Breaking the News

Tom and I are moving. We are leaving this steamroom of a state and heading back to the ice box that we love. Or at least we love for about 5 monts of the year. The rest of the year, we are depending on our love of family to get us through.

Now, we have known about the move for a bit and my bosses have known for a bit, but I had to pick just the right moment to tell the kids. First graders are very sensitive and they take things personally. Some more personally than others. So I needed to broach this subject carefully.

I laid out the story to them: "Do you guys remember where I am from, where my family is?"

Class: "Minnesota!"

Me: "Right! And Tom, my boyfriend is also from Minnesota. And well, we're going to be moving back to Minnesota to be close to family. So, next year I won't be a St. John's teacher because I am going to be living in Minnesota. You guys are really special because you're the only class at St. John's who is ever going to have Ms. Gernes as a teacher. We have had a great year and I will always be your first grade teacher."

Lindsey: Sobbing

Me:"I know that you'll have some questions for me, so let's take some time to talk about this move. I am ready for your questions or comments." ('I am ready for questions and comments' is how you always end a share in our first grade)

Their comments and questions:

Laila: "How much family do you have in Minnesota? More than our class?"

DJ: "Why don't you just go there for the summer and come back next school year?"

Johnathan: "Can you still change your mind?"

Lauren: "If you are moving with Tom are you going to marry him? Can we come to the wedding?"

About four more: "Yeah can we come to the wedding?!!"

Lindsey between tears: "I don't want you to go!" (and later in a note placed on my desk: Please stay!)

Joseph: "How far is the drive? Maybe we could visit you. Or when we are old enough to drive we could just come there to see you."

Conor: "Can we write to you? Do you have an address?"

James: "Can we email?!" (he just got his own email address)

Kate: "Will you come back to visit us?"

So, that is the discussion that broke the news. I did not cry, although they almost got me. Lindsey carried on for another 20 minutes, but got over it when it was time for lunch. Overall, I feel it went pretty well!

Minnesota- Spring Break 2010!!!

This spring break, since we live on the beaches that most people flock to for the week, we opted for a trip Up North, where we could spend Easter weekend with family. It was amazing to see the Minnesota nieces and nephews. Willa was especially fond on Tom and held his hand whenever she got the chance-- especially on the backyard adventure that was a Grandpa-led trip down the railroad tracks, and to the lake!

The tire swing is still a big hit-- it felt so good to be outside in the Minnesota spring time!

We also played a little 500, where you catch a ball for points and the first one to get to 500 wins. Tom and Matt remembered a more physical version of this game from their childhood, but it was pretty low-tackle since kids were involved. And oh, this picture makes me renew my vow to get in better shape before the summer! :)

It was also a treat to be able to catch up with our parents, both my mom and dad, and Jerry and Mary. We got some down time to just sit around the kitchen table and chat. Jerry grilled a turkey breast, which was amazingly good! My dad got to show off his latest batch of home brew, which was very yummy! Thank you to all the family members for taking us in and letting us borrow a car to get around the city.

The boys from Minnesota

These are a little out of order-- because I remembered that I had some shots on my phone that I wanted to include-- here are the four of us at sushi with Jen and Howard.
This is the boat of sushi. We ate it all. Oh my god, it was so good!

Jen and Tom.

Morrell and Pickle right before Pickle tries to get us all drunk with pint-glass sized shots.

Ok, so we lured Morrell and Pickle down to visit us with promises of spring break like weather and adventures. After a few unfortunate visits to "The Wing House" which, Tom describes as the poor-man's Hooters, we finally came through with some boatin'. Howard was kind enough to take us Yankees out on the gulf, even though it was still winter temperatures down here.

(65! Freezing!!)

We checked out a sailing race, and Howard broke down the strategies of the racers, as he has been all around the world racing sailboats, and even training the Olympic team in sailing.

Pickle wanted to check out the tower, which of course meant that Howard gunned it and Pickle froze his...um, ears off.

This is evidence of the night before. Somehow in the night of drinking, and drunkin pizza eating, I bit my so hard that I bruised it. Has anyone ever seen anything like that? I bruised my tongue. Not pictured from the same night is Pickle's forehead print on the sliding glass door from getting up in the night to pee and forgetting that there is a glass door between the Florida room and living room. Best part of the morning was Pickle trying to prove it was his by lining up his head with the forehead print. Um, Pickle, you're about a foot taller than any of us. That is certainly not my head print.

