Did you know that there is Easter (or Spring)candy corn? Yep, it comes in pastel colors. And Peeps, once only seen at Easter is now available at just about every holiday. I don't like this. Knowing candy corn could only be had at Halloween (unless you were like my brother and kept your candy for 10 months after the holiday) gave it a specialness. Peeps at Easter were the same. When you sunk your teeth into that sticky, almost gag-inducing sweetness, you knew you couldn't do it again until next year. We've lost the art of delayed gratification and the traditions that gave meaning to our holidays. Now, I'm not trying to say that the makers of Peeps ruined everything. But when you have everything available anytime, what is there to look forward to? What is there to hope for? The new dress for Easter was thrilling and special (you probably hadn't had a new dress since Christmas). Waiting until your birthday to get that bike or basketball or doll or whatever made the getting it all the sweeter. No wonder parents have to rent limos for their children's 13th party...the kid literally already has everything else. The American Girl doll is now given just because "Suzie" wanted it. No wonder parents rent out GameWorks and invite 30+ kids. "Johnny" already has that 10-speed bike or Guitar Hero for their video system. We seemed to have lost a sense of anticipation. Christmas was so great partly because of that anticipation. The anticipation adds to the enjoyment of the holiday...it makes it begin in your mind earlier...you spend your days dreaming of all the possibilities, knowing most won't happen...but knowing something special will.
I have to admit at Christmas, when I saw Christmas tree Peeps, I was thrilled, since Peeps are the Imp's absolutely favorite treat (she likes to "blow them up" in the microwave...it almost turns them to taffy). And my first reaction was 'great, this will be neat to get these for her.' Then I saw the Spring candy corn and other 'out-of-season' treats. And now, call me scrooge, but I am boycotting any 'wrong' holiday treat or celebration.
Friday, April 04, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Whirlwind Spring
March was a whirlwind of activity, especially with Easter and having to buy a new van. We love our 2008 Toyota Sienna (although it is A LOT larger than the 2000 Sienna). I feel like I'm driving a truck.
With the Singer graduating HS and the Imp graduation Middle School, from now until the end of May is packed with activities.
The Imp is in the Music Man and is the mayor's wife, Eulalie Mackenzie Shin. She informed me Monday (after being off of school for 10 days, and both she and I having time) that I needed to procure her costumes. As the mayor's wife, she has the most costume changes. After all, the mayor's wife would not wear the same thing twice. In addition, she needs an "Indian" costume (as part of the city's July 4 celebration) and a Statue of Liberty costume. I have 3 weeks! She had all this information 2 1/2 weeks ago. I'll be sewing some, visiting Goodwill and stressing over this more than she will. She has total faith that MOM will have all her costumes ready for dress rehearsal.
The Singer is off for 2 days to the state Spanish competition. Senior-itis seems to have hit hard...ugh. She's practiced hard for the competition (something she wants to do) but has done little else for school lately. AP exams are around the corner. I'd hate to see 3 quarters worth of work thrown away because of senior-itis. In the long run, she'll be happy to get the college credits and regretful if she has to sit through a class she has essentially already taken. Last night she comes to me and says she needs money for meals for this trip. It's 10:00pm. I had about 5 dollars in my purse. I told her, lack of planning on her part did not constitute an emergency on mine. I gave her the few bucks I had and told her she had to come up with the rest...I don't carry lots of cash...cash cards work almost everywhere, and I wasn't going out to get cash at 10:00pm, especially since I'd asked her on Tuesday if she had everything she needed for the trip since she leaves from school today. She won't starve and she'll face the consequence for her lack of planning. This is the perfect example of senior-itis hitting. She has been a planner since 5th grade and is normally very on top of things. Is this regression part of the push-pull of growing up and getting ready for college? It's driving me batty.
We've got our NYC trip planned, and tickets purchased. We are all so excited to be going in early June. None of us has ever really been to NY and we should have lots of fun. We're doing a package thing...going on the Ground Zero tour, walking Manhattan, seeing Wicked on Broadway, and so on. I can't wait. I told the girls they better start walking daily 'cause we're going to walk and walk and walk in NY and I'm not dealing with whining about how tired their legs/feet/whatever are. They better keep up. The joy of travelling now is that I don't have to deal with toddlers and worry about naps, or strollers, or any of that stuff.
We also got our airline tickets for our Lake Powell trip in August. I'm not sure which trip I'm looking forward to most. I love taking vacations with just my immediate family (we've only done it a few times, but it's fun), but I also love being with my brothers and sisters and their families. I can't wait to experience the hustle and bustle of NYC and see the sites and be immersed in American history. How cool! Yet Lake Powell offers a different kind of history...history of God's creation and power. And the relaxing pace of the great outdoors and not having 12 tours and not having to be anywhere at any particular time is extremely appealing. In between the two 'big' trips, the Singer will go to St. Leo's to help run a youth retreat for a week, and the Imp will attend a week-long youth retreat there (not the same week). The Singer will attend Music Ministry Alive again this year in MN. The Imp is off to see her Godmother for a week. Her Godmother, Anita, has two grown sons and is looking forward to a week of "girl-time." Anita was here over Easter and the two of them have planned what shopping centers to hit on which days and Anita is going to teach the Imp how to make a real Italian meal (Anita's parents came to the USA as teens/young adults from Italy) including making pasta from scratch. They should have a blast.
