Almost summer!

I'm very sad that not only is the school year over for PODER, the family literacy program where I've been teaching English to adults for the past two years, but the program is ending due to a lack of funding. I have had such a wonderful time getting to know the women in my class and have been inspired by their commitment to learn and to grow as people and as parents. Here are some of my students with poems they wrote after reading the book, The Best Part of Me by Wendy Ewald. I will definitely be keeping in touch with some of these amazing women who have become dear friends.

Reyna, Clara, me, Maria, Lucia, Selene:

Eric fixing up his bike in front of the four freezers in our garage. Never thought I'd have freezers full of meat, but having a food pantry changes things :)

Walking on a rainy evening through the beautiful, historic Irvington neighborhood of Portland.

The houses were just gorgeous, the streets tree-lined and many of the yards full of native plants.

After a beautiful sunny day today, the clouds returned and the rain will likely stay for a couple more days. I'm ready for summery weather, but boy is the grass green!