Like it will somehow come to me.
When I let my mind simmer in the past week, I often come back to this song from Shrek the Musical, "When Words Fail"
'When words fail
What will I do'
When words fail
How will she know how I feel'
When words fail
Will I fail too'
If you've never enjoyed Brian Darcy James as Shrek and this beautiful song about being awkward and awesome, I implore the reader to do just that (and google Freak Flag - chillbumps!)
It was in thinking about words, that I thought - well - my partner said, "Just tell the story of the day."
So.
Here we go.
If you need to get caught up on where the story began: Oh Ma' Yoga!!
On Wednesday June 6th, I waited anxiously ALL morning.
Would there flight take off okay?
Delays?
Would they get out of Boston okay?
Delays?
Was this going to actually happen?
I was reminded that EVEN if it were delayed, since it was an entire school surprise, it's not like anyone would be totally disappointed, lol, just me.
My partner and I chatted a little about being nervous that someone you've never actually met would be able to live up to the expectation you've built in your own brain, my response,
"Something tells, they'll be even MORE incredible than I've imagined."
My partner and I chatted a little about being nervous that someone you've never actually met would be able to live up to the expectation you've built in your own brain, my response,
"Something tells, they'll be even MORE incredible than I've imagined."
My phone buzzed with an international number, and a few hours later, Jaime and her husband Martin were on the walkway to Newton School.
All my anxiety melted away and we picked up like old friends I guess, even though we were just meeting! A couple of hours later, they were sufficiently tired, ha, had a tour of our school, met some excited teachers and were on their way to dinner with their Agent, Elan.
And I knotted up my anxiety again with the surprise of tomorrow morning.
I should add - June 7th, their scheduled visit day was...
My Birthday!
Hooray!
AND...the scheduled visit of DESE to evaluate our Extended Learning Time program.
My Birthday!
Hooray!
AND...the scheduled visit of DESE to evaluate our Extended Learning Time program.
Pack it in.
The morning of June 7th was to play out something like this:
I'd pick my kiddos up outside at 7:50am - we'd rush inside for breakfast in the classroom and then I'd announce we were getting the ONCE in a lifetime opportunity to SKYPE with Jaime in England. She'd sent us a short video of not being able to hear us.
So, picture me at 7:45 going to pick up my kiddos and hearing the cheeriest little kindergartner strolling past one of my students shouting, "HOORAY, today is the day we meet Jaime and do YOGA!!"
Most of the teachers stared at me devasted, but I smiled and managed to convince everyone we were just skyping.
Most of the teachers stared at me devasted, but I smiled and managed to convince everyone we were just skyping.
We raced around getting our Newton Shirts on and getting ready to Skype.
At 8:20, Jaime and Martin arrived and I put them in the hands of Miss Welcome who is our building monitor and a HUGE Cosmic Kids Yoga fan!
She ushered them down to my room and waited for us to say the secret code word.
My class yelled it loud - and the door popped open! It was tears and open mouths for the next few minutes while everyone caught their breath. Of course, since we're sassy and in 4th grade, they were all like, "I could tell that wasn't really skyping." :)
Martin filmed from their angle, and I captured ours - I hope to able to share both with you dear Donors and friends in an upcoming post.
And then, as if I had imagined it exactly right, they gathered at family meeting and asked a million and one questions.
And talked about what yoga was for them.
Camden and Zaire had been on a student panel and arrived back late, but just as excited as ever.
At 9am, my class went off to art, and I came back to help Jaime and Martin get set up in the gym for Kindergarten.
I was on a panel myself so I missed the actual kindergarten class, but I do know they were equally excited!
Jaime yoga-ed with every class.
Every student.
And to say it was a thing of beauty is an understatement.
I had a vision in asking Jaime to come and in planning the day.
What actually took place, exceeded every one of my wildest dreams.
It was a day of being seen.
Being loved.
Being Zen.
We lunched with Jaime, though I'm not sure how much she ate, considering so many of my littles were nose to nose with her the entire lunch.
They couldn't get enough.
We Q and A'd again at the end of the day and did a little more meditation.
And my gracious.
Was it ever lovely!
All day long in the halls of our little school, you heard,
"This is like a dream"
"I can't believe this is happening?!"
"Is this real?"
"She's really here?"
"I feel like I'm dreaming, I have to touch my face and I'm awake."
The lasting impact of her visit - well, it's days later, and the energy is still palpable.
My fourthies are filling out scrapbooks for the end of the year and of course, their favorite day is the one Jaime came to visit.
Mine too.
I am once again, dear donors, fellow dreamers and teachers, and framily, humbled by your support of this crazy big dream.
There are many things in our world that are hard
or are hurting,
sad,
and painful.
This.
This gift.
This dream.
Has cast such a vibrant light on love and kindness, the glow is still strong.
Thanks for sharing your kindness.
And to Jaime and Martin, who are, long before Ms. Witherell, the best sort of dreamers I've ever met, thank you both for dreaming YOUR big dreams, so that some random Thursday in the month of June, those dreams would meet the dreams of 240 students in a little school in suburban Massachusetts.
My class yelled it loud - and the door popped open! It was tears and open mouths for the next few minutes while everyone caught their breath. Of course, since we're sassy and in 4th grade, they were all like, "I could tell that wasn't really skyping." :)
And then, as if I had imagined it exactly right, they gathered at family meeting and asked a million and one questions.
And talked about what yoga was for them.
Camden and Zaire had been on a student panel and arrived back late, but just as excited as ever.
At 9am, my class went off to art, and I came back to help Jaime and Martin get set up in the gym for Kindergarten.
I was on a panel myself so I missed the actual kindergarten class, but I do know they were equally excited!
Jaime yoga-ed with every class.
Every student.
And to say it was a thing of beauty is an understatement.
I had a vision in asking Jaime to come and in planning the day.
What actually took place, exceeded every one of my wildest dreams.
It was a day of being seen.
Being loved.
Being Zen.
We lunched with Jaime, though I'm not sure how much she ate, considering so many of my littles were nose to nose with her the entire lunch.
They couldn't get enough.
We Q and A'd again at the end of the day and did a little more meditation.
And my gracious.
Was it ever lovely!
All day long in the halls of our little school, you heard,
"This is like a dream"
"I can't believe this is happening?!"
"Is this real?"
"She's really here?"
"I feel like I'm dreaming, I have to touch my face and I'm awake."
The lasting impact of her visit - well, it's days later, and the energy is still palpable.
My fourthies are filling out scrapbooks for the end of the year and of course, their favorite day is the one Jaime came to visit.
Mine too.
I am once again, dear donors, fellow dreamers and teachers, and framily, humbled by your support of this crazy big dream.
There are many things in our world that are hard
or are hurting,
sad,
and painful.
This.
This gift.
This dream.
Has cast such a vibrant light on love and kindness, the glow is still strong.
Thanks for sharing your kindness.
And to Jaime and Martin, who are, long before Ms. Witherell, the best sort of dreamers I've ever met, thank you both for dreaming YOUR big dreams, so that some random Thursday in the month of June, those dreams would meet the dreams of 240 students in a little school in suburban Massachusetts.
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