Saturday, May 9, 2015

To My Kinder Darlings

Dear Kinder Darlings,

Eight days. That's all that is left of our time together. How will eight days ever be enough to hug you and laugh with you and assure you that you are the best and the smartest in the world? Don't get me wrong, I am counting down the days until sleeping in, cartoons with my kids at home, and ice cream and swimming with just as much anticipation and jubilation as you. Except, there is also this lump in my throat. There is a little twinge of pain in my full, full heart. You see, this year, you were mine. I loved you and cared for you and laughed with you and sometimes wanted to pull my hair out. Just like my own children. And now, it is almost over. Now you belong to your parents and next year., another teacher. The next thing you know, you will be graduating from high school and I will be but a distant memory. But, YOU, dear students, you will always have a home in my heart.

This time of year is bittersweet. I can almost taste the freedom and adventures of summer. I am also filled with pride because you have come so far. You have learned to tie your shoes, to say "excuse me" instead of pushing, to read CVC words, and to start sentences with an uppercase letter. You mastered your rainbow words! You counted to 100! You learned to work independently and be a good friend and resolve conflict. Yet, I am scared to let you go. Did I do enough? Did I work enough with you on adding detail to your writing? Did I make you feel important and smart every day? Did you really understand how to solve those math story problems? Do you know how much I love you? Eight days is not enough to be sure.

At the same time, eight days will feel like an eternity. Because you, for some mysterious reason, have suddenly forgotten that hallways are meant to be quiet and that it not okay to scream your head off indoors. For the love of all that is good and holy, WHY must I repeat myself a thousand times a day about little tiny things we have been doing for 158 days of school? I feel like I have used the words "stop" and "don't" more in the past month than I did all school year. "Stop spinning in line. Please sit on your bottom. Are we being good listeners? Is this how Kindergarteners act in the library? Don't glue your crayons together. Stop poking your neighbor. Scissors are only for cutting paper!" But I think I know the reason for all of this.

You see, I think that God knows that goodbye for the summer has the potential to rip my heart out. I think maybe He causes you to act like wild animals so that it distracts me from the fact that you aren't going to be mine anymore. Kindergarten is over. Next year you will see me in the hall and you will wave and smile, and maybe, if I'm lucky, give me a hug. You will have a new teacher to love, and I will have a whole new set of Kinder babies. Next year at this time, I will be writing their letter and crying tears over their departure. Right now, though, my tears are for you. I want you to know that you are kind and you are brave. That you are outstanding readers and mathematicians and scientists, and beings.  I want you to know that you will always always be my Kinder darlings, forever five and six in my heart. Now, go on. Grow up. Be great.

Love, 
Mrs. Stahlman


Monday, March 2, 2015

Talluluh is Grateful

With Veterans Day left behind in our rear view mirror, we've all gone about our lives as usual. I woke up this morning cursing the alarm clock. I kissed my husband goodbye as he left for work. I drove my children to daycare and school. But when I say "we've all" returned to our normal routine, that's really not the case. Somewhere a child cries himself to sleep because he misses his daddy, who has been deployed for months. Somewhere, a wife loses sleep because she worries that the next day might greet her with the news that her husband is injured in the line of duty...or worse. Somewhere a soldier loses sleep because they are in the threshold of war, or because of the nightmares that accompany PTSD.

I do not doubt that we are all grateful for our Armed Forces and their families. And on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, we proudly wear red, white, and blue. We stand a little straighter for the flag salute. We may even get teary as we listen to patriotic songs performed by the youth of our nation. We tell the service men and women we know, "Thank you," and we mean it.

But then, we go on about our lives. Lives that are sometimes easy, sometimes not so easy, but we go on. There are so many who struggle to go on. Whether it is because they are scared, sad, wounded, disabled, haunted, or something more, they cannot go back to a "normal" routine. The lives of those affected by military service may never resemble "normal" again.

I am not a military wife, daughter, or sister. I am a teacher. And there has been more than one occasion where I have found myself caring for and loving the child of a soldier day in and day out. I know the troubles of a life of service through the eyes of a child. I have held them while they cry. I have listened to their fears. I have collected items for care packages, I have admired their mothers. 

This does not make me more grateful than you. It does, however, make me feel compelled to do more. So each year, not necessarily on Veterans Day, I try to make a small donation to the Wounded Warrior Project or the USO. I hope that you will consider doing the same. If donating isn't your thing, just do something nice for a veteran that you know.  A card, baked goods, or another small act of kindness. Because we should all give a little to help those who gave, or continue to give, so much. God Bless America, and THANK YOU, Veterans! 

Talluluh's Clean Waffles with Blueberry Sauce

Alright people, I know that anytime a recipe has "clean" in the title, we immediately assume that it is flavorless and bland.  But I promise that if you give these waffles a chance, you will LOVE them!  As many of us are this time of year, I am climbing back on the healthy eating wagon.  I don't know about you, but I think the driver of that thing needs his license revoked.  I.can.not.stay.on.  These waffles are one of my favorite breakfasts!  I hope you love them as much as I do. This makes one serving, so I usually triple it and leave the rest in the fridge, or make it all up and freeze.



Vanilla Flaxseed Waffles

1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup plain, nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 cup or 3 egg whites
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 tsp vanilla
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I like Perfect Fit organic rice protein)

Add oats to blender and grind to a flour consistency.  Add other ingredients and blend well.  Pour onto hot waffle iron.  (Makes 2 waffles/one serving)

Blueberry Sauce:

1/2 cup blueberries (I use frozen)
1/4 cup water
1 T pure maple syrup

Bring ingredients to a boil and simmer 3-5 min.