Mandi Van Dellen

Thanksgiving, in Hindsight

Mom! Megan won’t let me curl my hair!

Do you like this outfit? You do? Well, I’m not comfortable, I’m going to go change again…

Morgan, it’s time to get up!

Brody has Dad’s shoe again!

Mandi, that’s my shirt! And no, you can’t wear it!

Girls, we were supposed to be out the door 10 minutes ago…

Has anyone seen dad? (Look out the window) Yep, he’s sitting in the car waiting for all of us.

Wait, did someone grab the rolls?

A typical Thanksgiving morning conversation in the Carlson household. The chaos of 4 girls trying to get ready and out the door in time to arrive at Grandpa and Grandma’s on time. In our minds (the females in the family), on time meant before dinner was served. In Dad’s mind, on time meant at the start of the gathering. Our typical arrival was somewhere in between with some side bickering along the way.

But then…

There was the aroma of mom’s rolls which overtook the cocktail of Abercrombie 8, Clinique Happy and wet nail polish that was aerating from the backseat.

And 2 plus hours later walking into Grandma and Grandpa’s to see Grandma’s tiny little frame pulling a delicious pie out of the oven. The gravy simmering on the stove top. The turkey prepped. And of course…the essential cinnamon and poppy-seed loaves already cut and ready to be covered with butter that was somehow always the perfect temperature. Whichever cousin had promptly grabbed Grandma upon arrival was likely to be using, the best kitchen gadget, the hand-mixture, to whip up the cream for the pies. The rest of us were pushing our way around the table, that always felt larger than it actually was, to admire the task. All the while, Grandma carried on with her stories and laughter, never breaking the smile on her face or stopping long enough to catch her reflection and notice the sole roller she’d forgotten in her hair.

In the front room, the rest of the family was attempting to greet one another over the noise of the football game while awkwardly trying to find a place to sit until dinner (which was rather hard because Grandpa had filled every available space with tables and chairs). As for all the cousins, we were somewhere between dumping the nostalgic 5-gallon bucket of marbles out, dressing up in Grandpa and Grandma’s square dancing outfits, getting tickled by dad and Uncle Mick, seeing how fast we could make Grandpa’s exercise bike go, or locking each other in the scary blue room.

As soon as Grandma hollered, “Dinner!” from the kitchen, everyone found their way to the table. For years, I recall looking up at the big table wondering how many more years I had to sit down here at the kid’s table.

There was the choral saying of grace, and the traditional go around the table and share what you were thankful for, and then it began…the juggling of the platters and filling of our bellies till we felt like a stuffed turkey ourselves.

This…

This is what I remember about Thanksgiving.

It’s been several years since Grandma’s passing, one since Grandpa’s, and far too many since I’ve been with my sisters and parents to celebrate Thanksgiving. Knowing we would be in Amsterdam for the holiday this year, it was no surprise that this year would be another spent apart, unfortunately.

In my mind, I knew I wasn’t going to come across Thanksgiving decorations in the store, nor was I going to witness the hustle and bustle at the turkey freezers in the supermarket, given it’s an American holiday. But for some reason, I couldn’t convince myself to chalk it up as a different year.

But it would be easier to do so.

We live in a flat. Our oven is the size of my old Easy Bake. I’m pretty sure we own exactly one set of Ikea plates. Oh, and let’s not negate the fact that I’d been living on coffee for a solid two weeks. Yep, Cooper was in the midst of a cold and a serious battle with his top two teeth.

As hard as I tried to tell myself to let it go, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I love this time of year. Over one of the many walks to the supermarket, I got to thinking about traditions and how some traditions just stop. For example, sometimes these savory memories become just that, a memory. And while some things are better forgotten, I prefer to be the one who determines when that happens, not the other way around. And… I’m not ready to wake up on Thanksgiving without smelling rolls, or sneak snacking on a pumpkin bar!

Therefore, the decision to host Thanksgiving in Amsterdam was made!

Now, as you might expect, the next big questions was: Who do we invite? This didn’t end up being a long drawn out conversation because, well…we don’t know that many people in the Netherlands! Our guest list ended up being some Dutchies, Italians, Chinese, and Americans.

My favorite comment, after sending out the invitation, came from Andy’s Italian co-worker, who just couldn’t comprehend why you’d eat dinner in the middle of the afternoon. Wasn’t this going to screw up dinner?

As soon as the invite went out it was time to start planning. However, instead, we decided to take a quick trip to England for some family time with the Wades!

The one task I requested of Andy before heading to England was to figure out a turkey. About 10 minutes prior to boarding he called one of the few butchers in town who sold turkeys (turkeys aren’t sold in stores here…ever) and was able to set something up. No later than 5 seconds after hanging up his phone he looked at me and said, “Hmm, I forgot to ask how much it was going to be.” As Andy does, he started Googling and discovered that the 8.5lb turkey he just ordered (which we weren’t even sure would fit in the oven) could cost about 170 Euros. “Holy shit, I like Thanksgiving, but for that amount, we aren’t having turkey!” He decided to call the butcher back in hopes of finding that this fresh, free-range turkey coming from France was not actually going to cost us nearly 200 dollars, and if it was, he was going to cancel the order. Luckily, it was going to cost about 70 Euros instead (still a bit steep!).

Upon returning from England, I started trying to organize my thoughts around how we were actually going to pull this off. I started with a menu, then broke down the menu into shopping days (considering the longevity of the product and of course how much Cooper and I could carry each day) as well as the size of our fridge, then finally taking an inventory of each dish in our flat and matching it with menu items:

Over the course of 5 days:

Cooper and I went to the store at least once a day
Maxed out (thus far) how much we could carry back from the store

Discovered that sour cream (zure room) does exist here, even though every store owner claims it doesn’t (gotta have those cheesy pots!)
Confirmed that pumpkin pie is non-existent, as well as canned pumpkin (luckily Cooper let me use his fall toys in the pumpkin bars)
Made both whipping cream and frosting (this isn’t really significant other than we had no need for whipping cream)
Successfully prepared a Thanksgiving dinner for 13 people with no kitchen appliances (other than oven, stove, and microwave)!
Discovered how to stream a recording of the Lions game to watch
…and had a lovely day sharing our Thanksgiving Traditions with family and new friends.

