I have come to fall in love with teaching in Catholic schools. What are YOU in love with?...

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything." - Pedro Arrupe

Monday, January 29, 2018

The (truly) most wonderful time of the year

Depending on whom you ask, it's the best week to be in Catholic education...

Happy National Catholic Schools (CSW) Week! Let the crazy celebrations begin!

At my school, we kicked off CSW last Friday with a pep rally and the annual student-faculty basketball game.


Yes...I played. (I didn't score, but I played.) 

On Sunday the entire faculty and many families celebrated Mass. A couple of students and one colleague gave short testimonies about attending/working at our Catholic school. Then, in true Catholic fashion, many families enjoyed coffee, donuts, and fellowship.

This morning, parents and grandparents came to visit their children and their first classes. With first period off, I only had one class with parents today - 6th grade. We took a break from our regular curriculum to make and pray decade Rosaries. (It's usually a fan favorite, and today seemed to be no exception.)


quite a showing!

Remaining activities for the week include a school-wide service project, an all-school Mass with Cardinal Cupich, student appreciation activities, grade level sports games, a teacher appreciation luncheon, a school-wide spelling bee, the science fair, and Confirmation. Wow! We sure are packing it in. (And, as my mom reminded me, we have a full moon on our hands too...)

I am so blessed to have attended Catholic schools from K-12th grade (and then, later, Notre Dame) - and I continue marvel at the fact that my very job is centered around teaching and evangelizing the Catholic faith. It's really quite remarkable...


---
On an unrelated note, downtown Chicago is still beautifully adorned with some holiday lights - breathtaking, isn't it?



Happy Monday y'all!

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Take a Break...

Run away with us for the summer -
Let's go upstate!
We can all go stay with our father...

No, Hamilton is not just on the brain - it was truly an experience and welcomed break to go see it yesterday with some of my friends.



Most of us, myself included, had seen it before, but that didn't dampen or change our spirits. It actually gets better each time. (It helped to have seats on the orchestra level this time...)



Yep, we were that close. Facial expressions were extremely clear and the emotions were real.

And it truly was a break all day for me from the craziness of grad school and teaching - following the play, my sister, her fiancee, and a few other friends joined up with us, and we enjoyed drinks, dinner, and then some games at our friends' condo.

selfie almost worked - except I cut Kim out accidentally...

And this time Patrick wasn't looking...

Ah, finally the waiter helped us out - much better!

It's quite literally impossible to just work, work, work; though, sometimes I feel like I need to. My friends definitely keep me grounded and help me enjoy some time away to breathe, laugh, and enjoy the simple pleasures of this wonderful life.

Yesterday's adventures made today a little bit more bearable, even though I've literally been working on grad school stuff since I got home from the Catholic Schools Week kick-off Mass. This week is going to be crazy - so many events and deadlines both in and out of school - but it's going to all be okay...possibly even wonderful. (Please keep our 8th graders in your prayers this week - they receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Friday!)

Happy Catholic Schools Week!

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

A letter to my students

My dear students,

Do you see me looking at you
as you sit in your seats, 
unsure of the directions...
or, perhaps, of yourselves?

Do you know the hours I spend
after school and on weekends 
poring over lesson plans
and assessments,
as I try to meet each of you where you are at,
as I struggle to strike the perfect balance
between being kind and being demanding?

Do you sense the frustration in my eyes
when the chatter continues
long after I've requested the class's attention,
or when your work shows little effort,
when I know you could have done better?

Do you see me smile at you,
just at you,
when you share an insightful thought
or ask a challenging question,
when you persevere in a tough situation,
or when you just need someone to let you know it will be all right?

Do you know how much you matter to me,
how much I think about you?
I can't seem to get you out of my mind.
You have each found a home in my heart,
and nothing you do will ever change that.

And, 
more importantly, 
do you realize how much God loves you?
You are His beloved sons and daughters;
And He gazes at you,
protects you,
wraps His arms around you.

How I long to help you realize this love.
How I long to spend each day
teaching you meaningful content, yes,
but also helping you learn to be kind,
generous, loving, and courageous -
to help you be faith-filled saints in the making.

Each year it's so hard to watch you go -
to move on to high school
and to have no sure way of knowing 
what the future holds for you:
what contributions you'll make to your community and families,
what role your faith will play,
what kind of people you'll become...

But for now,
for today,
I want you to know I am here for you;
I am praying for you;
I would do anything for you;
and, above all, I love you.

Your teacher,
Miss Foyle

Sunday, January 21, 2018

I Saw God Today

From my own retreat with my Remick classmates in (mostly) sunny Florida this weekend to my students' Confirmation retreat back home today, I feel incredibly blessed to have spent so much time being purposefully and constantly reminded of God's presence and love for each of us.

