Make It or Make Do!

Vintage quilt pieces highlight this wristlet

This sentiment sums up so much of the ethos I absorbed as a child. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I do think I’ve thoroughly internalized it.  No doubt it has roots in my Mennonite heritage. The Mennonites are known to be a thrifty people. In their defense, thriftiness does have Biblical underpinnings—we are to be wise stewards of all that God entrusts to us, including the land, our families, and our resources. 

 When I was really young and lived in rural NY state my family raised and butchered chickens (and an occasional pig), tended beehives, made maple syrup, hunted, and made many of our clothes. My dad built himself a muzzle-loader (colonial era gun) and he can sew and knit. Funny story—once, when he was the administrator of a nursing home, the activities director called upon him to teach the residents how to knit. Every spring, before Easter rolled around, my sister and I would head to the fabric store with our mom and page through the pattern books to pick out our Easter dresses that mom would sew for us. As a middle schooler I recall going to the mall, basically window shopping. I’d find a style I liked and then we’d head to the fabric store (remember So-Fro Fabrics??) to find a pattern for a close facsimile. In those days it was cheaper to make clothes than to buy them ready made. Fast Fashion has changed that, but that would make a great blogpost itself! Halloween costumes were always homemade.

Feed Sacks represent the ultimate Make It or Make Do ambitions! They harken back to a time when everyday products were repurposed for beauty and utility.

 Trends come and go. What was considered penny-pinching and miserly 20 years ago is considered eco-minded today! I’ve always washed and reused my Ziploc bags. I cook mainly from scratch because it’s better, cheaper, and healthier. We grow some of our own vegetables because, well, otherwise there would be more grass to mow! Speaking of grass, our lawn is untreated because biodiversity is better! Most of my clothes are from thrift stores. I’m excited to inherit the shoes my girls outgrow. I remember a friend told me once that her dad had a drawer for “pieces of string too small to use.” Sometimes I feel that way about my fabric scraps! I’m definitely not a hoarder and I regularly clean out my closets, but some things stick around longer than others. Early in my marriage I read a few helpful books (back before the internet was the first place we turned) about saving money, particularly as it relates to grocery shopping. I created a “price book”, which compares the prices of grocery items at regular price, sale price, and best price. That helped me to know when to stock up and which store had the best value for different items. Eventually I was able to internalize those prices and know in my head what was a good price. My friend Zoe (@zoedawnshop) posts EcoTips in her Instagram stories. I find them fascinating! Check them out in her Highlights.

Wash and reuse!

 I often wonder, if I suddenly came into gobs of money, what would I change about my lifestyle? It brings me joy to make things, so I wouldn’t switch to buying everything ready made. There are environmental benefits of buying used clothing and appliances. Being a wise steward of my finances allows more freedom to give it away to bless others. So what would I change??

 What are your favorite “Make it or make do” stories?

Friendship

One of the most rewarding things in life are the friendships that endure year after year, despite physical distance.  One of those friendships in my life is with Andy and Jodi Walsh. 

jodiwalshphotography

We first met Andy and Jodi when they came to Carnegie Mellon University as freshmen! Tom was on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and CMU was one of the campuses that he was responsible for. Andy and Jodi both became integral parts of our campus fellowship group and helped to grow the group from just a handful of students to a thriving, vibrant ministry.

Nicolette Dixon Photography

Andy and I shared a love of biology. I even called upon him to take over teaching my homeschooling co-op class when I needed to take a leave of absence. Jodi’s quick laugh and heart for Jesus made her a vital part of the women’s Bible study that I led on campus.  Fast forward 4 years, they ended up getting married and shuffled off to Baltimore where Jodi became an art teacher and Andy attended graduate school. 

Fast forward a few more years, Andy and Jodi were ready to return to Pittsburgh at the same time that we were looking to leave. They needed a home and we needed to sell ours! It was the perfect match. And it was fun to visit “our house” on our visits to Pittsburgh while they lived there. 

jodiwalshphotography

I’ve mentioned Andy and Jodi in a previous blogpost because this spring they launched their podcast, Bio Break. Because of the pandemic, and Andy’s job of analyzing public health data, many of the episodes have focused on interpreting the latest CDC directives and developments as the pandemic unfolds. But they’ve also brought in some special guests including both of their kids.

Andy has an affinity for science fiction (sorry, Andy, I don’t share that interest with you!) and has even published a book that explores the intersection of science fiction and Christian faith. Some of you may be into that.

Jodi runs a successful and inventive photography business, Jodi Walsh Photography, and has been so kind to partner with Naptime Inspirations over the years. She’s been known to give Naptime Inspirations baby gifts to her newborn photography customers. It’s always an encouragement when other businesses affirm your own business and Jodi does that so well. This summer she was game for a last minute request of mine to do a photoshoot literally the next day, as I was coming to Pittsburgh for a few hours. It was so much fun (and awkward, let’s admit it) to be the star of a photoshoot. Jodi has an artist’s eye for color and composition and the pictures turned out beautifully. You can’t even see how much I was sweating! You must check out Jodi’s Storybook sessions. They are my absolute favorite!

I’m grateful for friendships that endure even without physical proximity. For all of the downsides of social media it does allow us to keep in touch with people with whom we’d likely lose touch. Perhaps it was the intense stage of life we were in while we lived in Pittsburgh (our first 10 years of marriage), but we forged some of the most significant and enduring friendships of our lives. I will forever be thankful. Do you have a similar stage of life?

jodiwalshphotography

15 Things You May Not Know About Me

I realize that some of you are new to Naptime Inspirations and I am THRILLED that you are here! I hope this post will help you to get to know me a little bit better. But I also know that many of my readers are friends of mine (or family) and know me very well. So I’m challenging myself here to come up with 15 things that most people will not know about me. In an effort to try not to be tangential, I’ve grouped them into 3 categories: A. Personal, B. Professional, C. Truth Statements!

jodiwalshphotography

Personal

1. I was born and spent the first 8 years of my life in rural NY state, before moving to PA.

2. My husband, Tom, and I met in 9th grade and we started dating at the end of 10th grade. We’ve been married for 24 years.

3. I went to Grove City College to be a biology teacher. I taught biology and environmental science for a homeschooling co-op, but I’ve also been a Starbucks barista and a long distance telephone operator.

4. I don’t live on a farm, but we’ve raised chickens for 13 years.

5. I don’t enjoy running, but I do it anyway. I recently learned the term “wog”, as in walk-jog. Yeah, that’s pretty accurate.

