...When we get out of the glass bottles of our egos,
and when we escape like squirrels turning in the cages of our personality
and get into the forests again,
we shall shiver with cold and fright
but things will happen to us
so that we don't know ourselves.

Cool, unlying life will rush in,
and passion will make our bodies taut with power,
we shall stamp our feet with new power
and old things will fall down,
we shall laugh...D.H. Lawrence

And so it is.
I am back in the classroom. And stamping with new power...and getting used to looking up at people instead of down, adjusting to new smells (a lot of those), different noises, different time frames for the assigning and completion of tasks, different energies required for this work. We are learning about each other. I am learning a whole new curriculum and direction of learning. The family connections seems to be watching and waiting with some kind of breaths to see what unfolds. The support and welcome has been terrific. So have the roses that were delivered from a family and bouquets of autumn flowers. I am happy to be there. I am happy to be learning this kind of work. I am happy to be challenged to read literature that I wouldn't have touched with a ten foot pole. I am happy to be bringing order and delight to this space that needs it. I am happy. Period. This will be a good, little gig.

In other news--we are praying, loving, and supporting my sister-in-law as she heals from her surgery yesterday and prepares for the next steps on her road to being cancer-free. It is so difficult, as most of us know, to hear news of loved ones (or even yourself) receiving diagnoses that just make the world stop. stop. stop. Then, the process of ohmygod and what next, sometimes the why, and here we are...It makes what is important in one's life as clear as can be. Please join us in prayer and love and support and all around powerful mo-jo for her.

Fletcher and I had a wonderful time in Austin. I had forgotten how uplifting and nourishing it is to go wander historical sites--state cemeteries, pioneer cemeteries, slave burial grounds, LBJ Ranch, 19th century living history farm across the way, Luckenbach, TX with its rough charm and music, the Austin City Limits stage tour, the state capitol and the stomping grounds of O. Henry (how cool was that!?!), the Austin Celtic Fest with its sheep/goose/duck herding demos, dancing (of course), eating of the local BBQ, Tex-Mex, and regional delights. I love Shiner Boch (sp?) beer. We explored historic Fredericksburg, TX and did some geo-caching. We climbed the tallest "mount" in the hill country and looked down over the manmade lakes and environs at sunset. We enjoyed quality time with our host family, dear, dear friends of Fletcher's from his past. It was a pleasure to have that time with them. I love straight shot flights, also. No hassle. Just get home. And then it was right into the fire the next day. I like having teaching dance as the one consistent thing I know how to do well and right and now that Porter is back home, our walks together rate topnotch in my book.

Mother Earth is shaking off her finery and snuggling into Her winter bed. I am thankful for this time of year. And for crawling out of the glass bottle of my ego.