We are...

I have been thinking a lot about self-confidence, lately.  Thinking about how that may be something we all shy away from teaching our kids.  While we have no problem telling other people how great they are, we tend to recoil at the thought of assessing our own strengths.  The problem with this unbalanced approach, is that we wait for others to tell us what we are, and who we are.  Giving other people so much power sets us up for a stressful relationship with our own personality.

I desperately want my children to know who they are - to be comfortable in their own skin - and to be able to face the world without fear of acceptance or rejection.  I certainly don't have a clear vision of what this all entails, but I do have some ideas about guiding them toward positive self-assessment.

Today, we started with lists of who we are.  I showed them my list, wrote the words in front of them, explained there are lots of great things about us - and encouraged them to think of words that describe their traits.

Here's mine:

 Gracie:  I am : 8, a good friend, an artist, silly, smart, happy, bouncy, growing

Peter's list included: cool, goofy, swimming, scientist
and Ella's: Beautiful, dancer, scientist, draw-er, silly, sister, singer, helper, brave and collector

I loved how the moods changed after lunch - and they were really catching on to their great traits.  Ella picked Iris's bottle up off the floor and with a smile, yelled, "I'm a HELPER!". 

It's important that they understand that they are in charge of who they are. It doesn't matter if someone else wouldn't use these same words to describe you.  It's also ok if your list changes occasionally.  As adults, there are certainly negative words we would add to the mix - things we don't necessarily love about ourselves  - but that's another lesson and another day.  Today, we were celebrating the parts we love about ourselves.

If this is an uncomfortable idea for you - I challenge you to write your own list, today! Just start with "I am...." and finish the sentence with positive things you love about yourself.

Schramlet Poetry Corner

As part of our Summer of Unbored Kids - I shamelessly asked for help in occupying afternoons for my kids.

Today we invited Miss Tammy to share a skill with us.  Miss Tammy already has a paid teaching gig, as a 1st grade teacher in another town. She came armed with a micro-lesson in writing poetry!

Here are a few glimpses into her lesson and the process of writing poetry.

Gracie says, "poetry is a little story about something"  Ella says, "poetry is about a character"  Peter says, "poetry is something like a little sentence, but it's more like a song.  You're supposed to look at stuff in a new fresh way!  That means that you have to picture it in your head differently."

After seeing some examples of poetry, they were invited to look at a group of items and challenged to look at those ordinary objects in a fresh new way.

Here Peter looks at a pine cone in a new, fresh way.

Here Peter writes about some objects.

Ella's work (Tammy's handwriting)

Looking at a rock - Ella's thought - "A big snowball smashed"  A shell : "A hermit crab playing around"  A cookie cutter: "A shining star in the sky"  A honey stick: "A honey hive  bees playing around"  A plastic bag clip : "A little fish in a plastic bag"

Gracie's work: A small funnel : " a bell ringing for school, all the children come inside"  a sea shell : " a rolled up blanket for an ant he's playing hide and seek"  a beaded bracelet: "a rope with beads on a kite.  holding the kite so it won't blow away"

 Peter:  a honey stick :" a water fountain by an ant playing"  a small figure : a man pulling his donkey on the sea"

 Final poem.  The Sun By Gracie
a big
round ball
hot
as fire
and so
so
bright

 Ella reads her poem, with snapping applause!

 Gracie reads her poem.

Peter's poem.
Cotton Candy By Pete
In a plate
of cotton candy
there
is the
sun

The Sun's Noodles
By Pete
There's a bowl
of noodles
in the sky
It was
upside
down

Dear 18 year old self,

While travelling to observe my cousin graduate from high school.  I couldn't help but remember that I had been 18 once.  It seems like an awfully long time ago.  I thought about how life flows and plans are made and how interesting it might be to have a conversation with my 18 year old self.

If you could write your younger self a short message - what is the one thing you'd say, something your 18 year old self might listen to?  There's your challenge.  What would you say?  Something that may save you some heartache? or pain? something that may encourage you to keep pressing on, or follow your dreams?  Feel free to share your thoughts here, if you don't mind.

Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
         Don't ever be afraid to change your mind.
Love,
Old Jenn


Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
         It's ok if you don't know what you'll be when you grow up.
Love,
Old Jenn


Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
          You will find love and it will be awesome - so stop trying so hard.
Love,
Old Jenn


Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
          You know those times when you feel nervous and anxious?  Other people feel that way too - and you don't have to participate if it makes you feel so uncomfortable.
Love,
Old Jenn


Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
          You're good enough, you're smart enough and doggonit people LOVE you!
Love,
Old Jenn


Dear 18-year-old-Jenn,
          You should definitely get Dave's contact info before he moves away!
Love,
Old Jenn


OK - your turn!

A long overdue puddle of mush

I have finally made it to a place of peace and rest.  The last year and a half have had events and moments which were very hard to swallow, much less make any sense of.  I have officially given up on trying to understand most of it.  And I'm working through the parts of letting go and moving forward.  I've moved forward before - but never with such a clean slate as this.  This clean slate is actually really empowering - and I am sure that whatever it is we choose to fill our lives with, wherever and whenever - it will  be fresh and new.

While I know that this stuff has been just as awkward for many of you, as it has been for us - I also know that there are some things which were not said aloud - and these things are important to know.

I am very grateful for your generosity.  We had a dream - and a goal and we asked for your support and you gave it to us.  To be honest, it's really embarrassing to me, that I asked and you gave and then everything fell apart - before I was able to thank you properly.  But that doesn't mean you don't deserve to be thanked, nor does it mean I am not grateful.  Up until recently, I just didn't know what or how to say this - but very simply : Thank you!

I'm thankful for all the things which were given: tables, chairs, lamps, art, speakers, pews, dishes, cash donations, t-shirt purchases, free advertisement - time, patronage and love.

Aunt Laurie - Thanks for supporting our dreams and for being there when things fell apart.  Thanks for cheering us on and being proud of us!

Cousin Tammy - Thanks for supporting us and all your free advertising!

Kevin and Linda - Thanks for spreading the word and being so supportive.  (and your parents too!)

Kara and Lynne - Thanks so much for taking time to come and support us in person! Your smiling faces and encouraging words - were priceless!

Alan and Marla - Thanks! Thanks for your support from afar and your support of our dreams. Thanks for donating and encouraging us.  Your endorsement gave us momentum!

Darin and Kail - Thank you so much for your generous donation of furniture!  And restaurant supplies.  That truck load of furniture saved us thousands of dollars. We are so grateful!

Mom and Dad - Thanks so much! Thanks for taking the time to hear our vision and dreaming big with us! Thanks for jumping in with us.  For cheering us on, for beaming with pride and being our biggest fans.  Thanks for giving countless hours of real labor - for giving countless donations and giving so much of your time.  Thanks for being there when everything went wrong and STILL cheering us on, beaming with pride and continuing on as our biggest fans.

Gram and Gramps - Thank you for everything. For giving countless items and being so helpful! Thanks for being there when everything went wrong. Thanks for being a safe place to run to.  Thanks. We love you and are so grateful for your support and blessings.

Please forgive my tardiness.

Summer Break

We made a quick trip to Oregon, to attend my cousin's high school graduation.  We took the opportunity to leave our kids behind, at Short Grandma and Oval Grandpa's house.  Since we were so close to the Pacific we took a short excursion to breathe in the ocean air!  It was Iris's first trip to the coast and she did not seem too impressed.  She spent her time in the hiking backpack, so I'm not really surprised.  We did manage to eat fresh local seafood and spot a whale - so, it was a successful 40 hours!

The Schramlets count down the days to "summer-break at Grandma's house" - this year was no exception.  I love that they are adventurous and don't mind being away from Mom and Dad for a few days. 

I thought I'd get a lot of work done while they're gone, but I haven't.  I guess I'll just have to step up my game when they get home.

It's so quiet when they're gone - and summer break changes up my schedule so much!  I needed a week or so, to get used to life without morning carpool to school, picking up a kindergartner at one school -  picking up his schoolmate and delivering him to the preschool - picking up a preschooler, finally making it home - lunch, nap, pack everyone up and go get a 2nd grader and another schoolmate - delivering that schoolmate to her home - then home to start dinner and homework.  Summer's lack of schedule will hopefully afford me loads of time to put the house back together, finish some painting projects and get busy with my sewing machine.  Of course, there will be swimming lessons for 2 weeks + camping + art projects + boredom busters - but there will surely be more 'free' time, right?