Professional

6. I learned to sew by experimenting as a child (my mom could sew anything). I learned valuable skills in 7th and 8th grade Home Ec. classes. When I graduated from college, I asked for and received my first sewing machine. And made myself a dress that summer.

7. I rarely make clothes because they never fit me right. But I have made lots of costumes for theater. I bought fabric and a pattern 6 years ago for a tank top I never made. But I still intend to.

8. I don’t quilt and have no intentions to.

9. Sewing is my happy place. I could spend all day sewing and not get tired of it.

10. Everything I sew I learned from the internet. And trial and error. Much error.

Truth Statements

11. Cleaning bathrooms is the worst. We have 3 bathrooms. At any given time, at least 2 are dirty.

jodiwalshphotography

12. Chocolate and peanut butter belong together. Always.

13. Salty snacks.

14. Cheese makes everything better.

15. Love first. 

Did you learn anything? Are we soul-mates? Could we co-exist amiably because you’ll clean the bathroom on a regular basis and I’ll keep us supplied with cheese? I’m actually very easy to get along with because I’m a Peacemaker (Enneagram 9) and a conflict avoider. Let’s be friends!

First Week of Online Schooling

“How’s it going?” said through a grimaced mouth and raised eyebrows is the way parents are greeting each other this week. What’s unspoken is, “Are you even surviving whatever radical disruption to our lives this new schooling schedule has brought??”

First Day of School! They were excited to buy matching shirts for this special occasion.

I’m not here to discuss the merits of various options, but our family has chosen to participate in online, synchronous schooling. Which is to say, my 7th grader (Lily) and 10th grader (Eden) are at home, they log onto their classes as they are being taught in the building where most of their classmates attend 5 days/week. Very little was known before we began this adventure about how it would exactly unfold. I did my best to drill into the heads of my girls to expect that the first 2 weeks would be rough. And to offer and accept abundant grace to all parties involved.

We’ve had a few hiccups, but overall I have to say that the process is going very well! Here are a few observations:

This sums up a good portion of my day: I’m trying to work on something, Eden calls me on FaceTime from her study room in the basement, I try to change gears in my mind to address her question.

I promise you this tiny desk is not her typical study spot. But since it sits next to my sewing table she used it when she needed help with vocab.

1. Waking up at 7am is WAY better than waking up at 6am! AND I am still able to go for my jog at 7am instead of putz after kids to make sure they get ready and on the bus on time.

   1a. No school bus! Can I get an AMEN?

2. You technically don’t need to get dressed. But one child discovered after 2 days that it probably is prudent to get out of bed before class actually begins. The corollary here is that that same student has 6 classes, one right after another, with only a 30 minute break for lunch. That SAME student learned that trying to make pancakes DURING class is not a great idea.

3. Gym class is interesting. Eden is supposed to change clothes. This is kind of funny to us, but she does it anyway. We’re grateful that Eden was placed into the half of class that is doing yoga and not the other half of class that is doing golf! Lily begins her gym classes with warm ups. She’s admittedly half-hearted about the warm ups but I try to chide her on (“Your old mom already ran/walked 4 miles today. You can do a few lunges!”). And then I have to show her how to do a push up. I mean, seriously. She rolls up the rug in the living room and warms up there. Since she can’t do whatever the rest of the class does when they go outside, she goes next door and runs intervals up and down grandma’s and grandpa’s driveway for 15-20 minutes. I do admire the girls’ attitudes about this.

4. Honor’s classes are no joke. Eden has a loaded schedule this semester and I was a little bit concerned about how she would handle it. The first few days I sat in on a good part of her classes so that I knew what was going on and I kept waiting for the meltdown (“This is too much work!!”) that never came. She is handling it like a boss! Yesterday she worked all day long during the school day, all afternoon, and after supper, all evening! At bedtime she told me, “You know I like having something to do.” <mom picks jaw up off of floor>

5. Technology can be finicky. One day Eden missed most of her lecture for History. I emailed tech support telling them it must be their issue. They emailed back saying it’s most likely our issue. I recalled back in April when we were having internet issues with 6 people online all day long and Comcast told me to turn the router off for 10 minutes. With 6 people online all day long when does one turn off the router?? So I never did. But the other night I turned it off for 10 minutes and our problems have resolved! For now.

6. Kids love to ask “When are we ever going to need to know this??” I now have the answer: Thirty years from now there may be a global pandemic and your kids will be doing school from home. And they will come to you with questions every 30 seconds and you will need to answer them. You will need to know the rules for multiplying with exponents. You will need to know how to annotate an article (guessed wrong on that one…). You will need to know vocabulary (score!). You will need to know the ins and outs of the Underground Railroad (Thank you, American Experience!). You will need to figure out the rhythms of the band music (thank you Band!). Sometimes I feel like I’m in a very long psychological experiment. As I go about my day, laundry, cooking, canning, cleaning, running a business, paying bills, etc. I get questions thrown at me—”Mom, what’s -35+12-14?” “Mom, can you help me understand what Frederick Douglass is saying in this essay?” “Mom, how do you do a push-up?” I keep looking around for the hidden camera. Maybe it’s one of those tests they give to air-traffic controllers. Can you safely land the planes that are swirling above your head while distractions keep coming across your screen and people belt out “Hamilton” lyrics in your face?

You can’t do that in a classroom! Even with flexible seating!

My online students are rocking it! Lily didn’t go so far as to say there are advantages but Eden is beginning to see some positives. The pace of her daily schedule is a bit more relaxed than Lily’s, even though she has more work. She also gets a long break for lunch (>1 hour). Living so far from the schools, the girls always had a long bus ride. Lily’s day has been ending around 1:45 and Eden’s ends sometime after 2:00. And that’s it! They don’t need to endure a bus ride home after that. Having them keep busy all day is a plus. It’s not like summer vacation when they wandered around looking for someone to irritate. I know they are working hard. We’re figuring out our rhythm. I need to create boundaries when I am not available, even though I may be in the next room. Constantly being “on call” is exhausting, as I discovered a few days ago when I had a meltdown. I’m happy to be able to grocery shop alone again. But then I received a text 45 minutes later asking me when I’ll be home again… So yeah, we’re figuring it out. As all parents are. We are abundantly blessed and I recognize the privilege we have to make this choice for online schooling. I am indebted to those individuals who are going above and beyond their job description to make it possible (I’m looking at you teachers, administrators, tech support, and staff!). We pray for the health and safety of everyone and we hope to return to the buildings sometime this school year.

