Yesterday I had time to reflect on my #oneword2016 – UP. Zack and I were UP in an airplane on our way home from Nashville where I attended the Spring Convening for America Achieves national and Tennessee fellows. Spending minutes, hours and days with some of the most passionate, smartest, most thoughtful and kindest educators in the country lifted UP my spirits and rejuvenated the teacher within me.

The friend I’ve had for the longest time in my life, Christine, had this UP wooden sign made for me by her friend Jenny Cohane. It sits on my desk at Holm Construction now but will move with me when I get to go back to a school.

Zack’s speech is also on the way UP. Tracy, Zack’s OT in rehab, moved to the Nashville area in January and we were able to visit with her this weekend. She commented that his word count and fluency are both UP so so much compared to when she last saw him.

I missed the first #LeadUpTeach blab but Heidi and Elisabeth are back at it on March 31st. Being part of LeadUpNow has been an amazing boost UP to my professional learning network and I can’t wait for what I’m going to learn from LeadUpTeach.

Lastly, we arrived home last night to brand new, beautiful, clean and crisp snowfall from UP in the sky. February brought unusually warm temps and while I did enjoy running on dry/non-icy sidewalks, the brown snowbanks were not pretty. But this morning Zack hiked UP a mountain for some powdery backcountry skiing and soul regeneration!

Today I #CelebrateMonday for being home, UP in the mountains, working with my friend Aly to get the next season of Girls on the Run at Incline Elementary UP and running (literally!), and feeling UPlifted by my time with these (below) inspirational educators from all over the country.