Never ending story

This type of 'game' can go on forever!

smile.

16 candles...

Today is my daughter's sixteenth birthday.  In ways it seems like an eternity ago- my life is so, so different than it was before she was in my life.  But it also seems like yesterday, like she was my baby only weeks ago, and now time is running out... she is growing up, she is becoming her own person.  She doesn't need me like she used to, and has a life of her own.  It is bittersweet.  I took her away to London for a weekend, which was great.  We saw some sites, visted some museums and went to a show.  I can't believe it is sixteen candles for the chocolate cake tonight, but I am pleased and proud of how these years have gone.  

Happy Birthday Blue-Skye!

teach + travel

It has been a great few weeks as a secondary school teacher for me.  Instead of the usual grind and routine of high school teaching post mock exams, I have had the chance to take my senior art students on a break to Paris to see some of the most beautiful artworks in the world.  We walked the streets, visited museums and the gorgeous Palace of Versailles. I bought a vintage lunch box for my 6 year-old, walked miles and had a great time.

This last week I got on another flight- this time to Belgium, where I spent 5 days visiting a fabulous school, 3 different cities, and made lots of new friends along the way.  My students and I again had valuable and interesting experiences- ate new foods, learned new lingo and saw another corner of the world.  It is all so different from our daily life in rural Ireland.

Both experiences reminded me of why I moved to Ireland, and why I chose teaching as my vocation.  I love to travel, and see Ireland as the doorstep of continental Europe... and while I DO love teaching art, I especially love exposing teenagers to the larger world- and travel is the perfect way to do that!  

So, I am home now, with lots of photos to go through.  I feel invigorated by the change of scenery, and excited that Spring is now in the air!

 

Title (Optional)

I struggle to think of titles all the time...

I would like the image to speak for itself, but then really admire the likes of Thomas Hawk, who creates great titles for hundreds of images weekly-  Any ideas for this one?