I've given notice at my job. I'll work until the beginning of June. This has really been a challenge. A big part of the problem is that my boss and I have basic personality differences. I recognized it from the start. And I've tried to work around that. I've wondered about (and prayed about) if I was suppose to be setting some kind of example. The tension in the office is often palpable. Her response to anything done differently than she would is that it is wrong. I feel I've done alot for the office, both from an organizational point of view and from setting procedures of how to handle things. I told Hubby that I was like Mary Poppins, I'd taught what I could and now it was time to move on.
Speaking of work..gotta go get ready.
With the Singer graduating HS and the Imp graduation Middle School, from now until the end of May is packed with activities.
The Imp is in the Music Man and is the mayor's wife, Eulalie Mackenzie Shin. She informed me Monday (after being off of school for 10 days, and both she and I having time) that I needed to procure her costumes. As the mayor's wife, she has the most costume changes. After all, the mayor's wife would not wear the same thing twice. In addition, she needs an "Indian" costume (as part of the city's July 4 celebration) and a Statue of Liberty costume. I have 3 weeks! She had all this information 2 1/2 weeks ago. I'll be sewing some, visiting Goodwill and stressing over this more than she will. She has total faith that MOM will have all her costumes ready for dress rehearsal.
The Singer is off for 2 days to the state Spanish competition. Senior-itis seems to have hit hard...ugh. She's practiced hard for the competition (something she wants to do) but has done little else for school lately. AP exams are around the corner. I'd hate to see 3 quarters worth of work thrown away because of senior-itis. In the long run, she'll be happy to get the college credits and regretful if she has to sit through a class she has essentially already taken. Last night she comes to me and says she needs money for meals for this trip. It's 10:00pm. I had about 5 dollars in my purse. I told her, lack of planning on her part did not constitute an emergency on mine. I gave her the few bucks I had and told her she had to come up with the rest...I don't carry lots of cash...cash cards work almost everywhere, and I wasn't going out to get cash at 10:00pm, especially since I'd asked her on Tuesday if she had everything she needed for the trip since she leaves from school today. She won't starve and she'll face the consequence for her lack of planning. This is the perfect example of senior-itis hitting. She has been a planner since 5th grade and is normally very on top of things. Is this regression part of the push-pull of growing up and getting ready for college? It's driving me batty.
We've got our NYC trip planned, and tickets purchased. We are all so excited to be going in early June. None of us has ever really been to NY and we should have lots of fun. We're doing a package thing...going on the Ground Zero tour, walking Manhattan, seeing Wicked on Broadway, and so on. I can't wait. I told the girls they better start walking daily 'cause we're going to walk and walk and walk in NY and I'm not dealing with whining about how tired their legs/feet/whatever are. They better keep up. The joy of travelling now is that I don't have to deal with toddlers and worry about naps, or strollers, or any of that stuff.
We also got our airline tickets for our Lake Powell trip in August. I'm not sure which trip I'm looking forward to most. I love taking vacations with just my immediate family (we've only done it a few times, but it's fun), but I also love being with my brothers and sisters and their families. I can't wait to experience the hustle and bustle of NYC and see the sites and be immersed in American history. How cool! Yet Lake Powell offers a different kind of history...history of God's creation and power. And the relaxing pace of the great outdoors and not having 12 tours and not having to be anywhere at any particular time is extremely appealing. In between the two 'big' trips, the Singer will go to St. Leo's to help run a youth retreat for a week, and the Imp will attend a week-long youth retreat there (not the same week). The Singer will attend Music Ministry Alive again this year in MN. The Imp is off to see her Godmother for a week. Her Godmother, Anita, has two grown sons and is looking forward to a week of "girl-time." Anita was here over Easter and the two of them have planned what shopping centers to hit on which days and Anita is going to teach the Imp how to make a real Italian meal (Anita's parents came to the USA as teens/young adults from Italy) including making pasta from scratch. They should have a blast.
I've given notice at my job. I'll work until the beginning of June. This has really been a challenge. A big part of the problem is that my boss and I have basic personality differences. I recognized it from the start. And I've tried to work around that. I've wondered about (and prayed about) if I was suppose to be setting some kind of example. The tension in the office is often palpable. Her response to anything done differently than she would is that it is wrong. I feel I've done alot for the office, both from an organizational point of view and from setting procedures of how to handle things. I told Hubby that I was like Mary Poppins, I'd taught what I could and now it was time to move on.
Speaking of work..gotta go get ready.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Winning at Life
I began today very melancholy. I was missing my little brother, John, terribly. I don't know what set it off, today is not any kind of anniversary or special day. But I just felt very sad that I would never see him again. When I get this way, I feel the hole in my heart that was created when he died. It is a very real (almost physical) feeling...that something vital is missing.
I began thinking of when John was first diagnosed with ALS. We talked for quite awhile on the idea of "fighting" a disease. Both of us agreed we didn't really like that expression. The disease simply is. It is not fighting you...it just is. The battle is not with the disease, the battle is about living. And thinking of that, cheered me somewhat, and made the hole in my heart a little smaller. I remembered John's famous saying about football (and life) .""As long as there is a second left on the clock and you're behind, there's something you can do to win," he said. "Even if you lose, you take the lessons and apply them to the next game.". John may have died much too young, but trust me, he did not lose. He left many lessons that we can take with us in the rest of our journey through life.
