children

A Mama's Feelings About The Pandemic

ashley glass blog

“Dad, I’m sorry I made new friends and wanted to play with them.”

-Reese Elisabeth. January 19, 2021

Unprovoked, not guilted, not shamed, not scolded. Just a girl who felt badly today when she rode her bike in the neighborhood and excitedly saw some girls close to her age.

F THIS PANDEMIC.

That’s how I feel. That’s how we feel. And I would bet it’s how YOU feel too.

How old are your kids? Reese is seven years old, Pierson is eight. And this is their childhood. When every day, we are reminded that the world around us is CRUMBLING, still, with the global pandemic. It’s been no one’s FAULT. A LOT of people have gotten sick, are sick, I will never poo poo that.

But right now, my heart hurts for kids. Asa grew up in a subdivision type neighborhood and remembers riding his bike ALL day with friends from all over it. Being outside for hours on end, running and playing….and since I grew up in the country and NOT in a neighborhood, I just remember playing with the cows next door and having ZERO issues. I’m kiddingggggg, I remember going to church every Sunday and playing with my best friends, and I have all the best memories of playing Barbie dolls, going for walks and just enjoying being a GIRL.

The past year? My kids were robbed of that. Will there be other times and moments for them to make friends? Sure. But read the quote at the start of this post again. “I’m sorry I made new friends and wanted to play with them.”

There’s really nothing I can do to FIX this. Both Asa and I are getting the covid vaccine soon (Asa on FRIDAY of this week); as teachers in a huge district and the need for these kids to GO back to in person classes, we believe it’s what is best. And you know what? I hope and pray that the ‘right amount’ of people will GET vaccinated, and that the spread will lessen insanely. I hope and pray my kids can run and play and be wild and crazy and play tag and hide and seek and ride bikes and go IN the houses of FRIENDS.

My sweet girl. The one I was so shocked and frankly upset to be pregnant with EIGHT years ago this week. She’s my warrior. My spitfire. My Spunky Brewster.

When Asa Glass kissed my forehead that day and said, “We’re going to have a baby,” little did he or WE know…how stinking BLESSED we would be. Oh how I remember those thoughts: I wasn’t ready to be pregnant AGAIN, or to have a baby AGAIN. And look at her now. Reese has big feelings (like her mama) and she has a huge heart. She’s an extrovert at large and thrives on relationships. Friends are her love language (like her daddy.)

Our kids, Y’all. They’re not perfect but man do they have hearts of gold! If you’re hurting for your kids lately, will you comment on this post? We are in this together, mamas (and daddies) and friends and family. Asa shared to his Twitter account how he was sad for Reese with her statement and he had two friends immediately respond: “It’s hard for a 39 year old.” “And a 37…”

It’s HARD! And I’m giving you a big, giant, smothered HUG right now!

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.” -Jeremiah 17:7

xx

Christmas with Havertys: Holiday Inspiration for Your Living Room

Ashley Glass Photography | Motherhood Photography | Reece and Pierson

Ashley Glass Photography | Motherhood Photography | Reece and Pierson

"I'll be home for Christmas, you can plan on meeeeee. Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the treeeeeee."

I'm writing this before Thanksgiving, so either you're completely on board and singing the rest of that Christmas carol with me, OR you want to punch me. I'm just going to go ahead and assume that you're reading this though because you're a Christmas elf like me. 

I see all these Instagram ladies writing how they're the ones convincing their husbands to let them decorate for Christmas this early and I'm always like, "Huhhhh???!" My husband is LITERALLY Buddy the Elf, and can wrap presents in 2.5 seconds flat without tearing or wrinkling a single shred of the paper. "Six inch ribbon curls, honey!" is the phrase that comes to mind EVERY holiday season when we are sorting and wrapping for the kids. All of that to say, it's never been me who is like, "Hey! Let's put up our Christmas tree two weeks before Thanksgiving and get out ALL our decorations!" HOWEVER...I am so grateful that he wants to, and this year is even more epic than all the other eight Christmas' we've had prior. 

