illustration jason berg yesterday spent springfield illinois busloads fourth graders spent fourth graders manageable salem historic site reconstruction abraham lincoln spent early adulthood state capitol building state museum group high-energy post chaperoning field trip purely loved observing interacting kids spending time kids love things light eyes love learning things learned long academic information important bits knowledge world works social interactions negotiations play love opportunity transported back childhood remember fascinations fears discoveries confusions felt touch nine-year-old version helps understand adult rewarding challenge explaining world honestly simply interacted kids yesterday reminded love thinking answer questions explain words laisha sign asked 'prohibited responded means 'not allowed asked write 'not allowed swallow laugh good question fact spend professional life advocating words explaining time people sound smart official explained adults fall ruts forgetting question things valid love spending time kids jostle ruts started writing post thelovelist hashtag twitter pull recent additions post theme mojojules back niece makes heart complete laugh precious jenluit love daughter protests idea girl toys writes love books live computers lemonade books email signed here's kids change chances interact kids regular basis encourage find ways connect church volunteering tutor mentor local school non-profit updates thelovelist past week mojojules helped halloween gift neighborhood laughed hard life bridgeout grateful bright blue today short sleeve weather days cold rain love things thelovelist actionable love trees fall colors reminds delaware write letter losing creativity craft room healthy heart soul writes writing blog post active part thought idea process record idea thought scheidel love work office midtown manhattan employees excited fall lunchtime potluck remtobreathe glad dragged church prayer night awesome badly needed mojojules deep friend loved honesty rawness convo cnewvine grateful sunny autumn days crisp smells leaves excited friday's guest post book-loving gen-y friend meredith recent love list additions give sense forward mcmer love snuggling oversized sweathshirts burrowing underneath blankets turning heat cold mcmer singing radio ipod lungs caring tune mcmer sunday nights reconnecting family phone calls hearing voices makes distance mcmer reading beloved book time catching friend familiar 