Uphill idealist

See, breathe, exhale, sing the moments of time that memories bring. Fireflies spark catch eye as the wheels of cars go speeding by. Waves crash and tumble over, washing the grains away. Water moves and calls me to live in this moment and stay. Slow down and live in the day you're given, slow down and really see - the memories in the moments that only want to be. See, breathe, exhale, sing the moments of time that memories bring. Birds sing at morning light calling to wake the heart. Listen to the song and rise to live and love your part. Sun is setting in pools of color, bathing the world in dusk. Light is calling to see the moment and twilights' spark in us. Slowdown and live in the day you're given, slow down and really see - the memories in the moments that only want to be. See, breathe, exhale, sing the moments of time that memories bring. Copyright 2007 Tara Eastman

How do we put the pieces in order? Growing healthy youth is something of a puzzle. There are so many schools of thought on how to assist children and adolescents in the process of becoming someone or something greater than they currently are. The difficulty in looking at any persons' life from this perspective is that teachers, administrators, and counselors are seeing the individual as lacking in resources instead of searching for abilities and characteristics are already present. If educators, parents and students first looked at what positive assets they already possessed the road to overcoming a crisis or challenge in adolescence my not seem so daunting a challenge to face. There are points in my own professional life that I've found it necessary in the midst of all the chaos of an adolescent's crisis point to initially stop and listen to what has got them to the critical point, where they want to go from there, and what helps and supports they have to help them accompl...

Just like shadows reflected in a pool of sparkling water, I've been reflecting on the happenings of life in my family over the past few weeks. Join me in my gazing into Sleeping With Bread for this week... It has been a blessing so far this summer to have the opportunity to be present and accounted for on some rites of passage with my children and family. Here is Erin with her crew of dearest friends. I'm so proud of her success in completing this goal of earning her associates as a single mom. Here is a photo of her little guy Eli celebrating in his own toddler way! End of School/Fun Activities: In the last few years my work schedule made it impossible for me to go on the end of the field trips and activities with my kids, so seeing that I have the ability to flex my work week at my new Church, I decided to jump into the world of my kids for the last week or so of school activities. Visiting Midway Park is a tradition in elementary school trips that are far and few in happenin...