate and communicate with colleagues both locally and digitally.

7.  I celebrate the success of both students and colleagues.

8.  I try to always keep students central in my planning and decision making.

I don't believe leadership is reserved for those with a particular degree, title, or certification.  I believe leadership is an action that can be taken by any educator.  It means taking responsibility to be part of a team looking for solutions rather than focusing on problems.  It means being proactive, while listening to the concerns and voices of other educators.  

I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be a part of an amazing leadership team, and I will not apologize for the work I do there.  If anyone would like to join me in leading there's always room for more voices.

Learning Commons News

Faculty Newsletter: Winter 2016

Bookopoly: A Successful Teen Read Celebration

This year we are celebrating Teen Reading with a Bookopoly game, and it has been an exciting success with students.  We kicked off the game on day one of Teen Read week, and will continue to play until the day before vacation, allowing students to roll their dice once a day for opportunities to enter to win our grand prizes, or land on Community Chest for smaller immediate prizes.  

The draw is in part due to some wonderful prizes, among them a Chrome

book, but I believe the variety of ways to engage in the game has made it accessible to a wide range of students as well.  We have students at every grade level engaged in playing and exploring the library in new ways.

Below you will find an outline of the game design and rules.  

Game Board: Monopoly to Bookopoly translation

Property Spaces = Genres

*Sports

*Mystery

*Fantasy

*Science Fiction

*Adventure

*Teen Topics


Utilities = Game Time

Railroads = MakerSpace activities

Chance Cards = Cards that prompt literacy related activities

Community Chest = Pick from our mini prize trunk

Free Parking = Free Reading (enter your name to win)

Go to the Library = Enter your name to win

Feel free to use my Bookopoly cards as templates to design your own game pieces.

How to Play:

Roll our giant dice once a day, move your game piece (1" square character pieces with tacks) around the bulletin board/ game board

Collect "Genre cards"- collect three of any genre to enter for prizes or read one of the books reviewed    

        on a card and enter to win (students are allowed to trade genre cards)

Complete MakerSpace activities from the "MakerSpace cards" and enter to win

Complete literacy challenges within Chance cards and enter to win

Play Chess or another strategy game in the library  when collecting "Game Time cards" and enter to win

I am so excited by the engagement and active exploration of the library- it has been our best Teen Read celebration yet!  

Faculty Newsletter, Part One

MakerSpace Learning

This is the purpose statement that I wrote this fall, as we kicked off a MakerSpace in the library here at the high school.  I started out in the fall by placing challenges in the MakerSpace, which students could work on at their leisure.  Challenges have ranged from "What can you make out of Duct tape?" to Lego challenges to Origami, and lots in between.  While we have continued to provide these self paced challenges, we have added Maker Monday times when we provide some instruction on more in depth projects.

I worked with a small student advisory team to brainstorm different project ideas,
wanting to cover STEAM topics, with varying levels of technology.  Students have also been instrumental in sharing their expertise in the MakerSpace.  I really
envision this as a student run area, with me serving mostly as advisor, and providing the materials and support for what they want to create.

I have been very excited by the range of students who have come to use the MakerSpace.  It has been a space where students of all ages can come together and be creative.

I feel like we are still very much in the learning stages of this MakerSpace venture, so the resources this month have been invaluable to me, adding to my repertoire of project ideas and resources.  The Tinkerspace blog has some especially helpful ideas for organization.  This will increasingly be an area that I explore, as we grow and have more supplies to manage.

#shelfchallenge Day 2

Wow- I am really enjoying reading some poetry.  It is a genre that I have neglected for a long time!  Today I read some Maya Angelou- I didn't know that she had written an Inaugural poem to read at Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993.  This could be a great close read- to infer some of the historical context as well as social issues during that time period.  Very cool!
I especially like the juxtaposition of these two sections:

"You, the Turk, the Arab, the Swede,
The German, the Eskimo, the Scot,
The Italian, the Hungarian, the Pole,
You the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru, bought
Sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare
Praying for a dream."
...............................................................

"Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands,
Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need.  Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For a new beginning.
                                                                                    Do not be wedded forever
                                                                                    To fear, yoked eternally
                                                                                    To brutishness."

Poetry Month #shelfchallenge

So, for the month of April I am going to take the #shelfchallenge, inspired by Colleen Graves blog post on this challenge.  I decided to combine this challenge with celebrating National Poetry month, so I choose our first shelf of poetry to read through this month.

