Guest Post: Reflecting on having my hopes too high

Update for Oct 12-16

This week's guest post is by Terri Root, Music Teacher at Alton Darby Elementary.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2558/4047982682_daf2b1ae70.jpg --
Labeled for Reuse

In 2008 I became convinced that I was going to win the HGTV Dream House.

I put all my energy toward entering the contest twice a day and envisioning myself in the house. I just knew that this was my new house and that I was going to win. It was another long, dark winter in Ohio and I allowed myself to set the "hope" bar too high.

Well, as many of you know, I did not win the HGTV Dream House that year and I threw myself a pretty awesome pity party. I was shocked at how utterly devastated I was. I got so angry that I let myself get so wrapped up in the dream of a new house, but I was even more angry at that witch who was living in my house. It took a while for me to process and I have never played again.

This weekend I have found myself in a similar situation of setting my hope bar too high again. I few weeks ago I received an e-mail from a Disney friend of mine. I have never met her in person, our relationship has always been via phone conversation and e-mail, but she is someone I always look forward to talking to, she is a dear, dear person. I had not heard from her in a while and this is just a portion of the email she sent me:

…I am not sure I have shared this with you yet, but John has been in full kidney failure for 18 months (he had staved it off for years with diet and exercise but it was inevitable we knew for about the last 10-12 years) so he has been on the University of Pennsylvania Transplant kidney donor waiting list since then, living on dialysis 3 times a week and working full time. That makes him my hero by the way! It is a pretty brutal life to lead for 20 months now and no quick end in sight, his blood type can have him on the transplant list for 5-6 years, and he was just 20 months in when he was suspended when they found the cancer - heartbreaking at the time. Unless an altruistic donor volunteers to give a living kidney he needs to wait the whole time on that list, every day is precious.

I asked her for more information and to make a long story, short I offered one my kidneys to John.

I spoke about it to a few people. I envisioned myself at the hospital, I really don't like hospitals so that took some work. I did research on what to expect as an organ donor and I was surprised at the small amount of recovery for a kidney donation. I filled out the paperwork and faxed it to the hospital.  I even thought about giving someone else my kidney if they had someone who could give John a kidney. I was so very ready, when, on Friday, I received a phone call from the hospital that not only was I not a match, but I could not donate any of my organs due to my preexisting medical conditions. To say that I am disappointed is quite an understatement, but let me first tell you the ending to my HGTV Dream House story.

After the HGTV contest, I was mad for a few days (or maybe weeks). Then I had a "come to Jesus" moment with myself. This line of questioning lead me to look at my life from a different angle and began the on me on the journey to finding my current house. This house is indeed my dream home – where we are surrounded my loving friends for Tom and I and the girls… I could not have hoped for a better home.

Or could I? I wonder now if maybe setting my hope bar "too" high was exactly what I needed to do.

So as I find myself feeling this way again, I wonder if I look at my life from a different angle that maybe there is still a way that John could get what he needs, maybe 2016 is John's year.

Tom and I are so very fortunate to know so many awesome people. Maybe WE can help a family who has helped so many other families.

Please consider filling out the organ donor form for John or passing on this request to someone you know who might consider giving the best gift that you can give.

I am setting my hopes very high, and I hope you do too.

If you are interested in kidney donation, here's a link to a questionnaire -- http://ow.ly/d/3QhX

Must See Videos -- Spotlight on INQUIRY!

This commercial was on this weekend and I had to share it!  We must...MUST create learning experiences where students are learning through inquiry and guided by essential questions.




More inquiry! Love the ownership of learning! Our job is to pose the right questions and then get out of the way! If we are talking more than kids during the day, then we are getting in the way of learning.








Articles Worth Reading -


Inquiry-Based Learning: The Power of Asking the Right Questions | Edutopia http://edut.to/1h9z2CJ

Can Free Play Prevent Depression and Anxiety In Kids? http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/29/can-free-play-prevent-depression-and-anxiety-in-kids/

Never Too Late: Creating a Climate for Adults to Learn New Skills http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/09/24/never-too-late-creating-a-climate-for-adults-to-learn-new-skills/


Check out some of the pics from the Cardboard Challenge!  https://goo.gl/photos/9rM7vKrrzM36agtJ8


Upcoming Dates

·         Thurs., Oct. 15                        Last Day for Box Top and Campbell Soup Labels Competition

THURSDAY, Oct 15 -- Professional Development Series by Donna Farland-Smith Continues! -- "Engaging Boy Readers" -- 3:30-4:30 at ADE Media Center

·         Fri., Oct. 16                             No School – Central Ohio In-Service (COI) Day for Teachers

·         Tues., Oct. 20                         Vision and Hearing Screenings of all 3^rd and 5^th Graders

·         Tues., Oct. 20                         PTO Spirit Night at Firehouse Subs

·         Tues., Oct. 20                         Meet the School Board Candidates Night, 7:00 pm at Bradley H.S.

·         Mon., Oct. 26                          State of Schools 6:30 – 9:00 pm @ Bradley H.S.

·         Tues., Oct. 27                         State of Schools 6:30 – 9:00 pm @ Davidson H.S.

·         Weds., Oct. 28                        State of Schools 6:30 – 9:00 pm @ Darby H.S.

·         Thurs., Oct. 29                       Trick or Treat Night in Hilliard, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

·         Sun., Nov. 1                            Daylight Savings Time Ends.  Set Your Clocks Back 1 Hour

·         Mon., Nov. 2                           PTO Monthly Meeting at 7:00 pm

·         Tues., Nov. 3                          No School – Professional Development Waiver Day

·         Tues., Nov. 3                          Election Day – Please remember to vote!

·         Thurs., Nov. 5                         Parent Workshop on Social Media, 6:30 – 8:00 pm at Darby H.S.

·         Tues., Nov. 10                        School Picture Re-Takes