I've also spent a lot of time the last few days thinking about what 'freedom' really means. Gus Lloyd's reflection yesterday really got me thinking. I do believe that we are the best we can be...the most fulfilled...the most free...achieve the most...are in fact happiest, when we listen to God. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve committed the sin of wanting to be god-like..to eat from the tree of good and evil so they would know all that God knew. This full knowledge, has us seeing the truth about ourselves, our "nakedness." We are scared to turn ourselves fully to God because we fear the outcome. Not just the fear that God may ask of us something we don't like, but more the fear that God may reject us in that nakedness. If we present our all and are rejected....ooh. I believe this fear of rejection is because we feel unworthy of this magnificent love and we reject Him before He can reject us. As Christians, we "know" that God will not reject us,in fact, Jesus demonstrated that quite emphatically. But our feelings of unworthiness make it difficult for us to act on our belief that God loves unconditionally. When people in our lives let us down, it chips away at our belief that "anybody" could really loves us no matter what. On days I am able to give myself over to God, I may "work harder" and face things I don't really want to, but ultimately I feel more content and feel my heart complete.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Accident
Driving home from South Carolina, I called Hubby to 'check in' and find out home everything was going. He began the conversation with "Now, everyone's okay but..." Everyone's okay is not the balm people mean it to be. What exactly is okay? Not dead? Not in ICU? Let's face it, if someone were hospitalized, but stable and expected to improve, wouldn't you say, "Everyone's okay but..." So I'm invisioning one or both of my girls in the hospital. Wondering if they fell. Got ill. WHAT??? Of course, Hubby, wanting to be exact, takes forever to get the pertinent details out.
While driving the Imp to school (in the Toyota van), he was in a right turn lane. Traffic abruptly stopped in front of him. The Office Max truck coming up behind him didn't stop on time. The back end of the van was really smashed. The impact was more on the left side of the van, so the driver's door and the sliding door on the left won't open.
I'm just so happy they weren't in the Corolla (both because it's brand new and the Corolla would not have protected them as well as the van did.)
We took the van in for an estimate...but we know the cost of repair will be more than the blue book value of a 8 year old van with 138000 miles on it. Ugh. Not the end of the world by any means, but still a major inconvience.
The Singer has decided on USF Honor's College. We're glad she'll be close to home, but also want her to live on campus. She's excited. It's a relief to have the decision made. http://http://www.usf.edu/Academics/Honors-College/index.asp
The Imp will be attending Robinson IB for high school. I think it'll be a great place for her and it's nice to have the decision made.
We're off to a Casting Crowns concert tonight. Yea! It's wonderful that the girls like this music, too. It'll be a lot of fun. http://www.castingcrowns.com/site.php
While driving the Imp to school (in the Toyota van), he was in a right turn lane. Traffic abruptly stopped in front of him. The Office Max truck coming up behind him didn't stop on time. The back end of the van was really smashed. The impact was more on the left side of the van, so the driver's door and the sliding door on the left won't open.
I'm just so happy they weren't in the Corolla (both because it's brand new and the Corolla would not have protected them as well as the van did.)
We took the van in for an estimate...but we know the cost of repair will be more than the blue book value of a 8 year old van with 138000 miles on it. Ugh. Not the end of the world by any means, but still a major inconvience.
The Singer has decided on USF Honor's College. We're glad she'll be close to home, but also want her to live on campus. She's excited. It's a relief to have the decision made. http://http://www.usf.edu/Academics/Honors-College/index.asp
The Imp will be attending Robinson IB for high school. I think it'll be a great place for her and it's nice to have the decision made.
We're off to a Casting Crowns concert tonight. Yea! It's wonderful that the girls like this music, too. It'll be a lot of fun. http://www.castingcrowns.com/site.php
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Car Trip
I left Tampa Thursday afternoon (4pm) to drive to Kingsland GA (halfway point to my parents). It is usually a 4 hour drive. A few mile south of Ocala (90 miles north of Tampa...less than 1/2 to Kingsland) traffic came to a halt. 2 1/2 hours later and 5 miles further down the road, I was able to exit the interstate and head over to 301 to continue my trek. Ugh. I talked to Hubby while sitting in traffic, and he looked on the internet and found out that a man had died in a traffic accident just a mile north of where I got off the interstate. Apparently, he was in a SUV and side-swiped a semi-truck, propelling him into the medium where his SUV flipped and he was ejected. Guess sitting for 2 1/2 hours really isn't so bad in the scheme of things. I had no one waiting for me, and could sleep in on Friday. AND I had a book on tape. Definitely a life-saver on trips.
I'm sitting at my dad's new computer, the one he got after the fire in their house, waiting for my little brother and his family to arrive for an overnight stay. My nephews are the absolutely cutest and most enjoyable 2- and 5-year olds around. I installed some software on my dad's computer for him and am working on getting the sound to work properly.
It's great to be here. The fun has begun, my nephews are here!