Andy wanted a bacon wrapped turkey. *If you’re going to show people how Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, you have to put bacon on everything!!*

In attendance was Uncle Ryan, the one who cuddles with the babies and winds up all the little ones. Aunt Xiaomin, who showed up with wine and a turkey crafts to entertain the kiddos. The Dutchees who were starving but didn’t eat…we finally realized this after they informed us that the Dutch would never eat before the host! As soon as Andy took some food they were much happier;) The Italians who wanted to support the American tradition and show up with marshmallow potatoes (as they called it) but after several YouTube videos and frustration decided to bring what they know best…tiramisu (which no one was upset about!). A few Americans who showed up late, because that’s what we do. And of course Cooper, who successfully managed to pull off an Irish Good Bye.

The Friday night before our Thanksgiving, (we celebrated on Saturday because everyone had to work Thursday) Andy and I got take out, made a few gin and tonics and finalized our prep. Somewhere between gin and tonic number 1 and 2…or 3, we got to talking about what we want Cooper to remember about our holidays and what traditions we want to share with him, a conversation we may not have had if we decided to forgo the holiday.

As we embark upon Christmas, another holiday away, I hope to remind myself it’s not about the size of the house, the number of dishes in the kitchen, or all the nots, but rather the opportunities that exist to create new memories, continue old traditions and start new ones.

We wish you and your families a wonderful holiday and look forward to continuing the conversation in the New Year!

Twintig Ervaring Van Leven Buitenland: Deel Twee

Twintig Ervaring Van Leven Buitenland: Deel Twee

(20 Lessons From Life Abroad: Part 2)

As promised, Part 2 of our Lessons from Life Abroad:

Nummer 11: Don’t Take Things For Granted…Like Amazon Prime

My love for Amazon Prime and the conveniences of American shopping run deep. From everyday necessities like deodorant and diapers to just in time birthday gifts, and then, of course, the items you prefer not to be seen buying…like pregnancy tests. Amazon Prime lives on my list of all-time favorite things. So, you can imagine how disappointed I was to learn that the Dutch Amazon Prime only exits for books. You read that correctly…books! Now, I am all about getting lost in some good fiction, but that’s beside the point!

After doing some research, in hopes of deeming this a myth, I discovered a few things:

Amazon Prime NL is really only for books.
You can use your Prime Account anywhere, which is pretty incredible, that is unless you want to buy more things than books.
Amazon Prime Germany delivers to the NL. Pitfalls: Still not all the products and two days is a lie.
Trying to use our US Prime Account to ship to the NL…niet goed. Let’s just say when you calculate the shipping costs, the deals are non-existent (I tried everything!).
bol.com: the Dutch version. Pitfalls: Not as many products, you have to spend 20 Euros for free shipping, and your box doesn’t greet you with a smile.

Don’t forget to appreciate all you have…I now have to go walk to the store to get 100 diapers.

Nummer 12: Swap Your Lenses for Your Shields

Speaking of walking to the store, it took me about three weeks to master Lesson Number 12: It’s more important to grab your raincoat/stroller shield than your sunglasses. From Phoenix to Reno, it is routine for me to have a pair of sunnies with me. We learned this the hard way and now pay much closer attention to the app Buienradar, which gives the rain forecast in 5-minute increments! Lesson 12.2 – Dutch rain forecasting is accurate, take a page US meteorologists, the rain predictions are down to the minute.

Nummer 13: “If It Ain’t Broken, Don’t Fix It”

Several Dutchees say, “We’re always 10 years behind what you do… (in the States)” and in some ways, I hear and see what they mean. However, there is what is believed to be a Stone Age Phrase: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

After getting all of our paperwork in order and finalizing Visa’s etc. we were informed that the government would reach out to set up Cooper’s doctor appointments. Knowing Reno, you should have signed up before you thought about getting pregnant, so this sounded super. I was excited that I didn’t have to search for pediatricians. Also, much to our surprise, we were informed that the doctor made house calls. Not going to lie, my initial thought was, “Igh, is this like a child protective service visit?!” After speaking to a few local moms, it became apparent that is not the intent. The Netherlands still uses home visits occasionally, a newborn child being one of those reasons.

During our wonderful visit with the doctor, the thinking behind the structure was explained: It doesn’t make sense to stress a new mom and baby by making them get all loaded up (most likely on a bike) to go to an appointment, or to bring a little one into an office full of germs when the doctor can just come to your home.

Overall, this experience was extremely valued. Cooper was chill and playing with his toys while the doctor and I had a coffee and talked about Cooper’s health and his future appointments. While not every one of his appointments will be done at the flat, it’s a much nicer experience! They also gift you a booklet to keep track of all Cooper’s records and information (A bit nicer than handwritten notes on a piece of paper!).

*Additional Fact: After giving birth here, a nurse moves into your home for over a week to support your family in the transition!

My vote goes for bringing this practice back!

Nummer 14: Everyone Speaks English, But It’s Appreciated If You Attempt to Speak Dutch (So They Say)

Nummer 14, it pretty much speaks for itself. As more than tourists in the country, Andy and I decided to at least make an attempt at learning Dutch. Insert Duo Lingo. If your not familiar with this app, it’s worth checking out. Some couples struggle to find ways to connect with each other once they have little ones, Andy and I, on the other hand, find great fun in our evening routine:

Step 1: Finish dinner
Step 2: Find a nightcap (ranging from hot cocoa to beer/wine)
Step 3: 7-30 minutes of Dutch Language Practice.

Here are a few noteworthy takeaways:

Repeating the word a million times doesn’t make it easier to translate.
No matter how many times Andy says, “I #*$%ing nailed that!”, meisje is not vrouw. (I must take pride on the few times I am right and Andy is wrong.)
If Step #2 in the above-outlined routine has occurred for too long Step #3 is a waste of time. (Yes, sugar has the same effect as alcohol.)
It is very easy for Engels to sound like anal if your pronunciation is not precise….(You can imagine the look you get if you ask someone to “sprek anal.”)

Nummer 15: Word of the Day Helps Nummer 14

A few days into work, Andy came home and informed me that his Dutch colleagues made it their goal to help him learn Dutch (even though the official office language is English). “How are they doing that?” He explained that they are giving him a word of the day. They will teach him the word, it’s definition, how it might vary in pronunciation through different parts of the country and then review it over time. “Makes sense, so what was your first word?”

“echtscheiden”

I’ll give you a moment to look that up…it will clarify where his colleagues now stand on my list.

