I have wanted to start blogging for over a year but kept putting it off (I am a major procrastinator.) And even though I have several ideas every day about things I want to write about, now that I am doing it, I can't think of a thing to say. So, instead of starting off with a political tirade or musings about motherhood, I am going to give a more in-depth explanation of my profile.
Quick Intro:
I have five kids: Kristyn, Courtney, Ripken, and twins: Nick & Zack. Rip is exactly 1 year 10 days older than the twins so it is a lot like having triplets. Kristyn is outgoing, charismatic, empathetic, and creative. Courtney is organized, disciplined, hard-working, and wise beyond her years. The girls are basically "grown-up" and don't need as much anymore. The boys are a totally different story. Rip is easy-going, fun-loving, and highly-motivated. Doctors discovered a tumor in the speech center of his brain when he was 5 months old. He had surgery at 7 months old and has completely recovered. Other than his scar, neither the tumor nor the surgery is noticeable. Nick is very verbal, extremely creative, and very interested in reading and learning about the world. Zack is loving, insightful, and extremely imaginative. The twins both have Autism Spectrum Disorder, which, for them, mostly impacts their classroom learning. (Although they are smart, they do not learn the same way as mainstream kids which is proving to be a challenge as they get older.) Altogether, the boys are loud and messy, but fun.
Hometown:
Don't have one. I am a Marine Corps brat and lived all over the country and in Gitmo (Cuba). The place that most feels like home is Southeastern Arizona.
Occupation:
I served in the Army for five years as a behavioral science specialist (mental health counselor) and worked in social work for the last nine years. However, although I love working in the domestic violence field, I had a hard time finding a job in that area in our town in SC. I went back to school, returned to my original love, and got my M.A. in English.
Hobbies:
I love to run especially on trails (preferably in the mountains), but I had a difficult time adjusting to the heat in Texas so my outdoor running is pretty minimal these days. I spend a lot of time in the gym since we moved here, but I am hoping that some day I can get back to trail running. I also love to rollerblade and play racquetball. Tom tried to teach me how to golf but I am just out and out horrible. I love to read and prefer contemporary literature and classics to "beach-reads" just as I prefer newspapers and magazines to online news. I have to admit that I do read a lot of different internet news sites as a way of getting news about other places and various perspectives.
Purpose of Blog:
I plan on recording my unique observations about news events, trends in education, and other cultural events that affect students, educators, and parents. From time to time, I might throw in some essays on running/working-out and some pictures of my extracurricular projects--like cooking, photography, and decorating. Mostly though, this is meant to be a forum where I can organize and group my observations and ideas about the world in which we live so that I have a record of significant events and patterns to share with my students.
