April is a month that is filled with new beginnings. I enjoy the opportunities that I seem to find in Spring to explore and discover new projects! Lately, I’m finding that I’m enjoying the use of photography in my work.  Whether it’s taking snapshots of my University students as they share projects in class or joining photography challenges, I’m liking it a lot.

I’ve joined the #AprilLove2016 campaign this year. It’s not educationally focused, but I’m enjoying the aspect of writing a bit about my images shared based on a daily prompt each day on Instagram. You can read about Susannah Conway’s April Love here.

I decided to share my #AprilLove2016 photos that I’ve posted so far to IG here on the blog with a little letter tied to each one.

I hope you enjoy them.

Day 1- Dear Love. Today we speak to love. He is my best friend, protector and lover. I am blessed because of his presence in my life. Higher than the sky, deeper than the ocean is our love.

Day 2- Dear Home. Our home is a reflection of our thoughts, and spoken words. We believe that our home is a place of peace, love and restoration. Our visitors have told us as much. They feel the spirit of peace when they walk through the door. I say, it’s due to the prayers that we say daily that are baked into its walls and our hearts are filled with gratefulness for its beauty.

Day 3- Dear feet. My feet are all dressed up in their Sunday best today. They are sparkling! They have danced professionally for 17 years and are still going strong. They’ve taken me to the top of the Pyramids in Mexico, to the Shores of Holland and many places in between. I’m blessed to have good, strong feet. I’m grateful today for the chance to remember that. 💛

Day 4- Dear Morning. I’ve been an early riser for as long as I can remember. I’m blessed to be a morning person. I say that as many people I know struggle to get up in the AM. This is the view this morning out my kitchen window. I adore it. We planted an entry garden 3 years ago. Although it still needs a little sprucing up, it brings me joy, daily especially this morning as I stand at the sink cleaning. I spent 30 yrs getting up at 5am as a school teacher than as a principal taking care of other people’s children. It was work that brought me great heartfelt satisfaction. In late 2009 I became an independent consultant. Now as I rise, I spend the morning taking care of me. I’ve developed a morning routine which includes lighting a candle, study in the word, inspirational books, Affirmations and meditation. I 💜 how today’s blogger@squamlove calls it her sacred morning. It’s mine too.

Day 6- Dear Books. You have been a part of my life from the beginning. You are love and light to me. I adore you and all you bring to my days. The way your pages hold a certain scent, when first opened and even as you age. I never tire of all you have in store for me. You are cherished beyond measure.

Day 7- Dear Rest. How I love you. As a much younger woman I was constantly in a state of unrest. Never taking the time to slow down. I thought this was the only way to be. Grateful that through the years I have learned to cherish times of relaxation and more importantly stillness. It is in this time that I have discovered the beauty of awareness.

Day 8-Dear Younger Me. What joy in the memories my “younger me” spent with Mima and Mica! Fortunate that their generosity allowed me to travel with them to The Grand Canyon, Mexico and Europe. They opened my eyes to the beauty of the world around me and beyond. 10 year old me with best buddy, Yogi. How I adored that dog. Then 21 year old me, in a borrowed dress from a “worldly” friend, posed with the best smile I could muster. So unsure and worried about the future. Yet confident that somehow, someway, I would be more than OK…and indeed I am.

One of the things that I learn from joining in projects by non-educators is that they provide new ways for me to be creative. Then I think about the ways that we can adapt some of these in our work with students. You don’t need to be a photography teacher in high school to use some of these fun photo prompts as story starters in your class. How could you use a project like this one to inspire student learning?

I still have 2 weeks of photos to go, so I’ll share more #AprilLove2016 later next week. Thanks for reading!

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