Oops.

Last night was my older daughter's spring orchestra concert.  Our high school district is made up of two schools.  Each school has its own orchestra, but they also have a combined orchestra that rehearses on Wednesday evenings.  All orchestra students, sophomores through seniors, are required to be in the combined orchestra.  It's a big commitment.

But worth it.

The concert started with three concertos, each featuring a different soloist.  Following the intermission we heard a percussion ensemble, two pieces from the entire orchestra.  Even though Molly only played in the two pieces, I soaked in the entire experience.

I thought about how lucky we are.  Molly is lucky to have attended elementary and high school districts that value the fine and performing arts.  She is lucky to have access to amazing teachers who work hard to help the kids reach their full potential.  I am lucky to be able to watch my daughters (and current and former students) find outlets for their creativity and passion for music. 

So this is the long way of saying that I missed my slice yesterday.  By the time we got home from the concert, I was lost in my own head and completely forgot about writing.

It's okay.  It was worth it.

The Calendar Says It's Spring But....

According to my calendar, today is the vernal equinox - the first day of spring.

According to the weather report, it is still winter.  The high temperature today was in the thirties, and the wind was definitely cold and wintry.  When I walked the half block to my polling place at 6:20 this morning, I was bundled up in my recess parka and my favorite scarf.

The forecast for the rest of this week isn't really much better: 37 tomorrow, 45 Thursday, 40 on Friday.  There's even an possibility of snow on Saturday.  Boo.

This is the point of winter where I get really frustrated.  The sun is shining brighter and the days are longer, but it's just too darn cold to do anything outside.  Or.. it will be warmish and lovely one day and frigid and gray the next.

Spring is definitely capricious.  Yet it remains my favorite season, because once it fully arrives, the world bursts into blooms and green reigns supreme.  It's warm enough to go without a coat, yet not hot enough to require air conditioning.  I'm inspired to get outside into my yard to clear my beds or to wander through the Chicago Botanic Gardens for hours.

So here I wait, bundled under blankets, holding out on taking the parka to the cleaners.

But I know spring will be worth the wait.

Cough Into Your Elbow

It seems a side-effect of my busy weekend is the start of a chest cold.  I felt to coming on last night, coughing with a rattly feeling just below my throat.

Lovely.

Spring break starts at 3:30 pm on Friday, and I have plans!  I do not have time to catch a nasty cold.  Besides, a four-schools-in-four-states-in-four-days road trip will be supremely unfun if I am sneezy and coughing.

So for the rest of this week, I'll push vitamin C, stay hydrated, and get as much rest as I can.  I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'm not really getting a cold, that it's just a minor inconvenience.

And I'll cough into my elbow so the rest of my family doesn't fall victim.

Exhausted

It's Sunday evening, and instead of grading papers or getting ready for a new school week, I am crashed on my couch reading.

I am completely exhausted.

This weekend was a whirlwind.  Starting Thursday afternoon when I went to the grocery store to prepare for my weekend guests, I was either preparing food, cleaning my kitchen, attending a performance, or talking with friends and family.

I am not complaining.  All of the effort was completely worth it.  I loved sharing my weekend with friends and family who gathered together to see the play and then celebrate after.  I love having my house full of people - loud with talk and laughter.

But when I'm completely honest, the introvert side of me was happy to have time today to read.  I finished The Great Alone (finally).  I made myself keep reading, even thought I was incredibly nervous about the plot.  I re-read A Long Walk to Water and then I read The Wild Robot Escapes.  I needed this time to get lost in some books and recharge my batteries.

So no... my grading didn't get finished, but I'll just use my prep time tomorrow to take care of that.  And the laundry isn't finished.  And I didn't get to the grocery store. 

But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Her Biggest Fan

I've spent much of my weekend in our junior high gym watching my daughter play Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, Jr.  It was a great performance... one of the best musicals the school has put in since my OTHER daughter played Genie in Aladdin, Jr. three years ago.

I love watching my daughters perform, to be fully engaged in doing something they love.  They both dance and play musical instruments.  They are both involved in theater in one way or another. 

This weekend, though, was eye-opening for me in that I had no idea how good Abby would be in this role.  I don't often get to hear her sing.  Most of the time, she sings in her room with her door closed while she plays her ukelele.  To see this side of her talent was absolutely amazing.

I'm so proud of my girl and the other cast members.  I'm thankful for the teachers who put in hours and hours of work to make sure the kids were able to shine.  And I'm thankful to be a parent and teacher in a school district that understands the importance of the fine and performing arts.

Laughter

It's 10pm on a Friday night.  Usually by now I'm in bed, reading or playing Candy Crush.  Tonight, I'm sitting on my sofa with my two girls and my sister.  Molly and Abby are entertaining their aunt with  funny photos and memes.  Everyone is happy and laughing.

I'm laughing, too, from the side, watching these girls (because my little sister will always be a girl to me) who all mean so much to me,  I love that Molly and Abby have a relationship with their aunt, that they text and send each other snaps. 

So instead of writing more tonight, I'm going to put my computer away and join the laughter and merriment, at least for another 15 minutes.

Because after all, it is past my bedtime.

No Time to Write Tonight

I'm committed to writing a slice daily this month... determined to successfully complete this challenge, so here I am, sitting down to dash off a quick thought about my day.

It was long.

It felt like it should be Friday.

And then I sat at watched my baby take the stage as Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, Jr. tonight, and the time seemed to fly.  I don't know when I've been so proud of my girl.  She killed it, if I do say myself.

I'm seeing it again tomorrow and Saturday, and I promise there WILL be pictures!  Stay tuned.