Celebrations Large & Small

Today I celebrate the five year anniversary of my diagnosis where I changed instantaneously into a person learning to manage a chronic disease.  My d-day is followed by my nephew's b-day so I remember while keeping perspective. My altered reality is defined by four letters, LADA.  My learning curve has been steep over the last five years as I reshaped my life. Rather lament the curse of my disease, I celebrate the gifts that it has brought me, ones I sorely needed.

It has brought me the gift of community, my personal learning network, pLN that mirrors the virtual support and information that I get from my professional learning network, PLN.  My pLN has brought me DSMA and the DOC, replete with people whose lives mirror my reality, managing a chronic disease. They have taught me that there is no perfect and to stop stressing about achieving it.  They have taught me to take one day at a time.  They have taught me to laugh.  They have taught me more about my disease than all the research and books that I have read or doctor's visits that I have had.  I have never met a single one of them face-to-face yet, but their words matter.

It has helped me uncover the gift of time. We make time for what we value. It's true. I believe it. I know it. When I went to get my ACL fixed, my ortho said, "So you're an exercise enthusiast."  "No!" I retorted.  "It is a prescription for my life." I literally use ten units less of insulin a day when I work out.  Exercise matters. I am able to see how much it matters. I must move for the rest of my life whether I am enthused or not. I hate exercising, but I love the community. I love moving with my fellow Gladiators, walkers, runners and ultimate players. They motivate me and move me. I make time.

It has brought me the gift of clarity. I see the visible effects of every choice I make as evidenced by my blood glucose readings.  I must keep calm and carry on. Stress doesn't do my body good.  I worry less now. I had to learn it and I had to practice it every day for the past five years. I am still learning. I figured out that I needed to put myself first. That too I practice and get better
at seeing every day.

It gave me the gift of courage.  Without courage, I would not have started blogging as part of documenting my journey of pursuing balance.  I needed balance most. I still seek it daily. I get better every day, but blogging helps me navigate the path. As an English teacher, I love the venue that all writers can experience via publishing. Teaching blogs and diabetes blogs helped me navigate my professional and personal life.  I hope my words have that same power for others.  Of all the gifts I received over the past five years, the most important is that I learned how to live not just how to survive.

Interrogate the Teacher

Monday marked my daughter's entry into 4th grade.  I love elementary school and I love the rituals that reach out to parents.  At my daughter's school, every parent has a conference with the teacher to pick up the 1st nine weeks report card. I would love to replicate that in high school for freshman.  I just can't wrap my head around how to do it with approximately 700 ninth graders.  But the ritual that I love most is "Meet the Teacher" or something that I like to affectionately call "interrogate the teacher" happens the week before school starts.

The first stop, the classroom library.  Is it hefty enough for students? Not rigorous, but enough books for readers to enjoy all genres and levels--- picture books, poetry, graphic novels, nonfiction and middle grade fiction favorites.   Yes, there is always the media center, but I believe that students should have access to plenty of books in the places that they spend the most time.  My child will be spending 180 days in this room.

I tell the teacher that I have concerns about AR. I don't hand her the research. I just let her know that we read for school, obligatory reading, and we read for pleasure. We are lucky when school and pleasure reading coincide. I consider AR obligatory reading and another way that we overtest students. I let her teacher know that we like to set a reachable AR goal. I have nightmares from my daughter's first experiences in kindergarten with AR where I would find her burrowed under the blankets with a flashlight at 5 am "studying for her AR test."  This elementary school like many in this district relies on AR as a way to ensure kids are reading nightly.  They don't go overboard with tangible rewards and celebrations and so it is a mildly tolerable experience. I just don't want my daughter to get the message that we read for rewards and grades because she and I read for fun and escape every night, not just for school.

I look through the textbooks.  What are they studying this year?  An overview of physical science...we will do some labs at home and add some science books to our library pick-ups. Florida history....sounds like some side trips are in order just not to St. Augustine where she spends family time and a field trip there is on her fourth school to-do list.

Not all of my questions are answered as other parents wander into the room. I am still left wondering about her as a writing teacher.  It is the last year of FCAT 2.0 Writing and PARCC looms in the horizen. How will she balance teaching persuasive and argumentative writing? Actually I am more concerned with how she will nurture my daughter as a writer, mathematician, scientist, and historian?  Many of my questions will be answered as assignments come home. 

I will ask questions about the purpose of assignments. I will ask for the data that I know in my role as reading coach is available, but is not shared with parents unless they ask.  I will also not try to make too many waves. TKs can be put under a microscope and not be free to make mistakes that other kids make.  I've seen it with freshmen students that I've taught. I want to find something to love about her teacher because I want my daughter to continue to love learning and we are partners on that journey this year.

To Do Lists

I had grand visions of how I wanted to spend my summer.  My visions were doused by my unfortunate accident on the ultimate field right before the last week of school. They were also doused by last minute paid professional development opportunities proffered by my district, 5 online classes and several face-to-face classes. Note: None of these courses were mandatory, but as an instructional leader and teacher-educator in my role as reading coach at my school, participation seemed like professional non-negotiables.

