Moving is on many people’s minds at the moment.  We are very aware of the military duty assignments families receive about this time each year.  It always causes sadness as we think of not being able to see familiar faces and hear voices which we’ve grown to appreciate over the past year.  Yet, as we all know, “time stands still for no one.”  Even though moving may be a given in many lives, it still ranks very close to the top of the list of stress-causes.

                Our society has always been pretty mobile; thus, we are all aware of the phrases like “western movement.”  I know I have an inborn drive to travel and see different places.  I prefer the drive to a flight since driving allows us to stop and see things on not-so-well-traveled roads.  My husband and I have always enjoyed those serendipity experiences that we truly never forget.  However, even among the traveling, we find ourselves returning to old familiar places.  The attraction may be similar to a moth drawn to a light in the dark of night.  Maybe those places just make us relive warm, comforting moments.

                This time of year places extra burdens upon school personnel because we have to assist in the transition of students to new schools.  This is no small task.  Records have to be sent, explanations of differences in curriculum between states must be made, and on and on the paperwork goes.  I am proud of our record, though…we haven’t had one student sent back to us for failing to follow proper procedures! (I’m kidding of course!)

                This year we will have a moving experience of a different nature.  For the past two years we have had the children of visiting Kuwait soldiers.  These children have accomplished so much in the time they have been with us.  The girls have blossomed into very sweet and beautiful young ladies.  The young man has developed a sense of humor that we have learned to love.  It will be hard to see them leave.  My first grade students are really in disbelief that our Kuwait student will be going home to a desert area half-way across the planet.

                I wondered how it would be for these girls to step back into the role of an Islamic woman after the freedoms they have enjoyed here.  I just received word that my students will be attending an English speaking school…that’s good, since the first grader has forgotten a lot of the Arabic language.  My math student has expressed the desire to become a teacher in her country.  How exciting that is!  She has worked so hard to learn all she could.  Even her posture in my classes set her apart from the rest of my students.  It is easy to see that this education was worth far more than gold to her.  She really wanted it and had a burning desire to learn all she could.  How I wish more students in the U.S. felt that way.

                My granddaughter is moving to a new apartment, but still in Chicago.  I think the writing on the wall says my grandchildren will always live far away in a very large city.  Will I move to be closer to them?  No…I love these wide open spaces called Oklahoma where the skies are blue (most of the time) and you can see herds of elk, flocks of wild turkeys, and migrating pelicans and eagles any day by just driving twenty minutes from our home.  I grew up in the big city…I moved to Oklahoma after college…and I am here to stay!   

-          Kay

And as Kay alluded to, Bria is moving into a new apartment this weekend.  She will not be contributing an entry due to limited time to do so!