While I can thank my husband for being my motivation and holiday inspiration, I can ALSO thank Havertys Furniture. Y'all...I dreamt of their furniture for SO long, and specifically about someday owning a navy blue sofa, and as most of you now know, those dreams are my now reality! Every day I walk into this space and think, "This is OURS?! WE live here!?!" 

We scored our 9-ft. Christmas tree from Hobby Lobby and it was WAY on clearance. Someone recently asked in a photo if it's gold, and no, it's not; but depending on the lighting in the room and what time of day it is, it definitely gives off a golden vibe. We really strive for minimal yet classy when it comes to decoration and design, and I think the final outcome of this room demonstrates that well! We found poufs from Target [thanks, Chip and Joanna for your ridiculously cute new collection] and the kids are really enjoying sitting by the fireplace on them. We also use them to eat around the coffee table [wish we had discovered them before our charcuterie dinner with friends, but hey! It worked!] 

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I'm not going to lie...as I walked around snapping these photos when I did, it became clear to me that we literally live in a ZOO. I mean SERIOUSLY...I'm sure you've noticed our one million pets in the photos by now?! Thank goodness the dogs KNOW better than to get on my beloved blue couch, but the cats?? Not so much...

Another thing that I love about the color scheme we chose for this room is that all of it is so easily versatile with things like throws and accent pillows. The JOY pillow is from Target, as is the giant Santa Claus in the Havertys arm chair. The light creams and rich navy blue is so easy to add pops of color and fun festive textures to. 

Maybe I should add here that my husband dug out ALL of these Christmas decorations, assembled the tree [using a ladder much of the time], and hung ALL of the gorgeous garland in our home?! I joke about him being Buddy the Elf but the truth is, I really wouldn't have the beautiful home that I do WITHOUT him. [Thanks, baby!! Seriously.] 

We could not be MORE thankful that we have this homey space to spend the majority of our time in. When we moved into this home at the end of July, I never would have fathomed THIS. The home was already beautiful, but being a brand new build and basically a blank slate, I had a difficult time envisioning character and charm, romance and elegance. Here we are, just barely four months later, and it is entirely thanks to Havertys Furniture and their H Designers for helping our dreams soar. 

This Christmas you can be sure to find us right here, all season long. Thank God for our wood burning fireplace [one of our biggest house goals], the comfy couch to snuggle up on, and for our children who create ALL of the sweet, sweet laughter. 

Happy Holidays, to you and yours! My husband wanted me to write "God bless us, EVERYONE!" so there that is. And hey, if you have YOUR Christmas tree up, will you email me a photo? You can email me here: ashleyglassphotography gmail dot com

PS: Here is a photo of the space at night; perhaps a bit grainy but I thought it still looked so beautiful! 

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Gathering with the Glasses during Christmas time

What You Don't Know About Bad Kids

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I guess you could call me a jack of all trades kinda gal. Not in the sense that I am an excellent cook, house cleaner, repairman type of lady--but I do a lot of different things professionally. You know me as a blogger, a social media influencer, and/or professional photographer...but the one that I don't talk too much about here, is that I am a full time special education teacher.

It has actually been seven years that I've been in the classroom. After undergrad, I got my Masters degree in special education, with a specialty in emotional behavior disabilities (as well as learning disabilities). My sister in law worked (still works) at a children's' psychiatric facility and after subbing there several times, I knew that's where I wanted to be too. I was drawn to the type of students that were there, and I felt as if it would be there I could make the most difference in children's' lives. Flash forward some, and that's exactly where I ended up.