 I am excited about digging deeply into exploring this part of the curriculum.  I'm sure that this will just be the tip of the iceberg, and I will get hooked on this deep exploration of the collection.

I just got started today, and since we are already half way through the month, I am trying to make some good progress.  I started by pulling the first four books from the shelf to look through. Of those four books  I will be weeding two of them!  The first is from 1969 and the dull appearance and musty smell will give it little appeal for students.



The second is from 1990, and I found very frustrated to use.

 It is Ain't I a Woman!: A Book of Women's Poetry From Around the World, but there is no way to search for poetry by country.  The Table of Contents is not very useful, with very little information given, and there is no index at all.  Because it lacks these tools, it loses its usefulness.

The next book is awesome though!  I discovered Kwame Alexander's Crush: Love Poems, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading through them.  I love his imagery and use of practical life experiences to explore the stages and feelings of love.  I particularly appreciate the lines,

"He wishes 

He were a library

Each book she would check out."

I think this would become a very popular title, especially with the current popularity of The Crossover, if it got discovered- so, it's going on a display today!!  Great success already- looking forward to continuing my challenge.

I've already got ideas for how to expand this #shelfchallenge to include our book club kids- maybe encouraging them to select a shelf to read for the summer?  Or next year picking a shelf that they will be responsible for reading and reviewing.  Lots of possibilities to explore!

Switch: A New Reading Experience

I have to admit, although I get excited about the information I want to learn from nonfiction books, I am not a lover of the process of reading nonfiction.  Given the choice between a great story and an information rich book, even on a topic of high interest, I am going to go for the story pretty much every time.

So, this first chapter of the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard was a wonderful surprise.  I have been excited to read this book to get the information, but now it is clear that I'm also going to enjoy the process of reading it, which means I might just get through my reading before it is due for our book discussion!
The clear message of a three step process, "To change behavior, you've got to direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant, and shape the Path" was delivered through a series of engaging stories and entertaining case studies (19).  The practical application for this three step process, which I originally thought would apply primarily in my professional life, will have far greater reach.  I can already see connections that I will make at home, through my youth ministry involvement, and in my own life.
So, what is the Rider, the Elephant, and the Path you may ask?  Well, the authors, Chip and Dan Heath, use clear illustrations for this analogy:

• The Rider is our rational side, which provides the direction for any change we want to make. "What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity" (17).
• The Elephant is our emotions, and will provide the energy and motivation to make a change. "What looks like laziness is often exhaustion" (17).
• The Path is the situation, or the circumstances surrounding the change.                              "What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem" (18).  

I invite you to read along with me as I find out more about how to change things when change is hard, and share any stories of how you are working through change in your own life.  Happy reading!

What's Love Got to do With It?

So, I've been going through this blog study on 1 Corinthians 13, called 15 Weeks to Love (I highly recommend you check it out), which seems like something right up my alley.  Love is usually my go to emotion- I really love people (I'm talking about the feeling here- I realize I have a ways to go on the action of loving people, especially because I am not great in the patience department).

Because of all of this I wanted to be really excited about this study. The problem is that lately I haven't been feeling very loving at all, mostly I have been feeling really tired, and...angry.  This is strange for me. Anger is an emotion that is fairly foreign to me.  I typically default to sad when most people would get angry.  But lately I have had this undercurrent of frustration and anger, and I have no idea why.  Is it because I am tired (which is also not my norm), that I feel frustrated?  Maybe... But I think it may have more to do with my other default emotion, which is guilt.

I feel some amount of guilt almost all the time.  I am always aware of "the other things" I should, or could, be doing.  If I am at the beach with my kids, some part of my mind is thinking about the Community Garden at church that needs to be weeded.  If I am working on the schedule for Sunday School I am thinking about how I haven't had Reading Club with my children in several days.  If I am reading a really good book I am thinking about the professional reading I haven't gotten to yet.  If I am at the store shopping for groceries to feed my family I am hurrying to get home because I feel bad that I am not with my family.

I realize that admitting all of this makes me seem like a total lunatic, and apparently that lunacy is catching up with me, because I am having a hard time enjoying anything.  Even the social times, which normally keep my craziness at bay, because I just love people so much, haven't been filling me up the way they usually do.

