Thank you March

Thank you March for...

• beautiful sunsets and sunrises
• a few perfect spring like days with a cool breeze and a sunny sky
• a fun and successful birthday sleepover for our Gemmi Ro
• little winter holiday traditions that our kids enjoy; eating King's Cake and finding the babies for Mardi Gras, setting up our leprechaun trap for St. Patrick's Day, and hanging up our Lenten countdown coloring sheets
• daylight savings time and more light in the evenings
• helping hands from our family who squeeze in and help when we get too busy
• reading two great books suggested by my students and starting #whatseñorastuderisreading on my teacher instagram account
• the opportunity to volunteer with our two biggest kids at our church's fish fry
• the meeting with the sweetest woman from our church who trained me to be a Lector
• lots of chicken eggs and six new sweet baby chicks to add to our brood
• the bittersweet end of a era for our family which has us excited to dream of all the possibilities that can come from one door closing and another one opening.
• Violet Mary's half birthday and her dimples that kill me every darn time
• big mugs of peppermint tea
• the start of our teacher weight loss and step challenge at school which amps up the competition and keeps my motivation to move at a peak level (down another 5.2 lbs this month!)
• My students' honest responses to "I wish my teacher knew..." activity
• the honor of being elected Secretary to a non-profit organization's board and the meeting with incredibly inspiring people who are going to bring about wonderful and impactful change

March, 

you took us down with your merry-go-round of sicknesses

but it seems like maybe that is necessary sometimes. 

nothing can make you immediately prioritize what is important 

like a few sick kids and a fever yourself. 

you realize that almost everything can wait when someone you love needs 

a bucket

or a snuggle

or another nose blowed

or another cup of hot tea or chicken soup

and even through all those belly, body, and head aches, March,

you still gave us plenty to be grateful for. 

thank you.