To me there is a really big difference between kids who grow up having resources, who live in safe and loving homes, compared to those who have been in and out of foster care and who haven't been shown what appropriate and safe love looks like. The word 'bad kid' gets tossed around both in social circles and really, in society as a whole. Are either kid, those who have 'normal' lives and those that don't, bad? No, I don't think that's the proper word to use; but I want to take some time to talk about the latter of our youth--the ones who are shifted from family to family, who don't have a stable home, and how really I believe society has no idea WHY these children are demonstrating 'bad' behaviors.

A homeless child is one who doesn't have a regular or fixed nighttime residence, so that means kids who are not living with their parents, or legal guardians; and those who live in shelters, hotels, who transition from juvenile justice programs, and between foster care. As of 2015, Kentucky was actually ranked as being one of the worst states for youth homelessness. I really had NO idea what this meant or rather, what it looked like, until I had my first [that I KNEW of] homeless student. Every single day, he came into my classroom angry, looking to pick fights with peers, finding ways to be defiant with me, and he was rarely ever interested in school work. I never knew until one day I asked him to come out in the hallway with me to speak privately. "How are you doing, Man?" I asked him. "Eh, I'm okay. My mom is getting a new van which will be better to sleep in." "Sleep in??" I asked. "Yeah, we just have a four passenger car right now and I can't sleep."

Here I was, teaching a math lesson [I remember it well], and getting frustrated that this student wasn't paying attention...and he didn't have a BED to sleep in. He was in fourth grade, y'all...already labeled as an EBD kid (emotional behavioral disorder), and yet we wonder WHY some of our youth act up? I know how nice of a person I am when my sleep gets cut short in my own plush, comfortable bed...let me tell you how great I would do sleeping in a CAR.

In a 2013 article it was recorded that the amount of kids in my county who do NOT have a place to call home, would fill 176 school buses. There were over 12,000 students recorded as being homeless during the 2011-2012 school year, and that the percentages range from 4% to 26% within the district and their different regions. Let's hope that numbers have changed drastically since that information is five years old, but I didn't do extensive research. Are behaviors chalked up to only the homeless kids though?

My husband is also a teacher; he specialized in the same field, but he works in a regular school setting. (Whereas I am technically in a special school within the district, if that's confusing.) He has a second grade student who was left home alone ALL night, while her mom went to work. The student was told 'to go to bed,' and that her grandfather would pick her up in the morning. Do you think this eight year old slept well that night? Or came into my husband's classroom ready to do SCHOOL work? What about the child who was locked in a cage for most of his early life? He was fed through bars, locked in the dimly lit basement, and abused when he was out of it. Probably many of you have read the well-known book A Child Called It? Did you know that that book is not so far removed from reality of today's youth? 

Before I became a teacher and was put face to face with the students such as these, I had NO idea. My education was fairly nondescript, not in a bad way at all. I just mean that I don't really remember my classmates having aggression or fits of rage or mood swings or opposition towards teachers. That doesn't mean it wasn't there, it just means I wasn't exposed to it. My personal childhood wasn't perfect, but I was deeply loved and because of that, I built resilience towards the things that I faced in life. Many of the students I have are enduring trauma time and time and time again, and their developing brains are NOT able to build resilience. Most people are able to adapt to life-changing situations or stressful circumstances because they have a healthy dose of resilience; but this is something that requires time and effort, and a process that involves numerous steps. Relationships that foster love and trust is one of the number one ways to help boost an individual's resilience--so think about the children who know nothing about this. Having positive role models who offer encouragement and reassurance is another important step--and what if your role model was a drug addict, or a guardian who never built you up? 

I recently heard someone say, "Oh he's just bad," in regards to a former student, and honestly, that's what triggered this post. Even my students will apologize in sentences such as, "I'm sorry I was bad, Mrs. Glass." Or say, "My goal today is to not be bad." We have conversations OFTEN about how each and every child that is in my classroom is not a BAD child. Whether or not you choose to believe the phrase, 'there's no such thing as a bad child,' from the bottom of my heart, I think over half of struggling children are the products of their environments. Really aren't we all? Each child has the strength and resilience to overcome their environment, but the sad reality is that most do not realize their strength until it is too late. Part of my calling is to teach children how to overcome the obstacles life throws at them--much like a parent is supposed to do. 

