I don’t like poetry

I don’t like poetry. I don’t get poetry. I don’t like writing poetry. I don’t like teaching poetry.

I like poetry about as much as my husband likes going to art museums.  I clearly remember a couple art museum visits with Keith. I was so embarrassed when he loudly said, “oh look that lady has rosacea,” about a painting others were admiring.  Then there was the time he mocked Grandma Moses’ paintings at a gallery in Vermont. “Hey, your grandpa paints better than Grandma Moses.” Don’t even take Keith near the “pop art” room with random sculptures.

It is a good thing there isn’t a museum of poetry. I would end up rolling my eyes too much. I would probably sigh and say, “Huh, I don’t get that.”  Maybe I would walk quickly through the halls full of poetic words and not give them a second glance. I would probably even make some wise crack about the poem.

Yet this slice of life challenge is a bit like a museum with its own wing of poetry.  I wasn’t looking for it. I would just click on slices. Oh, a poem, I would think.  Since I was already there, I figured I should at least read the poem.  And guess what? I appreciated the poems. I got them. I enjoyed them.

Then I would write a slice, post it and people would comment with “nice poem” or “beautiful poetry.”

What, a poem. I wrote a poem?” I skeptically wondered.

I would pull back up my own slice and glance over it quickly.  Yes, it was a poem. I wrote a poem. I actually wrote a couple of them.  Me, who can’t stand poetry. Who has only started to read more poems because of this challenge. I actually wrote and understood my own poem.

I might just like poetry a bit more than I thought.

But I’m still not taking Keith to an art museum again!

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

No Distinction of Age

He sat with the second graders during the opening announcements.

He sat with a fourth grader at the end of the day.

He walked up and started a conversation with a sophomore one week.

He sat in with the fourth and fifth grade class while he drew and chatted away with those at his table.

He stood up and shared his drawing in front of the same fourth and fifth grade class.

He sat with the preschool class.

He called a sixth grader his friend.

He wants to invite his fifth grade friend to his birthday party.

He sat in the seventh grade row next to the big kids.

He is my homeschooled son.

Did I mention he is only three?!?

I love how he sees no distinction of age.

All he sees are friends.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

Last day of co-op

Today is the last day of our spring session of the homeschool co-op we are a part of during the school year.

We always come to this final day with a little bit of sadness and a little bit of relief. It is the day of wearing pajamas as per co-op “rules.” It is the day my boys say goodbye to some of their friends until next fall. It is the day that playdate promises are given.

It is the day I realize I can now reclaim four hours a week of focusing on our curriculum. It is the day I realize how important this group of homeschool moms, I mean friends, is to me in this homeschool adventure we choose. It is the day I make promises that our contact will not just be limited to emails, Facebook and text exchanges over the next few months.

It is the day I watch the final creativity of students in a joint comic book writing and comic book art class, that I teach with the creative Pamela Hodges. By the way, she is also taking part in the daily Slice of Life challenge so check out her blog too. It is the day I realize I will have to put a bit more effort into these friendships over the summer. It is the day I realize how important this group is to my family.

It is the day I realize I no longer have to pack co-op bags and snacks on Wednesday nights. It is the day that signals to me the school year is soon coming to an end. It is the day I realize that the next time we meet for co-op classes my boys will be a bit older. It is the day I realize how much I truly enjoy our homeschool life.

The last day of co-op is a day I truly treasure with a bit of sadness and a bit of relief. Now to find my slippers to go with my pjs for the day.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

Choosing to be thankful….

The last couple of days have been quite stressful at my house for many reasons.

I finally felt calm and at peace after I vented to a couple close friends, asked some friends to pray for me, and then took the afternoon off with my boys. Funny how an afternoon of driving around for errands while listening to audio books can be so soothing.

I came home Tuesday evening thankful instead of stressed.

Here is what I am choosing to be thankful about in the midst of the past couple of days.

I’m thankful for the times when plans suddenly change because you never know what God is protecting you from or what He has planned instead.

I’m thankful for tech support that listened and patiently worked on an issue.

I’m thankful for the pre-paid postage label to ship my son’s laptop for repairs (again for the fourth time).

I’m thankful for a little three year old, my son, who made me laugh and then spilled his slushie at the store.

I’m thankful for the cashier who told me to get a replacement slushie at no extra charge.

I’m thankful for my almost eight year old who said, mommy, I don’t like it when you are stressed.

I’m thankful for the extra tight hug he gave me at bedtime.

I’m thankful for my husband’s complete understanding when I just stand and put my head on his chest.

I’m thankful for my sister and sister-in-law who so patiently listen to my venting.

I’m thankful I have so much to be thankful for in spite of the chaos of the past few days.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

Two Lollipops, Please

I usually ask for two lollipops, please.

Today, I wanted to be a kid again.

Today, I wanted to be responsibility-free.

Today, I didn’t want to worry about what to feed my family for dinner.

Today, I didn’t want to worry about whether my youngest was wearing his real underwear or his imaginary ones.

Today, I didn’t want to plan out my son’s school work plan.

Today, I didn’t want to organize and coordinate all I had on my plate.

