Okay Friday, I Welcome Saturday, But On a Home Delivery Day, I'm All Sorts of Confused. I Will Simply Ride With It.

Friday, yesterday, we completed the first week of literacy labs and it was standing room only for the performance prom where the Little Labbers and Sports Writers shared their week-long work with parents. As always, the teachers reported full notebooks and the decision by kids to share what they wanted to share for an audience who came to see the results - a publishing opportunity. Although I couldn't be in two rooms at once, I tried, and I was, as always, in absolute awe of what the teachers are able to get kids to accomplish in such a short time. The pride, too, is enormous.

The Sports Writers were a little more energetic (they usually are), but when time came to share their weeklong work it was developed, thought-provoking and well-researched. They did their homework and had a blast developing their 3-5 page essays (and I should say, most of these kids have never written more than a paragraph). I was impressed, as I'm sure their parents were, too.

I came home from the week proud, but also exhausted, as I know that another week (teachers) begins anew on Tuesday, and also that new furniture is arriving to Mt. Pleasant, including a t.v. stand. This means everything had to be unhooked and I lost the the internet hook-up as I know it. It took me about two hours last night to jimmy the technology so I could get a blog post this morning. I was given a window from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., so I knew I needed to get on my game last night. Chitunga decided to leave Mt. Pleasant and to be of little help, although he prepped with me as much as he could.

We started week one with 30 students and teachers, and week two is simply all teachers (20 new educators will be joining us next week). My mind, however, is on the new furniture arrivals: a tv stand, an end table, and coffee table and a new mattress. I know I have to be up this morning early just in case. I pray I'm not the 7 al.m drop-off time, although I am pretty sure that is exactly what I'll be.

I am awaking however pretty proud: (1) that I was able to get the Internet back up last night for this post, even though everything is shifting on Mt. Pleasant today and (2) that the first week of Young Adult Literacy Labs were simply amazing. As I talk to parents and families, I am assured that what we are doing in greatly needed and very impressive. They are sold on the model and want to know more how they can continue to help (their kids love every second of the program).

Happy Saturday. May the rain today subside.