Fernweh

My sister, Karen, is a world traveler and this year she finally did the thing she talked about for so long and started a travel blog. I got the Homebody genes, but she got a double dose of Wanderlust. Except for a 3 year stint while some of her boys attended high school she hasn’t lived full time in the US since ?? I don’t know, maybe 30 years? Her home is in Israel and that’s an entire blog post itself. But she usually spends several weeks in PA over the summer. 2020 is the first summer she has not been able to visit in FOREVER. The past 2 summers she and I have taken road trips together. We weren’t crazy close growing up and she’s lived so far away for so long, but these trips have been so much fun!

Chillaxin’ on the veranda of the Babcock House. Matching shirts are essential attire for a Sister’s Road Trip.

On the shores of Lake Huron

Our first trip was to the Upper Peninsula of MI to deliver Ellen to a camp where she worked for the summer. Most of the itinerary of our trip was planned, except for the night after we left Ellen. We spent a few hours on Mackinac Island and then drove south. I do the driving; she Googles interesting things we should see along the way. Turns out, the middle of Michigan is not a Mecca for Interesting Things. We found a hotel which sounded way better online than it looked in person. The crumbling roof line should have clued us in, but it was indeed sketchy. I told Karen that once we were in our room we were not leaving it. Thankfully we made it through the night.

Maid of the Mist

From Michigan we drove to Niagara Falls. Interesting tidbit here: for all of Karen’s world travels, she had never been further west than Ohio and she had never been to Canada. Niagara Falls was delightfully touristy. It was also raining. I packed an umbrella and raincoat. Karen did not. Being too frugal to buy a plastic rain poncho, she took a few minutes to surreptitiously scout the trash cans for discarded ponchos. She found one! After gawking at the Falls, we made our way to the main drag whose Cheesiness Factor is mind-boggling. Karen collects magnets from her travels, so we had to look for one to commemorate this trip. We did find a delightful pub that really hit the spot. She also dropped her iced coffee, for which we waited in a long line, and it splashed all over me. And she made me pose awkwardly in front of a mini-golf dinosaur for a photo shoot. It’s hard being the little sister.

The Arches on the University of GA campus

Of course we knew better than to pay for a hotel in Niagara Falls, so we hopped the border into NY where we had reserved what appeared to be a vintage-y motor inn. Once in our room we dubbed it “Aunt Edna’s Spare Bedroom”. If you had an Aunt Edna, this is what her guest room would have looked like. The best part was that the bathroom was so small (or perhaps just poorly planned) that you had to lift the toilet seat in order for the door to close. Whether it was our hilarity at this feature or the boxed wine we picked up at Target, we have fond memories of our night spent there. 

Last year our road trip took a southern route. Karen spent two years at the University of Georgia, no doubt inspired by her Gone With the Wind phase. Our objective on this mission was to drive south to Gainesville to retrieve Hayley who had attended a debrief there, and then return north. History buffs that we both are, our first stop was Appomattox, VA. Appomattox was not near a major highway, at least not any highway on which we were traveling. It took us 2 hours on back roads until we found it. I can’t tell you how many pick up trucks with Confederate flags waving we passed. It was a bit cross-cultural. Finally we found the historic park and enjoyed the tour there. The highlight of this part of the trip was the bed and breakfast Karen had booked for us at The Babcock House. This was no Aunt Edna’s Guest Room! It was beautiful and the food was incredible!

Enjoying the retro features of the Graduate-Athens

From there we headed south for a long day of driving, all the way to Athens, GA. We walked around the university campus and reminisced about Karen’s days there. We ate supper at a dive she was fond of. I’m pretty sure it hadn’t been thoroughly de-greased since 1988. The hotel she found for us in Athens was a gem! It’s actually a chain and you can find them in other university towns—The Graduate. It had such a nostalgic, vintage vibe. And they gave us free popsicles.

Gainesville, GA: Poultry Capital of the World

The next day we turned north to Gainesville where we fetched Hayley. We decided to play it easy and stay overnight there. Who knew that Gainesville was such a delightful little city? What’s not to love about a town with a monument to the chicken??

Traveling north the next day took us to the highlight (for me) of our trip—the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, NC. We noticed a road sign for it on our way south, Googled it, and decided to make it a destination on our return north. I’m so glad we did. Housed in the former Woolworth building, site of the first civil rights lunch counter sit-ins, it was a somber, humbling, lamentable journey through the history of civil rights in the US. If you have the opportunity to go, take it! We also encountered a happy coincidence while in Greensboro. Some of Hayley’s friends, with whom she had just been, were coming to Greensboro that night for a concert. We looked up the venue which happened to be about 500 ft. from where we were standing! I bought Hayley a ticket and she spent the evening with her friends! It was another blessing of being open to opportunity.

Thanks for indulging me in this “trip” down memory lane. These few days of travel are special memories to me. In Karen’s latest blogpost she eloquently describes something we English speakers don’t have a word to adequately describe: Fernweh. In German it means “distance sickness”, the opposite of home sickness. It is sad that we aren’t able to travel in ways we’ve been accustomed to. Restless souls like Karen miss it terribly. As this summer draws to a close no doubt some of you are feeling fernweh. Hopefully the restrictions we’ve faced make our freedoms to travel so much sweeter when we finally experience them again!

International Civil Rights Center and Museum. Sit ins began on February 1. The “Colored” entrance to the store was renamed the February One Entrance.

Yes, I can!

Four quarts of spaghetti sauce today

August is a month of anticipation peppered with dread. While we traditionally think of September and October as “Harvest Season”, fruits and vegetables really come to (wait for it…) fruition (!) in August. By faith we planted seeds or baby plants in the ground in April or May, waited through June and July refusing to buy mealy tomatoes from the grocery store, and <BAM> August hits and the gardens spill out their rewards. That’s the anticipation and reward part. The dread comes when you realize you need to do something with the nature’s bounty and it’s not going to wait for you to clear your schedule. The tomatoes will rot on the vine and the peaches will turn to mush if you don’t tend to them in a timely manner.

Pesto making day! Technically that’s frozen, not canned.

Corn day! That’s frozen too. I canned it once. Yuck. That’s my dad showing us the worm he found, at the exact moment that I snapped the selfie.

