This portfolio is a selection of personal writing I’ve gathered over the course of this semester. The two-fold purpose of this collection is to demonstrate my growth as a writer and build up a collection of work samples to share with students. Each of these pieces were chosen from my writer’s notebook, and developed through the writing cycle, as they are some of my favorite pieces. I’ve chosen a variety of writings, making them useful as I teach different genres throughout the school year. Included in this portfolio you will find poetry, fiction and non-fiction stories, and even my first ever digital picture book. The act of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and finally publishing has made me a better writer. I’m more observant of the world around me and more aware of the challenges my students may face as they embark on their own writing journeys. Writing throughout this semester, with high expectations in place, was a growing experience. Within the comfort of my writer’s notebook, I started unabashedly writing for me. I learned that as a writer I prefer to write about what is important to me, I learned that frequent and consistent writing is monumental to my progression as a writer, and I learned that I enjoy writing, contrary to what I’ve always believed that I’m not horrible at it. This has also highlighted some areas in which I need to improve, such as non-fiction writing, but the journey of writing is one that I believe is never complete. I will continue to stretch myself as a writer by trying new things. I am excited to share my writing journey with my students as I am certain some of them will feel the same way about themselves as writers as I did before embarking on my own writing journey. This class has impacted my educational philosophy in regard to writing. Because of this class I will make writing more of a priority in my classroom and in my life. I will continue to keep my writer’s notebook and sharpen my writer’s lens to become more observant of the world around me. I will ensure that each student I teach has their own writer’s notebook wherein they can explore, as I have, their inner writer.

The Rain My mountain strong, immovable, undaunted by crashing waves. I thought her love would come for me, But along came the rain.

Her wisps of springtime air imbued hope of a brighter day. But the air turned cold, the skies to grey, As along came the rain

Ominous clouds filled the sky; cracking thunder filled my mind. My hope sent to her infant grave as Along came the rain.

Raging, relentless, tormenting. My howl I could not cease. My mountain crumbled in front of me As along came the rain.

Now all that’s left is her silhouette and the rubble and the pain. My heart adrift, forlorn and lost When along comes the rain.

Dragons to Slay

It was a stunning summer day. The sky was crystal clear and, although it was only 10AM, the heat was already rising off of the pavement with a delicate breeze bustling the leaves overhead. This was a day not to be wasted indoors, and Steve and I knew Cherry Hill Waterpark was the answer. We slathered sunscreen on our already sun kissed kids, slipped into our swimsuits and flip-flops, and piled our three young children into the car. With the windows down, the AC blasting, and a cooler full of juice boxes we headed for some fun in the sun. After hauling our cargo across the waterpark, we secured five spots by the coveted pool area half way between the lazy river and the waterslides. Our kids had been begging all summer to try these waterslides and today was their lucky day, or so we thought. With joyful anticipation, we headed straight for the Double Dragons, two meandering water slides that are nothing to be afraid of. That is, unless you are my four year old son! I can’t be sure if it was the dragon heads that greets you with puffs of steam as you embark through the castle archway, the 47-stair climb to the top, or the wizard with a steaming cauldron that randomly spews water that convinced my suddenly terrified 4 year old son that a ride down one of these slides was synonymous with his utter demise. I wasn’t overly surprised by Quintan’s reluctance to try this new activity, but I was fairly certain that if he tried it he would absolutely love the experience. To be sure, I tested the waters with Ethan, my oldest son, first. As I suspected, the ride was well suited to riders of all ages. Knowing how much Quintan would enjoy the ride, I tried my best to coax him up the stairs: “It’s not scary; you’re going to love it! Look that little kid just went and he’s running up the stairs for another turn.” My efforts were fruitless; but, like any respectable mom, when the coaxing didn’t work I turned to bribery. “Just try it Quintan! If you do I’ll get you a Slurpee; don’t you want a Slurpee?” Being the iron-willed child he is, Quintan refused my offer in spite of his feverish affinity for frozen drinks.

