What a Year...

As 2008 was winding down I spent a lot of time thinking about the moments which were the most memorable in my life from the year. The more I thought about it the more it struck me at the intensity of the emotions – good and bad – that surrounded these unforgettable moments. And, since I ask all of you to share your lives with me, I thought there would be no better way for me to share a bit of “me” back with you than to include my thoughts as a blog update. This is, in no way, all of the experiences that were significant to me – after all, you don’t want to read a novel, but hopefully it gives a good representation. :-)

It will come as no great surprise to know that many of my favorite moments were happy moments. Not always significant or monumental, I find the simple quiet moments as being the happiest – making eye contact and sharing a smile with a student before, during, or after a musical concert or an athletic competition, taking Carly (my niece) and Isabelle (my friend’s daughter who I love like a niece) to Build-A-Bear, and spending lazy summer days playing with my niece, Carly, or my nephew, Cole, as we swam, took walks, rode bikes, or as I watched them at Vacation Bible School.

Carly and Cole mean the world to me and I feel so very loved whenever I am around them. It is hard to believe that Carly turned 6 years old on New Year’s Eve and that in a few weeks Cole will be 3. They are growing up so fast, but it is fun. It is hard to quantify love, but I will never forget after Thanksgiving when my sister and her husband were driving away with the kids and Carly’s window was rolled down so that she could scream out, “I Love You Aunt Bri” as they drove away or the way Cole has started to close his eyes as he gives out “big” hugs – precious!

Graduation is an event that brings with it a range of emotions, thoughts, and feelings. It is a celebration of the past and a recognition of the many accomplishments of the students and so it is certainly exciting. More than just the excitement, it is also an event that fills me with hope – the future is so full of promise and possibility for the students who are leaving WKHS. Having the pleasure to know so many incredible students at WKHS is a joy and it is fun to celebrate these special moments. I must also share that one of the greatest experiences was connected to graduation in that 9 students selected me to present them with their diplomas – I was honored and humbled and I will always treasure the moments in my office, the hallway, or commons as students shared that they had picked me to give them their diploma and then at graduation the few seconds when I was on stage with their diploma in hand and was able to make eye contact with the students just before their name was called. While it may sound like the commercials – those moments truly are priceless.

I find joy in my actual job as a school counselor. I cannot begin to tell you how exciting it is for me to get to know “my” students better and often the recommendation letter process is a big part of that - there is also immense relief when those same recommendation letters are DONE! The career fair from November had it’s own range of emotions – exhaustion working on it, pride at pulling it off, and relief that it was over. And, this year, students also managed to surprise me when I walked into my office to find it covered with signs, streamers, and filled with balloons. There was also bewilderment at the new “Bill Cosby sweater-like carpet” (as described by one of my students) and the thrill of getting a new computer and all the added desk space it instantly provided.

The past year had countless moments in which I was proud. These included big moments – like when my step-dad, Dave Hoover, was inducted into the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame or when the Career Fair Planning Committee was recognized with the Impact Award by the Worthington Board of Education – and small (insignificant, but no less proud) moments such as solving the Rubik’s Cube for the first time and being able to teach students how to solve it. (Remember, nothing in life is impossible!) And while I had nothing to do with it, I must also admit that I am proud as I sit in the stands or in the auditorium and watch all of the students at WKHS putting forth their best in athletics, arts, and other community outreach. I never cease to be amazed by what you accomplish and how high you set your goals.

Unfortunately, the past year has also had some very difficult moments for me. It has been sad to watch my grandfather continue to dwindle as he fights the good fight and has outlived anyone’s expectations. It has also been very painful to have to say good-bye to several friends that I love as they pass away too young. I never realized that two seemingly opposite emotions could come together with the same experience until this past August when Isabelle passed away. Speaking at her funeral was perhaps my greatest honor and yet it was also one of the most heart-wrenching and saddest experiences of my life.

Even with sorrow, there is still joy because I know that I was lucky to have Izzie in my life. There is joy at being able to celebrate the holidays spending time with family and friends. There is joy in working with such incredible students and being able to reconnect with former students and simply sitting back and listening as they visit and share updates about their lives and college experiences.

But most of all, today I am filled with gratitude – for all of you – my family, friends, students (past and present), and the families of my students – thank you for blessing my life!