I often wonder why it has to be so hot when the time comes to slow roast tomatoes in the oven or run the pressure canner multiple times during the day. But alas, I thank God daily for central air. The generations that preceded me canned everything in sight. If my livelihood depended on it I would likely do the same. I’ve canned various things over the years, some more successfully than others. But in my middle age I’ve settled into a predictable routine. It starts with spaghetti sauce. My life changed when I discovered how to make sauce by roasting the tomatoes in the oven and then blending it all up, skins and seeds included. No cooking down required. It tastes delicious and it’s so easy. I use any tomatoes I have. Since I grow mostly yellow tomatoes my sauce takes on a peculiar hue. Spaghetti sauce making happens a few times throughout the week, as I pick tomatoes every 2-3 days. It’s an ongoing process. If I only have 2 jars I’ll stick them in the refrigerator and wait a few more days until I have a few more quarts and then can them. Next comes peaches. Those are tricky because they don’t all ripen at the same time. I go through the basket and separate them onto trays and let them sit for a few days. As they ripen we’ll eat them. When most of them are ripe I can them. I repeat that process 2-3 times until I have enough quarts. If I get my hands on some pears I’ll do the same for those. I’ll also buy some plum tomatoes to can as diced tomatoes. That’s more labor intensive because they need to be skinned and chopped. Don’t ask me if it’s more cost effective than buying diced tomatoes because the answer is probably “no.” Finally, my canning year wraps up with applesauce. Some years I go gangbusters and my supply will last for 2 years. Last year, I’m proud to say, that my little apple trees supplied enough apples to make 20some quarts of applesauce. That’s impressive because I don’t treat my apple trees. So finding a good apple on them is like finding a needle in a haystack. But I’m willing to cut them up to liberate the worms because it’s so cool to know that I grew those apples!

Why do I can? Mostly I think because it’s in my blood. I can’t really imagine not canning! It’s what the women in my family have done for generations. In some ways I feel a connection to them when I can. I also appreciate knowing what exactly is in my food. I can make my sauces just to my liking by altering the amount of sugar/salt/spices. Sometimes it’s cost effective, sometimes it’s probably not. My spaghetti sauce is definitely inexpensive! I grow my own tomatoes and most of them are “volunteers” that reseeded from last year. I even grow and dry my own herbs. When I was really young my family practically lived off the land. We had a huge garden (filled with vegetables that Little Theresa had to weed but refused to eat), tapped trees and made maple syrup (Little Theresa thought it was a treat when she ate elsewhere and had “fake” syrup. I shudder at the thought now), tended hives and harvest honey, and even raised and butchered chickens. Apparently my parents had too much time on their hands! Or, more likely, they both grew up on farms and couldn’t shake the lifestyle that easily when they moved away.

There are all kinds of ways that we can connect with the generations that went before us. My ancestors just happened to be agrarian and harvesting and preserving were a way of life. I haven’t ventured too far from that life, even now living on the land that has been in my family for 100+ years. Maybe you come from a long line of teachers, or doctors, or carpenters. I wouldn’t be surprised that whatever legacy your family has left, part of it resides within you too.

Go Away!

How do you even caption this? I’m so thankful that I got to enjoy it!

Last month we took the two younger kids and escaped our house to go to our family’s cabin for a few days. Before we went there was some grumbling, mostly wondering what we’re going to do there. My response was, “At least we can stare at different walls!” It turned out to be wonderfully relaxing for all of us. You can read about it here.

While planning that trip my husband Tom made it clear that we, he and I, need to get away too. I grumbled a bit about that. Enter mom guilt: Why should he and I get to go away and the kids have to stay home? How is that fair? But you know how sometimes you just know how important something is to someone? Well, I could tell this was non-negotiable. We needed to get away. I checked the calendar and found 3 days sandwiched between dropping off the older two girls at their respective colleges, cleared it with Grandma, and here we are, back at the cabin! I actually can’t recall the last time we went away, just the two of us, with no agenda. We were in fact away together the week before everything shut down, and as lovely as it was, I was accompanying him on a ministry related visit. Having no responsibilities makes me feel rather giddy!

He’s had a few phone appointments, I brought my computer to do a few things like, say, write a blog post! But we also indulged in some binge-watching and my new favorite cabin activity—creek sitting! We brought our low beach chairs, drove to the creek, walked to the middle and planted our chairs in the water. It was another giddy moment for me. It was so beautiful and the creek was so refreshing! We sat there for over an hour and read our books. This morning I slept in until 8:12am. Crazypants.

Living in the midst of a pandemic can be deceiving. Perhaps it’s a bit like living through any trauma—you just keep doing the next thing that needs to be done in order to survive but eventually you will wear down. I’ve definitely had my moments when the fatigue and stress came to the surface. It’s difficult to be intentional about taking time away. You may not have the luxury of physically getting away. Your time away may be reading a book for an hour in the afternoon, watching a movie or show after the kids go to bed, journaling, writing a letter to a friend, or napping. If you can’t even manage any of those ideas, is there a friend you can reach out to? Someone who can lighten your burden even just a little bit? We need to be looking out not just for ourselves, but for each other. And if you can manage it, go away!

Cute Mask!

Whimsical? Yes! Corporate? No!

My friends, Andy and Jodi, started a podcast. It’s called Bio Break and you can find it on PodBean. Andy brings a wealth of knowledge about science and public health and speaks about such topics in a way that makes sense to the average Josephine. Jodi, his wife, is an artist, and while she is wildly smart, BioSpeak is not her first language. She asks the questions we all want to ask. I love the intro that Andy gives at the beginning of each podcast. He tells future listeners that the beginning of 2020 was “a complicated time”, meaning we’re working through this pandemic with the best knowledge we have each day. Daily I remind myself and my kids that we are indeed making decisions based on the best information we distill each day. Sometimes even each hour. It’s exhausting, emotionally overwhelming, and nerve-wracking. But by God’s grace we will put one foot in front of the other. I also challenge myself not to wish these days away to get on to “normal” again, but rather embrace the gift of each new day, challenges and all.

Whimsical? No! Corporate? Yes!

So, we need to wear masks. Who would have ever thought?! I think masks are a bit like a purse—each person has their preference when it comes to style and function. To each their own! If you’re looking for an alternative to the ear loop mask, I invite you to check out the masks that I make. The fastening is rather simple. There are no ends to tie together and no ear loops. Instead, the mask fastens with a single string tightened with a toggle clasp. Conveniently, the mask can hang around your neck when you’re not wearing it.

The unexpected blessing in all this mask-making is that I’ve been able to use so much fabric from my “stash”! I’ve only bought a few new fabrics. And since I have a weakness for whimsical prints, my masks lean toward the “playful” side. We can all use a little levity in our lives right now, am I right? BUT, guard your whimsy carefully or you may find yourself in a situation as did my friend “E”. “E” is a lawyer. One day this week he showed up in court only to discover the masks he had with him featured either Whales or Ironman! He texted his wife, “Could you ask Theresa to make me a couple masks in grey or blue?” Rest assured, I stocked up on grey and dark blue fabrics for all your corporate needs!