And here is where the study on love comes back into play, because do you know what my Amazing Father God has whispered to me as I have been reading and thinking about love?  He told me to remember that this is how He loves me!  His love for me is patient, and kind, and all the rest.  And as I heard that whisper from Him, I felt Him urging me to just rest and allow Him to love me.  He doesn't want me to live in this place of self condemnation, guilt and frustration.  The reason He doesn't want that for me is because He loves me!! His love for me is patient- even when my craziness is consuming my joy.  His love for me is kind, and He wants me to live in that Love.  

So, I am going to release the feeling of guilt that tries to rise to the surface and distract me from my Father's love, and take this opportunity to learn about all the facets of His perfect love for me.  I am going to claim His love for me.

My Motives

Dear Students,

If I could send you each a letter, this is what I would say...

It has come to my attention that some of you are under the impression that I prefer an empty library, that I want it to be silent here.

                                         Nothing could be further from the truth.

You may not like the rules of the library, or like my expectations, and that is okay, but it is important that you know I care about each and every one of you.  You impress me every day.

I want you to be the very best version of yourself.  And because I believe in you, I will continue to strive to make a space where each of you can excel.  A space where you are encouraged to explore your passions, to make new discoveries, and create new knowledge.

I expect you to respect one another as much as I respect each of you.  

You have great potential, and I hold you to high standards and expectations because you deserve it!

Christmas Promise

We read a Christmas devotion today that talked about advent and the promises God has made, and kept, in our lives.  It went on to suggest, as a holiday activity, creating a "Promise Tree", where each family member could hang something to represent a promise they were making for the season.  Because our lives are already hectic, and particularly this time of year, I didn't get this tradition together, but I want to make a promise of my own this season.  Writing about it will make me more accountable to it.  If you are reading this, feel free to help me in staying accountable.

I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself during Christmas, well actually all the time, but particularly at this time of year.  There are so many ways to celebrate, people to make gifts for, parties to host... All things that I love to do, but when I get overwhelmed with it all I know that it is my family that suffers along with me.

This Christmas I promise to take the time each day to enjoy my family.  I know that sounds cliche, and not very revolutionary, but I mean to be intentional about this.  I will be intentional about sitting down and being fully present with each of them. To truly enjoy each of our traditions, not just check them off the list.  Or, to do something not on the list at all, simply because it will make one of my children, or my husband, smile.  Sometimes in the busyness of taking care of my family I'm afraid I lose sight of those beautiful smiles.  I don't want to do that this Christmas- I want joy to fill our home, and I want to participate in that joy.

Opportunity or Oppression?

I have been really discouraged the last few days to hear multiple parents lamenting the Common Core, and how awful it is for kids.  They are feeling that education is damaging their children.  How can this be?  We, as educators, have never set out to damage children.  We are on the same side as parents, aren't we?  We are all working towards the goal of preparing children to be successful and productive members of society.  We may have different focuses in that preparation, but somehow we need to work together.  It is the only way we can truly succeed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fieldsphotos/
445629313/sizes/m/in/photostream/

I understand that education has been totally overwhelmed in the last few years with all different requirements, from Common Core standards to 21st Century Skills to high stakes testing, to an increased focus on College and Career Readiness, not to mention APPR.  It sometimes feels as though we teachers are like a kitten with all sorts or multicolored strings, batting them around, and eventually getting all tangled up.  Because of this tangle of seemingly unrelated strands we are frustrated, exhausted, and often unable to clearly communicate our objectives to either parents or students.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/
smswigart5861917810/

I would love to see us instead embrace each one of those strands as an opportunity, see where they can be tied together, and like a magician pulling a rainbow ribbon out of his hat, present a unified education plan for our students that is exciting and attractive to both students and parents.   Even though we might feel it's foolish, let's look for the opportunity in the Common Core standards, 21st Century Skills, and all the rest, to encourage critical thinking skills, real life application, and more capable and confident students.

And yes, I think this is possible.

Call me an eternal optimist, but I believe we became educators for just such a challenge as this.