Regardless of my bizarre tongue injury, my man still loves me. I am a very lucky girl.

Pickle de-thawing from the ride in the tower. Life is not so bad out here.

I was able to get some tickets to the Yankee spring training from a parent in my first grade class. I am not exactly sure what he does for the Yankees, but he's got a huge World Series ring that says he does not just clean bathrooms. It was a beautiful day for baseball and the seats were amazing! I learned (and lost) the cup game and we all managed to get a little sun and enjoy some baseball. Outside. In March.

These were the only pictures that we took of the weekend, but it also included a BBQ, a bonfire, Morrell's magic pizza rolls grilled over an open fire, Pickle picking up a bartender from the beach bar, a very rough breakfast, and laughing. So much laughing. Thanks for coming down, you guys! It was such great weekend!

Gasparilla

Welcome to the fine Tampa tradition-- Gasparilla!



Think of it like a combination of Mardi Gras, Pirates of the Caribbean, and a 4th of July parade.

The weather was less than perfect, but nothing to slow us down.




Jeff and Crissy on our way into Tampa bay.

Some of the other pirates dress a little...um, scandalously.

There is the main pirate ship that holds all these men in full pirate regalia, they are the old money in Tampa or something.

Whoever they are-- on this day they are grown men on a pirate ship in full pirate gear waking up at the crack of dawn to pretend to invade the city...it's pretty awesome. There are cannons and everything!

Our beautiful boat hostess, Jen. Howard was behind the wheel all day-- he made sure we didn't hit any of the hundreds of other boats.

In nicer weather there is a lot of ladies flashing for beads, that is why we have B-Titty.

He does all the flashing for our boat.

Even when it started to rain, it was still a good time!

Thank you Jen and Howard for another unbelievable day out on the boat!!

Things found in my pocket at the end of the day

First graders are amazing collectors. They like to hoard tiny little treasures in their desks and then wait for the perfect moment to: throw it at a buddy across the room, tie it REALLY tight around their finger, use it to make stamps all over the classroom, put the fuzzy part in someone's eye, or just bang it on the desk until the teacher goes insane and confiscates said treasure. Here are just a few days worth of treasure...

Penguins and Dr. King

January in first grade means two things: Penguins and Martin Luther King.

We are taking the whole month to research penguins. Each first grader was assigned his or her own penguin and they are even writing a research paper about it. However, all this penguin research was put on hold as we took a week to talk about Martin Luther King since we always have a day off of school for his birthday in January.

Now, talking to first graders about racism isn't the easiest thing to do, but it does always amaze me where their discussions take us. Here are some of the questions and comments that they made:

(When talking about Rosa Parks) "I wish I was black, because I LOVE riding in the back of the bus!"

"Why was it not fair to use a different drinking fountain? I would like my own drinking fountain. Like if they made one for kids and one for adults...hey, they kind of do that! Is that fair?"

"I am glad that Dr. King changed the laws because if you had a black friend you couldn't even play with them, or if you had a black mom you couldn't even live with her."

"YEAH! And we couldn't even study penguins, because they are black. But I guess they are black and white. Which drinking fountian do you think they could use?"

A Fresh New Decade....Still Warm From The Oven

T: I have to admit that I haven't been this excited for the start of a new year in a very long time. Which is not to say that 2009 was not a good year...it absolutely was. Looking back I feel truly blessed for everything in my life, and all of the good times that were had over the previous year. I made some amazing new friends, deepened some existing relationships, and somehow convinced the girl of my dreams that it would be a good idea to move across country to live in an Easy Bake Oven for several months on end (which seems odd to say at the moment, as it was 34 degrees when I woke up this morning).

But with all of that said, I truly feel like 2010 is the start of an amazing new decade. There are many pressing challenges to deal with in our current worlds -- both personal and global...but there is also unlimited opportunity for those willing to wake up each morning with an open mind. The start of a new year is just that, a new opportunity to move forward in whichever manner we choose. Aside from reflecting on positive memories, there is little to be gained by looking into the past. Or to the future. Life takes place in the present, and too much time spent looking forward or into the rear view mirror is ultimately a waste of time. And that is what excites me so much about the New Year...the fact that it is here. Right here, right now.

I look forward to some very exciting things in the year ahead, all of which will be shaped by what takes place in the hear and now. There are no limits other than those we impose on ourselves, and I wish you all the very best of everything in this new decade. Take care, and I love you all.