Author amykoehn

Summer Saturday Night in America

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Four hours before the first pitch, I finished the rough draft of my grad school research paper and remarked to The Mister, “We could still make the game in Detroit if we left now.”  Twenty minutes later, a school teacher and a meat grader living The American Dream robbed their “Fun Fund” and were out the door with two freshly printed tickets in hand, psyched about watching both their favorite teams compete under the lights.

I kept tabs on the radar during the two and a half hour drive to the city, devising a backup plan just in case, but The Mister assured me we would be “just fine” and he was spot on.  A few sprinkles was all we had,  just enough to open up a pair of seats with an even better view of the field.  

Despite the fact that my team forgot to show up and play (we lost by eight runs), the game was awesome to watch.  A grand slam, a fantastic double play, some long balls into the seats, it couldn’t be beat.  The players were having a great time and so were we. An added bonus for The Mister was being there to see Max Scherzer go 11-0 to set the Tigers record and tie the MLB record.  

As though the baseball, hotdogs, roasted almonds and bag of peanuts wasn’t already a fantastic American Saturday night, the fireworks after the game perfected the evening.  We drove home with a deep appreciate for how blessed we are, savoring such an incredible, spontaneous night together.

We will head back to Detroit in September, to celebrate The Mister’s birthday at the ballpark and to close out the summer in the same way we ushered it in.  God has truly blessed America and all of us fortunate enough to call this nation home. 

For the First Time in Eight Years

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…I will have the same job next year.  I have progressed from editor, manager, substitute, computer teacher, parapro, third grade, first grade, second grade and now for the first time, I will remain in the same room, in the same building and teach the same grade level.  Not only have I obviously made a significant change in my career path, but in the middle of all of that, we relocated back to the Midwest from the East Coast.  As if that isn’t enough, I became a married woman this winter and a graduate student this spring.

So forgive me for lingering on my deck this summer.  For sitting idly with The Mister, looking out over the garden.  Allow me the first week-long vacation in Tennessee with The Boy, The Mister and our family.  Let me perfect a broccoli/cauliflower slaw, learn how to dry homegrown herbs, and discover sweet antique shops when we go Jeepin’ with the top down.  Let me play cards, drink wine, host barbecues, and throw a baseball with my husband.  Let me listen to the birds, the crickets and my teenager. 
Certainly there is still grad work to do, and a mile-long list of classroom ideas and projects to conquer.  There’s a house that could use a good cleaning and a garage sale that needs planning.  There’s money to be saved and pounds to be lost.  
But it can wait.  This time is a gift.  These are moments I need to savor.  In a year, The Boy will be gone, our talks of moving might become more sincere, our plans more future focused.  Today there is a deck and a chair.  Reflection and contentment.  Nature and peace.
Today, I am grateful. 

Addicted

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Hello, my name is Eliza.  I am an addict.  I have been on Pinterest for four days and I can’t stop.  With only four days left of school and nothing on the immediate horizon except grad school research papers (and who wants to do that when you could be Mod Podging you plastic shelving units?!) I have allowed myself to finally give in to the Pinterest craze.  

Sigh.
I was so excited about being able to stay at the same grade level in the same classroom for the first time, thinking I would have my summer to just improve lessons, but now Pinterest has shown me how uncreative I am, how boring my classroom is, how bland my teaching styles are!  OH MY!  
In all seriousness, there are some fantastic ideas on there.  Maybe someday I will post some of my own fantastic ideas.  For now, I will fill my iPad’s memory with 4000 pictures of classroom ideas, I will add 4000 titles to my classroom Amazon wish list and I will jot notes about 4000 lessons I can,t wait to teach.
This could be my busiest summer yet.  Thanks, Pinterest.  

I Stand Corrected

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We could hear the music pouring from the gym as we walked down the hallway.  But the time my second graders were lined up outside the gym waiting for the previous class to finish, they were all be-bopping along with the music.  All, that is, but my line leader.  He just stood with his arms crossed.  To the delight of his peers behind him, I gently took hold of his arms and made him wave and jive to the rhythm of the music.  

Without so much as a smirk, he calmly looked me in the eye, and said, “Mrs. K, my arms are not play things.”
Sometimes, it is all I can do not to laugh at the things the eight year olds say.

Christmas in May

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Most of us celebrate Christmas in December. Some add an additional “Christmas in July” festivity to their calendar. But to me, Christmas, or at least the childish-anticipation-of-a-big-event part of Christmas, comes every spring. Today is my favorite day of the year. By a landslide. Today is planting day!!

Today I get to go to my little piece of heaven on earth, the nursery. I get to look at all the flowers in bloom, the sprouts of vegetables, the perennials. The color alone makes me praise God for His creation! The Mister had asked a few weeks ago how much money I needed for my spring trip and I had quickly rattled off a number. But as I have been working on my list over the past week, I realize I forgot about the window boxes, the planters by the garage, the deck plants…I had only given him the amount I spend on the garden itself. He will have sticker shock when he accompanies me to paradise today. But just like the child whose list for Santa is a bit long, I hope he says, “Yes, you can get it all”.

Every year I get giddier. I worked the first couple years on the front flower beds, and this year we have been watching all the perennials peek through, already looking beautiful! We have added things here and there and to watch the evolution of our landscape delights my soul. We both love sitting on the deck, talking about “what next”.

Today, my to do list is long. It will start with waking the neighbors too early because I promised myself I would mow the yard before heading to the nursery and I don’t want to wait one second more. Our day will end with a beverage on the deck, looking out over our home, our yard, our little mimic of Eden. I can’t say I won’t get a little teary eyed. The best part of my Christmas in Spring is that it isn’t over after just one day! Tomorrow I get to enjoy it all over again!

Happy Spring!!

The Craving

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I’ve told the story before, of how The Mister and I both lived in the same exact small town in Pennsylvania, only he moved there and I moved to Michigan. Sigh. Ships in the night. Anyway, it still strikes us from time to time when we get talking about Inge we miss or remember, and it turns out to be the same things!

Flash was off to PA for spring break with his dad and all The Mister and I could think about was how to get him to bring back some of the things we missed most. Dealing with a not-so-amused teenager, we quickly narrowed the list down. We had to threaten, somewhat jokingly, that we wouldn’t pick him up from the airport if he didn’t bring back our request.

Much to our delight, he humoresques us both (but not the passengers that had to smell hot papers the whole flight!) when he returned hippo me with two sub sandwiches from Wawa!

I’m not sure which we were happier to see, Flash, or lunch!