I was side-tracked from my to-dos by work and my injury. I spent several weeks in a chair doing online modules and participating in pd as well as recuperating from surgery by icing and elevating. I wanted to read, write more and work out more, finish my taxes, and disconnect by hiking and camping.  I did read, I did write, I didn't work out and I still haven't done my taxes and I am not sure if I ever truly disconnected. I still have many to-dos, but summer is over.

I still have some days this week.  I spent most of today doing productive work with colleague, Lee Ann, planning a CCSS workshop for English, reading, and world language teachers for pre-planning week. We will be finalized this tonight which is why my post is so late. I need to develop a CCSS workshop for elective teachers at my school and two other workshops.  I will spend most of tomorrow with my new leadership team working on other aspects of pre-planning. The unpaid work this week will make my life easier next week.

While I still have time this week, I will continue to guiltily read books for pleasure while cramming the professional reading that I meant to do all summer.  I will spring hop and head out to the beach. I will do my taxes. And I will start thinking about developing  more realistic expectations or shorter to-do list for next summer.  I am feeling a little a loss of precious summer time as well as eager anticipation for the upcoming school year. How about you?

It's Monday! What R U Rdg?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading is a meme by Sheila at Book Journeys. Jen
Vincent at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers give it a kid lit spin.

I love summer! I can finish a book a day if I want. I love to stay up late and read.  Summer, however, for many is coming to a close.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, and The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson were ya fantasy series books that I read and I can't wait to introduce to my students this fall. I love a series because I hate when stories end. I can't wait to to see what happens next and am anxiously awaiting the next titles to appear on my front door. (Our library delivers and it's better for you than pizza!)


Laini Taylor's Karo (Hope) lives between worlds, a double life of sorts. She helps, Brimstone, the only father she has known, collect teeth. She is his conduit between the world of chimera and humans.  What we and she discover is there is a battle between good and evil forces, but nothing is as it seems.  The sequel, Days of Blood and Starlight, delivers as well, as it continues her story. I hate to give away too much because the mystery of Karou's origins is the mystery that keeps readers engrossed in this magical story.  I am anxiously awaiting the third in the series, Dreams of Gods and Monsters.




Rae Carson's The Girl of Fire and Thorns is another ya fantasy with a strong female lead, Elisa, who is a princess and a chosen one, one of whom is chosen every century.  She is married in secret to protect her and partnered with one who may or may not want her. I might connect this title with The Odyssey as this becomes a hero' journey story. The Crown of Embers and The Bitter Kingdom are on my TBR list as I can't wait to see how Elisa's adventure pans out.






Next week it's nonfiction. Two books that I am in the midst of which I am finding helpful both personally and professionally.

Hopping Along

I am learning how to navigate the challenges of life after having ACL surgery. I won't share the pictures of the inside of my knee, but I know healing is hard work from the inside out. Here are the top ten things that I learned so far.

1.  Learning something new is exhausting work. Need I say more? 

2.  Being dependent on others isn't easy. I am lucky to have amazing help. My husband has time off from work. My aunt has come down to help and my nine year old steps up as well. It isn't easy, but it is necessary. I try to make sure I have everything I need in my spot, but it doesn't always happen. Right now, I am avoiding needing anything while they are still sleeping.

3.  Navigating your first curb is like overcoming a mountain. A good friend told me how to navigate stairs. His advice made sense at the time, but as the curb grew before me, I couldn't figure it out. I just looked at it for awhile.  I did go over it and have since endured stairs, a hill, and grass. I am still thankful that I am in a one story space and someone invented elevators.

4. Ice is my best friend. In less than 24 hours I weened myself off pain meds. Icing is the key. I am not muscling through the pain, I haven't had much. I know I was in more pain after having a c-section. Nothing like ice can soothe the dull ache that creeps in the joints as the swelling increases. Twenty minutes on ice cures that.

5. I enjoy being a sloth. People think I will go stir crazy, because I am so active. I have many indoor pursuits aside from the reading to engage in such as writing, scanning old family pictures and watching movies to occupy my time. These activities are ones that I don't normally sit still long enough for, but will now. In fact, the day flew by watching 13 episodes of Mako Mermaids with my daughter. 

6. It is good to have the help of family and friends. My mom sent a Barnes and Novel gift card, my sister, an Amazon package, Paula, Lee Ann, & Mary, meals. Others have shared the gift of their time allowing my husband a break. All of these are thoughtful gifts that make the days go by smoother and faster. Thank you! 

7. The directions from the doctor never tell you everything you need to know. I read directions. I follow directions. I have questions. As a T1, I know doctors can never tell me all I need to know. Could you have it written in the follow-up that you won't be in a walking brace until your leg fits in the brace?  Not the 10-14 days that the post-op directions say.  False expectations! Surprises. Yes, I want to heal well, but I need to craft a timeline to make this work.

