Networks

I've been starring at a blank page for a couple of weeks now, I've written 3 or 4 posts and instead of clicking publish, I click delete. I keep going over the events and the stories since my last update and have no idea where to begin or where I go from there.
I have had these first couple of sentences written for about three hours, write some more and delete it. I don't know if this writer's block is a side effect of exhaustion, or a feeling of helplessness that rests inside me, or a fact that writing something seems to make it more real.
As I've been attempting to write though, I've been talking to friends and family on various social media outlets. This got me thinking about networks and the benefit they can have.
When talking about networks, you typically jump to the ever popular social networking, or next in line, business networking, but what often gets forgotten about is the network of family.
As close as I am with my family, I've never really been a home body, and in this time away, I haven't really missed home. That is until the passed couple of weeks.
November 4th, my life changed when my Mum, my best friend, told me she had cancer. At that moment, life in England came to a stand still, but my Mum's support system grew. It was incredible to watch and be a part of a team that developed over night to support one cause. It's amazing how people rise to an occasion. This support system infused in my Mother a positive attitude and enabled her to go into the surgery strong and come out of the hospital in record time.
As hard as it was for me to be away from this, or have my Mum tell me she's been cooking all week and I wasn't there to help, seeing the support from everyone else, left me knowing that she was in good hands. This moment united my family as one army, and it became a family battle against the cancer.
Being so far away, definitely made me miss home, and miss my friends. For the first time I felt alone here. I had coworkers to talk to, but I didn't have that friend to take you out, or come over with some ice cream.
This had me thinking about my students as well. In the past couple of weeks I have developed bonds with some of my students that I am now their go to person, someone they confide in. Stories I am hearing from students are things I have never ever expected to hear as a teacher, or be trying to handle these specific situations. But it makes me wonder, my Mum has a support team of about 30 people behind her, these students have me. In order for them to be strong, I must remain strong, but I am currently feeling defeated, and completely helpless. I don't know where to go next.
The past couple of weeks for me have been sleepless, had their ups and downs, a little more drama than necessary, and a brain running like a hamster wheel, but in the end everything has worked out.
During my struggles at the beginning of the school year, a good friend sent me an image with a quote on it that read "Like photography, life develops from the negatives."
The storm is over, my Mum is an absolute trooper and on the mend, and my hard work at school has been rewarded. It's time to start looking at the pictures.
I had my second observation this week, and I could not be happier with how it went. After my first one I was prepared to walk out of this school and never look back. I've been working hard, and a set a goal of a mark I wanted and got that goal. For a keener like me, a grade of satisfactory may not seem very good, but, coming from an inadequate, and the conditions in this school, I could not be happier. Ultimately, I want a "good" grade, but it's one level at a time and I have 4 more observations to go for this year.
From this work though, I was praised with a note from agency, passing along a message from my Headmaster who is extremely impressed with my work!
There always is a bright light at the end of every dark tunnel, good things do come. My family is closer than ever, my Mum is doing incredible, and I am home in 4 weeks!
Next step, getting over this road bump in my student's case and figuring out the solution.