Experiences- National Infertility Week

 This week I head to the Texas Library Association Conference which I am SUPER excited about! Number 22 on my #50by50 list is to present at this conference!  I made this #50by50 list so I could document the experiences I wanted to have and goals for myself.

This week is also National Infertility Week. You can find more information here.  I think the last time I shared my story was in 2019. You can find that blog here with all the different links to previous blogs.  As always, I write these blogs to share my own journey to where I am and what it looks like. I have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) When my husband and I first got married we tried to start our family. I have shed SO many tears over so much heartache.  I have often felt betrayed by my own body for why it can not do the things that I feel it should do.  We spent thousands of dollars and did lots of treatments and lots of medication.  We never got to the IVF stage, because that was not in our journey. We have now been married for almost 17 years and as I have grown older (and hopefully wiser) I realize one of the biggest things I was worried about was experiences.

These last two weeks have really helped me reflect on why I wanted kids.  I wanted kids to be able to grow into contributing members of society.  I wanted kids to be able to go to band concerts, choir concerts, athletic games, or anything that they wanted to be a part of.  I wanted to be able to listen to what they were going through and help them grow through it. I wanted to see them dressed in matching PJs at Christmas. I wanted to be able to travel with them and go on adventures. I wanted to be able to have a group of moms where all of our kids hung out together. This list could go On and On.  

But, as I was reflecting on the many reasons I wanted kids, I realized I just kept going on the experiences that I wanted. Sometimes, something is staring you right in the face.  I know that I won't have the experiences as an official "mom" or "parent" but I have been able to have experiences because of the activities that I attend at school- I go to the games- I go to the concerts- I want those kids to see me the stands and know that I am supporting them.  I am  able to have experiences because of traveling and watching kids grow through my Destination ImagiNation teams (did I mention that they are going to Globals)

But- most of my experiences have come through my Girl Scout Troops.  Girl Scouts is so important to me to help girls grow- but my two troops are a whole different level. 

This is only a small portion of my troop, but because of these amazing young women and their families- I am able to get the experiences I might not have had otherwise.  I have had the chance to watch them grow (some I have been hanging out with since they were in kindergarten and now they are 5th and 6th graders).  I have had experiences of dressing in matching clothes (I mean check out this pic) I have had SO many adventures with them (and we have even more adventures coming up like heading to Canyon, Texas.. and New York!)  Not only am I able to have experiences with these girls, I have also found a place with moms.  Instead of a #momsquad we call ourselves the groupies.  They don't look at me any different because I do not have a daughter of my own but trust me enough to help them become strong women in society (these girls are going to change the world)

There are times when I cry because I know that there won't be a child in my house that I can tuck in at night or one that officially calls me mom.  There will be some experiences that I won't be able to have.  But, there are oh so many experiences I am able to have because of the people I surround myself with.

I end with this- if you too are suffering from infertility- know that your journey will be filled with so many experiences- surround yourself with people that support you for who you are. I am SO happy for all the parents that are able to have children of their own, adopt, foster.. or have families in any way that they can.  I too have my sad times where I think of the things I will not have (I am human)

Thank you to those that are on my journey and allow me to have experiences that I might not be able to have otherwise. 

Lamar Would be a Circus Without our Teachers

I know I know.. Teacher Appreciation was the first of May, but guys- May was a doozy of a month! I LOVE helping plan for Teacher Appreciation.
Some previous Teacher Appreciation Blogs
*80s Theme
*Hollywood
*Around the World
*Camp
*Wizard of Oz (which was completely virtual)

This year with the help of April Richmond, Mary Anne Send and admin we used the Circus Theme (I finally watched the Greatest Showman and LOVED it!)

To prepare- I created my own little display in the library- My Mother In Law traveled with the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus (she is holding the snake in one of the pics.. and yes.. my husband also traveled with them when he was younger as well)

One of my FAVORITE things that admin did this year was personal shout outs.  They recorded a Flipgrid for each staff member with a short shout out of why/how they made a difference and then put that into a mixed tape. Each day during our DEN time they showed a video that had 10-20 staff mentioned on it for the whole school to see.

We used Canva to create daily reminders of what was going on.

Monday we created a concession stand and invited staff to come to grab sweet and salty treats.

Tuesday we had individual bags of popcorn with all the fixings (m&m's, seasoning) and sodas with add-ins such as cherry/vanilla and more. It was also May the 4th- so Star Wars Day

Wednesday The Ringmaster of Lamar (our admin) grilled and served hotdogs, brauts, and links.

Thursday we had Kona Ice visit- I LOVE a snowcone!

Friday we passed out Lamar umbrellas (which are huge!) to ALL of the staff.  We played circus music and hand-delivered over 100 umbrellas.

