Holding the Ladder

Brain cancer is... 

...holding the ladder.

Our daughter-in-law Summer is a woman of academia too, on the same semester schedule as Andi.  

 

She and I regularly send each other interesting photos of things--usually of nature, but sometimes of things like Horace Greeley's dentures--to inject some humor and fancy into the semester. 

She recently sent a photo of two squirrels, high atop slender bendy branches, laughing and encouraging each other to climb just a little higher.  Inspired, Summer and I vowed to climb trees when we finished the semester.  

 

Today was the day!  We did it! Summer finished first.

 Climb, Summer, climb!

 

When I finished (above), Darrell was ready with the ladder.  

 

You know what they say:  Behind every woman in academia is a great partner holding the ladder.  And holding her hand.  And putting Hoppies in the freezer. And...a million things.  

I thought maybe I would take a leave of absence this semester rather than putting in the effort to invent for myself ways to teach math and science methods completely virtually, but I am so glad I didn't! The students were incredible and made me a better person (as always).  And it felt great to be a tiny part of the good in the world, figuring out how to do things well (like learning science) when forced to do things differently (in a pandemic).  

 

Now more than ever, tomorrow's teachers make Darrell and me optimistic for the future:  There will always be children needing good education, and we personally can attest to the fact that the newest crop of teachers is up for the challenge, whatever it is.

 

Keeping Up with Their Assignments

It's not even 4 pm, and the Mayfields have already finished their three deserts.  Way to excel, Mayfields.  Way to excel. We appreciate.

Today's Blooms

New roses, with just a little grateful product placement