Skirt!

I finished my skirt!

Sick

I’ve succumbed to the cold. My throat hurts, my nose is runny, and I’m tired. I’m really hoping that resting all day (it’s rainy anyway) will help me feel better quicker. 

I want this shirt

Avoiding the Plague

Of course, right before a break, kids are falling sick right and left. One class I saw yesterday had a quarter of the kids absent (4 confirmed cases of the flu) and another handful coughing all over the library. Does my throat feel scratchy? I really don’t want to be sick over fall break. 

Alterna Reunion

On Friday night I went to the Quaker meeting house for a reunion dinner for Alterna (that's the nonprofit/homechurch/fellowship/neighborhood group we were part of in LaGrange).  It's officially been 20 years since Alterna began, and I've been part of it (on and off and in different capacities that are too much to try to describe) since even before then.  I was nervous about going though, because as much as being a part of this group was a source of joy, connection, and transformation, it also holds one of the most painful experiences of my life- the double funeral of two of our friends/neighbors on the same day we moved from LaGrange to Atlanta.

And while there was some awkwardness and grief, there were also moments of amazing connection.  I got a bear hug from one of my former students, who then introduced me to his 4 year old daughter.  We spent so much of the night catching up, reminiscing, and laughing.  

When I got home, I was absolutely exhausted, but buzzing from the experience.  I'm glad I went.

Pura Belpre

My Hispanic Heritage month door decoration is on the amazing Pura Belpre, who was the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library.  She couldn't find books for kids in Spanish, so she wrote her own.  Pura traveled all over NYC telling stories with puppets in Spanish and English, so people in the Spanish-speaking community would know that the library was a place where they belonged.  The Pura Belpre award is given every year to the Latinx writer whose book best portrays and celebrates the Latino experience for children and youth.  

Oktoberfest

This afternoon we went to an Oktoberfest event at a brewery. We enjoyed really yummy pizza (not on theme) but also, Nate and Korra each participated in a stein holding competition!

Good News from Danny

Our former foster son Danny called me this morning with good news.  He's on the final step to gaining citizenship- getting ready to take his citizenship test.  It's been such a long journey, which we began with him in August of 2015 when we got legal custody of him.  He seems to be doing well and I'm so thankful for that.

Long Story Short...

Why is it the people who say, "Long story short" the most are the people who tell the longest, most rambling stories?