Apparently, the words are selected by how tricky the throaty sound is…I’m still skeptical.

Cooper and I also work on Words of the Day, some might say we decided to take a much more family-friendly approach:

Nummer 16: Don’t Assume…Packages May Not Be What You Think They Are

We had been doing so well…finding our stride between curriculum writing, daily trips to the store, getting out, laundry, introducing solids, making sure the dishes are clean etc…and then came a little reminder…not to get ahead of myself. Or as previously mentioned: Don’t Assume. It had been a good 2 weeks or so of me frantically trying to check daily tasks of my To-Do List when I mentioned to Andy that I needed him to add dishwasher detergent to the shopping list for me. His confused expression led me to ask, “What?” “Well, I’m not sure why we need a new box of detergent tabs when there is a whole box under the sink.” He opens the cabinet and instantly I was reminded that my hair is still blonde. But in case you were wondering, laundry detergent also gets the dishes clean.

Nummer 17:

Upon moving into our flat we were surprised to see our new laundry set up. At first, I was confused because of the one tiny machine. Then, we discovered that the one machine, may be small but it has a big job, it’s both, the washer and the dryer. Wow! That’s space effective. Take a look:

As we continue to establish a relationship with one another, some keys takeaways to note:

Small in size = small loads, therefore laundry is being done about 4 days a week
Eco-Friendly: I need to revisit the definition because Eco-Friendly shouldn’t mean constantly running
You can’t identify when the washer turns into a dryer: some baby toys now have new shapes
All of the symbols are foreign and don’t mean anything. We still aren’t sure which number to put the dial on
Dry = nonexistent, regardless of the dry time it’s still wet. (Insert drying rack into living room decor)

Andy was very impressed with himself this week, because he finally figured out how to dry a load of laundry. As he hung the final pieces, I hear, “You’re going to have to do some work on this!” holding up one of Cooper’s onesies (showing me a stain that was on the outfit, pre-wash). A few more items go on the rack and Andy goes back to throw in another load. “Hmm…” I hear from the laundry room. “I just hung up that load, yet the entire tablet is still here in the machine.” “What setting do you have it on?,” I ask. As we start putting it all together, Andy realizes, he ran the load on dry only, setting all the stains, and that was why they were finally dry. Down came the laundry rack along with our positive vibes for this machine.

Nummer 18: Kind Neighbors Exist Here Too

There is a rumor that many Dutch families like to keep to themselves. Luckily for us, this has not been the case. In fact, we continue to be pleasantly surprised at the thoughtfulness and hospitality of our neighbors, Andy’s co-workers, and those that Andy refers to as our “distant family members.” In Reno, we remain thankful for our kind and considerate neighbors, so it’s been refreshing to experience a similar feel here. From coffee dates to cocktails that turn into dinner and late night knocks for wine bottle openers, it helps to make this pseudo home feel a bit more like home. Below is a welcome gift we received from our next door neighbors:

We are slowly making our way through the traditional Dutch items. So far, nothing has been put back on their doorstep (which is what I said I would do for the items we dislike).

Nummer 19: Little Ones Are In Deed Helpful

Prior to having a little one of our own, many people were often expressing how exhausting it can be to look after one all day. After several years with 30+ 7-year-olds to call my own, I often chuckled at these remarks. I’m happy to report that I’m not sure what everyone was always talking about…Cooper is turning out to be one SUPER helpful little dude around here:

Regardless of the sarcasm behind Nummer 19, this little guy continues to bring a smile to our faces each and every day!

Nummer 20: The Number 7 Is Still My Favorite

The Number 7 has been my favorite number for several years now. The love for this number began somewhere in Junior High when it became my volleyball number. Years later, whenever asked I still call it out as my lucky number. This past week was a reminder of why I still love this number:

Thursday, October 11th, Andy and I traveled to our 7th country together.
Friday, October 12th, we celebrated Cooper’s 7th month birthday.
Monday, October 15th, Andy and I celebrated our 7th anniversary.

In true Andy fashion, we celebrated the trifecta of my lucky number with an experience:

And with that… Proost to Norway, Proost to the Lucky Number 7, and Cheers to Continued Learning over the next 9.5 months!

Twintig Ervaring Van Leven Buitenland: Deel Een

Twintig Ervaring Van Leven Buitenland: Deel Een

(20 Lessons From Life Abroad: Part 1)

A few nights ago, Andy and I were enjoying a lovely dinner of tasty farmers market items when it hit us, we’ve been here for 1 month! Gek! (translated: crazy)

While we are by no means locals, we learned several important lessons. If you’re inclined, continue reading to hear our Part 1 of our Top 20 Lessons (so far) From Living Abroad:

Nummer 1: local markets are worth it

It’s true, visiting the neighborhood markets are fun and have several perks: they can lead to some delicious dinners, Cooper is captivated by all the colors and smells, and there are great spots to pick up some sneak snacks (otherwise known as unnecessary snacks).

The downside? The markets are responsible for me trying gluten again and exploring the answer to this question: is it the gluten or how it gets processed in the US that makes me uncomfortable? Hence, the introduction of Mandi’s #glutentreatoftheday. As you might expect, this study was initiated when I walked into the local Co-Op and that fragrant Dutch Apple Pie (pictured below) had just come out of the oven. #sorrynotsorry #sold #grandmasguiltyforthislove

Nummer 2: Koffie

This lesson doesn’t need an explanation for any of you that know me, but let’s just say, while I do have a hankering for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, I am by no means deprived of coffee. I informed Andy that as long as I have enough coins in the diaper bag for a coffee once a day, then I’m happy. You know, because coins aren’t the same as spending real money:) I’m not sure he was impressed with that statement, however, today he left with a pile of coins on the table. Maybe this isn’t something he learned as much as something he remembered: Happy Wife, Happy Life.

Nummer 3: The Cheese is Lekker, The Wine is Cheap, and The Beer is Nearby

So far, the important lessons all lead to caloric intake. Which I guess is fair, given we typically prefer to explore cities through our bellies. Hopefully, over the next few months, that’s not displayed in our selfies! But seriously…the cheese, it is SO good! We can’t stop. At any given point we have about 5 different kinds in our fridge.

12 Euros. Yup, that’s the price of my current house wine. Did I mention that’s for 3 bottles and it’s not even Boons Farm?