I saw God in nature - in the sunshine, the wildlife, the sunrises and sunsets...







I saw God in people...
especially my amazing PLC:






And, well, everyone (including my parents who are not pictured here but whom I saw in FL)...

Friday night fun

more Friday night fun

ACE Phoenix forever!

RLP 15 - minus myself and a few others who couldn't come/stay till Sunday

I saw God in the students and faculty of the school we visited and in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation that I was able to receive...




the good old ACE pocket schedule



And, when I got back home, I even saw God in the dreary Midwest weather. I saw Him in the Confirmation students and in those who helped prepare and execute the retreat.

I can see Him because He constantly is seeking us and surprising us...and because I'm on the lookout too.

Now, I'm not going to pretend that this semester is not giving me less than a great deal of anxiety right now - the workload and the fact that I can't quite wrap my head around all of the assignments yet is scary. I know I (and my classmates) can handle it, but I do ask that you keep us in prayer as we embark on this final semester. (I also would appreciate anyone who is willing to check from time to time to make sure I am still coming up for "air"/breaks. Thanks.)

Let's get ready to gear up for Catholic Schools Week!

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Play On

All humans are musical; why else would the Lord have given you a beating heart? 
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

Growing up, I can hardly recall a day in our house that I didn't hear the tinkling of piano keys or the strumming of guitar strings. Music in all of its glorious forms is something that has been a part of me, deep within me, for as long as I can remember. My parents put me and my sister through lessons, piano first (starting in kindergarten and going through college) followed by flute lessons (starting in third grade and going through high school) as well as different choir and voice opportunities. It was such a gift, and now, as an adult, I realize how special those opportunities were.

But recently, I realized I was missing being able to play the piano. Only after I purchased a keyboard (88 weighted keys + a sustain pedal!) did I realize just how good it would be to practice again. I have found that my fingers can find their way (mostly) to the right keys when I take out my music. Yet, scales hurt my left hand (because it's so weak), and I have a lot of work to do to be able to play some of the songs I once did. Still, I have also found such peace seated on my small bench (which also came with the keyboard). Between playing the keyboard and going to the gym/running, I know I can reduce the stress of the upcoming final semester of grad school.

Beautiful, isn't it?


And so, I play on...

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I probably speak for a lot of people when I say that it was a LONG week back after Christmas break. That kind of week calls for a celebration, so what better way to do that than to gather some of your best friends together for sushi and wine.


It was lovely to catch up with these smiling faces - for some it had been much too long, while others I had seen multiple times this past week. Either way, the conversation and company were terrific.

Cheers to the start of 2018!
(And extra cheers because I found my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding today!)

Monday, January 8, 2018

Why failing to fail is the worst failure of all

One of my favorite songs as a kid had a line in the middle that said, "You gotta win a little, lose a little..." I have to lose, huh? Yes, it is part of the process.

If you don't want to take it from me or from this song, just look at a handful of many bits of wisdom about failure a quick Google search provided:

"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." - Albert Einstein

"Failure is not the opposite of success; it is part of success." - Anonymous

"Winners are not afraid of losing. But losers are. Failure is part of the process of success. People who avoid failure avoid success." - Robert Kiyosaki

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill


The reason I was thinking about this idea of failure recently is not because of grad school. Please, we haven't even started the semester yet! Instead, it is because I binge-watched the first season of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" on Amazon this weekend. (I'm not saying I'm proud of that - it was way too much television in too short a period of time.) While some of the language and topics are crude/distasteful, I think the show has value overall. One of the big ideas I think audiences can take away is that everybody bombs. Tanking is part of the process. And you have to be okay with that - not just okay, though; you have to be willing to learn from it.

If you've seen the show, you know that Midge carries around that notebook of hers that she uses to take copious notes once she decides comedy is her thing. That's an example of how Midge is willing (after a few periods of serious self-doubt about her talent) to learn from the success of others and a combination of her own successes and failures. Her manager and a few others help her figure this out. (Don't worry, I wouldn't consider this information a spoiler.)

Growing up, I was way too serious about everything and often nervous to try something new if I thought I wouldn't measure up to the expectations. This went for school, sports, extracurriculars, classes I decided to take in college - you name it. I probably missed out on a lot. I'm surprised I didn't give myself ulcers. And it was my own fault - I brought that fear of failure on myself; it wasn't exercised on me by anyone else. I just couldn't get comfortable with failing.

But let me tell you something, teaching has made me less afraid of failure because it's impossible not to fall flat on your face from time to time (or, daily) in front of your students. Without the failure, I wouldn't know how to get better as a teacher. Nothing is more honest and raw than the feedback of a teenager - they let you know if something wasn't good or right. Working with kids is humbling and, sometimes, slightly humiliating on a regular basis.

