I’m taking part in the weekly Slice of Life Challenge sponsored by  Two Writing Teachers, where teachers write and share each Tuesday. Join in yourself or head over to check out what’s happening with other slicers. If you’re taking part in the SOL, leave a link to your post. I’d love to read it.

For the second year in a row, I have joined Two Writing Teachers in the month long Slice of Life blogging challenge.  For the second year in a row, I wasn’t sure I could actually pull it off–write and share every day for the month of March.  For the second year in a row, I did it.  I wrote, posted, shared, and commented every day.  For the second year in a row, I have learned more than I could have imagined before I started.  What have I learned?

• Writing is sometimes hard, but I can still do it.  There were quite a few days when I had no ideas, no words.  Those were the days I dug through notebooks or read posts (especially the inspiration posts–Thanks, Stacey) from other writers to find ideas when my brain was empty.  One day I even wrote about having nothing to write about.
• Somedays I wrote better than other days.  I cringed as I published some of my posts, but I am grateful for the kind words of people who encouraged me to try again the next day.
• I can find time to write every day.  Usually how long it takes me to write a post depends on the amount of time I had available.  On busy days, I could crank out a post in less than 30 minutes.  During spring break and weekends when the entire day stretched before me, it would take me an hour or two to write a post.  The posts on those leisurely days weren’t necessarily better than the others.  They just took longer.
• I have readers I didn’t know about.  Throughout the month, I would run into people at school and church who would comment on my posts or ask me a question about something I wrote about.  I usually share my posts on Facebook and Twitter, and sometimes responses would come there as well.
• I love comments!  I still get excited when someone takes the time to write a comment about my posts.  I also love reading and leaving comments for others.  I could spend hours reading and commenting if I had the hours to give each day.  Sometimes, though, it is hard to know what to say.  Sometimes I wish I could be there face to face instead.
• I am glad to have found and become a part of this community.  The slicing community is filled with some of the most dynamic and passionate teachers, literacy coaches, administrators, and parents that I’ve ever met.  I have learned so much from what you have shared from your classrooms and homes.  I am inspired to become an even better teacher and mother.

I stand in awe of those of you who have classrooms of students slicing with you.  By next year I am going to figure out how to organize and keep up with 120 language arts students so I can share the excitement with them as well.

I will be back tomorrow for the weekly round up of slices each Tuesday!  I hope to see you there, too.