Papa Kessel

My life has taken a big turn here with the birth of a child, still to be named (a source of anxiety). We don't want to make the same mistake my parents made with me by naming me something (I guess) they weren't sure about and then having to change the name shortly after. My brother joked that we should name her Natalie after my original namesake Nathan. We also thought seeing the baby would help but it hasn't really except in helping us eliminating a few names since she doesn't look, for example, like a Sapphira (too bad as Phire would be a bad ass nickname).

The birthing process was a unique, interesting, and challenging event. It was hard to see Maya in such pain. It took about 18 hours and of course when we left for the hospital neither of us were really ready but they say you never are. It was a scary time but having the Doula Colleen was certainly helpful and I don't know if we could do it again whether we'd do anything differently. Maya went back and forth with the need of the epidural and during the most intense contractions kept saying she couldn't do it anymore but she pushed pretty far into it naturally.

For most of the birth I was mostly just speechless, not sure what to say, wanting to help, but really doing very little as obviously Maya does/did all the work. I did little things like offer encouragement, give her ice chips, massage her shoulders a bit, grab a wet cloth to put on her forehead, and ask questions to make sure we felt good about everything. The hectic-ness of birth this was a challenge, especially with the decelerating heart beat episodes. She came in with everything moving quickly but overnight it really slowed down.

When the baby finally came everybody was exhausted. The quick and easy birth that we had hoped for did not happen, but at least we didn't have to any major interventions and/or need to do a c-section. I was impressed with the help at the hospital and by the end we assembled a pretty big team (maybe 6-8 people). It was both a relief and a surprise to see the baby finally come out. She came out at 6 lbs. 10 oz. and 19 inches and pretty with lots of hair.  I was shocked by how normal she seemed and not at all alien-like as a I expected being all wrinkly and smushed face. I also for some reason thought it would be a boy and that he or she would look like one of us. But so far she is cute and so little and I am proud to be a father and it is still all hitting me.

Now, it's time to start learning how to do this. I really don't know anything about girls...

A visit from a friend

This is a few months old now but it's a nice glimpse of time into our household and lives at this moment. Sherlock being Sherlock, Haig our Cameroonian newly arrived immigrant living with us, and a visit from our Orthodox Jewish friends Heshie, Avigail, and family.

Teacher Lobbying

It's shocking to me how many people were at the capital this past Thursday. It was my first time experiencing political lobbying and engaging on the ground with my state representatives. As the legislative session comes to a close it seems others had the same idea.

The Georgia Association of Educators, the GA equivalent of a union (since we are a right-to-work state and this is the best we can do), tries to promote public education in a climate which is not always receptive. Working in education in the South is interesting and challenging as our state lags behind all of the New England states where I grew up. I think my day-to-day experience working in the classroom is very different than the experience of the policy wonks and politicians who perhaps very rarely set foot in a classroom. This is a common critique of educational policy makers and has especially become more prominent with the appointment of our new secretary of education Betsy school vouchers Devos.  

My experience at the capital with GAE was somehow was invigorating, frustrating, informative, and inefficient all at once. As I had never done something like this, it was a cool thing to do and perhaps, as a non-committed career teacher, a once-in-a-life-time opportunity. I came away from the day feeling like I probably did not accomplish much and I'm not sure I'll do it again. But that might just be the normal experience engaging in the democratic process as a minority citizen and the alternative of not doing anything and disengaging is a worse alternative. Most teachers are not part of the union, or I should association, in Georgia and my impression is most of them do not engage with the political side of things. It's not that we don't care, it's just that we are somewhat disconnected from the process and only when something truly big is happening do we care. The majority of us (especially non-activist types) are too busy to connect with the policy process on an ongoing basis even if it does effect our day-to-day classroom teaching experience. Mostly we just grumble and complain about the decline in education, lack of support and resources, and latest annoyance and frustration with our students. I would not call teaching a thankless task but we are part of a much larger system in which, to be a bit hackneyed, we are all just small cogs in the larger wheel.

Back the capital last Thursday, I assumed incorrectly that most of the other people at the capital would be lobbyists. One thing that seemed to make the day so busy was the number of people, who, unlike me, actually got to come to the capital on a somewhat regular basis as part of their job. The number of causes and people from different places was really surprising. G.A.E. gave us a big list of the current legislation of educational bills they were watching that we might want to take positions on before marching into the capital. 

I also experienced a very rude encounter with a man who accused me of "cheating" because I had jumped the line to speak with my senator. This is referred to as "working the ropes." But as far as the "cheating" accusation, I had no idea what was going on in all of the chaos and confusion of trying to speak to my representative. It turned out that you had to wait in a very long line to give a small piece of paper with the name of the senator or representative that you wanted to see. Once they register who you want to see (a secretary of sorts), they give your slip to a young girl or boy page who gets the person you want to see from out of the assembly. 