I’ve been adding more masks to my website. If you’re looking for something and don’t see it, feel free to ask!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Pivot. Two years ago I didn’t even know that word had a context in business (I was a science major…). This year I’ve been using it frequently to describe the soul-searching process I have been through this year.

Last fall I began to meet with a business mentor through S.C.O.R.E. I did some hard work and made some tough but wise decisions. The first thing my wonderful mentor helped me to see was that I made way too many different products. I am a People-Pleaser by nature and that contributed to me wanting to provide a variety of products so that I would appeal to a broader audience. What it did instead was muddy my brand a bit. If you walked by my booth at a show you wouldn’t be able to readily identify my specialty. Another eye opener was when I did cost analysis and learned that many of my products weren’t earning a profit. Pricing is especially hard for me. I am thrifty. I prefer to Make It or Make Do. News Flash: I am not my customer! The reality is Handmade can be expensive. It’s not for everyone. It’s hard for me to pay myself a fair wage and the majority of the cost of a handmade product goes toward labor (I have much more respect for that Labor charge on my car repair bills now!). Sometimes I say “No” to making a product because the time involved in its construction would make the cost of the finished product so high. All that to say that I SO appreciate each one of my customers! I know you make a conscious decision to spend more on something because you appreciate handmade. Thank You!

It’s hard to say good-bye to some of my favorites products. I’ve spent much time perfecting patterns and construction techniques. I have customers who tell me, “You have the best ____.” I don’t want to disappoint anyone by discontinuing their favorite Naptime Inspirations creation. Through this process I allowed my daydreams to guide my plans. I had a vision for linen! I love the organic look of linen and I envisioned it paired with vintage and heirloom textiles. I allowed myself to be motivated by my passion and trust that customers will follow. I narrowed my offering to three product lines which have a similar “vibe”: Wallets, Baby Bibs, and Pillow Covers.

I wanted to take the summer to build up to a launch. But the reality is, I’m just not marketing savvy enough yet to do what I see the Big Kids doing. Instead I’ll do it my way—little by little. I’ll put myself out there and learn as I go. With the release of this blogpost you’ll be able to access the SHOP feature on my website. Here you can view and purchase any of the new items that I have in stock. If you’re local you can choose Local Pick Up as a shipping option, which is super cool! I’d love to hear your feedback on the new products! You’re also able to purchase masks directly from the website. Some of them are already made and their quantities and sizes are noted. For others, you can choose the fabric and size and they will be made to order. I’m hoping that ordering from the website is simple and seamless, but if you have issues or questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Miss your favorites? I still have boxes of inventory! Those items are what you will find on my Etsy shop. I always welcome requests. If I can’t make it for you I will try to refer you to someone who can!

Hope to see you in the Shop!

Life…Unplugged

The Swing from the Old Cabin survived to grace the porch of the New Cabin

Ok, full disclosure—I’m not unplugged. Baby steps. Four of us (me, Tom, Eden and Lily) are spending a few days at my family’s cabin in the mountains of PA. It’s a location I’ve been coming to since I was born, though the building is “new” since 2000. The original cabin as I knew it had no indoor plumbing, but what it lacked in pipes it made up for in character and memories. The “New” cabin (how is it 20 years old already??) was designed by my architect brother and is two spacious stories of bedrooms and living rooms and a huge kitchen. The best part—it has 2(!) bathrooms! 

Actually, as much as I appreciate modern conveniences I think the best part of coming here is what it means to the kids. We’re not especially Active Cabin People. We don’t bring four-wheelers or inner tubes or kayaks or whatever else Active Cabin People bring along to occupy their days at the cabin. We pretty much hang out in the cabin. We bring craft projects, coloring books, books to read, journals, and board games.  If we’re feeling really feisty we’ll venture to the creek or state park for some swimming in the icy water. Despite our slower, more sedentary cabin life our kids appreciate coming here. It’s special to them to return once or twice a year, pick out the beds they’ll sleep in, put their clothes away in the dresser drawers, set their books and journals on their nightstands and settle in. One summer we were here with extended family and the girls and I were on the deck painting rocks. Someone commented about how significant an activity it was, not for the finished product, but merely for the simplicity of the time shared together. I was just trying to fill the hours with something other than the Disney Channel (the cabin tv has cable)! But that comment has stuck with me. In our hurried world we often get so busy we forget to do a quiet, simple activity together, just for the fun of being together. We need to make conscious decisions to say “no” to some things in order to allow space to say “yes” to time spent together. I’m preaching to myself here! It’s hard! The To-Do list will never be done so don’t wait for that.  When I reflect on my days spent at the old cabin, I remember playing board games, passing silly notes to my cousin through the crack in the wall between our bedrooms, jumping over the porch railings, and swinging on the porch swing. And walking to the outhouse. I wouldn’t have articulated their significance at the time, but those are the memories that stayed with me, so apparently those were the defining moments.

Hemlocks and Mountain Laurel

Confession—I broke down this week. I hit a wall. I learned a bit more about myself during my breakdown. One thing I realized is that even though so many activities in my life disappeared overnight back in March I still need to take time for myself and recharge. It seems strange to me on the one hand because I haven’t had the normal schedule demands on my time. Even coming here to the cabin felt a little unnecessary. But there is refreshment in a change of scenery, even if I still need to cook and clean here! It helps me to take a step back, make choices to slow down, allow myself time to read a book or take a nap and sit with my kids. How do you refresh? When did you last make a conscious decision to set aside the unfinished To-Do list and give your attention to your kids, spouse, friend, or parent? Maybe it’s time to dust off your coloring book or paints and make something together. Just for the sake of being together.

Toe Covers

Toe Cover: Exhibit A

Here’s where I make a short story long—A little while ago a friend of mine mentioned how much she enjoyed reading my blog (gee, thanks!!). She said the humor reminded her of author Betty MacDonald in her memoir, The Egg and I. I wasn’t familiar with it and my audio book app didn’t carry it, but it did carry another of her books, The Plague and I (1948). In the list of “Little Known Facts About Theresa” you’ll find my fascinations with the 1940’s AND tuberculosis sanitariums. This was the perfect book for me. It was so interesting to learn about a first-hand account of life and treatment in a TB sanitarium. I found myself really drawn to the characters, crossing my fingers that they’d all make it in the end.