Today, I asked for three lollipops, please, at the bank drive-thru lane.

One for my oldest. One for my youngest. One for me.

For just a few minutes I was responsibility-free.

My lollipop was yellow.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

Onions and Onion Rings

“We’d also like an order of onion rings,” my husband told the waitress.

“But mommy, you don’t like onions,” my almost-eight-year-old turned and said to me.

Instantly, I was taken back to having dinner with friends almost 12 years ago.

“What would you like?” asked the waitress.

“A such-and-such sandwich. Please make sure there are no onions,” I answered.

“And what would you like?” she asked my husband.

“A such-and-such sandwich. And no onions please,” he answered.

“Would you like an appetizer?” she asked.

“Onion rings,” we responded jointly.

Giggles came from our friends at the table. The waitress stifled a chuckle.

“What?” I asked our friends.

“Oh. No onions but onion rings. Yeah, we don’t quite understand that either,” I answered with a smile.

I don’t like onions.

I like onion rings.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

It’s the Shoes

On Saturday, I walked confidently into the cycling class.

On Tuesday, I had hesitated as I entered the room.

On Saturday, I walked directly to a cycling bike.

On Tuesday, I had pondered which bike I would claim.

On Saturday, the instructor welcomed me to the class.

On Tuesday, the instructor had asked “Is this your first class?”

On Saturday, I knew my rehabilitated hip would stay in place during and after class.

On Tuesday, I had wondered if my hip could handle such strain after taking off six months.

On Saturday, the instructor looked me in the eye when she asked my name.

On Tuesday, the instructor glanced at the “extra” around my belly when she asked who I was.

On Saturday, I confidently earned my sweat.

On Tuesday, I had repetitively checked the clock.

On Saturday, I wore my cycling shoes with the clips.

On Tuesday, I had worn my clunky tennis shoes.

Yes. It’s the shoes.

The shoes always make the difference.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

playing in the rain

My youngest son and I went to the gym first thing this morning.

When we left the gym, it was raining.

“Look at that puddle. Go jump in it.”

Splash. Splash. Giggles.

My youngest son and I ran to the store to pick up a few things.

When we left, it was still raining.

“Look at that puddle. Go jump in it.”

Splash. Splash. Giggles.

When my youngest son and I got home, I asked him to get the newspaper and recycling bin from the curb.

It has stopped raining.

“See that huge puddle. Go jump in it.”

Splash. Splash. Giggles.

“But no. The newspaper doesn’t get thrown in the puddle.”

Splash. Splash. Giggles.

How about you?  Do you see that puddle over there?

Go jump in it. Then wait. You will hear it too.

Splash. Splash. Giggles.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

What to write about today?

What to write about today?

I could finish the draft I started about the songs on my workout mix. That will take too much work. I’ll have to listen to the songs and highlight which lyrics inspire me to lift harder or walk faster. Although I can easily say that Legs by ZZ Top is my favorite song to listen to while doing squats, Romanian Deadlifts or  running.

I could start the draft on what I have learned through this challenge. How I have become more confident in my informal writing.  I shake my head as I remember a former client who once told me I wrote too formally. Did I mention he is a former client! In my defense, I do a lot of formal writing, but he seemed to neglect the different types and purposes for writing!

I could write about my morning routine.  How I curl up on the couch with a blanket after kissing my husband and watching him walk to his car for his commute to work. How I sit in the dark with my iPad checking slices and local news websites, scrolling through twitter and facebook, and logging my son into his online school. All while balancing a cup of coffee between the couch cushions and listening to the local news and weather.  Yes – I don’t know why I check the websites while I’m watching the news too!

I could write about how I need to work on creating my superhero, villain and comic book pages to share with my homeschool co-op class next week at our final class. After all, it is important to show the students that I struggled, too, with creating what seems so simple. It is all in my head at this point. How many times do I tell the kids, “You have great ideas in your brain. We just need to get them on the paper now.”  I tell that to myself now.

I could write about how the novelty of vision therapy is wearing off after one month.  My son is still all smiles when we go, but there is a slower pace in his steps. Oh and then I could compare it to the novelty wearing off on working out, eating right, watching how I spend money. Yet we continue forward while seeing the small slow progress of better reading, less weight, feeling better and having more money.

I could write about how baseball season is starting for our family. Is it bad that I am secretly cheering when I see rain in the forecast? I could mention the parallels I see between my sons growing up in athletics versus how I grew up traveling on motorcycles. How I could expand on this “sports mom” life I never expected, or how I see sports families in my childhood a bit differently now. Now, I will just leave it that I secretly cheer for rain.

I could write about how I panicked when I expected my husband and son to be home any minute. Instead, I heard sirens all around, and my husband wasn’t answering my phone calls. And he wondered why I called him eight times in a ten-minute window. If only he would have answered his phone and put my mind to ease.

But I don’t write about any of those.

Well, actually, I did just write about all of those.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

A Good Day of Homeschooling

A good day of homeschooling for us equals:

a lot of progress made in our curriculum.

missed phone calls.

a lot of hours tracked for the day.

a very messy house.

a slow response on emails.

a table full of papers, notes and pencils.

a short slice.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.