Quarterback Sneak

If you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin (like I do), football is in the air! Tonight long time rivals, the MN Vikings and the Green Bay Packers, face off in a true battle for the big win on Monday Night Football. Many Packer fans face an internal struggle as their long-time quarterback and hero, Brett Favre is now playing for their arch-rival. It is the first time that Favre is on the other side. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see the outcome. The anticipation is killing me! Now, I know this is professional football, but I think many kids face internal struggles and challenges as they play school sports. Our Jake Maddox series addresses many of these challenges in the real life situations that kids face. Check out some of our great titles - the boys sure seem to love them!

Back to school

Summer is over. As if on cue, the leaves in my St. Paul neighborhood have begun changing; the sun is setting sooner, rising later; there's a crispness in the air in the morning. Schoolbuses roam the streets, and as I drive to work each morning, kids wait on corners for their buses. On my way home, football teams practice, and groups of girls, backpacks slung over their shoulders, walk down the sidewalks.

I know I'm not the only person who gets excited when September rolls around. Someone said on Twitter the other day that September is a better time than January to make resolutions. Maybe it's not the beginning of the calendar year, and unlike the transition to spring, it's not full of renewed hope and warmth--no, actually, I take that back. It is. The promise of snuggling under blankets, reading a book; of curling up with hot chocolate; of time spent learning on purpose.

Welcome back to school, kids, parents, teachers, librarians, administrators--from me, and from everyone else here at Stone Arch and Picture Window. This year, let's all make it our new-school-year resolution to learn on purpose.

More soon!
Beth

The Graduation Party

Last weekend, I went to my hometown to visit my parents. My dad is a retired high school math teacher who still coaches tennis at the local high school. Saturday afternoon, we came inside the house after enjoying some sun by the pool and there was a message on the answering machine. It was from one of the graduating teenage boys on the tennis team. The message went somewhat like this, “I’m calling from my graduation party and I really hope you can make it. I told my mom to send you an invitation and I hope she found your address – if she didn’t I’m sorry, but I’m really hoping you can come. Mr. Nelson (the other coach) is here and a bunch of the guys from the team. We’d really love to see you.” And the message went on with an address, etc. My dad never received an invitation, but immediately took a shower and got into his car to attend the party. Personally, I was really impressed that an 18 year old boy would care enough to call his tennis coach to make sure he attended his graduation party. That’s the thing about teenagers, just when you think they don’t care, they throw you a curve ball. Even though it may be challenging, continue to be coaches and mentors – it really does make a difference.

Poetry Friday: a robin is ruffling its feathers

The school year is over--or almost over--at most schools. We're in the midst of graduation-party season, and I'm suddenly starting to see a lot more kids out and about when I venture out for lunch during the week. I'm so jealous of those kids! One of the hardest things about being a grownup, to me, is the lack of summer vacation. Even though I haven't had a real summer vacation in years, I still feel that excitement as spring turns to summer. (Maybe I always will.)

Here's a poem by Mary Ruefle that really captures, to me, what those last restless days of school feel like.

The Hand The teacher asks a question. You know the answer, you suspect you are the only one in the classroom who knows the answer, ...

Read the rest of the poem here.

This week's Poetry Friday is hosted at Critique de Mr. Chompchomp.