"where I'm from…"

"I am from…"

In English, my name means famous

I'm from Rick and Vicky

From pasta and steak

On holidays.

I am from hockey and golf

I'm from fishing and tubing

and watching hockey

I am from the Lake,

the Golf Course, my get away

From "Stop picking on your brother!"

and "Never give up!"

I'm from That's My Kind of Night

and Tiger Woods: How I Play Golf

I'm from the Lutheran Church, God blessed me.

From a family that watches hockey

and will someday have mom cancer free!

In English, my name means famous

It means Hockey

I'm athletic and active

Nolan of the 

Hockey family, Westra family

(For the original poem and some ideas of how it can be used, check out the link below!)

Where I'm From, by George Ella Lyon

The above poem, with a map drawing next to it, was on the wall outside of Nolan's pod of classrooms at the middle school.

He would never have shared with me that he completed a project like this, or that he wrote about me.  Instead, I got to happen across it, while at conferences at school a few weeks back.  

Last night, we went to see Grandma at her Transitional Care Unit.

After a weeks of tryouts and a long weekend of scrimmages, while waiting to find out which hockey team he would make, Nolan chose to go with us to visit Grandma Mary Ann.

Colton, went to his service project with his confirmation class, at the Dorothy Day House, and helped cook dinner and then eat with the residents.

But Nolan?  Somehow seemed to know Grandma Mary Ann could use a lift.  

He's right.

She has been put through it.

She is quieter than I've ever seen her.  Flat in her affect.  No desire to get out of her chair and go very far.  Her suffering, real, tangible and hard to bear.

But somehow, she perseveres.  

And I try to use words for her to grab onto, and steady herself.

"Temporary." "Recovery." "Short-term." "Strength." 

And Nolan saves the best for last.

As the announcement for his team placement appears on his phone, he beams.

But without saying a word, he readies to leave.

As he goes to hug my mother good bye, without hesitation, he says, "Love you, Grandma."

Love wins in the end.