A little quiet around these parts…
Lately
The past month has felt like a quiet pivot.
Not a full stop.
Not a complete overhaul.
Just… a shift.
The kind where you start to see things a little more clearly—what’s working, what’s not, and where you actually want to go next.
Work (Still My Favorite Thing)
I’m settling into teaching ELL students, and I keep thinking the same thing over and over:
I really love this work.
There’s something about watching language build in real time—students finding words, taking risks, starting to connect—that never gets old.
It’s not just about English.
It’s about confidence.
It’s about access.
It’s about finally feeling like you belong in the room.
And every time I see that shift happen, it just reinforces how much reading matters. Not in a theoretical way—in a real, life-opening way.
The Kids I Miss
This was supposed to be a big summer with daycare partnerships.
And for a minute, it felt like it was all coming together.
But funding changed. Programs shifted, and just like that, those plans paused.
Not gone—just… not this summer.
And that part has been harder than I expected.
Because I miss those kids already.
Those early spaces matter so much. That’s where you catch things early, where you build confidence before school ever labels it as a struggle.
It’s not the loss of the work—it’s the pause of it.
And I know I’ll reevaluate.
The Library (Whew… That One Almost Went Sideways)
I had a meeting with the library this month that I’m still thinking about.
I walked in hopeful.
I left a little shaken.
And for a minute, I really thought, well… that didn’t land at all.
But then—after some reflection, some follow-up, and a little more clarity—it actually turned into something really positive.
Not exactly what I originally pictured.
But maybe better in the long run.
It was a good reminder that sometimes things don’t go wrong—they don’t go the way you expected at first.
And also… that libraries matter—a lot.
They’re one of the last places families can walk into and get support without barriers. That’s powerful. That’s worth figuring out how to do well.
Where I’m At Now
Right now feels like a reset—in a good way.
Plans didn’t fall apart.
They just adjusted.
And honestly? I needed that.
There’s something nice about not forcing everything to happen all at once.
Looking Ahead to Summer
Summer is looking a little different from what I planned.
Still doing programming.
Still working with kids.
Still very much in it.
But maybe… just maybe… a little slower.
And I don’t hate that.
I think I might actually need a summer where I can:
build intentionally
breathe a little
and enjoy the work without feeling like I have to sprint through it
The mission hasn’t changed.
Kids still need support.
Families still need clarity.
Reading still matters.
But the pace? That might be shifting.
And for the first time in a while… that feels really good.