As for the beer, and Andy’s belly, luckily, Cooper and I stumbled upon a quaint craft beer store in our neighborhood, De Beirkoning. I foresee lots of Andy’s daily coins being spent here. Although I must confess, #glutentreatoftheday has been several sips of these beers.

Nummer 4: Shopping Carts

Although it seems like a nice idea, we can’t survive on markets, cheese, wine, and beer. Enter Jumbo and Albert Hein, the two most common grocery stores in our neighborhood. To get the way of the land, we decided to do our first store run as a family. Thank god we did, because it’s nice to have someone to laugh about this lesson with.

Upon arrival at Jumbo, Andy went to grab us a shopping cart. A few seconds later he came back and informed me that he can’t get the cart. Confused, I asked, “What do you mean?” “I don’t know. Everyone is walking up and inserting something and then they get a cart, it looks like it should be coins, but it’s not. I don’t know what it is and I feel like an idiot standing there.” I walk over to the carts, intending to prove him wrong. Fail. I can’t get the cart out either. We decide to sit on the bench outside the store and observe, hoping we look casual doing so. After a few minutes we can’t figure it out, so Andy asks the next couple that comes out of Jumbo how to get a cart.

After laughing at us, the kind couple taught us lesson number 4: you either get a special key from the store or put money into the carts to get them unlocked. This lesson made shopping so much easier.

Nummer 5: Shopping

Along with the shopping cart challenge, lesson number 5 also came from Jumbo. To the left, the shopping carts. To the right these:

Obviously, these are scanners to take through the store with you. However, not everyone uses them. So what’s the perk? After some additional observing, we learned the importance of the personal scanner: since everyone has to carry their groceries back by hand, or bike, they often have their own bags with them. If you opt for the scanner you can scan the items as you shop and pack your bags during your shop. When you’re done, you just turn in your scanner and pay. Briljant! This way, you’re organized and efficiently packed for your pedal home!

Nummer 6: The Transportation of Groceries

It’s taken us nearly 4 weeks to figure out our shopping schedule. What’s the big deal you ask? Well, let’s just say, you scream American when you leave the store looking like this:

I circled Cooper’s foot in the photo to showcase his help and prove that he’s actually in the stroller. Gone are the days of Costco runs and stockpiling groceries for over a week. After 1 trip like this, several awkward glances on the route home, and a conversation with a local, we adapted and started doing several shops a week. I may still be pretending that I am enjoying the experience, but at least we don’t stand out quite as much.

Nummer 7: Cooper’s Sleep Schedule

Casey, Margaret, Elise and Shannon, I know we all questioned once or twice how the #$%^ to get our little ones to take a good nap during the day. Well, we figured it out. Walk EVERYWHERE. Andy and I had several conversations during our first few weeks where we questioned what to do if Cooper continued to sleep every time he went in the stroller. Luckily, after a month, he learned how to stay awake going over the cobblestone!

Nummer 8: Lamberfeeties, Bikes, Ferries, Trains, Trams, Uber & Busses

Between the three of us, we have explored all of the major types of transportation available to us, without a car. There isn’t too much to report here, however a few quick lessons:

When waiting at the bus station, you actually have to wave it down in order for it to stop. We learned this the hard way.

When traveling by car, car seats are optional…

(I can’t even post the photo of this due to my guilt.)

I swear this will not become a habit! Let’s just say it was a late night and we needed to get home and the Uber driver was supposed to drive slowly.

And by train…

sometimes the lifts are gebroken, so you make do.

Nummer 9: Damesfiets and Heren Fiets

After several days of walking an average of 6 miles, it was time to purchase bikes. Andy was pretty sure he wanted a Vanmoof (aka The Moof), and I wasn’t sure what I wanted. A Vanmoof seemed very cool and hip, yet an Oma Fiets seemed appealing as well.

As soon as Andy made his purchase he was pumped and I was jealous. I mean wouldn’t you be:

Several more days of searching led me to what I believed was the perfect purchase:

There are so many reasons why I loved this bike. Yes, if you are carefully reading that was loved not love. I looked at this bike over the course of three days (editors note, for anyone who knows Ang or Mandi, for some reason it takes 3 days, all to the same store, just to make a purchase. #isavedsomuch #ilovekohls #Mangie – avd). Finally, I was ready to make my purchase. Cooper and I were back at the shop, Euros in hand. As I was about to pay, I asked the elderly gentleman to show me the serial number on the bike so that I could check to make sure it wasn’t a stolen bike. Let’s just say this didn’t go over very well and my morals kicked in. He got irritated and annoyed, which made me really believe it was stolen. So, once again, Cooper and I walked back to our flat for the millionth time in a week. Which brings us to lesson nummer 10.

Nummer 10: Some things are worth the wait

Some of you may recall that Andy is looking forward to purchasing a minivan when we get back to the states. Knowing this is his dream, I would never dream of taking it away. However, somehow, I have ended up with the minivan.

After making the moral decision not to purchase the likely stolen Cortina, I was devastated…and still walking…everywhere.

Two days later, Andy informed me that he lined up another test drive. Skeptical, Cooper and I went along for the drive. Details are unnecessary at this point, so let’s just say it was love at first sight. 100% worth the wait. Racks, big cushy seat, basket (Andy’s modifications for the umbrella stroller) and all ..a real mini van of a bike! We call her the Zelle and she makes me and Cooper very happy.

And with that, your drink is probably gone by now, or your baby asleep, so I am going to call that good! Look for Twintig Ervaring Van Leven Buitenland: Deel Twee coming soon, Lessons 11-20!

“Tell Me What You See”

“Tell Me What You See…”

Recently, I had coffee with a good friend, one cup quickly turned into several. We found ourselves discussing the lack of resources that support human interaction, specifically, in the world of education. It’s possible that saying a lack of resources isn’t the right phrase. We expect teachers to instill the importance of human interaction with their students, but we don’t acknowledge and prioritize that interaction between teachers, admins and adult learners in a genuine way.

If you’re asking yourself what this means: educators are encouraged to facilitate effective PLCs, coaches are asked to jump in and “coach” during the second week of school, teachers need to “get teammates on board,” or provide one day for staff to team build for an entire year’s worth collaboration. Yet, establishing a connection with colleagues isn’t prioritized which limits success. These pseudo relationships create less effective interactions, forced conversations and a lack of stakeholders on both sides of the equation.