I'm sitting at my dad's new computer, the one he got after the fire in their house, waiting for my little brother and his family to arrive for an overnight stay. My nephews are the absolutely cutest and most enjoyable 2- and 5-year olds around. I installed some software on my dad's computer for him and am working on getting the sound to work properly.
It's great to be here. The fun has begun, my nephews are here!
Friday, February 01, 2008
Colleges, cars and marriage
Time passes so quickly, it's scary.
I took the Singer to FSU last Monday for a campus tour. The campus is beautiful and actually has hills (a novelty in Florida). But the Singer wasn't impressed. From the tour it appears the school is very science oriented...the Singer is NOT. She's thinking of going into education and when she asked the tour guide about the College of Education, not much was said. We definitely got the impression that education was a step-child there. USF has an honors program for education majors (SCATT). I happen to have been in that program not long after it had been established. The Singer had no idea and was thrilled that I could tell her so much about it. USF has over a 99% placement rate for its education graduates. Another pro for USF is that it has offered the most scholarship money and a good friend of hers is going there and wants to room with her. It appears her decision is made, and she'll be putting in for room assignment in the next 2 weeks. We're quite proud of her accomplishments. In addition to the scholarship money offered by USF, she just found out she is a finalist for the Watson Scholarship offered to IBM employees' dependants. It's looking like she won't have much out-of-pocket expenses.
Now we're left with the decision on the Imp and high school. The IB program definitely has some remarkable qualities. In addition, it is significantly closer than Bishop McLaughlin. But we still have a few weeks before having to pay a non-refundable registration fee at Bishop.
Last night, Hubby and I went and picked up our brand new Toyota Corolla. This is our 4th Corolla and 5th Toyota in the last 25 years. Our old Corolla still runs, but has a mean shimmy and loud engine. We've had it for 12 years and got it with 42,000 miles on it. It's been very good to us. Our new Corolla is deep blue (indigo ink pearl) and since it's been 8 years since we purchased our last car, it's quite an event. The girls were a little disappointed that we got "another Corolla" which really is quite "boring." We told them, they can pick the vehicle when they're footing the bill. The sales rep at the dealership was refreshingly easy to work with. Within the first 3 minutes, he sized us up as ultra-conservative (economically) and that we had already done our shopping before arriving at the dealership. We had our draft from our credit union due to our pre-approval. We had option and packages circled on our printout from researching Toyota's online, and we had our Consumer Reports print out as well. We had picked our car and had a test drive within 30 minutes. The financial guy was a pain...trying much too hard to sell us an extended warranty (even after we told him, more than once, we had made up our minds). Hubby finally said, "Look, we're buying a Toyota Corolla because of its dependability...are you telling me I'm wrong?" It sure feels decadent to drive around in the new car. We figure we'll have this one for 10-12 years as well. Our Sienna is 8 years old and has 135,000 miles. It purrs like a kitten and we've not done much work on it, other than standard wear & tear maintenance (new tires, brakes, etc).
We just got back from a wedding rehearsal dinner. The Singer is singing a solo at the wedding tomorrow, and the Imp is the "Greeter" by the guest book. The couple getting married seems to have much going for them, primarily their belief in marriage and that being married doesn't guarantee "happily ever after." That's something they must work at. They are very much in love and their lives are centered on their church. When Fred proposed (yes, he had an audience...long story) I had tears in my eyes, he was so eloquent. He asked Marie to enter into a life with him and God and that he believed with God's help they would make it. He has a giving spirit and we all love him.
Between some things I've read recently and this marriage, I've been thinking about God's call to individuals vs. God's call to married couples. Theoretically and/or theologically, would God call two people married to each other in different directions? Would God call the husband to be a missionary, and not also touch the wife's heart in that direction? If a married couple truly felt called in different directions, would you assume one of them wasn't listening to God very well, but in fact, was listening to their own wants/desires? It is disquieting for me to imagine what I would do if Hubby and I felt called to two opposing 'vocations' where if one of us said "yes" the other would have to say "no." How does a couple approach such an impasse? Could I say 'no' to my call 'for my husband?' If I insisted I indeed had a calling, wouldn't I be implying that he didn't? I don't believe in divorce, but is divorce preferable to saying 'no' to God? And what about smaller issues that couples may disagree on. If I think 'fudging' on our tax return is immoral, what do I do if Hubby insists? (This is not to imply anything against Hubby...he wouldn't knowingly 'cheat' on anything.) As I have been contemplating what I want to do when I (I mean my kids) grow up, I have thought extensively about becoming a family counselor (my Christian beliefs would be a driving force). This kind of dilemma would be hard to deal with. I believe many (or at least too many) marriages/families struggle because of the lack of some basic skills at living together. The hardest part of dealing with those families, would be any unwillingness to learn. As a teacher, not a new phenomenon. But could I handle the situations that didn't have a "good solution?" Whatever the answer to that question may be, I think I'm willing to try...and in fact may be called to do so. Fortunately, Hubby thinks this is a great idea. Some more prayer and discernment are needed. Not something to act on tomorrow, but definite food for thought.
