As most of you know, I am a first year Director of Special Services in the district where I have been teaching for the last ten years.

And it is almost Christmas break.

In fact, our students finished today and tomorrow we'll have a day of professional development and then thirteen days off before we start back in for second semester in January.

As I sat at my desk this afternoon wrapping up things for the first two quarters, I took a moment and looked around.

I had a few thoughts running through my mind.

"This is my office."
"These are my responsibilities." 
"I have almost survived the first semester as a school administrator."

And although I'm not quite there...I just ALMOST feel like I know what I'm doing.

This week, on my Facebook memories, a status popped up from two years ago...

At the time, just two short years ago, I had no idea how the opportunities would play out to get me where I am today.

Looking back, I can see the hand of God woven into the whole story...into the big moments and all the little details.

We bought the farmhouse in July of 2017.  We sold our home and started doing some updates to the farmhouse.  School started in August of 2017 and we were moving full-speed ahead remodeling, moving, and of course...getting ready for the school year. 

When my boss asked me if I would be interested in a leadership position and encouraged me to go finish my certification, I wasn't thinking it would be anytime soon. 

In fact, I had told Mr. Farmhouse that I was thinking I would probably teach for another 8-10 years and move into administration for the last 3-5 years of my career.

But during the craziness of moving a family of five during "back-to-school time", I got word that the Director of Special Services would be retiring and I was asked if I would be interested in the position.

"Where God guides, He provides."  Isaiah 58:11

I have been stretched,
I have been challenged,
and I have been pushed out of my comfort zone.

I've had to learn a lot in a short amount of time and I have made many mistakes.

There are days that I want to cry over every little thing and days that I feel like I might just have this gig figured out.

And through it all...
through the frustrations and the calm...
through the uncertainty and the moments of confidence,
I've never wondered if this is the right place for me.

God has brought guidance, and He is still providing.

In the moment where I am feeling overwhelmed (like today!), the phone rings and a family has brought me a gift to thank me for my tiny part in the success of their babies. (Thanks, B family!)

The second I start to feel worry, my heart fills with peace at the thought that God opened all of the doors necessary to get me to this place.

When I walk down the hallway to bounce an idea off of the elementary principal, I find myself smiling at the thought that God has worked it out that my teaching partner and I have both ended up in leadership positions at the exact same time.

​These things are not accidental.

What an encouragement to know that He cares for little ol' me.

Resting in His providence here at the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️

This has been a year of transition.

As you might remember, I have officially left the classroom and am now serving as our school district's Director of Special Services.

This new position comes with some new responsibilities and of course much excitement! 

Since working on some of my new duties and trying to be very prepared to go into the new school year, I have realized that if I'm going to continue to be the best wife, mom, Christian, and educator that I can be, there will need to be some more changes taking place over the next year.

And so...here is my second big announcement for 2018.

Besides leaving my classroom, I'm also going to put the camera down in the near future.

I have been able to be a part of so many new marriages and family events.

I have spent time with people at the very beginning of their lives and with family members nearing the end of life.

I have captured photos for friends and family members who are preparing for deployment or getting ready to announce a pregnancy.

It has been such an honor for me to be included in these experiences.

But now...it's time to slow down a bit on the home-front as I learn my new position at school.

Of course, I still have some sessions and weddings scheduled for this fall and I still have some friends out there with gift cards waiting to be used, so the camera won't be put away for good...but I won't be scheduling anymore full sessions at this time.

I will still have a fall mini-session to kind of close out the year and I might still do some sports' photos or other mini-sessions here and there, but I need to take a step back and focus on the family, the farmhouse, and my new responsibilities.

I am beyond thankful to all of those clients who have chosen me to capture their memories through the years.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Feeling bittersweet at the farmhouse,
Hannah

❤️🏡❤️

This is a big one, folks.

This post will be unlike any post I've ever written.

Yesterday, a student asked me about the situation and I decided it was probably time to let the cat out of the bag.

