Author amykoehn

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At the moment, I am a happily married woman whose husband is currently in Dallas for work.  However, Game Six of the ALCS is moments away from starting and Boston is up 3-2 in the series.  Within just a few hours, my husband might not like me so much anymore (or vice versa) and he may or may not change his return flight to…never.  

I will keep you posted.  While I’d love to see my Red Sox in the World Series, I would sure miss my husband.  Especially with snowblower season coming up.
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Our pastor this morning spoke about the difference between being irritated, agitated and frustrated and how it relates to surrendering.  I think I am beginning to understand the difference with the help of The Mister.

When the little red squirrel that chewed two holes in the side of our house last spring returns this weekend for another go at it, The Mister is irritated.  When The mister spends the afternoon pulling off a gutter! cutting and patching together material to permanently block the little bugger from getting back in the new holes he has chewed The Mister is agitated.  When The mister gets out of the shower to hear the sounds of the squirrel chewing in a whole new place on the roof, he is truly frustrated.
The Mister isn’t getting out his tar, his metal, or new boards for dealing with the problem now.  At this point, I believe the squirrel is going to meet The Mister’s gun.  
I would like to recommend to the squirrel that at this point, it is best just to surrender.  And find a new home to chew in to.  

More Than a Promise

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In the mail today was confirmation.  When we moved back to the Midwest 7 years ago, we strategically chose to live in Kalamazoo so Flash would qualify for The Promise.  Seeing the dollar figures associated with Flash’s schools of choice are enough to make a person tremble (or maybe that was just The Mister’s response).  The Promise is what allows Flash to put University of Michigan at the top of his list and for his parents to speak of it as a realistic option.  

We spent our morning at Michigan State, exploring the College of Engineering.  We expect it will come down to being a Spartan or a Wolverine when decision time arrives.  But for Flash, who has worked hard to create open doors for himself, he will get to choose a school based on where his passions lie, and not just based on financial support. 
Thank you, Kalamazoo.  

This Isn't Going to End Well, If it Ends Well for me.

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I love October baseball.  LOVE IT.  With so many games in the regular season, it is nice to finally watch games as though they all matter.  Because they do.  The only downside is that the overlap with football puts me in front of a television far more than I do the rest of the year combined.  

Last night we set the DVR for the Red Sox game so I could watch when I got home from work.  As the mister and I sat on the couch! watching the game! we talked about the Tigers playoff game that would be on much later, and the Dodgers vs. Braves game that was on in between.  That’s when it hit me.
If my BoSox win, and The Mister’s Tigers win, they will play each other in the next round.  Furthermore, if my BoSox win against the Tigers, they could potentially play against either my dad’ stormer favorite team, the Dodgers, or his current favorite team, the Braves.
To out it in layman’s terms, this playoff season, I could end up in divorce court AND get written out of the will.
LET’S PLAY BALL!
(Gulp)

Savor

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I’ve been getting to work long before dawn.  Yesterday, having arrived in the dark of night two hours or more before the kids would come in, I was surprised at their shouts and giggles about seeing a double rainbow.  In my little corner classroom, my nose to the grindstone, I hadn’t even realized it had rained.  And I had missed the rainbow.  A double.

I rush home after school to my amazing family.  I want to sit for hours on the deck, knowing our remaining nights out there are few in number, but grad work demands my attention, and so I reluctantly go inside, forsake further conversation and read outdated materials about issues still unresolved in our schools.  
I head to bed far too early, but sleep and I haven’t been getting along, so I will be awake far too soon.  My husband is asleep, but he wakes and listens to me vent about the nonsense that compiles my every day right now.  I talk too long, I keep him up too late.  I solve nothing.
This morning I wake too soon, but I linger.  I offer Flash a ride not just to the bus stop, but all the way to school.  He thinks it’s just because it is on my way, but truth is, he will be gone so soon.  I need these moments.
I stop at the coffee shop, for our favorite fall treat, and buy mom sister a hot caramel apple cider.  Her days have been like mine lately, she could use a smile.  I stop to drop it off, give her a hug, share a laugh and pull out of her drive.  The most beautiful sunrise awaits me at the end of her drive.  I pause and watch for a moment.  Around the corner, the view is idyllic-cattle in the field, barns in the background, the sun painting the sky.  I pull my car over and savor.  
A favorite song plays on the radio as I drive the few remaining blocks to school.  “Waited all summer for the time to be right just to take you along…”  As I pull in to the parking lot, the sky still hazy and sleepy-eyed, rain starts to fall on my windshield.  I get out and let the sprinkles fall on my face, searching the sky for a rainbow.
I didn’t find one today, but I know it was somewhere.  And just knowing that I was present in the same moment, slowing down to savor the morning, it is enough.
It is more than enough. 

