Happy Holidays, a chance to reflect

I've been in the same time zone now for nearly 6 days and excited to be spending a few days before the Christmas break in Middlebury getting caught up, meeting with key college officials and checking in with the team here.

The last few weeks have continued to be a whirlwind.  Our terrific work in responding to market feedback to inform our product development process, my increased opportunities to meet with education leaders and potential large clients and the inspiration I continue to get from the great work done by our team certainly has made my first five months with the company fly by!

Our goal to dramatically expand access to high quality world language learning for students in public schools across our country is more within reach each day.  Last week alone, I had the opportunity to meet with the Superintendent of the Rowland School District (CA) who is looking to bring all her language programming on-line, Senator Stevens (Utah) the sponsor of SB 65, which provides a great opportunity to the students in Utah and to us in our partnership with the Provo School District, Senator Osmond (yup, that Osmond family) who is deeply interested in on-line education, the Speaker of the House in Utah, a woman and mother from Provo -- yea!, and the Governor of Utah who presented me with a book on the state and regaled me with the great advantages of doing business in Utah.



Here I am on a gloomy weather day heading in to the Capitol in Salt Lake

The week before I gave a speech with the President of Florida Virtual Schools in my old stomping grounds, Boston, where the Pioneer Institute was discussing innovation in education.  I also made a brief stop in Jacksonville to talk to six large school districts who are committed to digital learning (got off-track due to weather and had to fly to Savannah and drive to Jacksonville and ironically was given a GPS at midnight programmed to give me directions in German ... where is Michael Geisler when you need him?).  Florida is another state with policies that open up great opportunity for us to reach students who will benefit from world language instruction.  After that I spent some time in Herndon and was a part of the MMLA launch of the K12 calling center.  The festive Middlebury balloons were nothing compared to the enthusiasm that their reps have for the opportunity to discuss such a superior learning opportunity.  Then it was back to Boston to speak to a large women's conference, recover my car and find Jamie for our trip to New York City.  In New York, we were invited to attend Middlebury College's annual holiday festivities.  Cynthia met someone with a lot of potential to help fund scholarships to MMLA ... more advancing the mission.  However, Ismail, Heidi and Cynthia didn't have to make the stop in Boston and so did a little quick sightseeing (it was only Cynthia's second trip to NYC).  I love this picture!

While I'll be working -- primarily out of Vermont and home -- over the next two weeks, the slower pace of the holiday season gives us all time to reflect on our blessings.  I feel very fortunate to have a job where I am passionate about our mission and convinced that we are making a difference on a very important need in our society.  I deeply appreciate the time and energy and good spirits that my new colleagues bring to every challenge at work.  And while I will probably never learn to love travel and time away from home, I do feel fortunate that the work I do on the road has an impact.

I am also very lucky to have a supportive husband at home and three daughters who bring great joy to my life.  As many of you know, while I work (too much?) and travel a lot, I am committed to making the important family events.  Today, my husband mailed our holiday cards.  Here is the picture that went out (we have sent pictures of the girls every year):

Truth be told, my girls are much less sanguine about my travel than my husband.  I hope that someday they will appreciate the balance that I've struck, but until then I do know they miss me and I feel that guilt.  So, sometimes I overcompensate.  Christmas might be one of those times.  Brandon has PROMISED me that only MIL intranet employees can visit this site, so I can let you in on a big secret.  My girls will discover a great surprise under the tree on Christmas morning -- we finalized it all today and pick her up later this week:

She was born in October and is much smaller (currently weighing in at 1.5 lbs!) than the black and white 'brother' (Buddy -- named by the girls four years ago) Boston that she will join on our farm this week.  Makes your heart melt, doesn't it? 

I hope that each of you will also have time to reflect and renew.  We have a mission to deliver on in 2012, but until then, enjoy your holidays and your families.  And don't give the secret away!