I can't wait to start working on next year!

Update on #50by50

 About 3 years before I turned 40, I made a #40by40 list.. and got several marked off.. but I knew I wanted to start one for before I turn 50! You can find my full #50by50 list here.  Today has been sort of a bummer- because I didn't get a position that I applied for..but as I look at my list.. there are still some things I want to accomplish that require me to be in a school setting. But, when I get down.. I think about the things I have accomplished- and what I want to accomplish and it makes me feel better.

1. Book and pay for a vacation to Ireland
2. Take Mom to New York
3. Go on a cruise
4. Drive Route 66
5. Camp in a national park
6. Float the river
7. Go on a Segway or bike tour
8. See the Grand Canyon
9. Go Fishing with dad
10. Take Girl Scout Troop overseas
11. Go wine tasting in California
12. Attend a balloon festival
13. Go to New Orleans for the food
14. Indoor skydive
15. See a drive in movie-This is on my Summer List
16. Recreate our first date
17. Have a Christmas in July
18. Take a photography class- Thanks to Elaine I took an AWESOME class from Fort Worth Camera- I still have lots to learn, but my photos are already getting better.

19. Go to a horse race
20. Watch a meteor shower
21. Be an extra in a movie
22. Present at Texas Library Association Conference- I did present on a panel virtually in 2021- but I am currently working on proposals right now!
23. Be recognized by the board-So.. my real goal on this is to be recognized by the board at one of the monthly meetings..but I was pretty pleased to be recognized as  District Game Changer in August 2020

24. Grow vegetables
25. Cook a 3 course meal
26. Renew vows
27. Have family pictures taken-we sort of did this June 2021. I would like to have more of my sister and her husband and myself and my husband- but it was nice to get some with my parents.

28. Recreate a childhood picture
29. Become a TALL Texan- I applied in 2021 (this year) but didn't make it in- will be trying again next year
30. Go ax throwing
31. Visit the missions in San Antonio
32. View the Marfa lights
33. Visit Shiner Texas
34. Publish a book
35. Write an article for a well known magazine
36. Meet Pam Munoz Ryan (and have an autograph and picture!)-before the world shut down we had the North Texas Teen Book Festival in Person in March 2020.. and thanks to Rose Brock it happened! (excuse the giddy face)

37. Have 3 months of bills saved
38. Sew a full outfit
39. Zipline
40. Rock Climb
41. Attend a high school reunion
42. Learn how to hand letter
43. Meet someone famous
44. Get a DNA Test
45. Get a gold ticket for Destination ImagiNation
46. Attend a televised parade
47. Take the Amtrak train
48 Own my own car.
49. See a Broadway musical
50. Get new luggage

Not a bad start for the start of my #50by50 list when the first year was pretty much a pandemic.  I also have a summer bucket list!

Do you have a summer bucket list? Do you have a list of adventures you want to accomplish?

One Year

A year ago today- I took a picture of me in my pajamas with a cup of coffee and a sign that said the First Day of Distance Learning. 

My office set up has changed so much since this picture

It has been a HARD year for SO many reasons.  I know that we have lost so much in so many ways.  But, as I look back on this year- I have to think about the good that has come from it as well and the resilience that we have to make things happen.

So-enjoy a picture overload and a year full of memories and great things that happened!

There were lots of parades! We learned to celebrate in a different way. I went and cheered for every one of them that passed by.

I walked a LOT of miles (and lost weight in the process)

We learned how to make everyone in Bitmoji

We all enjoyed Tiger King!

We moved our Girl Scout meetings to online

Because we moved to virtual- it opened up so many more opportunities-
Such as meeting someone that works for NASA

I was able to be more involved with Girl Scouts- and even had a chance to give presentations and work with other leaders throughout the US.

I got to see ALL the panels for NTTBF

Collaborating on presentations and trying new things

Changing programming and how I meet our students and community.

We planted trees

The Brownies made donations to an animal shelter for a service project

We socially distanced decorated pumpkins

We won second place in the Irving Arts Center Christmas Tree Decorating competition

The Juniors completed their Bronze award by having a coat drive.

We got a new President on my birthday and I got to virtually make a flower arrangement during lunch

4 Destination ImagiNation teams headed to State!

We had a whole virtual campout and made lots of yummy food.

We picked up lots of trash and volunteered time with our city.

Celebrated these girls and all they accomplished remotely this year!

These Cadettes were awarded Youth Leadership Award through Keep Irving Beautiful and
Super Star Award through Irving Parks and Recreation

I know that I spent a ton of time looking at computer screens- but what happened during those moments were pretty amazing and have inspired me to continue to offer opportunities in different ways. I am SO proud of all the work that has happened this year even during a pandemic.