My colleagues and my family, along with some friends, already know my big news.

However, I feel like posting it on the blog makes it public knowledge and that can only mean one thing...

This is really happening.

After thirteen years as a teacher of one kind or another, I'll be leaving the classroom.

With any transition, there will be some sorrow...some difficulty.

But there will also be joy, excitement, reflection, and new ideas.

I am so thankful to be able to stay in my current district.  I've grown so much as an educator and met so many people who are near and dear to my heart.

I'm grateful to my principal for pushing me to go back to school,
our superintendent for encouraging me to move forward,
our school board for giving me this opportunity,
our current special education director for training me,
my mentor special education director from my alma mater,
my colleagues (current and former) for believing in me,
the two fourth grade teachers in my building that make up the other half of our team for offering so much encouragement this year, 
my teaching partner for all of his support through the years...especially this year,
my friends,
my family...our parents, grandparents, and siblings, 
my dear Mr. Farmhouse and our three sweet girls.

I'm grateful for my students & their parents through all of my teaching years.
For the life lessons that I have learned standing in front of that classroom.
For the opportunities to grow and develop into the educator I am today.

I'm just so very grateful.

​Life will be different here in the farmhouse in just a few short months.

For now though, I'm going to enjoy the time I have left this year with my darling third graders...shaping young minds.  Laughing with them and cheering with them.  Helping them along and making sure to let them know how much they help me along, too.

"How many sentences do I need to write to get a good grade?"

One of my third graders asked me this a few weeks ago when we started to write our first big writing assignment...the personal narrative.

"There's not really a certain number of sentences...I just want you to tell the whole story. The beginning, the middle, and the end. I want to be able to picture the story in my head as I read your words and I want you to take your time adding details to help paint a mental picture for your readers."

"Okay," he said, "So how many sentences would that be?"

I wish I could say that it's only 8-year-olds who are asking, "How good is good enough?"

But you and I both know that's not the case.

I think that in most avenues of life, the bare minimum should not be the standard by which we judge ourselves.

For the last four years or so, my teaching partner and I have departmentalized our instruction. He has taught the math and science while I've taught the reading, writing, and social studies.

We were very comfortable in our roles. We worked together to meet the needs of each third grader in our building and we supported each other in our various responsibilities.

To be frank...it worked really well for us.

We had seen growth in our test scores and felt like we were in each of our elements as we shared pertinent information with our third graders, using our own teaching styles and meeting our kids' learning needs.

Last year, a team from our school (including me) visited an elementary building near Columbia, Missouri, to observe how their multi-age model of teaching worked.

We were blown away by so many parts of the program and decided that it was definitely worth looking into for our own school.

We had meetings and planned and talked and spent time hashing out the details of how a program like this would work for our own district.

Ultimately, last winter, we decided to move towards this model for the 2017-2018 school year.

That meant lots of changes for the third grade team.

We were each going to be teaching all subjects.

We were teaming up with two other teachers.

We were moving to a model that would require us to hit both third and fourth grade learning standards during the course of the school year.

It would be a challenge, but we were ready.

We met with our team last spring on several occasions to align our standards, to share resources and teaching strategies, and to decide how our students and teaching responsibilities would be divided.

​I was feeling good about the school year going into summer.

And then...our house didn't sell when it was supposed to sell.

We ended up having to jump through a lot of hoops by doing a lot of extra inspections on the farmhouse.

My Dave Ramsey car ("Dave") needed repairs and the air conditioning went out of the Yukon ("Ramsey").

When the first few weeks of the school year came, I didn't feel refreshed or relaxed or prepared in the least.

Nevertheless, we jumped in head first.

Our team refreshed ourselves on everything we had talked about in the spring.

We shared resources and ideas (again) and encouraged one another as we transitioned to this new way of teaching.

I knew the research showed that this model would be the best thing for kids.

I knew that we were capable of carrying out this model of teaching.

