Love and Respect: Someone gave me a beautiful geranium. I don't know who. They just left it on my desk. Thank you mystery person!
Achievement: My health classes wrote thank you notes to every staff member and taped them to the whiteboard for the staff appreciation luncheon tomorrow.
Fun: Made a bread pudding for the first time. Yum!
Freedom: Taking a personal day tomorrow to plant marigolds.

"What Do You Do in There"?

I've heard kids ask that question to the students who have regular meetings with me in my office. Maybe some big people want to know what goes on in a counseling office too. If you're curious, read on. Here are some things we "did in there" this week:

Made necklaces
Laughed
Danced to Mozart
Brainstormed a list of things to do if you're mad (that won't hurt anybody)
Drew silly pictures
Talked about appropriate/inappropriate behavior at school
Played Legos
Worked a puzzle on iPad
Practiced being a good friend
Played Totika
Recited the pledge of Allegiance
Reported inappropriate behavior
Played the Heart Game
Problem solved friendship/family issues
Finished class work
Named the things we are grateful for
Cried
Played The Egg Game
Nominated teachers for the Peach Prize
Group juggled with 5 balls
Ate lunch
Invented a way to play Chinese checkers that involves tiny marbles in every corner of the office.
Shared highs and lows
Played puppets
Worked with clay
Calmed down
Practiced love and respect, achievement, fun, and freedom.

Love and Respect: surprise coffe from Dana.

Achievement: planted carrots and beets with Ahna.

Fun: yoga with health classes.

Freedom: sunny afternoon in my garden.

Springtime in Glacier Park

Love and Respect: Invited to bike Glacier with friends.
Achievement: Pedaled uphill from Avalanche to the Loop.
Fun: Watched a pair of Harlequin ducks ride the whitewater.
Freedom: Coasted all the way back to Avalanche

. Whee....!!

Grief and Gratefulness

When I woke up this morning, I learned that Doug Peters had passed away. I am so sorry he is gone, and I mourn with his wife and daughter and all who loved him. He was way too young to die.

When I think of Doug, I am full of gratitude. He put in endless hours as the band teacher at Bigfork for 20 years. He inspired his students, including my sons, to pursue music with a passion. His pep band was award-winning, with some of us attending games just to get revved up by the music. I am grateful for the time he devoted to early morning jazz band practices for students who were willing to show up and work hard. I am grateful for the memories of outstanding Christmas concerts by the 5th-12th grade bands at the Bigfork Playhouse. The community loved hearing the kids play, but we also enjoyed his often humorous introductions to the songs. I miss his annual challenge to see how many carols we could pick out of the holiday medley.

Today I mourn the loss of Doug's life, but I am grateful for the music and joy he brought to our school and community.

Bigfork Physical Therapy

Usually when your health practioner tells you that you don't need to continue with therapy, it's a good thing. No more co-pays. No more scheduling weekly visits. And you're healed. But when Mike Close tells you you're good to go it's a bit of a let-down.

That's what happened to me today when Mike told me I only need one final appointment for my tennis elbow. I was a little sad. I had the same reaction two years ago when he told me I didn't need any more therapy for my frozen shoulder.

So why would anyone be disappointed to find out they are done with therapy?
Because Bigfork Physical Therapy is a LAFF filled way to start your day.

Love and Respect: When you walk in the door, Mike and his staff genuinely look happy to see you.   And when you're done for the day and thank Mike, he says something like, " For you my dear, anything." And it's true.

Achievement: Everyone is busy working out on either a machine, weights, or exercise bands. And they all seem happy to be doing it even though they joke about the pain. And when you leave, you know you are getting stronger and more pain-free.

Fun: Mike is a great storyteller, and there is usually a story of the day being told. If you walk in mid -story, he makes sure to catch you up. Cus you're part of his "team" at that moment.

Freedom: Mike provides guidelines for exercise and monitors your progress, but you're free to choose your apparatus, your challenge level, and your workout time.

Bigfork Physical Therapy is a joyful place to heal, re-energize, and get back to enjoying your work and play. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Mike has displayed numerous photos and letters of appreciation from past clients. The general theme of those letters is "Thank you Mike for helping me get back to my sport." ( golf, tennis, skiing, etc.)

And that means a promise of more LAFF ... The Love and Respect, Achievement, Fun, and Freedom we get when we are doing what we love to do.

Accountability

I haven't posted my daily ARFF (LAFF) for quite a while. But today I got to give a presentation on parenting to a room full of young moms and I told them that I write a daily blog to help me keep my needs filled. So I better get back at it! It really does help me stay with it if I think someone is reading my posts.

I was explaining to the women that counseling hurting kids can be discouraging at times, and if I don't take care of my needs, I won't have the energy to support them.  I was hoping to encourage the moms to take care of themselves so that they can be there 100% for their kids. So yes, it's important that I model what I taught this morning.

Today's LAFF:
Love and Respect: Thanks to Randy, Julie, Seth, Steve, Karen, Ashley, MOPS leadership, and everyone else who prayed for me today. God answered! I didn't even throw up!

Achievement: I made my first power point presentation ever in my life!

Fun: I played a silly little game kind of like telephone with Jan's table group at MOPS.

Freedom: I stayed after my talk and joined in on the craft. I got to pick my favorite colors of glitter to make a "calming" water bottle.