One Cobble at a Time

Pondering my duties as a drill sergeant

Before today I never thought to wonder what goes through the mind of a drill sergeant as he shouts for recruits to stop being babies and keep going. The drill sergeant is never the protagonist in films or books. Sometimes he is the villain, but most of the time he is like a [...]

A phone call illustrates change

“Hi Mrs. Tayler, this is Gleek’s Teacher.”
My heart sank. “Hi. How can I help you.”
“Oh don’t worry this is a good call.”
I swallowed. “Really?”
“Yes. I just wanted to tell you that Gleek and I made an agreement that she would get some writing done by Thursday and she finished it today. [...]

School day two

Day two of school and advocacy is required on behalf of children. The first is a (hopefully) minor schedule change for Kiki and should be completed quickly. However Kiki is a bit overwhelmed by high school and will likely need extra support for at least a month.
The second case for advocacy [...]

The Next Sugar Experiment

Once Gleek and I concluded our brief experiment with using an alternative method for balancing her body for sugars, we talked over what worked and what didn’t. It was obvious that Gleek is sensitive to sugars, this is not news. I figured that out around the time she used her first words to [...]

Kiki on the road

There are many times in a parent’s life when she wonders what on earth she was thinking when she agreed to a particular endeavor. I’ve felt that way about lessons, birthday parties, games, toys, and treats. Today’s revisitation of the feeling was the moment when I sat in my van with Kiki at [...]

Two Kids, Two Schools

Gleek and I climbed into the car and I backed out of the driveway. We were our way to meet her new Fourth Grade teacher and to take a quick reading test. Gleek sat quietly in her seat. Subdued. Not a typical emotional state for her.
“Are you worried about school starting?” [...]

Teaching the Children

One of the heaviest responsibilities for me as a parent is to make sure that my children are firmly grounded in the religious beliefs that I hold dear. This is primarily important because of what I believe about this life and life hereafter, but it is also important because faith has been an essential [...]

Last Day of School

I sat in the sunshine on a bench out in front of the school. In a few moments children would burst forth from the building, free for the summer. At the moment all was quiet and a breeze flipped the pages of the planner in my lap. I closed my eyes and [...]

Important Conversations

There are certain categories of conversation which jump to the top of the priority list. Sometimes it is a friend having a meltdown who needs to talk. Sometimes it is a marital disagreement that must be sorted out for hurt feelings to be resolved. Sometimes it is a child asking questions about [...]

Mixed feelings while nearing the end of a school year

The fact that I have mixed feelings about the end of the school year is not news. My feelings on the matter are generally mixed. This year is more mixed than most. Kiki will be leaving junior high. Link will be leaving Elementary school and he’ll have to say goodbye to [...]