This concept may seem elementary or completely foreign. I work with educators who say, “I went to school to work with children, no one prepared me for the challenges of working with adults.” Honestly, I can’t blame them. From my experience, I agree, there weren’t courses that addressed adult learning, communication, team building, or highlighting the importance of genuine relationship building. With 10 years in the workplace, these are skills that learned on the job, maybe we should consider investing in authentic interpersonal communication.

“No, you ask me a question about the art, and tell me what you see.”

I received this response three years ago when my husband and I traveled in The Netherlands. We stayed at a B&B located above an art gallery. Growing up with a sister who studied art, I was always fascinated by her work and how often I did not “see” the message. It frustrated me. I strived to look at her work, and understand her message. Unfortunately, I stand there. Looking. Thinking. Trying to synthesize a deep meaning. Yet…alI I see is an ass, a rock hard one.

This frustration carried with me for years. Until our stay at Jacoba’s art gallery. We were enjoying a steaming cup of coffee as I asked her for a tour of her gallery. Her curt, Dutch reply was, “ No. I will walk with you, you will ask me a question about the art, and tell me what you see.” I awkwardly laughed knowing this was a terrible game for me to play. Quickly realizing she wasn’t laughing, I grabbed my coffee and walked over to the above statue with her.

“Through art, humans can learn how to communicate and connect.”

This was the first thing Jacoba said as we looked at the (above) statue. She explained that engaging with artwork allows humans to connect.

What do I see?
What do I think about the piece?
Is that similar or different from her interpretation?

Reassuring me there was no right or wrong way to interpret the work, my reservations lifted. We carried on discussing what we saw, what it meant, and exploring what we didn’t see.

This experience sticks out nearly 3 years later. Works of art, allowed complete strangers to engage for an hour, one an expert in art and the other feeling like the first statue about it. I began to see her perspectives and interpretations and likewise for her. We found ourselves talking about the art, but also built a relationship as we explored the foundation of our thoughts and emotions.

Living Aboard

Ironically, three weeks ago my husband, son and I relocated to The Netherlands for 10 months. Being in this country, reminded me of Jacoba and our art walk. Many interactions provide us with the opportunity to connect with others, but are we aware of them? If so, do we allow ourselves and colleagues to invest in these interactions? Regardless of language barriers, location, grade levels, ages etc. opportunities to connect are all around us.

The Universal Language

As expected, my 6-month-old doesn’t speak. However, I can’t tell you how many “conversations” we engaged in with individuals who speak Dutch. A majority of these conversations are not understood by me, but we connect and laugh over Cooper’s smile. Last week in the flower shop, the store owner tickled Cooper’s face with a flower and conversed with him in Dutch. She looked at me blankly as I responded in English and Cooper giggled. We carried on for another 5-10 minutes; three people and three languages. Her speaking to Cooper in Dutch. Me responding in English. Then, both of us laughing at Cooper who spoke in giggles and grins. None of us understand the entire conversation, but we connected. When I went back a few days later we engaged as if we were old friends. Even though we don’t speak the same language, my return trip was welcomed with a genuine smile and Cooper was swept out of my hands for a walk through the fragrant flowers. It doesn’t take an hour or a lifelong friend; the value is in taking the time to connect.

Lasting Thoughts

Educators, at all levels, need the opportunity and time to establish a relationship before they are assigned to work together. Time to chat over a fragrant cup of coffee or discuss a piece of artwork. It’s important to step back from the jargon, the test scores, and data to connect with colleagues. A majority of our time is spent with our colleagues, not our spouses or partners, why don’t we invest in these relationships? There is a human desire to connect with one another. Prioritizing, encouraging and valuing those relationships strengthens the work, the culture and all subsequent interactions.

As a new school year starts, don’t forget to invest in the relationships from the start.

Arrival in Amsterdam

Arrival in Amsterdam

Well, as most of you are aware, we made it to Amsterdam a week ago from today!

Yes, just in time to miss this weekend’s big game between MSU and ASU (Jeff, Sparty On for me)! Here is a recap our first week (and a few extra days) for those of you who are interested:

Temporary Good-Byes

Prior to departing The Biggest Little City, we were overwhelmed with the love and laughter shared with many friends and family (yes, even on school nights!). Another moment similar to Cooper’s arrival, this move reminded us how lucky we are to have an amazing network of friends and family from coast to coast. Below are a few of pictures from our “temporary good-byes.”

…and let’s not forget the best duo, Hank and Coop

Packing

As you might guess, the temporary goodbyes were fun, cheerful, and yes, tear filled for me anyway, Andy doesn’t cry. However, they were great distractions from the daunting task of packing. Packing our lives for 10 months. It’s questionable how we traveled to Europe for a month in a single bag. When moving for 10 months, it seemed nearly impossible. Actually…now that I think about it, it shouldn’t have been. According to previous packing rules (from Andy) we are allotted one bag per month…somehow Andy tricked us into 4 bags for 10 months?!

Here’s a look at the feat:

Priorities: sneak snacks for Coop Man (nobody likes a hangry Van Dellen)

Dad’s bag: check, he even packed Cooper
Mom’s bag: delayed by trying to convince Dad to bring Henry

As always, Natalia comes through with some incentives!

When it came time to depart at 4:15 am, we made it! 4, 120 liter bags; 1, 45 liter bag; 2 backpacks, 1 diaper bag, a stroller and a car seat. Phew!

Travel

As hoped, Cooper was a champ on both flights, RNO to DFW and DFW to AMS. He lucked out with the in-flight bassinet. As for mom and dad, all was good! If I recall, Andy actually looked at me at one point and said, “I think I’m going to declare gluten-free on our way home…your dinner was better than mine.” First time for everything folks!

Cooper brought some treats for the passengers around him and our flight attendants.

…and just like that…we relocated abroad!

Getting Settled

It seems crazy that we’re here. While the three of us are still recovering from jet-lag, we managed to enjoy some sights, a few sleepless nights, navigate our way around our neighborhood and a bit beyond, fill our fridge, small but functional, with necessities, practice some Dutch phrases and unpack all of our bags. Overall, I say it’s been a successful transition week!