1. I didn’t know my TP required a cover. 2. If it did require a cover, what makes anyone think this one is a good idea??

By now you’re wondering where I’m going with this. Stay with me. During the Treatment, after patients endured complete bed rest for at least 6 months they were moved to the ambulatory hospital. Gradually, as their health improved, they were granted privileges of being upright, eventually adding more activity including occupational therapy. Ironically “occupational therapy” meant “useless crafts.” Patients were given the choice of crochet, lace collars, counted cross stitch, etc. I say “useless” because most of what was created was not of the quality that anyone would want to keep or use. What struck me was the term the author gave to these creations—Toe Covers. Presumably a “toe cover” refers to a handicraft that arguably serves no purpose. I say arguably because of course there will always be someone to defend any handicraft, regardless of its dubious nature. I Googled “toe covers” and found nothing except, well, toe covers! Perhaps it’s an archaic term but I’m all for bringing it back!

The most redeeming thing about this toe cover? It’s called “gimp.” I have no idea why but that’s awesome.

I’m humble enough not to be offended if someone considers any of my creations to be toe covers. One man’s toe cover is another man’s treasure! But I did find it fun to reflect on some toe covers I remember from my childhood. How about you? What are your favorite toe covers?

Unstructured Days

I like to have some structure to my days but I also like them to have flexibility. I find, as a mom, that a good portion of my summer days is occupied by taking care of family needs. But occasionally, a day will take an unexpected, pleasant turn. Today was that day.

Why, oh why, can’t they all ripen at once??

My day began with berry picking with my mom and Ellen. Sadly, our efforts were not rewarded with gobs of shiny berries. But even as I was bemoaning the lack of berries, Ellen was sharing how delighted she was to spend a few hours with her mom and Grandma. That certainly put the right perspective on things! Thanks, Ellen, for reminding me that sometimes the stated goal is not the most important outcome.

After berry picking I helped Lily with cookie baking. She tried a new recipe for “2 Day Cookies”, so called because you’re supposed to let the dough rest in the fridge for 36 hours before baking. We mixed these up yesterday. It involved making our own toffee (to DIE for!) and brown butter. The finished product did not disappoint. Wow, they are good!

The mask that set my day on fire!

I had several options then of how I could spend the rest of my day. I could mow. I could paint doors in the basement (3 down, 3 to go!). I could sew (I had a few projects to work on). I opted for sewing. I had an order for 2 masks in 2 different fun flamingo fabrics. When they were completed I remembered to photograph them and I posted to Instagram and Facebook. I guess it was good timing since just yesterday our governor declared a mandate to wear masks in public spaces. I figure if you have to wear them, you might as well enjoy what they look like! I also made my first video (a big step for me!) with Lily’s help. Apparently others agreed that they needed cute masks because the orders immediately began to pour in. I ended up spending the rest of the day cutting, sewing, and taking pictures of fabric so that my customers end up with a mask of their dreams. Somehow the rest of the family occupied themselves and got along with each other too!

It’s hard to explain the rush I feel when someone places an order. I absolutely LOVE to make things that people enjoy. I’m so grateful that this is my job! Thank you to everyone who ordered today, or in the past, or never has but enjoys my photos and blog anyway! You are such an encouragement to me!

The Good Ol’ Days

Ellen and Caroline set up for another morning at Backyard Camp!

May has always been my favorite month, but this year June is making a pretty strong case for itself. June finally feels like summer. In fact, it becomes summer. It smells like summer. I live in a house that we built next door to my parents’ house, which is the house I grew up in. Smells have that uncanny ability to transport us instantly to a time and place gone by. The June smells of honeysuckle and wild roses instantly transport me back to my childhood summers. The evening smells of a freshly mown field remind me of my treks back up the hill to my house after spending a day of playing hard on my cousin’s farm. This evening Tom and I took a walk on our road (incidentally, this is about the only way to have a conversation uninterrupted *and* I stay awake) and I was reminded of the simple joys of life here in Lancaster County. I stopped by a neighbor who sells her extra perennials on the honor system (leave the money in the box). I picked up 2 plants; on my honor, I’ll put my money in the box when I go for my walk tomorrow. Then I came to my aunt’s house where my cousin was helping himself to our aunt’s mint. That reminded me that I, too, wanted to help myself to the mint! We make “Meadow Tea”. Those less cultured may call it “Swamp Juice”. It’s a staple here. We shared a few minutes of unhurried conversation. “Unhurried” was a welcome change of pace after a full day.

Pretty sure some of these kids could feed the chickens for the entire 3 hours.

Ellen’s summer job plan was to be a counselor for her second year at Heritage Creek Farm Camp (look them up—it’s a great place!). When camp had to cancel because of COVID Ellen had to come up with alternative employment. Ellen is an untraditional gal, and the consummate entrepreneur (I would like to interject here that I spelled entrepreneur right on the first try!). She’s an excellent babysitter but babysitting all day every day is exhausting. A few weeks ago, she and I brainstormed a “Backyard Camp”. We reasoned that she could offer a play-based, outdoor, small group, half-day child care in our backyard. She had the experience of being in charge of 5-6 year olds from her summer at Farm Camp. She insisted on partnering with Caroline, her fellow counselor from last year. Caroline was enthusiastic about the idea and the two of them are like two peas in a pod. We happen to know a lot of local kids ages 5-7, so we emailed invitations to them. The girls would have been thrilled if they could have filled the roster for all 7 weeks of camp but it looks like they’ll have to be content with three weeks. We’re now halfway through the first week and it is going swimmingly! I pop in and out occasionally to peek at what’s going on and all I see are sweaty, smiling faces! Today was an extended day where they brought their lunches and then had time in the pool. At 10am the kids enthusiastically announced to me, “We’re halfway to Pool Time!!!”

The kids created a chicken food prep line!

When I see how these kids are playing outside all morning, climbing in the treehouse, feeding grass and weeds to the chickens, collecting eggs, playing with toys, and playing “Tag” I’m reminded that these are the simple joys of childhood. After being cooped up inside for months, it’s so great to see the kids running around, squealing with delight, making new friends. Hopefully, when they are in their 40s, they’ll catch a passing whiff of honeysuckle and wild roses (or chicken poop and wood shavings!) and be instantly transported to that summer when they were 6 years old.

Isolation Camp 2020

How does a camp whose primary mission is summer youth residential camping pivot in COVID 19? They reinvent themselves as a family camp! Our denominational church camp got creative this spring and is offering 3 day family camps throughout the summer. Our family jumped right in and attended the very first session. Eden dubbed it “Isolation Camp” which I thought was hilarious. Before we went there was trepidation from the kids, to the point of one of them declaring the day before that she’s not going! I figured at best it would be a delightfully relaxing change of scenery and at worst we’d be just as cranky as we are at home but we’d be staring at someone else’s four walls instead of our own. 