It was fun getting to speak to my senator although ironically I actually already knew who she was and she's very progressive. I found out that later that day the bill I was concerned about and in opposition to- the new Opportunity School Districts bill called the Chief Turnaround Officer plan, advanced that afternoon much to my chagrin. Again, I'm not sure how much this work does but I was glad to see so many citizens getting in on the ground floor of our democracy. Even Trump can't stop that.
Posing on the steps inside the Capital


Busy day at the capital


Working the ropes


Senator Nann Orroch and myself posing for a photo 
The Senate debate room

Mom visits ATL!

No time for writing these days, just a quick update here with a photo on our field trip to Roswell GA! Maya now 6 months preggers!

Winter Break, L.A., & Pregnancy

It's been awhile since my last update and with school returning technically tomorrow (teacher work day) I figure I'd do a life check-in, working backwards from Fall Break back and beyond since November. With New Years just passing I'm also posting a video from Maya's friend Priya and her mid-town apartment party so I can actually remember where I was and what I did for New Years - it was difficult counting back with Maya to think back on where we were and what we did for only the 4 New Years we've been together. Need to start remembering to remember better, although my one and only resolution this year was to get more sleep before the baby is born when I know that's over.

Speaking of baby, Maya is blowing up and most people think she must be ready to give birth any idea. Two and a half months approximately more to go though. The special treatment we (and mostly her) get is kind of fun but sometimes annoying. It's been fun feeling the kicks and getting excited about this thing that I have no idea how to do. I keep feeling like I should probably read a book or something, but it seems like everywhere I go these days I'm talking to new (and older) parents about it and getting advice anyways. The main relief is that we have a daycare set up and a good 5 months collectively where one of us will be home with the baby.

Another reoccurring theme with these discussions is marriage and parenthood and how marriage changes once you have a kid. I am a bit nervous about that too and how everyone say's your life just becomes about your kid and it becomes harder to connect with your partner. I think this must be true when you are exhausted all the time, especially earlier on. I guess it's just another one of life's stages and like entering the working world or getting married I'll figure it out when I get there. Both Maya and I are pretty cool with not going out as much anymore and leaving the bar scene behind, it's not like we go there that much now anyways. Having a baby will be hard but I imagine rewarding and life changing.

We spent the last few weeks in CA on a really fun trip with our friend's Dave and Eric Leiberman and their girlfriends. We only did a day and a half in L.A., our arrival and departure port, but it was actually pretty fun and it helped having a car which really is necessary and I have not had in years past. One thing that was funny though was how very few people around seemed to know about the amazing nature right in their backyards. We hiked Topanga Canyon, a gorgeous mountain area right inside L.A. with beautiful pacific and canyon views everywhere. A few locals we asked commented, "oh yeah, I think I've heard of that, it's near the 101 right?" Because that's how everyone refers to things there, which highway or mall something is near. That fact and how spread out L.A. is previously turned me off from the city but there are some cool neighborhoods and unique features of the city. I can see why some people love it in the same way people love NYC.

We also spent 4 days on a travel writing story to Morro Bay and the Highway 1 Discovery Route (link to be added here when it comes out). That was a ton of fun and we really got the hook up with this one. Ate amazing and fresh seafood the whole time while jumping around from whale watching (still not fun and still no whales :( ), e-biking (very fun), kayaking in an nature preserve and estuary, wine tours (I have a new appreciation even if I still don't love wine), elephant seals and sunsets, Hearst Castle, mineral hot springing, and more. We spent Christmas in Joshua Tree, a national park that's long been near the top of my list to visit. Like Acadia and other places I've been, it was incredibly distinct and beautiful and I wished I had at least a week to explore it. I'll have to come back in the warmer months to camp there at some point. Maybe with a family next time.  

This trip felt like one of my international adventures and whenever I do really cool stuff like this in the U.S. I do feel some pride in my own country. And I remember that there's so much more to explore right here at home.

Other events include the disastrous 2016 election, legitimate Shabbat with conservative Orthodox Jews in Dunwoody (a very interesting and different experience), trip to Boston for the ACTFL language conference (which was a lot of fun), Thanksgiving with the whole family for the first time in probably over a decade (it was a huge group!), 1st time curling experience, candle making, and many holiday parties, which circling back to the beginning of this update, I'll probably forget about in due time.

