February Blankets

Sam at the farm in Indiana

It is mid-February, and we are enjoying a quiet start to President's day here in the Orelove household.  Sam and I (and Oskar) have been up a couple hours, getting the dishes and laundry going, having some breakfast, and shoveling the drive from the latest blanket of snow this winter.  The last few weeks have been a series of snow and cold and warm-ups, then repeat.  As soon as it warms and I consider picking up the back yard, winter sends another blanket of snow to cover the world up and keep us inside.  Work and school are moving quickly, and it is difficult to wrap my mind around the fact that we have a little over a month until spring break.

Helping dad shovel the drive...by making snow balls.

The routine of our daily lives is nice, and we try to keep things simple.  I have enjoyed a few audio books, and the girls are reading every day.  We play a lot with Sam and the dog, and take time in the evening to eat together and prepare our lunches for the next day.  The routine of life is pleasurable and we are moving through 2019 quietly, but with contentment.  Since traveling back to Alaska to get my dad's house cleared out and sold, we have closed and there is now a new family starting their lives there in Juneau.  A lot of emotions surround that series of events, but I am glad that there will be kids and laughter and happiness in that house, and that my dad has the chance to explore new experiences in life and the health to do so. 

Oskar at the farm in Indiana

I have a few workshops and conferences to attend in the next couple weeks as part of renewing my administrative license as well as my professional educator license.  I enjoy these opportunities to learn and become a better educator and leader within my building.  While I am not eager to return to school administration, I will admit that it is not off of my radar.  The time at home with my children and family are paramount, and I am quite happy to run my classroom and be part of a great teaching team and come home to my children in the early afternoon.  I consider myself lucky and fortunate, and don't have any particular desire to change this routine at the moment.  For now, we are all content to let these blankets of snow cover us and we gather close together and smile and laugh and live as the world outside slowly creeps towards spring.

-a