My first Donors Choose Project

Hey everyone! I had so many good intentions of posting this last week. However, we had lots of traveling, school events, funerals, and a broken computer which all play into why its getting posted now. From my phone.... hence the lack of built in links (note to blogger... id like your app much better if i could put pictures where i wanted them and hyperlink.)


So, have you heard of Donors Choose? basically its a place where teachers can go and write grants for materials they need in their classrooms and people can choose which projects to donate to. So, I've been a member of donors choose for YEARS now, but never written up a project until now. If you'd like to see my project copy and paste the link below (sorry I can't hyperlink it!)

http://www.donorschoose.org/erikareyes

For today and tomorrow only you can use the promo code INSPIRE and your donation to my project will be matched. So if you donate $20, $40 will be added to my project. Plus, it's all tax deductible! Love it!

If you can't donate now and want to later, you can still use the link. The only difference is, there won't be the promo code for matching.

Thanks in advance for supporting me and my classroom!!

Undiscussed Reality

I'm going to be very frank. I've chosen, after 9 years, the reality that I never wanted to consider as a possibility during that time.

I think there were moments of clarity during the last 9 years, when I'd realize that everyone doesn't end up with a baby of their own through miracles with treatments or adoption.

I read 1 blog in 9 years about a couple who had chosen to live child free, but she's stopped blogging, however she did recently post about a support group.

I think it's important to realize that this is reality for several people living with infertility.

They don't get to Resolve their infertility with children. At all. Ever.

I wish there were more of an outspoken community for us. Sometimes I feel as though I don't even fit in with the infertile community anymore because I'm living the reality no one wants to consider. Including me. Over the last 9 years.

However, I thankfully have zero regrets.

I think lots of people "feel bad for me" because "I'd be such a great mom". Or so I'm told every time our situation comes up in conversation.

However, I want people to stop feeling sorry for me and let us, John and I, be enough. It's enough for us, why can't it be enough for everyone else, too?

Anyway, I don't know how often I'll blog in this space, but I am going to keep it going, because, even though no one wants to consider this reality... When it becomes yours, I'll be here to sympathize with you.

National Board Update

Well, today was the day for the scores to be released. Thanks to the awesome video "Mitchell 20" I was very well prepared to not pass over 3 years the Mitchell school district had 20 teachers attempt at least 1 area of National Board Certification. Only 3 ever achieved. In order to achieve national board status, you have to have a composite score of 275 or higher. The picture shows my composite score...





Looks like I'll be trying again if I want to be a National Board Certified Teacher! Congrats to everyone that made it!

We're Done

This will probably not come to a shock to many people, John said he's known this was coming for a while now.  However, if you're offended I didn't tell you in person, I'm sorry. Don't take it personally, it wasn't a decision I was talking over with people or getting input from others on, not even John. He's always said this was my decision and he'd support me in whatever I decided.  I just finally told him what I had finally decided.

So, after attending an adoption orientation meeting last month in attempts to gather information, I can, officially, say we're done.  I will not be putting myself through any more treatments to become a parent nor will we be filling out mountains of paperwork trying to prove we're worthy enough to parent.  I informed John that I'm done.  I can't do it any more. It's not worth our relationship, which after being separated for 42 days this summer, I was reminded it is certainly the best part of my life.  So, we're done. Right now, I don't foresee us, as long as we're in a similar situation to now, ever changing this decision and I'm okay with that.

So, needless to say, I'm not sure what to do with this space of mine on the internet.  I could keep it, or not.  I could delete it, or not. I will still be blogging occasionally at my personal blog and I'm hoping to jump into the teacher blogging/creating world. Not sure if I'm dedicated enough for that, though! I've learned so much from this community and I've grown very attached to so many of you. I will still be following each of you, for sure!  Thanks for all of the support!  You're the best!

San Francisco and Airplanes

 We had a wonderful time in San Francisco!  The fun started right away.  We flew Virgin America.  LOVE them!  As we were coming into land at SFO we were looking out the window and saw this...

 The following videos show our landing... 

yeah.  SCARY! 

I'm sure I wasn't supposed to have my camera... but I couldn't help it.  Hopefully I don't get in trouble! 

However, just so you know, SFO has parallel runways, and two planes can land at virtually the same time and everything turns out alright.


While we were sitting on the runway, waiting to take off to come home we also saw this...

 What?  You don't KNOW what this is?  Why it's an Airbus A380 the largest passenger jet in the whole world! 

As you can see here one plane can land and another take off almost simultaneously, too!

 Then after take off when they told us we could use electronic devices again I got these great shots from the air. 

 The whole peninsula.  Such a great shot I can use to teach my kids at school about geographical landforms!

I love views of the ground, especially the beach, from the air!

San Francisco, Here we Come!

We're headed to San Francisco for the weekend. 

One of my college roomies is getting married!  This gave us the perfect excuse to take a little vacation. 

I can't wait to have delicious sourdough bread, visit fisherman's wharf, and see the Golden Gate Bridge.  Not to mention, see the town that played the setting for one of my most favorite TV series growing up! 

Plus... big city!  I'm SO excited! 

I'm so thrilled to be headed on vacation!  Pictures when I get back, promise!  

Denver Children's Museum

Who said children's museums were just for kids?  I must say, even though its in the top 12 in the country... it's NO Indianapolis Children's Museum!  I guess we've all been a little spoiled.  However, we still had a blast!

We explored most of the entire museum.  A hit with John and Logan was the rocket room. They got to design their own rockets and then test them out on the launchers.  These two were so involved they didn't even realize I had taken their pictures! 

 

My favorite part was definitely the bubble room.  However, I LOVE bubbles, so that shouldn't surprise anyone. 

blowing big bubbles.

Logan in the bubble box and dry ice filled bubbles (the white things) that you were supposed to try and catch. 

Me trying out the bubble box. 

Finally figuring out this giant bubble making.

Ready set twirl!

We had a crowd watching us!

My favorite picture.. half popped, half not!

 Then, Lilly created her first works of art!

finger and toe painting.

A family affair.

getting into it.

I'm done!

Getting cleaned up in the sink.

Proud daddy with a souvenir.

 Finally we headed downstairs and found a whole area for kids 0-4.  There was a crawling obstacle course which Lilly loved.  Everything in the 0-2 areas were super soft all the treas were squishy.  the 3-4 year old ares were harder, but still everything was accessible. 

Finally, a place for little ones!

Fishing with Uncle John

 Thanks for a fun day out!!