April 17, 2019 Dear Families, On December 31, 2018, I boldly and confidently claimed unshakable as my word for 2019. As an English major and teacher, I could have and should have seen the foreshadowing. Last night, as I communicated via text with a treasured friend, I responded in part of the exchange with, "I … Continue reading Unshakable Hope

April 11, 2019 Dear Families, This week, I struggled to find my my voice. Motivation to do much of anything evaded me. April presents personal challenges for me. Saturday marks 46 years since my father died. Tomorrow, Hunter and his buddies remember the birthday of their precious friend. They should be graduating together. Instead they … Continue reading Ashes, Beauty, and the In-between

April 6, 2019 Dear Families, Given that today, thousands of optimistic fans will flood the gates at Coors Field to cheer on the Colorado Rockies, I thought a baseball post would hit a home run. I, however, cannot take credit for its wisdom and insight. This week's wire comes from another voice. It is one … Continue reading Stop Lowering the Bar to Reach It

March 7, 2019 Dear Families, Given the increased media coverage of the Momo Challenge, I decided to stray from my series this week. Unfortunately, the Momo Challenge is not new to scene in the disturbing trend of self-harm games. It has been of concern for mental health professionals and educators for some time. For awhile, … Continue reading Too Big for Your Suitcase

February 21, 2019 Dear Families, I write from a cruising altitude of over 30,000 feet. If you read an earlier post about my passion for flying, you likely find yourself saying, “Oh dear.” Yeah, me too.  Statistics suggest that flying remains the safest mode of transportation.  I find statistics challenging. I find them challenging not … Continue reading The Standard Deviation

February 7, 2019 Dear Families, I mentioned last week in my blog post that I would begin a 5 part series. I shared that this week my entry would be titled "Charlie Brown's Teacher." While I continue to share my 5 part series, my approach changes drastically. Miraculously, I find strength despite my heartache, or … Continue reading Sunshine and Sunflowers

January 31, 2019 Dear Families, Discipline. A word charged with emotion. Opinion. Reaction. As parents, we work diligently to raise good humans. Humans filled with compassion. We encourage positive messages. Remind them to be kind. To be the change. We strive to empower them to tell the truth. We hope and believe that they reach … Continue reading The Power of Pain

January 24, 2019 Dear Families, Some of you may have a De Ja Vue reading this post. It is, in fact, a re-post. I am going to begin a series over the next couple of weeks. I believe that this will give context to that series. If you have read this post, skip to the … Continue reading Devastating Disappointment and Unthinkable Grief

January 10, 2019 Dear Families, Happy New Year! I hope that your break was both restful and enjoyable. I treasured every minute with my family, even the family meetings. All of them... Maddy and I made the long trek from Flagstaff to Highlands Ranch on Sunday, December 16th. She found herself ready to enjoy a … Continue reading Re-Entry

December 13, 2018 Dear Parents, Before you read this post, please note three things. First, I use technology and social media. Second, I hate technology and social media. My reasons for using social media often appear to be rationalizations. In many cases, they are. In other cases, I feel they are legitimate. Finally, I write … Continue reading 1000 Friends and Still Friendless