​I knew that I would hold myself to the same standard of excellence that I had insisted on keeping for my whole teaching career.

And then...the students came.

The first few days were great.  

We did lots of team-building activities, where all the third and fourth grade students met together.  The four of us teachers were able to play off of each other in conversation about being a good leader and being scholarly.

The first few weeks came and went and we split into our own classrooms, teaching our own subjects, to our own specific group of students.

I started to realize that maybe this wasn't going to come as naturally to me as the years before.

A new curriculum.
A new group of students.
A new school for our own two daughters.
A new house (that we weren't all-the-way moved into yet).

I was overwhelmed with being a wife and a mom and a teacher.

I was questioning my own ability in the classroom.  

This had literally never happened to me.

I love my job.
I live to go back to school.
I smile and encourage and show enthusiasm.

It's what I do.

Or what I have done every year of my teaching career so far.

But this year...I felt like I was falling behind from the get-go.  

In all areas.

​Until one day, a friend of mine said to me, "You know...sometimes you just have to let some things go."

What?  
Let some things go?  
Sorry, that actually doesn't work for me.  
I don't just "let things go".

When I took a moment and really thought about it though...she was right.

Sometimes good enough is actually good enough.

Sometimes laundry folded in baskets at the bottom of the stairs instead of put away into drawers is good enough.

Sometimes a Happy Meal from McDonalds on the way home instead of a home-cooked meal is good enough.

Sometimes putting the toddler to bed after wiping her down with a baby wipe instead of actually giving her a bath is good enough.

Sometimes taking one whole Saturday morning to catch up on grading papers instead of doing it every evening is good enough.

I'm not suggesting that we lower the standard for everything in life to "good enough".

I think sometimes we have to realize that even when we're not feeling able to be our very best, we can still do good in the world.

Even when we're struggling to keep afloat, we can make a difference.

Even when we don't feel like we can reach the standard of excellence that we usually strive for...sometimes good enough is good enough.

Today was day #5 of my school year, but day #1 for the girls.

This year, I have a third grader and a fifth grader. 

How.
Did.
That.
​Happen???

This year, Claire Bear decided to join Harlee and attend school at the alma mater of Mr. Farmhouse and I.

We knew this would happen eventually.

We wanted them to become Adrian Blackhawks eventually.

But here we are.

Here I am.

I drop them off at 6:30 a.m. to various family members and I drive out of town.

I arrive at school by myself.

I get ready for my day.

I teach.

After school, no children come into my room to tell me about their day.
Nobody asks me for snacks.
Nobody complains that I'm taking too long or that they're ready to go.

I do what I need to do in the peace and quiet.
Too peaceful and too quiet.

I miss them.

I'm so excited for what they are going to do this year. 

The ways they'll grow.
The things they'll learn.
The relationships they'll build.

This is a year of many firsts.

Things are changing at the farmhouse and I'm trying hard to embrace it.
To enjoy the transitions and embrace the subtle differences that I'm seeing every day in the girls.

The truth is though...sometimes I'd like to just have them back in kindergarten, sticking their little heads in my classroom door making the sign for "I love you".

Have a great school year, my sweet girls.

You're my most favorite 8 & 10 year olds in the whole wide world.  

Oh yeah, and Mattie, you're my favorite 3 year old in the whole wide world, too.  

P.S.  My mom bought them matching friendship necklaces to help Claire make the transition.  

"Best"
"Buds"
"Forever"

Be still my heart.

❤️🏡❤️

Today, I was supposed to be posting first day of school pictures from the farmhouse.

The girls were supposed to get up and take pictures on the front porch and have a wonderful first day while I rounded out Day #5 in my own classroom.

And then.  The rain came.

On July 27th, both our little town and the town where I teach received a record amount of rain and there was lots of flooding.

People's basements were flooded, there were water rescues happening all over the place.

It was an absolute mess.

Our friend Sharon posted this picture on Facebook that day.  She said it was the highest she had seen this water since they moved into this house over 20 years ago.