Infographic Tools

Over the last couple years I have been really excited about the potential of Infographics in school.  Botha visual image such as a chart or diagram used to represent information or data".  

the creation and use of them.  You may not recognize the term, but you are sure to have seen Infographics, they are everywhere.  They are defined as, "
Two years ago we expanded a 10th grade English research project to include the creation of a Website, with an Infographic.  It didn't go smoothly, mostly because we were forcing tools to do more than they were intended for.  Unfortunately, after that I haven't gotten to do another Infographic project, but I am determined to get back to that.
I have gathered some resources, one of which is a LiveBinder full of ideas and tools, and explored a few of these.
I recently worked within easel.ly to create an Infographic.  It was a super easy tool to use, with templates to use for beginners and plenty of options.  The templates themselves will help students understand what Infographics are and give them some direction.  You also had the freedom to expand on what they had by uploading images, etc.  My only warning would be to make sure you create an account (free) before creating a visual, because if you try to create your account at the end you will lose what you did.  This is the Infographic that I created for our Classroom 21 teachers to explain the process of questioning to their students.
One of the things that I really appreciate about easel.ly is that you have plenty of options of how to save your visuals.  Sometimes I get frustrated with tools because they make it difficult to extract your creation from their site.  That was not the case here, you can download to your computer, embed, or create links.
Another tool that I have used, which also gives these options for using your images is piktochart.  This is another very usable Infographic tool, although I didn't find it to have as many options for beginners (templates, icons, etc.).  It also gives you a canvas larger than 8 1/2 x 11, which can make using the final product more difficult.
Having explored these tools I am confident that we can do some successful projects with students.  In fact, I already have two teachers on board to test it out this fall.  We are preparing a project for the 7th grade math classes, and another round with the 10th grade English class.  I look forward to sharing the results!

Worthy Words

A newly married friend recently asked me what advice I would give to have a happy marriage.  Because I am terrible at giving a quality response on the spot I gave a totally inadequate answer, and have been mulling it over ever since.

I told him something like this: "Expect rough times in marriage, that no one feels 100% in love all the time, but not to give up because of those feelings."  

What a dreary picture I painted of marriage!  I desperately need to amend that picture.  It does not represent how I feel about marriage at all.  I love my husband and treasure my marriage.

So, here is the advice I would give to those who are preparing for marriage or those newly married:

Don't let rough times shock you into doubting your love for one another.  You may not always feel that spark of 1st love, but that doesn't mean it has gone out.  Take the time and energy to rekindle that flame.  

Keep your focus on the good times you have had together, and remain confident that they will return.  Many will be even better because you have struggled together.  Your love will deepen and your bond grow stronger as you experience life together as one. 

Don't lose hope in the love God has given you for your spouse.  Don't focus on the differences you have or those things that annoy you about each other.  Look for the best in one another and you will find it.  Always fight for your marriage and for one another- it is so worth it!  

These are some of the things I have experienced and learned in the first 14 years of marriage, and I look forward to learning much more as Nathan and I continue to love each other and grow together for many years to come.

Staying Satisfied

Today was one of those days when I was reminded just how much I love this life that God has given me.  Too often I get caught up in the business of life, and forget to notice just how amazing it is.
I have a husband who I am in love with.  I respect his integrity, admire his character, and he is just plain fun to be with.  I have children who I adore (really, I do!).  They are interesting, creative, and affectionate- in different measures.  There is no way to become bored with them around.  I have a career I enjoy, which keeps me thinking and encourages constant growth.  I have a home, which I love to share, and lots of opportunities to do that.  And, I have a Ministry which keeps me focused on my true purpose and provides lots of spiritual growth and connections.
Life is good, so why does it feel like I have lost sight of that?
I have allowed our family (in my house, as keeper of the family schedule, this is a responsibility that I must bear) to cross the line from a full life into a busy life.  These are two very distinct things in my mind, and in our home they feel very different.  God has given us a wonderfully full life, with lots of people to share it with, purposeful activities, and opportunities to grow.  When we start focusing on "maximizing the schedule" and leave no room for reflection and relaxation we have left that place of fullness and are unable to enjoy the blessings God has given us.
I am ready to fight back.  It is hard for me to say no, but sometimes as the mom that is my job.  I believe our family is supposed to maintain a full life, but we are not meant to stay in constant motion.
We will leave room for feeling satisfied, and I believe that will allow our family to recognize all that we have to be thankful for instead of feeling driven to find the next thing to do all the time.  We will "be still, and know that [He] is God" (Psalm 46:10).