I took the Singer to FSU last Monday for a campus tour. The campus is beautiful and actually has hills (a novelty in Florida). But the Singer wasn't impressed. From the tour it appears the school is very science oriented...the Singer is NOT. She's thinking of going into education and when she asked the tour guide about the College of Education, not much was said. We definitely got the impression that education was a step-child there. USF has an honors program for education majors (SCATT). I happen to have been in that program not long after it had been established. The Singer had no idea and was thrilled that I could tell her so much about it. USF has over a 99% placement rate for its education graduates. Another pro for USF is that it has offered the most scholarship money and a good friend of hers is going there and wants to room with her. It appears her decision is made, and she'll be putting in for room assignment in the next 2 weeks. We're quite proud of her accomplishments. In addition to the scholarship money offered by USF, she just found out she is a finalist for the Watson Scholarship offered to IBM employees' dependants. It's looking like she won't have much out-of-pocket expenses.
Now we're left with the decision on the Imp and high school. The IB program definitely has some remarkable qualities. In addition, it is significantly closer than Bishop McLaughlin. But we still have a few weeks before having to pay a non-refundable registration fee at Bishop.
Last night, Hubby and I went and picked up our brand new Toyota Corolla. This is our 4th Corolla and 5th Toyota in the last 25 years. Our old Corolla still runs, but has a mean shimmy and loud engine. We've had it for 12 years and got it with 42,000 miles on it. It's been very good to us. Our new Corolla is deep blue (indigo ink pearl) and since it's been 8 years since we purchased our last car, it's quite an event. The girls were a little disappointed that we got "another Corolla" which really is quite "boring." We told them, they can pick the vehicle when they're footing the bill. The sales rep at the dealership was refreshingly easy to work with. Within the first 3 minutes, he sized us up as ultra-conservative (economically) and that we had already done our shopping before arriving at the dealership. We had our draft from our credit union due to our pre-approval. We had option and packages circled on our printout from researching Toyota's online, and we had our Consumer Reports print out as well. We had picked our car and had a test drive within 30 minutes. The financial guy was a pain...trying much too hard to sell us an extended warranty (even after we told him, more than once, we had made up our minds). Hubby finally said, "Look, we're buying a Toyota Corolla because of its dependability...are you telling me I'm wrong?" It sure feels decadent to drive around in the new car. We figure we'll have this one for 10-12 years as well. Our Sienna is 8 years old and has 135,000 miles. It purrs like a kitten and we've not done much work on it, other than standard wear & tear maintenance (new tires, brakes, etc).
We just got back from a wedding rehearsal dinner. The Singer is singing a solo at the wedding tomorrow, and the Imp is the "Greeter" by the guest book. The couple getting married seems to have much going for them, primarily their belief in marriage and that being married doesn't guarantee "happily ever after." That's something they must work at. They are very much in love and their lives are centered on their church. When Fred proposed (yes, he had an audience...long story) I had tears in my eyes, he was so eloquent. He asked Marie to enter into a life with him and God and that he believed with God's help they would make it. He has a giving spirit and we all love him.
Between some things I've read recently and this marriage, I've been thinking about God's call to individuals vs. God's call to married couples. Theoretically and/or theologically, would God call two people married to each other in different directions? Would God call the husband to be a missionary, and not also touch the wife's heart in that direction? If a married couple truly felt called in different directions, would you assume one of them wasn't listening to God very well, but in fact, was listening to their own wants/desires? It is disquieting for me to imagine what I would do if Hubby and I felt called to two opposing 'vocations' where if one of us said "yes" the other would have to say "no." How does a couple approach such an impasse? Could I say 'no' to my call 'for my husband?' If I insisted I indeed had a calling, wouldn't I be implying that he didn't? I don't believe in divorce, but is divorce preferable to saying 'no' to God? And what about smaller issues that couples may disagree on. If I think 'fudging' on our tax return is immoral, what do I do if Hubby insists? (This is not to imply anything against Hubby...he wouldn't knowingly 'cheat' on anything.) As I have been contemplating what I want to do when I (I mean my kids) grow up, I have thought extensively about becoming a family counselor (my Christian beliefs would be a driving force). This kind of dilemma would be hard to deal with. I believe many (or at least too many) marriages/families struggle because of the lack of some basic skills at living together. The hardest part of dealing with those families, would be any unwillingness to learn. As a teacher, not a new phenomenon. But could I handle the situations that didn't have a "good solution?" Whatever the answer to that question may be, I think I'm willing to try...and in fact may be called to do so. Fortunately, Hubby thinks this is a great idea. Some more prayer and discernment are needed. Not something to act on tomorrow, but definite food for thought.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Verbiage and Its Limits
I am amazed that I have posted so few times. I've 'written' so many posts in my head. I like writing and find writing is a form of therapy. It helps me see things from a different perspective.
Verbose (characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy) and loquacious (talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling) are words aptly used to describe me. My elementary report cards often had words like "chatty" and "talkative" in the Teacher Comment section. Words help me make sense of my world. I am delighted when I discover a word that really narrows in on a meaning, especially when it helps me explain something. Recently, I was reading "Depression for Dummies"
and it described this disease as 'insidious' (intended to entrap or beguile: stealthily treacherous or deceitful) and I thought "YES, that's it exactly." I sometimes feel a little like Archie Bunker as I say a word, and then wonder if I've used it correctly. Even at 44, I still use a dictionary regularly. I love it when I'm talking and one of my girls asks me what a word means. Often, defining a word is harder than using it in context. And there are many words whose connotative meaning is slightly different than its denotative one.