I think we are going to be alright here. Xo

Reflecting on #OneWord17

Reflecting on #OneWord17

One Word…

Last year about this time, I sat down to write my #OneWord2017. My hashtag for 2017 was #accomplish. Reflecting on OneWord17, I intended to utilize the #accomplish in my blogs, but reviewing my 2017 posts I noticed I didn’t really nail the #accomplish but I did:

Stay aware of my intended goals
Strive for accomplishments, regardless of how they were “labeled”

My reflections allow me to see what accomplishments were made in 2017:

Unread Books

While still not to the goal, I increased the number of personal books I read this year. If you’re interested, here are some recommended titles:

The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier
You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up- the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing by Marie Kondo
The Meaning of Michelle 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own edited by Veronica Chambers
Invisible Influence the Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior by Jonah Berger (currently reading)

The Little Green Notebook

To be honest, The Little Green Notebook turned into Post It’s, more pages in the actual green notebook, notes in Google Docs, and other random notes on my iPhone. Unfortunately, the ideas continue to flourish, however, the actual construction of blogs does not.

Twitter

This too has been hit and miss for me over the past year. Somedays I’m super eager to check in to my virtual PLN and other days I decide to remain logged out.

Chores

The continued effort to GSD, or in other words “Get Shit Done”, continues to be a challenge for me. Put my feet up and turn off or GSD? In conversation with my husband on our flight home from the holidays, we discussed this continued challenge. My husband reminded me that I live by lists at work and that I thrive when I can “check something off”. He reminded me that I do better when I make “me time” a priority.

The conclusion? It may be helpful for me to transfer some of my work habits to home. This year I am introducing the “Big Plans” book to my home life.

What must get done each day?
What would I like to get done?
What needs to get done, but can happen later?

The “Me” Room

I must say, this is one of my biggest accomplishments and one that continues to bring me joy each day! However, I can take no credit for it. This fall my Dad and husband made my dream a reality:

Before

After

I often thought of myself as crazy for thinking a “me space” could impact my productivity and happiness. However, now I that I have the space, I must say, it matters. This space calms me. From the candle scents to being surrounded by my favorite books and having my best bud lying next to me, this space is where I love to sit and enjoy my morning coffee, check in for the day, and let my brain stop.

Where to Next

It’s important to reflect, however, reflections will only impact our future actions if we do something intentional with them.

I have some ideas for 2018 and plan to share them in another post. However, I believe there is great value in taking time to celebrate your successes and consider how you might build on them, something we often forget to do. While not every #accomplish was a success for me several were and it’s important to recognize them.

What accomplishments did you, or your site make in 2017? Did you take time to celebrate those successes and plan how you can continue building on them? If not, before you start planning for 2018, take time to celebrate your accomplishments in 2017!

“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. That’s the way life is, with a new game every day, and that’s the way baseball is.”

– Bob Feller

The Professional Influence of my Dad

Today my dad will embark upon a new journey…retirement. In the minutia of our daily lives, it is difficult to stop and reflect on someone’s influence. In the year of #accomplish2017, I put aside some weekend time to reflect on my Dad’s influence.

John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” I can’t think of a better quote to summarize my dad’s leadership. For the past 32 years, I thankfully witnessed my dad as a leader, hoping to braid his qualities with my own.

While I know, he is eagerly awaiting his morning cup of coffee looking out over the lake with nowhere to be. I’m sure the first late night Tigers game won’t get a single hesitation about staying up late. In retirement, he will be fine. But his 44 years of experience taught me many lessons and I’d like to share them with you.

As a tyke, I recall the anticipation of bringing him lunch. It was predictable, as soon as my sisters, mom and I walked through the store doors, dad would be waiting there to hug us. I can’t remember a single time in my life when I walked into Wickes, or now ProBuild, and my dad wasn’t willing to stop whatever meeting he was in to acknowledge us. Likewise, his employees mimicked the same values. They all knew us by name, asked how we were doing and were always willing to hand us a piece of candy, whether we were 4 years old or 32. 44 years later, most those employees remain and the same values persist. Family always comes first.

Many people would define their work place and home life differently. When I think of my dad and his employees, in comparison to our home life, they are blended. Celebrations and difficult times are worth his attention regardless of who it pertains to. I recall the evening the store caught on fire. I vividly remember sitting in the back of the truck watching the flames roar and the scent of the burning lumber seeping through the window cracks. It was like watching my dad lose a piece of himself. His passion and commitment for his career and employees have never decreased regardless of the situation. I can only hope that when people look at me they can’t help but see passion and drive.

My dad is the first person to put down his to-do list and pick up another. More often I talk to my dad on my commute to work and he is out plowing the driveway for his crew, unloading a truck of windows, or driving three hours to ensure a client receives their delivery on their timeline. Many leaders speak of interdependence, when I think of my dad, I recall hearing this from him, but more so, seeing him live it. If you’re going to say it’s a value or belief, then show it.

While I know, there are countless narratives to share explaining my dad’s influence on others, I’d like to hone in on one. Throughout high-school, my dad and I had lunch together nearly every Wednesday. What I remember most about our lunches is his ability to listen and speak in a manner that wanted me to do more and become more. Whether we were talking about my jump shot the night before, a mistake I’d made, or my attitude at home, his way with words always left me thinking what more I could do. Listen carefully and encourage aspirations and growth.

As a teenager, I dreamed of becoming a Lady Volunteer. My bedroom walls were covered with basketball photos and books about Pat Summit. While most would say keep dreaming. My dad never once told me I couldn’t do it. He spent countless evenings outside under the street light rebounding my shots, driving from city to city to make sure I had the best basketball shoes and was in the stands for every game. While I didn’t end up going to Tennessee to play basketball, there was never a day that didn’t think I could do it. To this day, when I dream of spending my days writing, my dad still tells me to do it. Regardless of my age, my dad inspires me to be who I want to be, lead how I want to lead, and never settle for less than I believe I deserve. His patience and support in someone else’s dreams is invaluable. Never say you can’t.

After college, I moved to Phoenix, AZ. I’ll never forget saying good-bye in the driveway, nor the 30 some odd hours spent in the car wondering if I’d made the biggest mistake of my life. Not once did my parents try to change my mind, and at the time I couldn’t figure out why. It now makes sense. I pulled out of the driveway thinking everything was going to change, but just logistics changed. Rather than having lunch, we text about having lunch and rather than watching games together we call for score updates. Instead of talking over the dinner table, we Facetime. While it may not be our first pick, it’s better than nothing at all. When the first best thing isn’t an option, find the next and make it the best.