When we checked in we were handed our “Camp in a Box”—a literal box filled with an informational packet, menus, s’more supplies for each of us, coloring pages and crayons, and a packet that allowed our family to recreate the camp’s famous “Jesus Walk”—a walk around camp with scriptures that describe some of Jesus’ miracles, his last days, and his resurrection. We even had individual communion elements to celebrate with the disciples.

We made bracelets. It’s a very campy thing to do.

In an effort to prevent the spread of infection meals were delivered to our room where we could eat them or take them outside to eat. Equipment like balls could be requested and then they were sanitized when they were returned. Activities like archery and boating were scheduled and equipment cleaned between families. We also scheduled a campfire in our choice of fire pits. The first morning I felt a little bit like the Activities Director as I relayed our requests to the helpful camp staff. There was plenty of down time too! One morning I left the rest of my family to shoot basketball (I’m a hopeless failure at basketball!) and took a solo hike through the woods. After the initial annoyance of a horsefly buzzing around my head I settled in to enjoy my favorite setting: the Eastern deciduous forest. It feels and smells like home to me. I even caught a glimpse of a gorgeous young buck with velvety antlers! I took turns with Eden and Lily individually, lounging on the blanket in the sunshine reading or talking.

For our mostly introverted family this was an ideal experience. It felt a little bit like camping, but without the parts of camping I don’t enjoy. I didn’t have to cook or clean and we had indoor plumbing and A/C. We didn’t even have to walk to a bath house! I did have to sleep in a top bunk, but aside from the climb up and down it was quite cozy.

I learned that Eden considered this the ideal camp experience: she didn’t have to stay up late or play weird games and her mom was with her. Boom! 

Learn new hobbies. #katnisslookout

I do think it could be awkward if you were there with a bunch of other families and you were supposed to keep your distance. I learned that some extended families are coming together and that sounds like a blast! We might need to consider that kind of experience if we ever do it again. Would we do it again? We are actually pondering signing up for another round this summer. I don’t know if the camp will ever offer it again since normally the facility is maxed out with youth campers. For now, I’ll consider #isolationcamp2020 to be a highlight in a year that is woefully lacking in highlights!

Lily’s Birthday Weekend!

Happy 12th Birthday, Lily!

Lily’s birthday is a REALLY big deal to her! Some of us enjoy a Birthday Weekend, or, if we’re really lucky, a Birthday Week. We joke that Lily prefers to celebrate her Birthday Year! Today is her 12th Birthday. She did thank me for my part in bringing her into the world, a gesture I greatly appreciate. After being cooped up and distant from her Besties since March it was a real treat to celebrate with them at an outdoor tie-dying-swim party.

Hayley came home for the weekend to surprise her sisters!

Since it was time to redecorate our living room mantel shelf Ellen decided to make it Lily themed. She even included Lily’s gifts on the shelf. This so tempted Lily that by 10am on her birthday morning she was dying to open them, which she did. We all thanked Lily for making such a thorough Amazon wishlist, complete with a variety of price points.

Four of the sweetest girls in the world! They had SO much fun!

In our family the Birthday Girl/Boy receives a meal of their choice. I believe Lily broke the mold by requesting NOT a homecooked meal, but rather Chick-Fil-A. This freed me up to enjoy this absolutely gorgeous day by taking a walk on the rail trail. After supper we visited next door with Grandma and Grandpa to share the strawberry cupcakes (Lily’s request) with them. I know the day has been fabulous for Lily. And I know the weekend was too. Here’s hoping the Birthday Year lives up to her expectations!

A blogpost that satirizes blogposts!

Lily (age 11 and 363 days) spends quite a bit of time reading blogs and watching vlogs. I can’t get into vlogs. I do not understand the attraction of watching someone else narrate their life that is either A. just as mundane as mine or B. so far beyond my economic reality that I can’t relate. I guess it’s a bit like reality tv, of which I also am not a fan.

I also don’t read many blogs. And yes, I recognize the irony of this! I mostly encounter blogs when I search Pinterest for a recipe and have to wade through pages and pages of commentary before I even find the recipe itself. This is what Lily and I were making fun of today as we were “chillaxin’” in the pool. Lily was narrating a satirical blogpost that went something like this:

“Hey Guys!” (Why do they all start like this? I’m on a mission to find a better salutation.)

This is Grandma’s recipe for Nutella cupcakes. It’s even better because Grandma made them for us!

“I wanted to share this cookie recipe with you. It’s so special to me because my great-grandmother used to make this for us. When I make this it takes me back to my childhood days. Now, Grandma of course made this with butter and milk, but I’m a vegan, so I’m going to make some substitutions. Now instead of regular butter I use this great oat-milk butter. And since we can’t use milk, I recommend this great substitution called ‘milk water’. You take water and you add to it this non-dairy coffee creamer. I get this at Target. It’s right next to the candle aisle, where I spend much of my time. My favorite is the Hazelnut Irish Cream. Mmm, it’s so good! This is the creamer I use in my coffee. Actually I don’t drink the coffee. I just drink the creamer. The key to Grandma’s cookies is chocolate chips. I found this great substitute that’s made from spinach! They look exactly like chocolate chips. They taste nothing like chocolate, but they look like it, so your kids will eagerly gobble up the first cookie.”

Lily narrates it so much better than I can write it. Of course this is all tongue in cheek. We have nothing against vegans! You’re free to eat whatever you want or refrain from eating whatever you want. If you don’t judge me for my Cheetos, I won’t judge you!

Social Distancing Diaries: Day 84

Dear Diary

We made it to Yellow! Congratulations, Lancaster County! Besides more businesses being allowed to open, I don’t anticipate much changing for us. In fact, Tom visited his doctor today for a check-up and after receiving his doctor’s opinion on COVID-19 I’m almost ready to lock down again! For good or bad, I don’t follow much news, so it caught me off guard that half the state moved to Green today. I thought Green wouldn’t happen until the fall. That prompted me to look up what “Green” actually meant. News Flash: Green doesn’t mean “GO!” Green still means “Proceed with caution.” I feel so conflicted when making decisions about what we’ll allow for our family. In some ways it seems so arbitrary and my feelings of inadequacy are exacerbated when the kids ask me specific questions like, “Why can we do X but you won’t let us do Y? Are we allowed to do Z?” At some moments I feel confident in our decisions and other moments I feel like throwing up my hands and flinging the doors open wide. “Go do whatever you want! I have no idea!”

