When I transitioned to the role of principal at a new school last year, I was not only coming in as a complete unknown, I was charged with taking over for a beloved, well-respected principal.  I knew that my initial introduction would be critical, and I wanted my new staff to know as much about me as possible in order to ease their concerns and begin the process of building trust and respect.  The theme of my introduction was the notion that we are a product of the experiences we encounter throughout our lives, both good and bad, and I shared with them a number of stories to help them see where I’d come from and what they could expect from their new leader.

As with any new adventure, a significant amount of time this year was spent learning the ins and outs of my new school, building relationships, and figuring out how I can best serve the community.  The writer in me felt a bit neglected, and as the summer approached, I began to wonder how I could make good use of my passion for writing in my leadership role.  It brought me back to that first day, the overwhelmingly positive responses I had to the stories I shared, and here we are!

The posts that follow will not only tell significant stories from my own life and how they’ve impacted me as a mom, wife, educator, and friend, they will also serve as sparks to ignite readers to find their own significant stories, their own pieces of fabric stitched together to create their lives.

I invite you to join me on a trip down memory lane and a journey to find the moments that make you who you are!

Up next:  That day when the professor saw my little one in class…