Vaccinated

 I received my second vaccination.

I did get a fever and miss a day of school.

It did make me tired for the rest of the week.

I feel like you can be part of the problem 

or be part of the solution.

I trust that vaccines are part of the solution.

Now what?

I still get to wear a mask...

Not my favorite, but I can see some benefits to it.

I can return to other activities without the worry of picking up the virus

or giving it to someone.

It takes away my excuse to stay home.

I love to stay home.

But most importantly it gives me the freedom to visit people.

I visit some very sweet older ladies.

I would never want to hurt them.

I don't have to worry about that any more. 

I don't want the world to be back to normal.

I am ready for a new normal.

Death

The woman who works next to me is obsessed with death.

She loves to find out how someone dies

and then tell me how terrible it was.

She will go to any funeral, even if she doesn't know them.

She says, "It's terrible, just terrible."

I struggle with her her attitude. 

I mean, everyone dies, so why is it terrible?

Is the last thing we do on this earth terrible?

So here are my thoughts.

For those of us left behind death is:

Hard

Sad

Heart Breaking

Sacred 

So painful that breathing, sleeping and eating become difficult

Memories never die, they are in our hearts, thoughts, and dreams forever

Greif can last a life time.

For those who die:

Peaceful passing

Going home

In a better place

Free from addictions

Free from pain

Free from the torture of mental illness 

Moved on

Waiting for us

But never terrible, 

The last thing we do on earth is anything but terrible.

It literally happen in a heartbeat, for everyone.

I don't know what happens to us after we pass from this life,

but I have no fear of it. 

We all have to go through this final experience. 

I have not reason to believe that it will be anything but peaceful. 

 

Winter Walking

 I have a friend who talked me into walking with her two times a week. 

She is hard core, she will walk in wind and cold and with snow on the track.

She wanted to walk at the High School track and I agreed.

The parking lot to get to the track should have a caution sign.

It is pretty rough. 

Part of the my problem walking around Jerome in the winter is that it is so ugly.

Everything is dead and they have been tearing up the roads,

one section at a time to replace pipes and when they are finished,

Let's just say, the roads don't look finished.

One good thing about the track is that you can count out your mile.

It isn't as ugly. 

We walk at 4:30ish so the sun is going down.

The hard part,

Dang! it is sooooo cold.

This week there was snow on the track, but it was crunchy snow.

Sometimes I am half way home before I can feel my face.

But it is a good thing and the benefits are already showing.

That dialogistic number comes down when I walk.

So I'll keep my walking shoes in the car and pray for spring.

 

Valentines

I will not pretend, I don't really like Valentines Day.

I hate it when people post pictures of their flowers on Social Media.

I really hate it when people send their spouses flowers at work.

To me it is a show, not an offering of love.

I do, however like Valentines day at school.

It may or may not be because it is the last party of the year.

This party was the first one we had during a full day of school.

We decorated the cookies.

For pandemic reasons, each child had an individual kit.

It was awesome, it will be the new normal.

Also, we had the best math lesson of the year.

Sorting and counting conversation hearts.

I had the kids paint envelopes this year.

Not the new normal.

And of course, they always fill my desk with treats.

One of the reasons I love this day is that the kids happily give to each other.

There are always a few who don't bring valentines, and they may feel sad at first,

(I send home 2 notes, offer to give boxes of valentines for sharing)

but everyone goes home with a big envelope full of candy, cards, and love.

Always a winner.

Gray Day

We had snow yesterday. It was a gray day. 

What I'm trying to say is that it was ugly.

As the sun was going down, we had the most beautiful sunset.

I wish I could have captured how pink it was.

It was truly a tender mercy that touched my heart.

Our house faces the wrong direction.

Idaho has the most beautiful sunsets,

I need to turn my house around.