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Yesterday marked our fourth and final daughter’s 18th birthday. While she is still home with us completing her senior year of high school, I can’t help feeling like this was a milestone day. I declared to my colleagues at lunch, “I’m done! She’s 18 – my job is complete!” But we all knew that couldn’t be further from the truth. With three adult daughters not far ahead of her, I have come to realize our children never stop needing their parents.

Still though, I find myself feeling closer to the end of a significant chapter in my life. That which once consumed what felt like my every waking minute, slowly morphed into one gradual release after another, until, just 6,574 days later, I found myself watching my baby celebrate the transition into being an adult.

My identity as a parent feels different – and it should really. I’m just not sure I’m ready to walk into it. So much is behind me, and I’m not entirely certain what the journey looks like that lies ahead of me. I enjoyed being needed. I thrived in the busy comings and goings of everyone’s activities. I even embraced navigating the worries and concerns through every parenting stage we faced.

Yet the journey awaits, ready or not. The remaining days of high school are all we have before she launches out of the nest, so even though she is legally an adult, I am going to try my best to be intentional and savor every day until we send her on her way!

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In 2015, at the urging of a friend, I jumped into my first Twitter chat with Dr. Mary Howard. Her recent book Good to Great Teaching was the focus of the chat. Several teachers in the chat were beginning a book study on the side using Voxer, and I bravely asked if I could join. Mind you, I was a lone teacher in a small town in Montana, and the teachers in the group study were in New Jersey. I was thrilled when they said yes! Little did I know how completely life-changing this small move would be, and the incredible Professional Learning Network that would unfold in the years to come!

Fast forward four years, and I am still in touch with my #G2Great “cousins.” When the book study ended, we simply couldn’t close the Voxer channel – we had developed close friendships, and even began adding new friends to the group. Their weekly Thursday night chats are still going strong, and while my schedule now doesn’t permit me to join in every week, I know that whenever I have a question or need another perspective, there is always someone in the group who will lend an ear and offer support. This core group of friends continue to be an irreplaceable cornerstone to me both professionally and personally.

What is so exciting is that my virtual connections have continued to flourish! I have connected with new friends through Slice of Life at Two Writing Teachers, and have even ventured into writing poetry with fellow poet-bloggers on Poetry Friday.

Most recently, I joined a Voxer book study around the book Stop.Right.Now.: 39 Stops to Making Schools Better. The book is excellent, but even better, within the first couple of days, I made three connections with fellow kindergarten teachers. In the short three weeks we have been sharing in this book study, I have reached out to each of them for support around classroom management struggles I have been experiencing, as well as a much-needed boost to push my learning to the next level with Seesaw.

Through my ever-growing PLN, I continue to meet incredible like-minded educators who are always willing to share ideas, offer support, and even brainstorm around potential collaborative work. The future looks bright here in my little corner of the world! With arms reaching out from all points near and far, I look forward to continuing to grow as the teacher-learner I always want to be.

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Recently I saw this Tweet from Pernille Ripp:

I loved this – so often as educators, we are spending our time outside of school reading a professional book, participating in a book study, and/or attending professional development. All worthy of our time certainly, but what about perusing new learning outside of teaching?

This got me thinking. Really thinking. I honestly had to sit with this idea for some time before remembering that just before Christmas break while at Michaels craft store buying last minute craft embellishments for my students I saw a sign for an upcoming crochet class. I thought to myself, what a great idea to take this class right before the break, and I can just crochet my way through the entire winter break!

True confession. I never made it to the class. Not because I didn’t want to. I was all ready to be there the Friday evening before Christmas break, but my daughter injured her shoulder while skiing that afternoon, and instead of going to the crochet class, I was at urgent care.

I haven’t given up on my plan to get to an upcoming class though! Just tonight I checked their website to find when upcoming classes are offered. Who knows? Maybe by Valentine’s Day I will be able to make myself a warm neck cowl…here’s hoping!

Back to Pernille’s question….what is something new you have recently learned, or perhaps want to learn?