I contend that one reason (besides my inherent nature) that I am verbose, is my years teaching. As a teacher, I've been trained and conditioned to explain the same concept in as many different ways, using as many different words as I can. With each additional description I may be reaching an additional student. Hubby must often tell me, "Uh, I got it the first time. Please leave the teacher outside." I didn't really discover thesauri (or thesauruses) until high school. What goldmines of absolutely exquisite words. I have dictionary.com and thesaurus.com on my favorites. My girls call me 'geeky.' That's alright.
My discourse about words came about because I attended a funeral yesterday. One of my very good friend's husband died suddenly of a heart attack last Thursday evening. I had spoken with my friend, but yesterday was the first time I'd seen her. I had no words. "I'm sorry for your loss," quite an understatement. "I'm here for you." yea, I am, but in reality, she'd much rather her husband. At the memorial she got up to speak and said "He was the love of my life. My best friend. That's all there is to say." So how do you possibly offer words to bring comfort to someone whose lost that? Fortunately there are ways to communicate without words. We hugged (clung to) each other. I told her I'd call her. We hugged again. I know she knows I care. I know she knows I have an inkling of what she's going through as she's held my hand through John's illness and death. But still I felt so helpless. I wanted to have the words to 'make it all better.'
Terry was 65. He'd retired 5 years ago. Elizabeth's in her late 50's. She retired last year. They were building a house on the river. A gorgeous house (as someone described yesterday as 'a bungalow version of Buckingham Palace'). They were to move into it in February.
Can't find the words to describe my feelings.
Verbose (characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy) and loquacious (talking or tending to talk much or freely; talkative; chattering; babbling) are words aptly used to describe me. My elementary report cards often had words like "chatty" and "talkative" in the Teacher Comment section. Words help me make sense of my world. I am delighted when I discover a word that really narrows in on a meaning, especially when it helps me explain something. Recently, I was reading "Depression for Dummies"
and it described this disease as 'insidious' (intended to entrap or beguile: stealthily treacherous or deceitful) and I thought "YES, that's it exactly." I sometimes feel a little like Archie Bunker as I say a word, and then wonder if I've used it correctly. Even at 44, I still use a dictionary regularly. I love it when I'm talking and one of my girls asks me what a word means. Often, defining a word is harder than using it in context. And there are many words whose connotative meaning is slightly different than its denotative one. I contend that one reason (besides my inherent nature) that I am verbose, is my years teaching. As a teacher, I've been trained and conditioned to explain the same concept in as many different ways, using as many different words as I can. With each additional description I may be reaching an additional student. Hubby must often tell me, "Uh, I got it the first time. Please leave the teacher outside." I didn't really discover thesauri (or thesauruses) until high school. What goldmines of absolutely exquisite words. I have dictionary.com and thesaurus.com on my favorites. My girls call me 'geeky.' That's alright.
My discourse about words came about because I attended a funeral yesterday. One of my very good friend's husband died suddenly of a heart attack last Thursday evening. I had spoken with my friend, but yesterday was the first time I'd seen her. I had no words. "I'm sorry for your loss," quite an understatement. "I'm here for you." yea, I am, but in reality, she'd much rather her husband. At the memorial she got up to speak and said "He was the love of my life. My best friend. That's all there is to say." So how do you possibly offer words to bring comfort to someone whose lost that? Fortunately there are ways to communicate without words. We hugged (clung to) each other. I told her I'd call her. We hugged again. I know she knows I care. I know she knows I have an inkling of what she's going through as she's held my hand through John's illness and death. But still I felt so helpless. I wanted to have the words to 'make it all better.'
Terry was 65. He'd retired 5 years ago. Elizabeth's in her late 50's. She retired last year. They were building a house on the river. A gorgeous house (as someone described yesterday as 'a bungalow version of Buckingham Palace'). They were to move into it in February.
Can't find the words to describe my feelings.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Old Home Movies
Hubby out did himself by having all our VHS home movies transferred to DVDs. Last night we watched about 2 hours worth of them. We watched movies from when the Imp was 2 and the Singer 5. We were rolling on the floor laughing. I thought I was going to wet my pants I was laughing so hard.
Of course, there were bittersweet moments. Watching my brother, Chris, interact with my niece, Lauren made me miss him. He really was a great uncle. And even just watching my own kids as little ones made me nostalgic for having little ones. The come out with the cutest expressions, like when the Singer proudly displayed her "Half swimsuit" (Two piece). I'll be enjoying this gift for a long time.
We hadn't taken any home movies for years, because our old-fashioned camcorder no longer worked (and weighed about 10 pounds). So we invested in a digital camcorder...I really wanted to be able to capture both girls' graduations later this year. The Imp got a digital camera so we've all been playing with editing features on the computer.
Just before Christmas we saw "Enchanted." Definitely a feel-good, wonderfully entertaining movie. Of course, Hubby and I were amazed that the movie captured the personality of the Singer quite so well. There's a line when the princess, Giselle, looks at the New Yorker (Robert) when he laments that he's not sure if his fiancee really knows how he feels, and says, "But have you sung to her?" This is already on our purchase list for when it is released as a DVD and the Singer got the soundtrack for Christmas.