8. A frozen bag of spinach will do in a pinch. Work-arounds! In this world we need them. You have to craft them. You have to help your students and children problem solve. No ice! No peas! What do you have? Spinach! No way to elevate your leg while sitting, invert your crutch. Problem solved.

9. Never underestimate the power of dehydration. The day after my surgery I struggled bringing my blood sugars down. I had eaten low carb. I checked. I treated. I checked again. Finally it dawned on me that I hadn't had much water in the past 24 hours due to fasting. I started drinking and the sugars came down. 

10. This work is a temporary part of the healing process. My good friend lost her leg five years ago. In a month I should be walking fine. In six months I will be back to ultimate frisbee. I will be preparing for my next half marathon. I will resume Camp Gladiator. For me, the changes and challenges are temporary. Her challenges are permanent. I am lucky.

Brave the Wild: Rainbow Springs & River

Although I won't go back to work for weeks, my last summer adventure was Thursday, floating and snorkeling down the Rainbow River and a dip into Rainbow Springs. I have been sidelined much of this summer with a torn ACL. It has kept me closer to home and away from the mountains and woods that I normally hike. I have, however, been lucky to swim for the most of my summer although the next three weeks of my vacay and the next six months will be spent rehabbing from the ACL surgery I had yesterday. Part of my post-op directions are no water for two weeks. My mermaid brain is cringing as I write this. But this slice celebrates my last opportunity to brave the wild.

    Rainbow Springs is my favorite place to spring hop.  The spring head is at Rainbow River State Park. It is at the bottom of basin. The swimming area of the spring is deep and wide. If you have small children, they need a life jacket or noodle to take into the water.  The water is too deep for most adults to touch the bottom, but the water is clear, cold, and sparked and leaves your skin tingling for hours afterward. We always end our day of tubing here with a picnic and a dip.
  You can also rent kayaks from this area to venture downstream enjoying the Rainbow River, one of the most clear rivers you will find in Florida. Most rivers are tannic, but Rainbow river cuts a glass-like swath allowing for snorkeling as well as tubing, boating, paddleboarding, or kayaking. If you kayak from the spring head down, you will glimpse the spring plant life rehab project.

  We started our day tubing the lower part of the river. K.P Hole and the state park system rent tubes and provide shuttle service, both of which can get filled up pretty early on summer weekends. If you can, try to steal away on a summer weekday. We tried the state park system for the first time and floated our way down the river for two hours. Again it was a day of laughter with friends. 

  Braving the wild has been my intent this July. I chose it as a reminder to disconnect and enjoy the world. Hopefully you will get that opportunity before you go back to school.

Brave the Wild: Scalloping

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Each summer I  disconnect by braving the wild! My forays into nature reset my brain to ready me for the upcoming year. This year it happened to be the sea. I don't have a bucket list per say and I also believe there are many treasures to be discovered in my backyard that don't include theme parks.   With a torn ACL and the surgery to repair it looming in my future, water adventure are the most feasible. I have blogged about spring-hopping, but I wanted to do another uniquely Florida adventure- scalloping.

Eight people gathered this bucket of about 8 gallons
of scallops which yielded a little less than 4 pounds.

What I imagined and how the day turned out were two entirely different visions. I love it when a day in your life turns out that way.  I couldn't have imagined a more magical summer day than the one we spent floating in the Big Bend Seagrass Preserve. The beginning seemed ominous as we headed out to sea via the Steinhatchee River in the midst of a storm in which raindrops felt like hail, but the seas was flat which was a good sign. Fortunately, the sun peeped out just as we arrived at our destination.


You need the right equipment for the day most importantly a friend with a boat and their knowledge of the area and process. We packed light- snorkel gear, nets, and sunscreen. If you haven't been scalloping before, you might think that it is a simple process, just snorkel and scoop them out with a net. There is, however, more seeking involved, a "Where's Waldo?" scallop-style. When you see one, you know it, but to find them you must look closely, pay attention to the details.  There are a host of distractions from the task including an abundance of fish, a occasional octopus, even the way the sunlight plays upon the undersea world.

Aside from the adventure, what made it magical was my daughter's response. She's nine. She loved it. Already a strong swimmer, she didn't let fear stop her from engaging in the day. It can be unnerving for some to swim "in the weeds" where you don't see the bottom. She braved the wild. She became adept at swimming from the boat and searching for scallops on her own. What helped my parenting comfort level was the life jacket that she wore built for snorkeling. Also the water was about 4-5 feet deep so she could stand if needed. We spent at least four hours in the water, a real laboratory.

Both Hope and I have many more questions about scalloping and sea life.  I've spent my entire life in Florida and there is so much to learn about the sunshine state.  I will confess that I didn't "shuck" my scallops.  I wanted to, but that will be for my next adventure.  The eight of us gathered about 8 gallons of scallops which yielded a little less than four pounds.  In the end it wasn't about the meal garnered, it was about the journey, a day of light and laughter among friends and a better understanding of the environment.  As my friend Lee Ann blogs about, a pink-stone day.