Reflection of 2016 and the Start of 2017....

Reflection of 2016 and the Start of 2017....

2016 was a year certain a year of change.  My oldest son graduated from high school and then turned around and went off to college.  My youngest son finally had a bedroom all to himself and had to step it up a little in helping out with the house and watching his little sister.  Both boys started working part time and shopping for their own clothes.  Which has been nice and funny at them same time, they have ordered the same items off of Amazon, in the same sizes.  Our lives are suppose to change it is just the circle of life.  I shared with my sons that their are four stages of Santa Claus.  They just laughed at me, but think about it.  At a young age believe in Santa. Then as we get older we stop believing.  When we be come parents we become Santa.  The last stage takes the longest to achieve but when we become grandparents we start to look like Mrs. Claus or Santa himself.  Thus there are four stages of Santa.  For the past 18 years I've been in stage three. Some day I will make it to stage 4, but it will be Eric that will look like Santa.  My point is that life changes, it would dull if everything stays the same.

In 2016 I've made some great friends and attended some pretty inspiring conferences.  I even wrote and published a book.  I get a kick out of being able to say "Hey I wrote the book on That!".  A group of ladies made my day when they stop me to ask if I was the Diary of a Techie and wanted to take a selfie with me.  I kind of felt like a mini celebrity for a moment.  When I attend edCamps or conferences I like to participate as a learner, because I am also there to learn.  I was tickled pink when I attend an edCamp this summer and a group of teachers were making sure everyone knew Katie Ann was the go-to person for augmented reality in education, they even made sure everyone wrote down my contact information.  Amy one of the teachers in the group made sure I even wrote down the blog address & Twitter Id.  She was very passionate about it.  I was tickled because she didn't recognized me.  Guess I don't look the same with a ponytail and glasses on. Towards the end of the edCamp I did introduced myself to them. Pictures were taken, info exchanged, and I answered a lot of questions and gave them some tips on using augmented reality in their classrooms.

For 2017 I want to inspire others.  As a teacher I plant seeds in a garden, some seeds grow quickly while others take a lot of care before they bloom.  I don't only want to watch my garden grow, I want to inspire others to grow and change.  Instead of being a so called gardener planting seeds I want to tend to a garden that nourishes the growth of caterpillars and butterflies.  Think of me as a Caretaker of a Butterfly Garden, tending to the plants that nourishes both the caterpillars who have yet to find their wings and the butterflies that have made the garden their home.  I want to inspire others grow their wings, help them take flight, and support their growth.  I not only want to inspire others to grow but to become Caretakers of their own gardens.  I want to help others find the right plants, soil, and sun for their own garden.  When each have our own gifts, talents, interests, and needs I just want to help develop them & inspire a new caretaker.

What is your #oneword2017?