Maybe you are a parent, like me. And maybe you too are a fellow teacher. Wherever you are and no matter your role, I encourage you to re-think the adjective 'bad,' and as hard as it is (coming from experience) try to be more patient with a struggling child. Some of us may NEVER know the type of environment a child is being raised in, but I can tell you that for too many, it isn't a good one. 

**There are no bad children. There are bad choices. There are bad moments. There are bad situations. But there are no bad children. Period." -L.R. Knost "The Gentle Parent."

 

A Family that Rides Together: Our Partnership with Kent Bicycles

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Oh the memories of my childhood riding bikes with my big brother Sean! I still remember the first time I rode a bike, and of course the very first spill. We had a gravel driveway at that time and little stones were stuck inside my kneecap. I remember sitting on the bathroom sink with my mom, while she patiently cleaned up my hysterical mess of a self, making sure every scratch and boo boo was kissed and taken care of. But do you know what's kind of funny...? I don't remember the last time I have RIDDEN a bike. 

Well, that is until now! 

When this partnership first came on the horizon, I thought to myself, "Seriously, Ashley. You haven't ridden a bike in probably a decade." But wait, it has to be longer than that because a decade ago, I was nineteen and a college freshman. Was it middle school?? High school?? [Side note to my mother who I know reads my blog: WHEN was the last time I rode a bike?!?]

Kent Bicycles reached out to me just as school was starting in August. When they asked if Asa and I would also benefit from their bikes, we of course excitedly told them YES. Our kids love riding bikes, and they were just on the cusp of completely outgrowing theirs. Reese's fourth birthday was also on the outskirts and what better birthday present than a NEW BIKE!? We let Pierson choose his from the catalogue, and we let Reese browse, but didn't make the promise of one to her (as we wanted it to be a surprise). She saw an adorable pink Pinkalicious one and she squealed with delight--Pinkalicious is one of her FAVORITE book character's, and we read them often at her bedtime. Kent was amazing to work with us so quickly, and sure enough, we had it in time for her birthday party! 

Is it super obvious Reese had a princess themed party? And she was thrilled when she opened her eyes and saw her dad rolling the bike up to the deck! [Thank you, Kent Bikes for making this SUCH a fun present and surprise!!] 

Pierson chose an awesome green bike that will be perfect for him as he grows. It has front pegs for stunts [later, Pierson, LATER!!!] and maximum braking control with coaster brakes AND front/rear brakes. He is already zooming all over the subdivision on it and is excited for the day that he can try those pegs ;) 

I wanted a bike that would be comfortable and easy to ride [I was actually scared that I had maybe forgotten how to?! Don't laugh!] And it turns out, the one that I chose was the perfect fit (that I am doing just fine riding by the way, haha). The Northwoods Ladies Pomona is super cute, lightweight, and is the perfect city bike.

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Asa has a road bike that he rode around our park, but it is really old and worn. There's of course nothing wrong with a well worn bike, but he thought it would be fun to pick something brand new and a little on the different [for him] side. The Retro Hybrid Bike was calling his name, and he LOVES it. We have gotten so many compliments as we ride together through the neighborhood and lots of friends ask where we got them from. 

Kent made sure we were well prepared safety wise, and sent some great helmets for the kids too. Pierson has had one pretty big wipe-out on a large hill in the subdivision, and we were incredibly grateful that he had it on!! 

What I am most excited about is the memories that we'll continue to make while on these bikes. Motherhood is a constant rollercoaster; lots of ups and downs--but these days really are fleeting, I know that it won't be long that my kids are cruising around the neighborhood without necessarily needing me, and I am so thankful that in THIS season, we often all go together. 

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Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. -Albert Einstein

Thank you so much, Kent Bikes, for sponsoring this post and helping our family stay on the move!