Dad, as you prepare to embark upon a new journey, don’t forget to take a moment and reflect on your 44 years of leadership. Though you no longer run a store, stores or an entire region, you will always be a leader. You invested countless hours, influenced thousands of customers and employees, and inspired many. Your professional influence impacted me to dream more. Because of you, I continue to learn more, do more, and become more.

Thank you for being an amazing father and role model, both professionally and personally.

Cheers to the next 44 years!

Soldier

#OneWord17
This year, I am participating in the #OneWord17 challenge: #accomplish.

This is my #OneWord17 because it is the year that I will engage in the present moment and get things done. It’s time for me to stop waiting to feel that the situation is ‘right’ to get X task done and just #accomplish.

Spin
Last week, in my 5 am spin class, while this song played: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TuyT0knklM, the instructor asked us to reflect on the lyrics. I started thinking back to my #OneWord17.

They got scared when the lights went low
When the world’s spinning out of control
Afraid of what they might lose
I’ll get it if you need it
When you get worried I’ll be your soldier

Initially, #accomplish was for me. However, this song and the instructor challenged me to think more about my actions. Often, we forget about the influence our actions may have on others. For example, a spin class has the ability to influence me and others:

Spin for me

• provides “me” time to think and process
• provides me time stop thinking
• contributes to my desired level of fitness
• opportunities to meet new people
• challenges me

Spin for others
• may inspire others to try a new workout
• others may see the positive impact of “me time,” and may begin making it a priority for themselves

Influence
By definition, influence means to affect or change someone or something in an indirect but usually important way.

My sister-in-law, Catherine, and I started spinning together about 6 months ago. Her initial comments stating how fun and addicting the workout was filled me with curiosity. Catherine unintentionally inspired me. 7 months later, we continue to hold each other accountable. We feel equally guilty if we miss a class, knowing the other one is counting on us to be there and to share our first cup of coffee. Catherine is my spin soldier.

Robin Olson frequently inspires me. I had the pleasure of being an instructional coach at Robin’s site, and not a day goes by where her influence doesn’t impact my actions. Regardless of what is on Robin’s plate, she puts her students, staff, and families first. Her ability to make you feel as if each day is about your happiness is admirable. As an administrator, Robin models a mindset that impacts others… “If you aren’t happy to come to work, there is no point in discussing anything else.” When you get worried, Robin is truly a soldier for each individual at her site. Whether this is intentional or not, Robin’s actions influence and inspire others, modifying their own behavior or performance

Intentionality
Regardless of role: sibling, spouse, co-worker, teacher, instructional coach, interventionist, administrator, or central office employee, it is essential that we attack each day with the intent to positively influence others.

As I reflect on Gavin Degraw’s lyrics, I think about the importance of keeping an awareness of the possible influence my #accomplishments and actions may have on others. Challenging myself to be someone else’s soldier through my actions.

Educator and consultant, Alisa Simeral said, “Maintaining a passion for our craft is becoming harder to do, and the need to invest, influence, and inspire is crucial. Teacher leaders have the capacity to get others excited about teaching again…” Moving forward with my #accomplishments, I intend to keep this in mind.

#OneWord17

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”

― Henry David Thoreau

#OneWord17

#OneWord17 is a challenge to find one word that will drive you the rest of the year, created in place of a resolution.

Ideally, I would already have my #OneWord17 and be ready to share with the world of social media on New Year’s Day. I confess, it has taken me several days to hone in on my focus for 2017.

Many Things Come to Mind:

Commit to spin class a minimum of 4 days per week for the entire year.
Write a blog every two weeks.
Eat salads every day for lunch.
Read more novels for personal enjoyment.
Take more photographs.
Be more adventurous.
Let go of needing everything in its place… the list goes on and on.

When thinking about all of these possible goals, I see how easy it is to lose focus or become too focused one small goal… before even attempting the new. It’s overwhelming to think about an entire year of accountability to a goal, let alone narrowing it down to one word!

The Unread Book

When I look at my nightstand, there are 5 books that I’ve been meaning to read for several months. I go to bed night after night and say to myself, “Tomorrow I’m going to pick up that book and start reading a chapter a night.” The next night comes and I’m too tired to read, or would rather watch my favorite TV series with my husband and so I tell myself again, tomorrow night is the reading night. Before I know it, months have passed and none of the books have moved. I keep telling myself the same thing each night, like it’s going to motivate me, but it NEVER changes!

The Little Green Notebook

It’s like my little black book, except rather than being filled with phone numbers, it’s filled with the blogs I want to write. It’s funny, the list keeps growing, however the number of postings on my blog doesn’t. I tell myself, Saturday mornings will be the perfect time to wake up early and outline my thoughts on the screen. That is until Saturday morning comes and sleeping in sounds much better, or it’s a powder day and the mountains are calling. Either way, I find some rationale that justifies there will be a better time and place to write.

Twitter

What can I say, it’s my guilty pleasure. Embarrassingly, look at my account and you will see 100’s of “likes” marked with the little heart emoji. It’s like a closet full of clothes that all still have their tags on. Good intentions but no real application. Each evening when I scan through Twitter there are blog postings, articles, and studies that I want to go back and read for personal enjoyment. Although, when I open the link I often think to myself, “I’ll save this and read it on Sunday morning with my coffee. Maybe it will help with a blog post!” Yes, that Sunday morning that never comes around.

Household Chores

My mail pile on the counter has several envelopes, each representing a minor task or responsibility. Each evening I collect the daily mail, open the envelopes, read the contents then set them back in the pile to deal with when “I’m ready.” The same goes for magazines. They come and I can’t wait to look through them, however I add them to the pile on the coffee table for the time when I “have time” to enjoy them from cover to cover.

The “Me” Room

For the last few months, I asked my husband to redesign our front living room. It’s a beautiful space that we rarely use. When I look out the huge front window I think to myself, this will be where I will drink my morning coffee, write my blogs, read the Twitter posts and ponder the books read and to be read in the floor to ceiling bookshelves.

I tell myself when the front living room is redone, it will be my paradise. Motivation will be endless and comfort continuous. It will be the room where I put everyone else’s needs aside and focus on things that bring me joy…it may be predictable tasks, work, editing photos, or simply an afternoon cat nap.

Excuses or Lazy?

Reflecting on this posting, I could fall into one or two categories, full of excuses or lazy.