And so... 

We are using our first "snow day" of the school year in the district where I teach, as well as my kids' district here in Adrian.

On August 22nd.

The first "first day of school snow day" in Adrian's history.

And I am thankful.

The last week has been a whirlwind of activity.

Late nights and early mornings.
Deadlines and assessments.
Dropping the kids off at various locations for daycare every morning before I go to school.
The Solar Eclipse.

Going back to a five-day work week after eight weeks off of school.

The first four days of school have been amazing.
And a little bit exhausting.

So today, the girls and I are soaking up every last minute of summer.

So far, we've had blueberry muffins made by Claire (aren't they cute?), an "Inside Out" movie-viewing party, beaded keychains, a doll slumber party, laundry, and yes...some school work and photography editing.

An unexpected "snow day" at just the right time. 

​See you tomorrow, third graders. ❤️🏡❤️

Well, here we are.

I have been in school for 3 days now and the girls start this Tuesday.

Things are about to get crazy.

The last few years, we have figured out that it works really well for the girls to have a morning, afternoon, and bedtime routine.

They don't always stick to the evening routines, 100%, depending on what activities we have going on after school...practices, piano lessons, games.

However, the morning routine has really become a natural way of life during the school year for us.

And as long as the girls get out of bed when they're asked to (that's a whole other situation), it really helps our mornings to run smoothly.

The two older girls switch back and forth between putting clean dishes away each morning and sweeping the kitchen & dining room (a new chore with all hardwood floors in the farmhouse!).

I've laminated these lists and the girls use a dry-erase marker to mark them every morning.  They like the satisfaction of checking off items in a list, just like their mama.  

​We have done a list like this for every day of the week, including Saturdays.  Saturdays also includes what we call a "quick clean" list that we all work on together for an hour or so to get the house spiffied up for a new week.

Sunday has become our "stop day" here at the farmhouse.  

I am trying really hard to just have our family enjoy each other through the whole day and just take an hour or so in the evenings to prepare for the next week.

In our world of busy, busy, busy...it's nice to just breathe, breathe, breathe every once in a while.

Just a few years ago, I was trying to squeeze in photography sessions every extra minute I had (including Sunday afternoons) to help pay off debt and to make sure I wasn't disappointing people.  

I've learned that no matter how many sessions I squeeze into whatever extra time I have left, people will still be disappointed when I run out of sessions.  

And they will still love me.  

So it's really okay!

When I finished this (completely simple and totally amateur) project, I decided to try something a little more complicated.

I found a purple cup in the cabinet that I've been wanting to buy some sort of vinyl decal for and I decided to try it myself to start.  

​I decided I could always peel it off if it didn't work out.

That way, we'll be free to enjoy each other in the evenings and on the weekends...crafting, and playing outside, and making slime.

Just kidding.  
We tried that once.  
I am not the "slime-making" kind of mom.

I've realized that I spent too many years in the old house trying to manage the home, keep up with my small business, and being a teacher...without spending enough of my time and energy making memories with my babies.

It's time.  

Happy Weekend, friends!  Make it a good one!  ❤️?❤️

10:01 p.m. and I am nowhere near climbing in bed.

Tomorrow is the first day of school.

I'm starting my 13th (and-a-half) year in the classroom and the excitement and nervousness that I feel the night before beginning a new school year never changes.

I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Full of anticipation.

Joy.

Enthusiasm.

And if we're being honest...some anxiety. 

You see...I know that I've had a few months "off".

I know that seems like a long time.

I should be rested and refreshed.

I've even heard people say, "Must be nice to have a two-month vacation!"

And it is.

"Dear Third Grade Parent" is the way I start numerous letters through the school year.

Field trip notes,
notes about grade cards and school events,
and notes including class announcements.

Before the school year begins though, there are different types of things coming to mind when I think about writing a letter to my future students' parents.

