June 27, 2023

Dear friends,

Summer is a funny time for a preschool director. While there are multitudes of things to accomplish before the next school year begins, the schedule is (mostly)flexible. The wish list is long, and the time is, comparatively, short. My calendar is quickly filling up. I have penciled in opportunities to see my daughter’s musical theatre performances, to wrangle nieces and nephews while my sister packs for a move, and to join my brother at his family’s summer cabin in Michigan. Between getaways there are student registrations to process, teacher supplies to inventory, parent and teacher handbooks to update, and VBS! Maintaining a good balance between the “want to” and “must do” is key and I think I am hitting my stride.

Victoria’s Weekly Message (June 13th, 2023) was a wonderful testament to connections and how they enrich our lives. My siblings and I are spread along the eastern seaboard. Staying connected to each other was something that my father and stepmother truly valued and impressed upon us. Because 15 years separate the oldest (me)from the youngest (sister Julia) we sometimes had to get creative to stay relevant in each other’s lives. But we did it. And now that my father has passed, I honor his memory by hopping the car or on a plane – especially in the summer months – to see as many as I can – to foster the connections he worked so hard to help us create.

The message in this message? You got it: Connect. Stay there. There is no better dividend –the payout is priceless.

Peace,

Stephanie Train