A Blessed Life

After teaching junior high and high school for 20ish years, my mom got moved to teaching first graders. She tells us stories all the time about the adorable things her kids say and do, but it was absolutely more adorable to witness in person. My sisters have been lucky enough to meet my mom's kiddos, and I finally got to stop being the third mysterious sister.

As soon as I walked into the room, I was ambushed by hugs from the 20 smiliest faces I've ever seen in my lifetime. Until I meet next year's class, I suppose ;) They were so excited for visitors, and equally excited for all the fun learning activities my mom had planned. Boy, first graders are busy boys and girls!

These kids come the poorest homes in Fresno, but I'd bet everything to try and find a smarter, happier, sweeter bunch at any other school. You'd never be able to tell the socioeconomic difference, truly, and I walked away filled with so much perspective. These kids were offering to use their change to buy me snacks after school, begged me to help them with puzzles, and told me stories of their rock star mom and dads attending college.

I've prayed for my mom's first graders every night ever since she got moved to this new school, and meeting them in person only makes my desire to protect them and help them even stronger. There is so much privilege, so much gratitude and so much hope in my heart this weekend. And bless my mom for making every single one of her students believe they can graduate college in 14 years!

Slonoma

Grateful for this guy, this sister, and this grandma that gave me such a fun weekend. We lunched, wined and chatted on a warm Saturday afternoon in Sonoma. I could have fallen asleep I felt so relaxed!

Happiness is Sunshine

Sweet, glorious sunshine, oh how I love you! Even though it doesn't snow in California, I finally feel like we are escaping winter and jumping into a warmer season. And considering I'm lucky enough to live in San Francisco and work in Mountain View, I can dress for 80 degree temperatures (and you betcha, I will).

Dinner outside, leaving my puffy jacket at home, flip flop weather is my kind of love. Cheers to spring!

A Lifesaver

I've felt stuck, angry and all amounts of frustrated for the last three years, if not more. The reasons aren't important, and will slowly be dissected and understood as time continues and open communication between various parties finally happen. Life hasn't developed into the dream I had imagined, but maybe this is where I'm "supposed" to be. Who knows, right?

Even though there is a lot that I'm still working on, there's one things that's helped end the late night cry sessions with my boyfriend and the continuous whining to my mother - the gym. It's so cliche, but after a month and a half of a serious, sudden relationship with sweat and sore muscles, I've been able to manage my anger and sadness so much better.

Two spin classes a week, Soul Cycle (yes, it's as amazing and exhausting as everyone claims) and a lot of reading on the Stair Master have become routine. Tonight, as I angrily bang on these keys, I'm excited to wake up at 5 am to make sure I have time to go to the gym before work tomorrow.

I'm ready to be better, physically, mentally, and emotionally this year. Thank you free weights and crazy spin class songs for helping to make this happen!

Results You Want

What's that saying? Two steps forward, one step back? Well, the last few years have felt like two steps forward, two steps back... maybe even three. Jumping back on this blog, I'm looking forward to the results of some recent, positive changes, and hoping to share what I've learned. Growing up and learning about yourself is a continually challenging, painful process, but the potential for joy and contentment is boundless.

In the meantime, reading and the gym totally go hand in hand, am I right?