- I needed a brave face for the first hour of the day. By the end of my first class the brave face was gone and I was singing and dancing with my students and genuinely happy.
- All but two of my students came to school today (99.1% attendance)
- Music makes everything a little easier
- My students love a challenge
- Kindergartners dance like no one is looking...even at lunchtime
- Bonds and mill levys passed which means a turf field and a gymnasium for my school
- Denver overwhelmingly passed the mill levy and bonds while suburban districts flat out rejected similar measures or barely passed them.
- I live in a progressive state in a city that is growing and embracing progress in all directions.
- My husband loves me and I love him. We weathered our first two years of marriage suffering the loss of our son and daughter we never got to meet...we can get through anything
- I have had the amazing privilige to have gone to high school and college with and incredible mixed bunch of compassionate, mindful, and forward-thinking men and women of all sizes, colors, cultures, and beliefs. We grew up and cleaned up nicely.
- I saw what the map would have looked like if only Millenials could vote and I have never been more proud of my first students who got to vote for the first time. I have a great amount of hope because I know these kids, I know their hearts and they will bring a powerful change that will be more powerful than the one we are coping with now.
I cannot say today was a hard day. By far my hardest day was six years ago comforting my students after another student we all loved so much was brutally murdered. It still hurts more than anything I've ever experienced in 32 years on this earth, more so than when my babies died. Today I felt more like an adult than I ever felt responding to an election; I felt resonsible.
It is only the fourth presendital election I have ever voted in. My first was in college as a sophomore in 2004...I had no idea what I truly wanted to do with my life and was just figuring out what I stood for, and, well, I was more focused on getting through colllege more than anything else. In 2008 I felt inspired because I helped make history. In 2012 I felt it an obligation, not entirely enthusiastic. In my 5th year teaching I had not seen the changes come that I wanted for my students and the entire education system; that is when I began to accept that the system would not change for my students and that schools on their own would have to find a way to make that happen without the help of the government. This year as a democrat I did my part but I went into it not at all excited, just happy to have sent my ballot in and ready for it all to be over. With all the tensions that already existed I just felt that we would feel optimistic for a while and then drift back into stagnation. Years ago I chose to stay away from negative energy, which held me back from getting active in anything involving politics or social justice. For my own sanity I have to do this, but I am resolved to speak up more, motivate, and inspire the best way I can.
5am comes fast, and my little ones don't wait. I have a job to do that is more important than any job of an elected official. My job never stops....my vocation is needed...it will always be needed.
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