My best and worst traits

So I feel like sharing about people in my life. You may or may not read about yourself in my next few entries :) This is in no order of importance, but this one is the most important.

Some of you know but a lot of you don't... recently I have been pretty much off the map. I apologize for that. My grandmother was in the hospital. She had a minor heart attack and fluid filled her lungs. After about 2 weeks in the hospital, she came home.

She is doing alright and living day by day. But this isn't about her illness, this is about her.

My grandmother is the epitome of a strong woman. All the women in my family are independent, courageous, intelligent, stubborn, and determined. We owe all that to her. Some of our best traits...and our worst... come from my grandmother. She raised most of us. When I was young, my family lived in my grandmother's house with my other aunts and uncles and their familes. We were pretty cramped. But from what I remember, I loved it. There was always someone to watch me, someone to hang out with me, someone to take care of me. But at the root of all those someones was my grandmother. She was the one that really took care of me.

After my family moved into our own house, my grandmother was still there to watch me. My parents were the ones to wake me up in the morning, but my grandmother would be the one to tuck me in at night. For her, she is the happiest when the family is all around: her eyes brighten, her smile widens, and her face lights up when generations of us are in her house.

None of us really know how much longer she has on this earth. About 5 years ago she had a major heart attack and triple by-pass surgery. That was 5 years ago and she is still with us. Every year she has something that she says she is holding on for. Right now, its the birth of her 12th great grandchild (my niece Sohphie).

I have to say that my grandmother has lived a pretty great life, filled with lots of love and accomplishment. I know I am selfish when I say that I want my grandmother to live longer. That I want her to be around to hold my child (whenever that may be), but can you blame me? It's hard to let go of the ones we love.

Whenever that day comes, to let her go, I will cry and my heart will hurt tremendously, but I know that it will be her time. I know that she will be watching over us and continue to pass on her best... and worst traits.

<3 Jennifer

Another school year coming to an end

I could sit here and type out how my life has played out in the course of a school year, but that's a lot of typing and story telling that I don't really want to do. To make a super long story short, I started at a new school, teaching a new subject, and teaching a new age group. As the school year is coming to an end (we have about 2 and a half weeks left), I can look back with a smile and excitement.

I learned so much and met so many great people that I am excited to move forward to more changes! I work with a wonderful team of people and friends; I could gush about them and type for days about who they are and how they inspire me, but I won't. I can simply say 'Thank you'. Working at YES with the students and teachers has renewed my energy and passion for teaching. It has reminded me of why I am in education and why I LOVE what I do. Next year I will be back to teaching World History, but I will also be teaching AP! It will be a new set of challenges to face and conquer :)

I am honestly going to try and keep up with this blog. I feel that so much of me is focused on work that I have pushed aside the people that matter most in my life. So hopefully, you all (the people that matter) will read this and feel more connected to what is happening in (JR)^2 life. I also hope that your comments and responses will help me stay in contact with you :)

<3 Jennifer