The world looks brighter from behind a smile.

This is so weird. I'm sitting on the couch.  It's dusk.  The room is lit only by the multi-colored lights of our tacky Christmas tree full of memories.  There are toys allllll over the floor.  There's laundry all over the couch. My house is a place where messes happen.  Everywhere.  And I love it. Don't get me wrong.  I don't like be messy, and we really do try to keep a clean house.  However, one of the things I love about my family is that we have really gotten to a place where we are learning to prioritize.  A clean house is important.  Sometimes. See, here's the thing.  My house is a place where messes happen.  It's also a place where joy happens.  All over.  Everywhere.  Mistakes happen.  Then more love.  Dance parties and family dinners and tickle fests happen.   Hugs happen.  Friendship happens.  More love.  Belly laughs happen.  Big things and little things and s...

When I tell people that I teach middle school, they judge me.  Sometimes, they come right out and tell me.  "What?  Really?  Umm, why?"  Other times, it's just a sympathetic look given with you-must-be-crazy eyes.  Who in their right mind would spend their days with, ohhhhh, I can't even say it. Teenagers . Ugh.  Teenagers are what's wrong with the world, right?  They ruin my night out at the movies, they cut me off driving, and they're constantly talking loudly on their cell phones wherever I go.  They only care about video games and being mean to each other and doing inappropriate things, right? She must just not be very bright or must be lacking in some kind of real job skills.  Maybe she's just plain crazy.  Middle school teacher?  Oh, honey. I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  I questioned whether or not I should, but you're not going to believe me anyway, so I figure it's safe.  Teenagers are AW...

I have this little game I like to play with myself when the line at the grocery store gets long or slow.  I like to look at the contents of the carts around me to see what I can figure out about the other shoppers.  I mentally high-fived myself when the boy in line in front of me called the man with him Grandpa.  I had already determined this relationship, not by the age of the man (he looked pretty young), but by all of the crazy snacks they were unloading onto the conveyor belt.  They were the the kinds of things parents say no to, but you don't even have to ask grandparents for: candy, marshmallows, green drink, chips, and more.  I had also determined that the woman in front of them was both a grandma and a widow.  She had a few premade dinners, among other things, and did not seem to have anyone at home to eat with her.  We had bonded in the cereal aisle when she showed me a little dog that played Christmas songs and did flips.  She was thrill...

Wow, it's been a hot second. The higher my stress level gets, the more I miss this daily dose of gratitude.  I need it.  I'm not sure that I can commit to daily writing again, but I have truly been equal parts humbled and inspired these past few days, and I need an outlet for the overwhelming feelings of gratitude.  I want to hold this feeling, and this might be one of the best ways that I know how. I love my life.  I really do.  That being said, some days are easier than others.  When I get too caught up, I pray that I will not let myself become too stressed or busy to notice the daily Post-its I get from God.  I always get what I need when I need it most, I swear.  There are these reminders.  Sometimes it's people who go out of their way to love me when I least deserve it.  Sometimes it's small yet humbling moments.  Sometimes it's just a little thing with a big meaning.  I just have to look for it, and I turns out I don'...

I have had a crush on Johnny Rzeznik for over 10 years.  We've been through a lot together.  It turns out that he is of Polish decent, so we have that in common.  He's cute in a bad boy in a band kind of way, and that definitely helps.  The biggest reason for my undying love, however, is that I am obsessed with the Goo Goo Dolls and their music.  I wrote about them last year after popping Dizzy Up the Girl in my cd player last year and singing along to every word of every song. I did a little research on my longtime love to try to find a good organization for today.  I discovered that Johnny's dad had a problem with alcohol that really affected the Rzeznik family deeply, especially after his alcohol-related death.  Johnny's mother died just a few years later, and he was an orphan at a young age.  This just makes me want to hug him more. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse works to help people with all kinds of addictions and p...

What a difference a year makes!  Armando Galarraga technically (but not officially) pitched a perfect game for the Tigers last year.  He's currently playing for the Diamondbacks now and not even a Tiger anymore, but I'd still like to make a donation in honor of his (almost?) accomplishment last year. Pitch in for Baseball is a charity that focuses on kids.  The program lists four crucial goals on its website: • To support the growth of baseball in the U.S. and internationally. • To give kids equipment so they can get out, have fun and stay healthy. • To teach kids important lessons through baseball, like teamwork and sportsmanship. • To make friends across the world through America's pastime. These are all really excellent lessons for kids, and I think Galarraga would be proud. http://www.pitchinforbaseball.org/html/index.html ****** After our teacher breakfast and a short stint at school, I am officially DONE for this school year.  I think that means ...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Art of Dancing in the Rain by Garth Stein last year.  The book made me laugh and cry and think, and reading the blog from last year made me want to read it all over again.  I just might. I looked up Stein's website, and it turns out that he is involved in some really great organizations.  By stalking his calendar of upcoming events, I found one that I'd like to donate to today.  Stein grew up in Seattle, moved away for a while, and now resides there again.  Many of the groups he works with are scattered around that area, including Humanities Washington.  Their mission is to honor "stories, ideas, and perspectives from across our state that connect Washingtonians from all backgrounds and communities, allowing us to understand our past and present as we work to shape our future."  Through reading, writing, storytelling, conversation, presentations, and other avenues, Humanities Washington reaches out to all to create...