We are a team.  Please, please, PLEASE hear me on this.  I am on your side.  I am on your child's side.  Every school year, at some point, a difficult conversation will come up.  Your child will say or do something that is not appropriate.  He will neglect to do his homework.  She will make an unkind remark to another student at recess.  He will rush through his work without putting forth his best effort.  It will happen.  Children make mistakes.  Teachers make mistakes.  Parents make mistakes.  We all make mistakes.  We have to work together so your students knows that we are fighting for him or her.  We expect that he will try hard and be kind and treat others the way he wants to be treated.  We expect that she will be responsible and persistent and loving towards others.  You know your child better than anyone.  You know what makes him tick and what makes her shut down.  You are your child's number 1 cheerleader and biggest advocate.  Let's team up and help your child to stretch and grow this year.  When we expect this TOGETHER, our kids WILL rise up to meet our expectations.  Please back me up at home and I promise that I will back you up in the classroom.  

There is power in the words and actions of a child in a public school setting.  Your child has the ability to change the world with his words.  He can encourage and inspire his classmates.  She can motivate and include her peers.  By being an example of acceptance and humility, your child has the power to be a difference-maker in his school...even at age 8 or 9.  Please talk with your child about showing mercy and kindness.  I will work hard to build a community of friendship and inclusion in our classroom through the day, but please build on this culture in your home...around the dinner table, in your vehicle, and after ballgames.  Remind them that some of their friends might be hurting because of situations at home.  They might be feeling left out on the playground, even if nobody is excluding them on purpose.  Let's strive to raise kids who are kind and compassionate and who invite other children into their circle.

I am human.  Yes, I am a teacher.  I have been doing this a long time.  I have a degree that says I know how to do this job, but I am human.  I mess up.  I have a bad day every once in a while.  I work hard to meet the needs of every individual student and I still miss the mark sometimes.  I forget to do things.  I am married and a mother myself.  Sometimes, if we're being honest, our mornings do not run as smoothly as I wish they would.  Every once in a while, I might still be thinking about something that happened at home when I greet my students in the morning.  I should be able to separate my personal life from my school life, but I am human.  However, I can promise you this.  I will love your child as if he or she were my own.  I will worry about him and fret about her.  I will see things at WalMart that remind me of my students and make impulse purchases on my grocery trip just to see them smile the next morning.  I will have sleepless nights this school year, thinking about whether some of my students are being fed or given appropriate shelter.  I will buy book after book on Amazon until I can crack the code of what makes your child love reading.  Sometimes, I will find something out about a student and I will contemplate inviting that child to come be a part of our family.    

Third Grade Parent, we have about 36 weeks together this year.  

Let's work together and make this the best year that we can for your student.  

You support me and I will support you, as we support your sweet boy or girl.  

Let's give her our very best every single day.

And let's encourage him to give his best every single day, too.

We can do this.

Love,
Mrs. Newkirk

Well, I haven't blogged for five days.

This is the longest I've gone without sharing my thoughts on the ol' blog and I can tell you exactly why.

Over the last few days, I have become extremely overwhelmed as the school year begins.

This is normal for (I would dare to guess) 99% of teachers.

There is always one more thing to be done.

Putting a classroom together.
Preparing curriculum.
Staff meetings.
​Making copies.
Cutting out letters.
Meeting with the teaching team.

And in the whole scheme of life, all of these things are normal and wonderful and necessary.

But this year, I'm having a hard time with it all.

We're having some curriculum changes.

I didn't get into school as early as I would have hoped.

I focused on the farmhouse all summer.

We've gone from letting the girls stay up later and sleep in, to school year bedtime and waking up early.

I know that I have these feelings every year and that on Monday night when my darling little third graders walk through the door on "Back-to-School Night", that I will be fine.

I will be ready.

But for now, I will enjoy this last full weekend at home with my family before the school year takes off in full swing.

Make it a good one, friends.

Take some time to breathe and rest over the next few years.

Happy (Almost) School Year.   ❤️?❤️