Hubby has really been on a roll recently and took me to the beach for our anniversary. It was a perfect day. We got to the beach around 1 pm and walked the boardwalk, then had lunch, sat on the beach and read and napped, watched the sunset. We then went to our hotel and showered and then went to a family seafood place and had the best shrimp and scallops. The next morning we got up and spent another hour on the beach before check out time. A great way to celebrate 23 years of marriage. I was 21 when I got married. No wonder I feel like Hubby has always been a part of my life. I can't imagine life without him.
Yesterday, a Mass was said for John. It was nice to go to church as a family on the feast of the Holy Family and to be praying for John. The priest talked about the only way for families to survive is to have God an integral part of your life. I really don't know how people get up each day and continue on through hardship with a strong faith. My faith has been my lifeline.
We're off to Bob and Leslie's tonight for our traditional New Year's Eve celebration. Lots of "finger food" (sausage, cheese, crackers, shrimp cocktail, etc. and of course Christmas goodies, too), lots of games (Apples to Apples 
and Imaginiff 
are two favorites) and then at midnight we go outside and watch the fireworks that neighbors inevitably are shooting in the sky. It's low-key but fun. We've done this almost every year since welcoming in 1995. The first years, the kids were put in front of a video that the fell asleep in front of, while the adults played board games. Now we all play together.
<
and Imaginiff 
are two favorites) and then at midnight we go outside and watch the fireworks that neighbors inevitably are shooting in the sky. It's low-key but fun. We've done this almost every year since welcoming in 1995. The first years, the kids were put in front of a video that the fell asleep in front of, while the adults played board games. Now we all play together.I don't even want to think of Wednesday (back to school and work)...ugh. And our beautiful paradise weather is leaving us. We've been having sunny and warm (high 70s) weather. And Wednesday morning it'll be in the 30s! If it brings rain, I won't complain, because we need the rain, but otherwise, I'll just be a very unhappy camper.
Friday, December 07, 2007
Christmas Preperations
To poorly paraphrase a great writer: "It is the best of times; it is the worst of times." December is the month I dread and look forward to all year. I love getting ready for Christmas. I love the family get-togethers, the baking, the cooking, the family traditions, the Advent calendar count-downs. I love thinking of people I love and trying to decide on the best gift to give them and unlike most people, I love going to the mall to see all the pretty, wonderful things out there and to people-watch. So what do I dread about December? THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME! People tell me, "Don't stress over it all. You don't have to do all those things." The problem is I WANT to shop, to bake, to sing Christmas carols, to read nightly Advent readings as we prepare for the birth of Christ. I WANT to send friends cards, to visit, to watch the great Christmas shows (there are lots of less than great ones, but Charlie Brown, It's A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street..1934 version are greats) while drinking hot chocolate with my family.
As a rule, I am dismayed by the overuse of gift cards. It seems like a cop-out. Before I get bombarded with the many positives of gift cards, let me qualify. Gift cards, like money, seem so impersonal. Gift cards became the answer to (or contributed to the growth of?) the unreasonable demands of the recipient. "I'd rather a sweater instead of a scarf." "This isn't EXACTLY what I wanted." Somewhere along the way gift-giving became a requirement and somehow the giver was in the hot-seat if the gift weren't just perfect in every way. When I was growing up, I would never have thought to have returned a scarf and exchange it for a sweater. Even if I didn't like the scarf, I would have been appreciative that the giver spent the time picking it out for ME and I would have worn it. Gift cards are so generic...let me do all my shopping in one place and just buy gift cards. As someone else said recently... this season is all about relationships. Somehow receiving the same gift as everyone else on your list takes something away from the uniqueness of this relationship. Having said all that, getting a gift card to Michael's craft store from my scrap-booking friend shows thought and a connection between us. Still, I think people use gift cards because of fear of disappointing the recipient and gifts shouldn't be 'required' or they aren't really a gift.
As a rule, I am dismayed by the overuse of gift cards. It seems like a cop-out. Before I get bombarded with the many positives of gift cards, let me qualify. Gift cards, like money, seem so impersonal. Gift cards became the answer to (or contributed to the growth of?) the unreasonable demands of the recipient. "I'd rather a sweater instead of a scarf." "This isn't EXACTLY what I wanted." Somewhere along the way gift-giving became a requirement and somehow the giver was in the hot-seat if the gift weren't just perfect in every way. When I was growing up, I would never have thought to have returned a scarf and exchange it for a sweater. Even if I didn't like the scarf, I would have been appreciative that the giver spent the time picking it out for ME and I would have worn it. Gift cards are so generic...let me do all my shopping in one place and just buy gift cards. As someone else said recently... this season is all about relationships. Somehow receiving the same gift as everyone else on your list takes something away from the uniqueness of this relationship. Having said all that, getting a gift card to Michael's craft store from my scrap-booking friend shows thought and a connection between us. Still, I think people use gift cards because of fear of disappointing the recipient and gifts shouldn't be 'required' or they aren't really a gift.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Ellen's Carrot Cake
Upon request, here is the recipe for absolutely scrumptious carrot cake. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law Ellen about 20 years ago. I don't know where she got it from.
