I actually got this idea from Two Teachers Writing, and on it, they posted a simple chart about finding inspirations on what to write about.  I’ve struggled with writing lately as I just see a lot of my drafts being going negative, and I’m really trying to keep myself positive in the face of a lot of stuff going on both at school and at home.

Anyway, one of those bullets really hit home for me: think about turning points.

We are going through a lot of “last times” with our oldest daughter, a senior this year.  Last first day of school, honor choir, last week was a last home swim meet, and next week will probably be the last swim meet, period.  It just makes you really reflect on where you are and where you’ve come from.  When she was first born in Columbia, Missouri, it was a time where the 17 year and 13 year cicadas all hatched at once (a fairly rare event).  They had snow sweepers out cleaning the streets and we could clearly hear ALL these insects going crazy outside. Now, she’s driving to swim practice, 30 minutes away.  She’s prepping to go to Iowa State, looking at software engineering as a career.

And me, I was a teacher with a couple of years of teaching experience, just getting to know all that Missouri had to offer.  17 years later, I’m back in Iowa, a little, ok, a lot more gray, living on an acreage with dogs, and cats, and a couple of Brown Swiss. It’s been a strange, exciting, and heartbreaking ride trying to muddle through!  As this season of lasts continues, I can’t help to start thinking about our youngest daughter, what her season will be like.

Then, it’s a season of firsts for my wife and I! And oh the adventures we’ll have! 🙂