THEY Matter

Rango is a strange little movie with a great lesson. On a vacation trip our little green gecko and his aquarium get bumped from the car, and Rango is left in the desert, not knowing what to do next. He meets a wise old armadillo who sends him on an adventure to find Dirt. “To find water, you must first find Dirt.” Rango tries to help the little town find water, but he becomes an accidental hero along the way. The expectations seem too overwhelming when he realizes he is up against some pretty tough characters. He is ready to give up when he meets the wise armadillo again. Rango argues that he cannot be the hero. It is too hard. (Maybe he has never heard of “I can do hard things!”) The armadillo argues, “It is not about you. It is about them.” So, Rango is inspired to go back and save the townspeople (if you can call rodents, reptiles, and varmints ‘people’!).



We sometimes find ourselves in circumstances that don’t really seem to fit us. We wonder what we are doing here. We think another job would be easier. I think we don’t land in education by accident. We look around and say, “What am I supposed to do here, in this situation?” It is not about us. It’s about them. We are going to make a difference to somebody. We can be someone’s hero. We can do hard things! Have a great week. I’m glad you landed here!

Education Matters: Monday Memo 5.16.2011

Every Monday I write a "motivational" message to the
staff at my school . Here is this week's message:

Dear Friends,

I think spring is finally here! Spring brings hope and happiness if we let it. Remember my globe willow tree that was caught up in a twister and wretched from the ground, snapped at the roots and flung into the corner of my back yard? My son cut the tree back and sawed the wood into logs, leaving a stump that he would later pull out. The stump never quite got hauled away, and now, nearly three years later, the tree is strong and growing again. It seems like a miracle that the tree could flourish after nature’s destruction! Nature often takes care of itself in that way. Have you been to Yellowstone Park following the massive forest fires wiped it out several years ago? It is fresh, beautiful, and new.

Every time a disaster enters our lives we need to remember that it may be a chance to start anew. We sometimes need a fresh start to learn and grow to be the best that we can be. A new grade assignment, a new school, a retirement, new students in the new year, new team members, a new idea: all make us better at what we do. Experience—new experience—is for our good. We can do hard things!

Whatever it takes, our kids are worth it! Have a great week. Do hard things. You are the best! Celebrate all the good things about spring!

Matters of Heart 5.15.2011

Inspired by my sister's blog, the many other women who have shared by creating blogs, and my own love for sharing and writing, I jump into this venue with excitement and trepidation. I have been thinking of writing for weeks and sharing the matters of my heart--those things that matter to me. I will be writing about:

• Education Matters


• Faith Matters


• Music Matters


• Reading Matters


• Parenting Matters


• Teaching Matters


• Family Matters


• Marriage Matters


• Service Matters


• Taste Matters


• Health Matters


• Mondays Matter


• Miscellaneous Matters

I am a devoted mother of seven children and grandmother of almost 20. My husband and I are both educators. Jim teaches history and government at a public high school, and after teaching for 20 years, I am an elementary-school principal. After raising six boys and one daughter and spending most of my life in education (learning and teaching), I have a few things to say! I am a woman of faith, a life-long Mormon. Over the years I have learned from my many friends and family members. I love to create, decorate, read, sew, write, and learn. I love movies and television. I belong to two book clubs. And now--I am a blogger!