and so we got up and moved

Yesterday afternoon, right about 1:00 we were working on finishing up some math things in our classroom.  I had drawn the lesson out way too long and I knew it.  I hadn't given them much of a break and I could tell by the looks on their little faces and the squirming in their seats that it was definitely break time.  So I closed the math book, put down my dry erase marker, and announced to them~

"Ok everyone, on your feet!  We need to get up and be moving. Let's pretend that we are Norman and we are walking across America.  Come on, let's have some fun!"

And so we did~

Their faces lit up.  They beamed as they were remembering their old friend.  We marched briskly throughout the classroom, navigating twists and turns between the desks.  Slowly we pretended to trudge up Monarch Mountain as we pushed our carts filled with supplies. Imaginary weather elements descended upon us as the snow/rain came down.  After 5 minutes of "travel" time, everyone made the stop at their own desks and the last 15 minutes of math class together were so much more productive.  They were awake and refreshed.  All because they had the chance to get up and move about.  They needed it and the truth be told, so did I. And if this is true for 22 little 6 and 7-year olds and their now 59-year old teacher, then guess what?  The same can be surely said for you my friends.  During the course of any day, work day or one of rest, we all need to be getting up and finding some way to be active.  Our bodies say "thank you" for so doing.

I wrote a blog post a couple of weeks back about the walking club that our elementary school has each year.  Monday, Wednesday and Friday the students at Olathe are expected to get out and walk at least a lap or two around the track.  This year we are doing a special kind of activity called "Climbing Colorado's Flat 14'ers".  The distance to scale and then descend several mountains in our immediate vicinity has been calculated in the number of steps it would take to do so.  Those steps are then converted to laps around our track.  When the kids began to make their laps this year in early September, I decided that I would join them this year.  It has proven to be a lot of fun.

Now I'm not a fast walker and you certainly won't see me running along the gravel lined path as many of the kids do, but that's not the idea in the first place.  The plan is to just get out there and move each noontime.  The kids know that I will join them and it's always kind of sweet that each time I'm out there, some little person will come up to me and say nearly the very same thing every single time~

"Do you need me to walk with you today teacher?  I can do it if you want."

So there we are, whoever it is, walking hand in hand together for a lap or two.  They always chatter away to me as if we have not seen one another for years, even though in reality it's only been a couple of minutes.  I always think, "Geesch, I need to start looking more alive here." So we hold onto one another's hands and even though I really am just fine to walk alone, it still feels nice to grasp onto their little tiny hands as they give mine a squeeze from time to time.  It's that "power" of the human touch that enables us to do things that are difficult sometimes and this is a good example of that.

When I finally finished my first walking card, the one that said I had made twenty laps around the field and was virtually standing at the top of Mt. Sneffels, something happened.  It was the something that would have given Art Linkletter fodder for his old television show, "Kids Say The Darndest Things".  I handed off my card to our PE teacher and said proudly that I had finally made it to the top and was ready for my second card.  There was a little boy from one of the other classes standing behind me as he waited for his turn to have his card punched.  When he heard that I had completed the beginning card he reminded me that I was not the only teacher out there walking and that another staff member, a dear and sweet woman who has become a new friend, was also climbing flat 14'ers.

"Mrs. Renfro, you are just now finishing your first card?  She's been on her second card for a long time now!  You need to hurry up!"

I love kids~really I do!  :)

As we age our bodies change with us.  I wish I had the energy I did as a 30-year old.  Shoot, I now wish I had the energy I had as a 50-year old.  I can only dream about the days when I too was a carefree first grader and could scurry about on the playground as I played with my friends, never even breaking a sweat.  But with whatever energy and good health is left in me, I intend to keep moving.  Some day in the years to come, I will more than likely look back at my life as a 59-year old and wish that I could do some of the same things I'm doing now, then.  Several people reminded me of that on my birthday this past weekend and you know, they do have a point.

This is the day that the good Lord has made for us to be alive in.  I woke up and if you are reading this, then so have you.  What shall we make of this Tuesday, the 28th of October?  Whatever you choose to do, may it be something that brings you happiness and peace.  Take care of yourselves my dear friends and family.  We all need to stay as healthy as possible.  I kinda like living and being around this place and you know what else?  I like having you all around here too!

The view from the front yard here at home.  I will never scale them in person but I don't mind being at the summit virtually.  All it takes is a little bit of time, effort and willingness to do so.