Moms have their ways of doing things and so do dads! I tried unsuccessfully, and now it was up to Steve. “Come on Quintan, we’re going on the slide. I’ll be with you. You’ll be fine.” And with that he scooped him up and without looking back carried him up the 47 stairs to face the dragons. I wish I could say that my husband’s pep talk calmed my son’s fears; on the contrary, he began kicking and screaming in protest all the way up to wizard and his spewing cauldron. It was a spectacle! I watched the dirty looks others cast at my husband as he continued his ascent, and admittedly, I was doubting him myself. But there was no turning back now; like it or not, Quintan was going to try the slide! It wasn’t exactly how I imagined our day playing out, yet I was hopeful that the forced fun would yield positive, lasting results. Time seemed to stop as I eagerly watched and waited, wondering if Quintan would be raging or exultant as he emerged from the tube. I nervously pondered, “Have I scarred my son for life? Will he ever ride a waterslide again?” Then, just like that, the Dragon flushed both of them out of the tube. I held my breath anxiously awaiting his reaction. He popped up from the water with a huge “that was the best ride ever” look on his face! “Can we do it again mom?!?” Amazed by his transformation in the 60 seconds it took to get down the slide, I cheered, “You did it Quinny!” Relief flooded out of me in the form of laughter. He did it, and he loved it! “Yes, Q-man, let’s go!” This time, there was no screaming, no tears, and he was all smiles as he climbed the 47 stairs gripping my hand with his pudgy little boy fingers. Half way to the slide he paused, stood on his tiptoes, and peeked into the baby dragons den; time stood still for a brief moment. I couldn’t help but think that my little man had slayed his very first dragon. It may have been a small dragon, but it twisted this mother heart all the same. He faced his fear and came out on top. Bigger dragons will inevitably rear their fiery smoking heads, and like today, he may not want to face them. But for today, this beautiful summer day, my little boy’s battle is won.

The Never Ending Battle Bottomless heaping mounds before me. Dirty. Smelly. Foul.

Agitation. The battle begins. I must divide to conquer. Dark. Light. White.

Agitation. Heavy duty arsenal ready to cycle upon command. Rinse. Soak. Spin.

Agitation. Hung out to dry or scorched from heat. Warm. Fluffy. Sterile.

Victory? For one brief moment, the tide has turned. Splatter. Drip. Stain.

Agitation.

Field Trip By Heide Call

Chapter 1 Have you ever been swallowed up? I mean totally and completely gulped down into a cavern so dark you can’t tell if your eyes are opened or closed? I hadn’t either, until last week. See, I never meant to end up inside of the giant python…it just, happened!

Okay, let me back up. It all started last Friday; I woke up to my alarm blaring “Eye of the Tiger” at 7 AM and sleepily rolled out of bed, like every other morning. I threw on my clothes and trudged downstairs before my brain woke up enough to realize that this was not like every other day. Today is fieldtrip day, the best day of the year, and we are going to the zoo! Remembering this sent a jolt of energy through me.

I excitedly bounded into the kitchen, pulled the cereal box off the shelf, poured myself a bowl, and scarfed it down, taking no though of the dark abyss to which I was sending my cornflakes. Instead, I was thinking about what a perfect day I was going to have: no stuffy classroom, no boring lectures, and no schoolwork. I knew the day would be full of fresh air, exotic animals, and fantastic exploration, but I had no idea what I was really in store.

I hurriedly brushed my teeth, took a quick glance in the mirror, and kissed my mom goodbye as I ran out the door to catch the bus. The bus ride seemed to fly by as my best friend Steve and I chatted about which animals we wanted to see first: definitely the gorillas. As we pulled up to the zoo, I could see that there were lots of kids, but I knew that none of them were as excited as me.

Steve and I rushed off the bus to ensure our spots in front of the line, and before we could say “Hokema Zoo”, we were heading right toward the gorillas. In my haste to get close to the action, I tripped over my own two feet and went flying into the gorilla pit. I saw it all in slow motion, but I couldn’t stop myself before crashing on the pavement. My head hit the ground, hard. And when I finally came to, I couldn’t believe my eyes!

Everything was suddenly, um, different. The air was humid and smelled of tropical flowers, sweet and fresh. I was surrounded by towering trees and thick, lush vines. The sun peeked through the canopy casting flecks of golden light upon the jungle floor, and I could hear the most stunning symphony of chirping, croaking, and trickling waters. This was NOT the zoo, and I had no idea how I ended up in the rainforest, but I was not about to waste this opportunity!

