Um...probably TMI, but, when my old district fired me (for two weeks) they took all of my classrooms items out of my room (fishtank, plants, photos of my cats) and put free signs on them. I lost EVERYTHING. $17,000-almost all of my prize money had been spent on the room. (more)

Everything I had ever created was in my files. My lifetime of work. I had put some online-Maybe 2-3% of what I had I had created was saved-The rest was thrown away-along with my books-the art supplies. My classroom wasn't in a school-my stuff didn't even go to teachers. (more)

And I try to forget it, but every time, over the last five years as I did long term sub jobs with ZERO budgets, I wanted to make a lesson but couldn't because all my die cuts, paper, sizzix machine, wavy scissors, toys, my WHOLE light room of specialty lights...gone. (more)

So, these past weeks when I made that #ClearTheList list, I put some of those missing things that hurt my heart on the list and people came through. A bag sealer made me cry. (I make product lines to learn job skills...packaging is a big part of it). But besides tears...(more)

It has just lifted so much darkness out of my life. My whole journey, this whole time you all have known me, I've been fighting my way not just back to the classroom but back to being the teacher I was.

Just please know these thanks I give are from the bottom of my heart.