What Keeps Me Trekking

Well, we made it through Monday.

Barely.

I always embrace myself for the worst on Mondays. That way, I’m already prepared for anything that is thrown at me (literally and figuratively).

I survived Monday. Barely.

I had a whole list of things that frustrated me yesterday. (Surprise, surprise. NONE of the frustrations including the children. Isn’t that always the case?) But now, as I’m sitting down to write this post, feeling grateful for a new day with a new attitude, I will highlight the good parts of my day. The parts of my day that forced my eyes open this morning, forced me to get ready, forced me to keep trekking through the school year.

The Babies
Any time an adult frustrates me or I feel as though I’ve been drowning in paperwork (which has been quite a lot lately), I pause what I’m doing and just embrace the little ones. They remind me that all the problems are little problems. They also remind me why I stick it out – even when every part of me wants to call it quits.

The Families
Yesterday, I had an IEP meeting after school. While I typically dread the paperwork and preparation that goes along with each meeting, I love sitting down together with teachers, school leaders, and families to discuss each child. I love talking about how much they’ve grown each year. And I love walking away from the meeting knowing that the parents understand the IEP process a little better each time. It’s a lot of information thrown at them – especially when their child first qualifies for Special Ed – so when I feel as though they’ve gotten a grasp on their child’s plan, services, and goals, I feel a little happier on my insides.

Post-Work Hiking
Jen and I decided to skip our yoga class – since our favorite instructor wasn’t going to be the one teaching it – in favor of hiking Villa Montalvo. We didn’t do much (mainly because my body just couldn’t), but we hiked until the sun went down. There’s something about being under the trees that makes my heart feel happy and my brain more clear.