Graduation season is upon us… or is coming to an end for many. This is a bittersweet time for me, as our youngest son, Emmett Reed Kruse, graduated from high school yesterday. The event has been served with a host of emotions: we are so happy for Emmett and incredibly proud of him, but just … [Read more…]
On Saturday, I was on a mission. I was bound and determined to trim the shrubs that adorn the front of our house. This is an annual task, one that was skipped last year, and I was committed to making sure that didn’t happen again. I approached the job with little to no plan. I … [Read more…]
I’m taking a brief step away from education topics this week to summarize my week in pictures. There is rarely a week that passes that isn’t noteworthy, and this past week was certainly no exception. From proud parent moments to proud daughter moments, here is my week at a glance: Proud Parent On Friday, Emmett … [Read more…]
I wasn’t sure what this week’s topic would be until Saturday morning’s run. Maybe that clarity about a writing topic came from the spring beauty that was everywhere! My topic became crystal clear as I caught myself reflecting on many conversations from the past week, and recognized a common theme among all of them. We … [Read more…]
Emmett Kruse’s 10 year wrestling “career” ended yesterday as he attempted, unsuccessfully, to punch his ticket to the state wrestling tournament. He wrestled his heart out, as every wrestler did, but to no avail. Emmett finished the day with two wins and two losses. Many of his teammates faired well: Fort Madison is sending SEVEN … [Read more…]
The 2022 Wind Down As we get ready to wrap up 2022, I can’t help but take a bit of time to reflect on the past year. ‘Tis the season for reflection and gratitude, right?! It’s always the season for both reflection and gratitude, and this time of year seems to make it even easier. … [Read more…]
This has been one busy summer so far, and we’ve only just reached the halfway mark! In all of this business, I’ve taken an unplanned three-week hiatus from writing. The blog hasn’t been far from my mind by any means, I just haven’t set aside the time to finish this post that was started three … [Read more…]
When I sit down on Sunday mornings to write this blog, I often have lots of thoughts swirling around in my head about the direction my writing will take. Often, but not always, I have already started a draft earlier in the week. Sometimes, the writing goes in the direction I had been thinking a … [Read more…]
Our youngest son, 16 year old Emmett, does not enjoy school. Socialization and sports make it tolerable, and perhaps enjoyable, at times. Emmett has always done reasonably well in school, so his apathy toward school can’t even be blamed on a struggle with learning. He doesn’t seem to value the educational opportunities that exist; he … [Read more…]
This week, I have found myself overcome with joy around all that there is to celebrate. Some of these celebrations are bigger than others, some are smaller, but all will be delights that will energize me for some time. My writing this week reminds me of a blog that I enjoy reading. Dean Shareski shares … [Read more…]