I'm a Magister Now

The last two years have been very challenging and interesting. My spouse and I went from discussing the pros and cons of me doing an online program to get a masters for Leadership in  Educational Technology, to me being a full-time teacher and part-time student, to me completing my coursework.

Balancing work, family, and studies is very challenging. At times, it was overwhelming. Especially towards the end of the courses, when I was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. Despite being close to the end, there were times when it was hard to maintain my motivation and energy level. The time and energy that went to my studies pulled from energy for work and family. I think work suffered a little more, my family was wonderfully understanding. Thank you, guys. I persevered and it really paid off. I completed my studies and I feel I did very well, I am excited about the opportunities that this opens up for me and my family.

I learned a lot about myself while taking these classes. I'm often a terrible procrastinator, but I found I was able to set a schedule and stick to it. I was really worried about this before starting the online classes. I hope this new skill carries over into the rest of my life. I did a lot better with more open ended assignments than when I was younger. I stressed a lot over assignments, and my husband would remind me that I always do fine and that I shouldn't worry so much, but I'd fret anyway. I guess fretting is in my nature.

The program was fairly new, which offered it's own challenges. There were glitches in some of the assignments, directions were sometimes changed during a class. I'm considering continuing on to get a doctorate, something I never thought I'd do, but it won't be for a couple of years. I want the kinks worked out of the program before I take part in it, though I know it will mean tougher grading of the assignments.

Right now, I am just glad to have a little time to relax and go back to doing some of my hobbies before returning to work. When I get back from vacation I'll start writing for my professional blog again. Until them I'll be reading and cross stitching, and enjoying the Minnesota weather.


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Ready for Delivery

About to go visit the family, so I had to hurry up and put the back and hanger on this stocking for my nephew. Never know what is going to happen between now and Christmas, this way I know he'll get it. Glad to be done with my studies so I have time to do this sort of thing again. I can now find my meditation zone. I'll be starting two other stockings this summer, one on request and one as a surprise present. Shh...don't tell anyone.

The Reflections of a Mother

Today is the 11th anniversary of my daughter's birth. In some ways it seems like she has always been here and in others as if she only arrived yesterday. She amazes me on pretty much a daily basis. I look back at old pictures of her, and see the same sparkling eyes and precocious grin. Yet, there are so many changes in her as well.

She retains her full-hearted laughter, her quick wit, her advanced vocabulary, her love of music, her strong sense of right and wrong, and her empathy for others. She is also still stubborn, has a tendency to take things too personally, and wants things to be done "just so".

She is transforming in front of my eyes from a child with a pudgy face and belly to a willowy girl. She is still small compared to most of her classmates, but has grown emotionally so much in the last couple of years. She loves science and math, though I know she got her interest in science from both of us, I have no idea where she got the skill or interest in math. There was a time when we feared she would not become an avid reader, but now she reads for fun without prompting. I see her caring side still in how she likes to care for younger children and animals. Though at times she is so enthusiastic about it that we have to rein her in.

She has such a large sense of humor, I don't think there has ever been a day that I have not heard her laugh. Her laughter comes from her belly every time. She would rather have fruit as a snack than candy. She sings daily, even creates her own songs.  She has such high hopes for the future, so many jobs that she would like to try as an adult. At dinner today, she said she wants to be a food critic. Personally, I think it's because she believes it will mean free food. She is always hungry.

Next year, she will enter middle school as a 6th grader. I am both excited and frightened by this. My baby is becoming a young lady, she is moving to a place between childhood and adulthood where things are often complex and confusing. The boys will be coming around soon, guess it's time to teach her to fight.

There is so much that runs through your mind at these minds, it just a bit jumbled, for that I apologize. I look forward to seeing the changes yet to come, and who she will be in adulthood. I am so proud of her.

I love you, baby girl. (Yes, I know you aren't a baby anymore.)

Happy Birthday Sweetheart.

11th Birthday Cake

My beautiful child has her birthday party on Friday. She originally wanted a girl pirate theme, but we found invitations that looked like carnival ride tickets and she changed her mind. She decided instead she wanted popcorn as her cake. I had seen it in "Hello, Cupcake" and thought it was adorable. However, there was no way to put candles on it safely. So, I decided to create a ticket cake as well. This was my first attempt at carving a cake, it was simple but still challenging in a way. I think it turned out pretty well.

Guns, Germs, and Steel Review

I rarely read non-fiction, but between seeing the PBS special and teaching World Cultures my interest was peeked. My main reason for avoiding non-fiction is that it tends to read like a textbook (very dry) or is over technical and excludes people that aren't already experts in the field. Though there are spots where the book can be a bit dry, it is not terribly so, and I think it has more to do with Mr. Diamond's unassuming manner than anything else. He avoids being overly technical, but also avoids talking down to his audience. The link in the title is to the PBS website, the closest thing I could find to an official website. It includes lesson plans for teachers to use in their classroom. I used the PBS special in my class, and I found it to be quite informative and engaging for most students.

 Mr. Diamond explores the reasons that various modern societies (and ancient ones) became wealthier and have more advanced technologies than other societies. Having visited many "primitive" societies around the world, he did not accept the old idea of racial/genetic superiority. He began looking for other explanations throughout history. He looks at geography, climate, natural resources, and population. He examines how these factors interact with each other to affect growth in number, food sources, and technological advancements.

Mr. Diamond provides many examples from each continent, and cites many works from various fields of study. He also provides visuals to help put things into context. Reading over his arguments, I wondered how someone did not reach these conclusions years ago. His points are logical, and seem so self-evident when looking at them as a whole. My reading list grew by over 100 books as a result of Guns, Germs, and Steel. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in culture, economics, technology, or history.

Thank you, Mr. Diamond, for your unique mind and ability to put disparate fields of study together into a cohesive whole.