Grateful Friday

 I'm grateful conferences are over.  They are tiring and emotionally draining and a lot of work.  I usually cry on my way home because 1) I'm a weirdo and 2) I'm so overcome with gratitude for the tenacity of the mothers of my students.

I'm grateful for mothers.  I'm grateful for my mother who has her own brand of tenacity (it's supersized) and who filled our home with books.  So many of my students don't have books at home.  We didn't have a lot of money when we were growing up, but we had books.

I'm grateful for the mothers of my students who ask what more they can be doing at home, who moved here from other countries to give their children opportunities, who sacrifice and work hard for their children.  Since I love their children too, I'm grateful for them.

I'm grateful for our children.  I'm grateful for the privilege I have had to raise them.  They daily make me happy.

I'm grateful for Adam who is always my soft safe place to fall.  He hugs me when I'm empty and listens to me when my brain is full.  

I'm SO grateful for an upcoming vacation.  This morning I clicked off my alarm on my phone that is set for every weekday morning.  It felt marvelous.  I will miss my little students but not as much as I'll relish the time with Adam and Mark.  I have catching up to do with those two.