I find ice cream to be immensely helpful in times like this. That’s why I recommend to you Mulberry Thrill outdoor ice cream shop in Marietta! I was a frequent visitor there last summer and tonight our family was invited to a special Friends and Family night. What a treat it was! They have some special new things in store for this summer so stay tuned. And follow them on Facebook.

Family Ice Cream Selfie

Eden and Lily were intending to set up the tent in the backyard and sleep outside tonight. Since I didn’t feel like going all out, I convinced them to downsize their plan to setting up the pop up tent on the deck and sleeping out there. A few years ago Eden won a pop up duck blind tent at a sportsman expo we attended. (Side Note: Eden has a knack for winning prizes. That year she only wanted one prize and it was the duck blind tent. Wouldn’t you know, she won it!) The tent resides (folded up) behind the sofa because occasionally it gets set up in the living room as a sort of fort. So they set it up on the deck this afternoon after I checked the weather app and felt confident there was no rain in the forecast. Oddly, as the afternoon wore on the sky began to darken. Tom decided to move the tent (and the sleeping pads they had already assembled) into the house just in case… He’s so wise! It did indeed rain. It was a torrential downpour! The camp out became a camp in—in the living room. So far so good! 

Social Distancing Diaries: Day 83

Dear Diary

Today’s delicacy: Mini Cupcakes!

We need a summer vacation restart! Does anyone else feel like this? We’ve been living at home for so long that now that school is over it doesn’t feel any different, except that the kids have less to do! Eden has wandered aimlessly around the house for 2 days. Today she declared, “Meals are the only thing I look forward to now!” Mood. How are your kids spending their time this summer, with typical activities cancelled?

The last two summers Lily occupied much of her time making slime. The Slime Phase has ended but it’s been replaced by the Baking Phase. I guess baking is more productive, but it definitely has more calories than slime!

Tomorrow Lancaster county moves to “yellow.” That doesn’t mean the end to Social Distancing, but I think it’s a good time to slow down the “Social Distancing Diaries.” I started this blog on a whim and many of you have told me how you look forward to reading it each day. I can’t tell you how encouraging that is to me! This has been such a weird and difficult 3 months; if I can bring a little levity into it, I’m happy to do so. But it is quite rigorous to write something worthy of reading every single day. Often I don’t begin to write until 9:30 or 10pm. Starting tomorrow I will write less frequently, maybe 3 days a week? I’ll still post the link on Facebook, so hopefully you’ll see it. Thanks again for your support!

Social Distancing Diaries: Day 82

Dear Diary

Looks like I set up the pool just in time! I finished filling it this morning and Lily spent a good amount of time in it this afternoon. Oops, she forgot the sunscreen!

My Water Bug was in her element despite the frigid water temperature!

We went on our last school lunch run today. I guess Eden and Lily will now have to get used to PB&J and grilled cheese!*  They certainly won’t be getting the variety they’ve been accustomed to since March! We encountered the torrential downpour as we drove home. We waited it out in the car in our driveway. Eden and Lily played “The Floor is Lava!” in the car. That was interesting. Last evening we discovered that Lily’s Chrome book wouldn’t charge. I don’t know how it timed it’s death so perfectly. She had finished all her Zooms earlier in the day. I shot off a quick email to the efficient and responsive tech support team for the district and picked up a new one for her when we went on our lunch run. Tech support deserves a shout out too! I think we’ve had 3 problems with malfunctioning Chrome books since we began online schooling and each time the response was swift (and resulted in a new Chrome book). I’m sure they were working overtime this spring!

Lily made this smoothie this morning and, despite it’s color, it was actually good! Banana, apple, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, apple juice. Weird.

I was reminded today that I never revealed the Myers-Briggs personality types that you were guessing at. I said that Tom and I are opposite in all but one category. He is an ENTJ and I am an ISFJ. Does that mean we’re good at making decisions?? Despite what some may think, he’s not an overwhelming Extrovert. He’s closer to the middle there. I’m pretty much the textbook definition of ISFJ. Hayley came out ISFJ too, though not as strong in the categories as I am. What’s interesting is that from a very young age I thought Hayley was the child that was closest to my personality. I felt like I knew how her mind worked (Sorry, Hayley! You might not want to know that!). Maybe Myers-Briggs explains that! Ellen is INFJ. She’s pretty textbook too. Later we gave the quiz to Eden and she scored ESFJ. Eden never has the patience to take personality quizzes, so we rushed through this one and frankly, some of the questions were confusing. So I wouldn’t stake my life on her results, but some of the description does describe her. If you’re interested in our Enneagram numbers, here they are: Tom=8, Theresa=9 (yup, that can make me uncomfortable!), Hayley and Ellen are both 2’s, Eden we think is 6, and Lily is 4. If these things interest you, have fun with that!

*Have you tried grilled PB&J?? Do it!

Social Distancing Diaries: Day 81

Dear Diary

Last Day of School Year 2019-20

Lily had some challenging relationships in her class this year, but I’m proud of her empathy and compassion despite those frustrations.

And what an end it’s been! I have a real appreciation for the teachers who I know put in more hours than they typically did, also while managing their own families at home. Y’all are heroes. And to the administrators who made difficult decisions based on limited and constantly changing directives from the DOH and DOE. And had to put up with disgruntled parents and students. Our superintendent sent an email today that had such an air of humility and appreciation that it made me so grateful that he is in his position at such a time as this. It also included a survey which I promptly filled out. I think when people take the time to make a survey they really do value your input. And it’s an opportunity to provide feedback. Hmm, kind of like voting… We can grumble and complain but unless we’re willing to get our hands dirty and share ideas our voice won’t matter. And then there are the times when I have an opportunity to lend my voice to those whose voices aren’t being heard. That’s important too.

Tonight I watched the online high school graduation ceremony. I wasn’t necessarily intending to, but I happened to be sewing and I like to watch or listen to something while I sew. This class is younger than the twins, but older than Eden, so I don’t know many of them. But there are a handful that I remember from my days of working backstage during the high school theater shows. Am I the only one who gets choked up by hearing each students’ full name announced?? I can’t help but think about when that student was born and named—this brand new human being who never existed before! The parents so carefully and thoughtfully chose his/her name. And now that little baby has grown up enough to graduate from high school! I don’t know; it just chokes me up.

The last day of school photos will have to wait until tomorrow because I can’t seem to locate them on my laptop! Technology and I don’t always get along.

I did take a picture of Lily who earned the Kindness award for 6th grade class. One student from each class is chosen to receive the award. What’s super cool is that Lily and her 3 best friends all won it! Those girls know how to choose good friends! I’m so proud of all of them! Congratulations to all the students for persevering through to the end of this weird school year!