TO BE CONTINUED…

Life Life. The seemingly inseparable conjoining of body and soul. The state in which organisms can grow, adapt to their environment, respond to stimuli, and change. This thing called life, and the loss of it, has been on my mind. It is capricious, delicate, unpredictable and fragile. Life. Some things in life, most things really, we cannot control. What matters most is that we do well with what is ours to tame. And let me be clear, there is no thing and no one to tame except for the recalcitrant being within ourselves. When life heaps its unrelenting vicissitudes upon us, as is the requirement for all mortals, can we tame our inner being? Do we bow to the bait or adapt for survival? Life. There are agents constantly vying for our time and attention, but to acquiesce to each is to lose that inner most part of ourselves that knows who we really are and the truest desires of who we want to become.

Life. It can beat us up then bring us to our greatest elation. It can exhaust and deplete until we feel there is nothing left of the life we used to know, when in reality this is our opportunity to become greater than we ever knew possible. There are great things in store for each and every life upon the earth. Can we see that in ourselves? Can we see it in those around us? Do we try our best to be kind and understand what others are experiencing? Do we offer the benefit of the doubt to those who betray or maliciously use us? Because in the end what really matters is that we are right with our God, right with ourselves, and right with those who mean the most to us. The petty things will be forgotten. The challenges will be looked back on as small hills we once climbed, but the love we shared will perpetuate forever. Life. What will I make of mine?

Heide Call 1234 E. Unsettled Drive Liberty Lake, WA 99019

Date 3/12/2018

Mr. or Mrs. Manager Fresh Food Restaurant 321 Right Way Spokane, WA 110094

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been a loyal patron of your restaurant for some time and have always appreciated your fresh, delicious food and pleasant wait staff. Yet I write to inform you about the unsettling experience that occurred during my last visit. Last week (3/5/18), my husband and I, hungry for some fresh and delicious food, frequented your restaurant. Without needing to peruse the menu, I ordered my usual meal and anxiously awaited its arrival. In an acceptable amount of time, the steaming plate was laid before me emitting its glorious aroma. Unfortunately, as I cut into my food and lifted the fork to my mouth, a hair emerged from my dinner. I promptly informed the staff; they were apologetic and offered to replace my meal but, for obvious reasons, my appetite was gone. My purpose in writing this letter is to encourage further investigation of this matter so that you might increase sanitation precautions within your kitchen. I have recommended your restaurant to others, and I would hate for someone else to have a similar experience as I did on my last visit, especially any first time customers. Please contact me at the address above, or at the email address below, if you have further questions. I hope to hear back on the changes you plan to make to prevent this from happening in the future.

Respectfully, Heide Call [email protected]

The Unexpected Call

The day was light and beautiful. The sun, it warmed my skin. I bathed within its rays of light, hands resting on my chin.

Then suddenly a welcomed sound, my phone started to chime. I picked it up the voice I heard was one I thought divine.

The call so unexpected the news not good nor bad. But unforeseen and startling after the month that I’d just had.

Left wondering now what was next, this he would not declare. Had I done all He’d asked of me? I felt so unaware.

So to my knees I took this thought, my heart began to swell. I felt His love and heard His words “Dear child, all is well”.

Now when the thoughts of doubt creep in and I feel insecure. I’ll recall the peace I felt from Him, and know His love is pure.

Take 5 Take 5 candy bar. Have you tried it? Have you ever even heard of it? Well, take it from me, it’s the most amazing candy bar on the planet! How can that be, you ask? Let me tell, you: its five delicious snack foods combine to make one uniquely wonderful treat: Chocolate, pretzels, peanut butter, caramel, and peanuts. Individually they are delightful, but roll them together and the result is extraordinary; a perfect marriage of flavors! Take 5 is the American Dream Team of candy bars. Think Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson, Karl Malone, and Larry Bird. Individually they are all great ballers, but put them together and, as Bob Costas once described it, you get the greatest sports team ever assembled. Why settle for one simple flavor when you can enjoy five perfect layers of delectableness? Trust me, if you haven’t yet tried Take 5, now is your time to experience the dream team of candy bars. You won’t regret it!