All In

I started to post this to Instagram, but my thumbs got tired and when I decided to press on despite thumb fatigue, Instagram told me I was talking too much anyway. And that's how the first blog post in a year was born. ;) It's sloppy, because you know, three kids, 9:32 pm, and thumb fatigue, but it's here. 😜
We had a special day visiting my mom and her class of fourth graders while they explored farm animals this week. My kids loved hanging out with Gigi and her big kids, and I stood back watching them and just in awe of her. My mom is the mom I want to be when I grow up- she is just as good as it gets, and she pours her heart into my kids, but what I loved watching was the way she also poured her heart into each of her students. She is all in, baby. She's a good teacher because she's all in.

And the best part? She's not the only teacher who is all in. There are so many of them.  The four walls of the school my mom teaches at are bursting with them. There are classrooms across my city and our country and our world just filled with them. They're the ones who are all in. There are so many good teachers.

Good teachers are all in. I know this because I've spent a lot of time around teachers. I have a lot of friends who are teachers, and I know a lot of my mom's friends who are teachers. I've sent my son to school, and I have spent lots of time  in schools before and after having my own kids, and I've  watched them all for years and I'm here to tell you, they are all in too.

They're all in- I know that when they walk out the door of their classroom at the end of the day, their love and concern for their students doesn't stop. Their students and their students' stories play over and over again in their heads. Oh, the things these courageous teachers carry. They carry their students in their heart, home from school and back to work the next morning. I know they work endless hours and pour immeasurable heart and energy into the kids who have been entrusted to them. I know they fight to find the balance of giving fully of themselves to their students and still giving fully to their family and friends. And the teachers who are also mothers to children of any age? They fight to give of themselves to their students and also to their own children-not only when they walk in the door after a long day at work, but throughout their day at school- when they are teaching the classroom of students in front of them, but still being a mama to the kiddos they left at home earlier that morning. Teachers are ALWAYS on, just like mamas are always on.

Good teachers have hearts of gold that give and keep on giving.

 As a parent, I am endlessly grateful for the hours of time and energy and heart these precious people pour into our children. They are raising and leading and encouraging and empowering little souls day in and day out, and I'm a mama, so I get that, but the thing is: I do that for three and they do that for thirty. It's exponential, the crowd these heroes love day in and day out, year after year. They are on the front lines of the next generation. And you know what? That curriculum is important, and you know our teachers are busting it to challenge and enrich the minds of these kids each day, but what makes me want to rally a standing O for these heroes is the way these teachers are tending to the HEARTS of our children. The way they stand in front of thirty hearts each day and go ALL IN. And then get up the next day, the next week, the next month and year and do it again and again and again.

Good teachers are all in.

They don't grow weary of doing good, but they press on and give and give and give.

We are so grateful for you, precious teachers. Thank you for the stories you carry. Thank you for holding our children so close to your heart, even when you have your very own children and lives to tend to. Thank you for loving our people and pouring your hearts out onto the front lines of the next generation.

We love you.

We need you.

You are strong and courageous, and we are so grateful for you.

With much love and gratitude,

a kindergarten  mom