I'm never going to be one of those picture-perfect Pinterest teachers who make everything and every lesson seem like magic and unicorns. It's messy business. It's hard work. And when I got into it, I had no idea how much I was going to fail - no one prepares you for that; nothing can prepare you for the students in your care. But you know something else? Kids are resilient. They'll learn something, even if the day felt like a flop. And they'll still love you, even when you wanted to (metaphorically) wring their necks the day before. Failure is a natural part of the learning cycle - you just gotta keep it going with persistence, creativity, hard work, and a little (or a lot of) luck.

So fail big, my friends. Or, in the words of Randy Pausch (The Last Lecture), "Better to fail spectacularly than to do something mediocre." And, make sure you take time to learn from it. (Don't worry, I'm taking my own advice too.)

Can you tell school is on the brain? We're back at it... How many weeks until Easter break?

Sunday, January 7, 2018

Oh, the places we will go

Over the break, my family and I tried to count how many states we had each been to. Don't ask me the reason - I honestly don't remember. But it was challenging to keep track on our fingers - Was I on 25 or 20? Man, I need to start over again.

I figured it out - I'm up to 38 states visited, which means I only have 12 more to go. But now I have an easier (and prettier!) way to keep track. A few months ago I saw a flash sale advertised online about USA maps. But the map I was considering was unique - using a coin, you can scratch off the states you have been to, revealing a beautiful array of water colors below the golden surface.


I decided to finally take it out of the mailing tube yesterday and to get a frame for it. Best to get it up before the craziness of school starts again, that's what my thought was. When I got home with the frame (and a few other things from Michael's - they were having an 80% off clearance sale), I flattened out the poster with books, and I started scratching away. I don't know how long it took to get those 38 states cleared off - the ones that took the longest and required the most concentration were the small states in the Northeast as well as the biggest states - but I did it!

The final step was to put some nails in the wall - this was easier said than done because I am not known for my ability to hang things straight. But I ended up being pretty successful, and the map now hangs above a painting of the Chicago Theater marquee I did at one of those wine nights with my coworkers several years ago:



It looks like I better start planning a few more road trips...

Friday, January 5, 2018

Finding God in the Uneventful

“The uneventful day is a precious gift.”

This quote has stayed with me long since I turned the final page of Cutting for Stone, a beautiful novel about twin brothers in Africa who grow up to become involved in medicine. It is a simple reminder that we need to treasure each moment, not taking anything or anyone for granted.

As I am on the verge of returning to my "normal" school routine (along with many other teachers across the city and country), I need to make sure I don't get stuck in a rut. Every morning brings potential and hope; each day is a fresh start. And even if nothing significant happened, it's important to recognize just that...


The students did their assigned activities, mostly finishing within the class period...

Traffic was not too bad, but it still took awhile to get home...

The meetings went as planned...

There was nothing particularly worthwhile to post on Instagram or Facebook...


But, I had today. 

And as un-noteworthy as it may have been, it was mine to do with what I was able, hopefully helping a few others along the way.

And, God willing, I get to start again tomorrow.

That, my friends, is a precious gift. And that, my friends, is worth thanking God for.

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Seek and you shall...journal?

I bought myself a Christmas gift.


I've been meaning to get back into journaling for awhile now, so I decided to put an end to my excuses. This journal's format provides space to daily record morning and evening entries. The morning entry focuses on gratitude as well as anticipated challenges and grace you need from God. The evening entry focuses on the high and low moments from your day. At the end of each week, there is a weekly reflection as well as ponder questions and space for prayer intentions.

It's incredibly simple and structured...and that makes it all the more likely I will use it (thoughtfully). I think it makes a difference to go into each day naming a challenge you anticipate so that you are aware of it when it comes and how God can help you in that situation or with those feelings.

The back of the book includes a number of Jesuit prayers. I've included a few of my favorites here:





You can read more about the journal at the Ignatian Resources website. If you think journaling may help your relationship with God and others, I recommend you look into getting one (or at least getting a blank notebook).

In other news, I saw a post on someone's Facebook or Instagram about a Saint's name generator - it's a website that randomly gives the user a Saint. The idea is that you learn more about the Saint or you invoke the Saint's help for the year (or for a time period). Lo and behold, I got St. John Bosco! Needless to say, I was pretty excited (even if it is just a random online generator). I love the Salesians - and they keep finding a way to come back into my life...


The Saints are a great way to grow closer to God and to inspire us to live each day striving to be the best versions of ourselves. Inspired by this, one of my New Year's goals is to invoke the intercession of both John Bosco and Mary, Help of Christians, each day during 2018. (I'm also trying to cook more regularly and eat more healthily this year, but that's another story for another time...)

St. John Bosco, pray for us! Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us! I hope 2018 is off to a wonderful start for you and your loved ones.