While it may be one of those two things, I’m going to say the justification for my above actions is neither.

Over holiday break, I found myself engaged with my nieces for nearly an hour playing with plastic Playstix. One evening I sat and took pictures of our fireplace and Christmas tree for a good 45 minutes, just playing around with camera settings. I walked my dog daily and saw it as refreshing, not a chore. My mom taught me how to knit, something I swore I would never have the patience for. I read nearly an entire book in one sitting. But most of all, I was overcoming mental blocks, accomplishing tasks and finding time for personal interests.

Yes, even without the front living room redesigned.

#OneWord17

As I sit here and continue to think of one word to summarize what will drive me in 2017, I finally came to a conclusion, accomplish.

I couldn’t have predicted that I would attend spin 3 days a week, that I would have sat and played with my camera for x amount of time, or that I would have found Playstix so enjoyable over my holiday break.

I enjoyed the moments and listened to my instincts. I attended to work, but didn’t let it be my only identity. I did not neglect others, avoid my responsibilities, or forget about opportunities. I accomplished things that needed to be done, and more importantly things that I wanted to do for myself.

Here’s to 2017

2017 will be the year for me to overcome the mental block of waiting for “my perfect environment,” the “right time,” or “the perfect room.” 2017 is the year I will stop waiting. I will accomplish the tasks that I need to, and want to.

Similar to Henry David Thoreau’s quote above, 2017 will be the year for me to “launch myself on every wave in hopes of finding my eternity.”

Cheers to 2017! #OneWord17 #accomplish

The Window Opened Or Closed?

Awareness: Knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.

Judging: Forming an opinion or conclusion about.

My Confusion

As an instructional coach, I constantly try to be aware and help build other’s awareness through coaching. For me, the list seems nearly never-ending…do I demonstrate awareness of people’s background, their personal and professional strengths and challenges, their students, and their beliefs about student learning? Am I aware of the resources they find valuable, the district initiatives, or that they may not have remembered that we were meeting today because they were up all night dealing with a sick child…?

When I am in the midst of a conversation, my goal is to identify the intent and purpose behind other’s actions or responses. What was their thinking before, during and after? It is not my job to judge, but rather to encourage reflection and process their thinking.

At times I’m not sure I can articulate the difference between awareness and judging. Let me give you an example, a few weeks ago my husband and I were in the car discussing our days. I listened to him rant about co-workers not stepping up, waiting for opportunity instead of creating it and the generally unmotivated employees who are content with the status quo. I stopped him to ask, “How have you supported this person to do that?” After pausing for a moment, he replied with a question, “Whose onus is personal growth? Should it be the employee drive or the supervisor pull?” From his experiences, good things come to those who put forth the effort, take initiative and do the job before having the job. To me, it sounded as if he was judging a peer’s lack of initiative…and I was now judging him for being harsh…or was he aware of their lack of initiation and I was unaware of how the business world runs?

Later that evening, I thought more about the conversation and decided instead of providing supports, my husband should try to find out more information through questioning. Who knows, maybe he was pushing the person to do something they really weren’t ready to do. On the other hand, maybe he had a point. Sometimes people are unaware of what it takes to grow, they might think they are ready for that next step, but have yet to take it or don’t know how, or maybe, there are people out there who think they have what it takes but are unaware of what it really does. If the latter is the case, when the frustration builds in those people, should they be driving the reflection and progression or someone else?

Uber

Similarly, today I was in an Uber heading to the airport. The driver and I had engaged in a cordial conversation upon greeting one another. I love hearing how long one has been driving for Uber as well as their experiences. My “go-to” start to this conversation follows a sequence similar to the following:

“Hi”

“How are you?”

“Been busy?”

“How long have you been driving for Uber?”

“Are you from _____?”

Pretty standard, yet typically effective. However, today the response I received from the last question caught me off guard. When asked “Are you from here?” My driver responded with the following:

“Maybe”

I chuckled a bit and continued looking out the window. A few minutes later, he informed me that he was from Earth. At this time, I decided the conversation was about over. Except it wasn’t. My driver took a few more minutes to himself and then informed me of where he was from and that he usually doesn’t tell people where he is from because it isn’t relevant. For the next several miles we continued discussing with one another. As I got out of the car this idea of judging vs. awareness crossed my mind again.

How quickly I was to assume that this generic question, “Are you from X?” was harmless and that a response that seemed sarcastic to me immediately led me to judge the direction of our conversation… Or, was I just unaware?

Sitting on Plane

After grabbing my coffee at the airport Starbucks I was prepared to board my flight to Chicago. I decided to take a window seat so that I could work in an uninterrupted manner. However, after sipping on my latte and resting my head on the sidewall of the frame I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open. I finally gave in…letting myself drift off to sleep. All was good until I was startled by the window shade next to me being pulled down. The woman next to me had reached across me and pulled the shade down.

To be honest, I instantly thought to myself “Wow, that was forward.” The woman went back to playing her card game on her I-Phone and I was now awake processing what had just happened. I obviously don’t own the window, but never before had I been reached across by my neighbor. My immediate reaction was to judge. Yet, after taking a second to reflect on the situation I realized I’ve also never taken into consideration whether or not the people sitting next to me had a preference about the window being opened or closed. Something that doesn’t really matter to me, but might to someone else.

What’s the Answer?

This idea of awareness vs. judging is on the forefront of my mind frequently, especially today. While I was hoping that clarifying the definition of the two would explain the difference for me, it didn’t.

We often want to know the correct answer to a problem, however as I continue to sit here in flight I realize that it doesn’t necessarily matter if we label a situation, or actions, as judging or awareness (or lack of).

What Matters More…

What is important is that we are able to reflect on the situation and learn from it.

Each of these experiences, interactions, and conversations have shifted my thinking. Next time my husband is venting, I am going to encourage him to quit assuming and ask the right questions. Likewise, next time I get in an Uber I’m going to rethink asking, “Are you from here?” And when I’m sitting next to the window on a plan I’m going to take into consideration my neighbors desire to have the window opened or closed. Yes, reflection and shifted thinking…isn’t that what really matters anyway?

And Then Sometimes…

Upon my arrival in Chicago, I wandered into a bookstore to kill some time before heading to my gate to finish this posting, and there it was…validation to the thoughts I’ve been processing today:

How aware are you of the experiences that cause you to shift your thinking?