Mechanics: Just Out to Screw Ya

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My car had to get worked on today.  Brakes.  Ugh. I had to get a loner car to take to work and I couldn’t figure out how to unlock the doors, or how to set cruise control in the dark.  The worst part is always the bill.  Their is no such thing as a car repair bill under $250.  I dropped the loaner off and some kid was pulling in with my car, having taken it for a test drive to check out the new brakes, I guess.

“Well?” I asked.
“They are amazing!” replied Flash, getting out of my car.  
“I hope so.  You came in the drive a little hot, and I was worried about the garage remaining intact.”
“Oh please.  The Mister did an awesome job on the brakes, Mom.  You should have seen the pads he took off.  You definitely needed new ones!”
“Another amazing thing about being married, Flash.  The Mister is sure helpful, isn’t he?”
“Hey, Mom, did you get to school okay in the Jeep?  Did you figure out the cruise control?”
“Finally, yes.  I knew where it was located, just took me awhile to figure out if I pushed the lever up to set, or down, or pushed the button, or what.  I got it now.”
“Good, cause the door locks sure had you confused at the bus stop.”
“Yeah, I know.  Some day I will have the Jeep all figured out.  I better go in and thank The Mister.”
New brakes.  By The Mister.  For $35 and an hour of his time.  Seems like a great deal, but why do I always get screwed by the mechanic?!?  (That is so funny in my head, I had to put it.  But I know my dad reads this.  Sorry, Dad!) 

Why it is So Frustrating

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Beyond the thousands and thousands of dollars that I am spending for a grad degree I do not want but have to get to keep my teaching certificate, my frustration grows with every assignment I complete.   As I learn more and more about how to manage people, lead meetings, involve my staff, develop collaborative spirits and foster effective communication, teaching and learning, my professors demonstrate less and less of these traits.  

My latest assignment is a great example.  I have spent much of this past week, reading the articles, sorting through ideas, planning a presentation.  Mind you, my presentation was required to be a PowerPoint emailed to my professor, there is no actual “presenting” going on.  But even the idea that I could creat the plan she desired, demonstrate it in PowerPoint and never have real or imagined input from the staff I am leading goes against all we are supposedly demonstrating we’ve learned.  So I stress.  
I spend much of The Mister’s birthday and several hours today putting the final product together.  I mumble the whole time because I don’t know how to demonstrate my learning in a medium that directly contradicts my learning.  But, I finally cry, “Uncle!” and turn it in.  I remark to The Mister that despite my streak of perfect scores, this one is going to bomb. 
Within a couple hours, my professor has emailed me back.  I needn’t worry, apparently.  Her comment was, “What a great job! From the cool blue background and the great and unusual font to quotes that really said what you wanted, you set a tone that would be great for the rest of the year!”
So, nothing about the communication plan I laid out?  Nothing about the steps necessary for building a collaborative team spirit?  Nothing about whether I was on track or not with my role as facilitator?  Nope.  Cool background.  Unusual font.  Great.  
While it would seem another A will be in store for me for this class (and next, I have the same professor again) I wish these people would just let me write them a check and give me a degree.  Clearly all it takes to be a good principal is to use outdated presentation tools with basic templates that come with the program and infuse your presentation with quotes about communication and conflict that you got from a Google search.  The rest?  Unnecessary.  

Happy Birthday to The Mister!!

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  The Mister was pretty excited today to open his new Keurig! 

He filled it with water, chose his first flavor carefully,

…wait for it…wait for it…

I think I heard a chuckle of delight when it started to brew…
…from The Mister, and Flash (who was next in line!)

Ahhh!  Now that’s a cup o’ joe!
In honor of the day, we have ribs on tap for dinner and we’ll enjoy the Tigers game from the comfort of our couch, but any day with the Mister is reason to celebrate.
I’m so glad you are in my life!!
Happy Birthday, Chief!