Palm Springs free hiking

Desert Springs Hot Springs in the Cold pool praying for not being freezing

Bouldering in Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree pano

Wish we had gotten there at daybreak and had even a whole day for this amazingness 

Cactus garden near end of the attraction side of park

Laini and Maya enjoying the writer's lunch in front of the iconic Morro Rock in Morro Bay

Sunset from Heart's Castle

Battle (?) of the elephant seals

Dave kayaking in the estuary in Morro Bay

One of just many amazing seafood meals on the SLO coast of CA

Hello Rocky!

E-Biking the Bob Jones trail in Avila Beach, turn on your nitros!

Friendly seal at San Luis Port near Avila Beach where we biked to for lunch

Hiking the Topanga Canyon pregnant

Fall 2016

Last weekend was an amazing weekend. Zach Morris, from my Guatemala trip, was in town for some job interviews, the weather was amazing, and it was a busy weekend. I played my annual game of horrible bowling with some minor improvements, just enough to break 100. After the annual Stomp and Chomp event in Cabbagetown and seeing friends in the neighborhood, the band had a house party Saturday night. It wasn't well attended but the bonfire outside was nice and it was good to play for a crowd again. 

Sunday we embarked on a Tiny Doors Atlanta hunt and a project I dreamed up a few weeks back. It took some time to convince Maya to bike pregnant but I think it was safe enough. We biked about 15 miles around Atlanta and visited about 10 of the doors where we made short video clips to someday show our newborn. It's easy to forget to record your life and to actually make and create sometimes but it's very satisfying. 

The pregnancy is going fine. I'm getting used to the idea of being a father and more excited everyday. Visiting some day cares recently made it very real. I've had my adventures going out and living my 20's and at this point this feels more like a good meaningful change. I don't know that I'll ever be more ready either than I am now. We have some ideas for names but tough to narrow it down to just 1-2. I'm not excited about the lack of sleep but having a baby will be life changing in good ways I think. Furthermore, something has to break with work and this will force me to live differently. I don't know that I can give up JV tennis coaching but I might have to at least next semester.

Despite being in my third year of teaching I'm still finding the workload super challenging to manage. I was so tired Wednesday after the election of trump and just stunned all day feeling pretty depressed. Amazing how I went from happy and awesome this weekend to this. It's pretty low. And it's also fall showcase time which is stressful and tiring as well. Seems like every morning these days I have to come in early and then stay late at night. Perhaps the annual "crawl" towards Thanksgiving is unavoidable if you want to be a good teacher that grades for accuracy (and not just completion), differentiates, calls home for failing students, and creates engaging/fun lesson plans.

The Strolling Bones November 5th, 2016

Tiny Door Hunt on a beautiful and unseasonably warm Saturday

Friend and colleague Mike Sopko dresses up for Halloween at Dunwoody

Hiking Mt. Yonah with Ethan, Charlie, and the dogs

The beautiful North Georgia mountains

Pregnant!

It's been a wild ride the last few months, or really continuously since the wedding. I remember getting a frantic skype call from Maya in New Zealand assuming I had done something wrong only to be told the great news: Maya was pregnant!

We are now about four months in and the anticipation is building. I cannot believe I am going to be a father. With Rosh Hashanah happening right now I've had some time to reflect on everything and the past year has been truly monumental. I am a nervous about fatherhood but excited at the same time. It feels so adult and weird. It feels like just yesterday I was finishing high school and embarking on my own journey to manhood and now it's almost time to help another being start on their own journey.

It's been exciting sharing the news with others and most people do not seem all that surprised. I mean, this is what you do I guess at 31 after getting married. We aren't getting any younger and I'd like to be around for more of my child's life.

Besides that big news, I've been traveling a bit lately with a trip to Asheville and camping with teacher friend's for my first ever teacher Fall Break. I also took off for the high holidays and had a 5 day weekend last week where Maya and I traveled to Savannah (see video below of hibachi grilling experience) to meet up with her parents who are considering retiring there. We saw Amos Lee which was fun, met up with some new friends, volunteered with Concrete Jungle, gone up to the North Georgia cabin (again with teacher friends), and met up with Maya's friends in Nashville.

The other big news and change in our lives has been welcoming Haig from Cameroon to our house. Haig is a newly arrived immigrant who is paraplegic and learning English, not an easy recipe for success finding work and moving to a new country. But he's a sweet guy and he seems pretty intelligent. It has been an adjustment though having some one full time in the guest room who needs our help getting around, eating, and surviving here.

The placeholder name is "Shmuel"

Savannah family dolphin hunting

Titus comes to visit ATL but no one is home

Looking after our friends' dog Luca 

VT friends visiting ATL!

Lake Hiawassee with the crew!

Vale and Tray's wedding

We've been enjoying our year's supply of Fair Trade chocolate courtesy of Theo and the World Fair Trade Day contest I won last May. Fantastic!

Haig might have to move to Canada if Donald Trump wins