Mix in a large bowl:
Mix separately:
Add second mixture to the first. Mix well. Grease and flour 3 8- or 9-inch pans. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.
Icing:
Thanksgiving week/weekend was great. Hubby was home all last week and we got tons crossed off our "to do" list. A toilet replaced, 2 sink stoppers replaced, a tub re-caulked, gardens weeded, pool deck cleaned, and then we decorated for Christmas (minus the tree). We're hosting a family Christmas get-toghether this Saturday and wanted the house to look Christmassy for the occassion. We don't usually decorate this early. We won't decorate the tree until Dec 22. The Imp always asks to decorate the tree on her birthday.
Speaking of birthdays, December is a busy month. My dad, sister and two brothers have December birthdays. Then there's the Imp and my brother-in-law (who was actually born on Dec 25). The 29th is our wedding anniversary.
Hubby and I are trying to get our shopping list together. No, we didn't partake of the Black Friday sales. We enjoyed staying home much more and I bet I still find great sales for all the items I'll buy this year.
Mix in a large bowl:
1 C Wesson Oil
2C sugar
4 eggs
3 C grated carrots
Mix separately:
2 C flour
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Add second mixture to the first. Mix well. Grease and flour 3 8- or 9-inch pans. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.
Icing:
1 lg pkg Philadelphia Cream CheeseCream butter and cream cheese until soft. Add vanilla, sugar, pecans and mix. Do NOT ice until cake is well cooled. Enjoy!
1 box powered sugar
1 C chopped pecans
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
Thanksgiving week/weekend was great. Hubby was home all last week and we got tons crossed off our "to do" list. A toilet replaced, 2 sink stoppers replaced, a tub re-caulked, gardens weeded, pool deck cleaned, and then we decorated for Christmas (minus the tree). We're hosting a family Christmas get-toghether this Saturday and wanted the house to look Christmassy for the occassion. We don't usually decorate this early. We won't decorate the tree until Dec 22. The Imp always asks to decorate the tree on her birthday.
Speaking of birthdays, December is a busy month. My dad, sister and two brothers have December birthdays. Then there's the Imp and my brother-in-law (who was actually born on Dec 25). The 29th is our wedding anniversary.
Hubby and I are trying to get our shopping list together. No, we didn't partake of the Black Friday sales. We enjoyed staying home much more and I bet I still find great sales for all the items I'll buy this year.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Family Dinners
I haven't blogged in a while...and people are inquiring about my whereabouts...so here I am.
The current topic amongst many moms is the new movie, "The Golden Compass," due to arrive in theaters in early December. There has been extensive debate over the dangers presented in the Harry Potter books, with sorcery, the occult, etc. No matter where you fall in your opinion about Harry Potter's appropriateness for children, most agree that it is basically a story of good vs. evil and good wins. The love Harry's mom had for him is more powerful than all the evil of Voldemort (a love that had her sacrificing her life for his). "The Golden Compass" has been compared to the Narnia and Lord of the Rings series. Both of those series are accepted Christian analogies. "The Golden Compass" is written by a professed atheist, Philip Pullman (I don’t profess any religion; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words ‘spiritual’ or ‘spirituality’) His stories are anti-God, and anti-church. I can agree that some stories are simply that, stories. I can agree that a single movie seen once by a child will probably not be a pivotal point in their spiritual growth. I also know that evil exists and that evil spreads in insidious ways. I haven't decided whether my girls will be able to see this movie..."banning" it gives it a great allure. And the Singer is 17. She 'll be off to college in the fall and will be deciding these things for herself soon. But, I will discuss the movie with them and tell them why I have reservations about them seeing it, and for them to be aware that the author does indeed have an agenda.
The past few weeks have been great family/home time for us. With swim season over we have a lot more time together and that time is less rushed. Our dinnertimes have returned to being a leisurely family event. Last week we somehow ended up talking about marriage and we shared with the girls that we had written our own vows. The Imp smiled and shook her head. "What are you smiling about?" I asked. "You guys are our own personal chick flick." We all laughed and it was just good fun. Last night, the Singer shared that Mr. Shindler (brother of the famous Terri Schiavo and former teacher at her school) had come to speak to her religious ethics class. So we spent an hour talking about end of life issues. The Singer asked us if we had Living Wills..and we had to admit we didn't. Updating our wills is on our "List of things to do" and has been for years. Now that the girls have asked us, I'm sure it will get done in the near future as they'll continue to ask. It is wonderful to be able to discuss such topics with my children. And it gives great insight into where they are in their spiritual development and beliefs.
The Singer is going on a "homeless retreat" this weekend. Her youth group is going to a church in a poor area of town and in addition to other activities, will have a dinner similar to what a homeless person would get at a 'soup kitchen' and will spend the night outside in simple tents on the church grounds. They are allowed to bring the clothes on their backs (and they are allowed to dress warmly) plus 3 additional items (not bags filled with items, but individual items). I am already praying for the "success" of this retreat. The Singer was lamenting that most of her close friends from the youth group won't be attending. I told her that being alone was a big part of homelessness for many. She's just glad there is a "Praise and Worship" time scheduled (she'll go anywhere if she's allowed to sing...especially praise and worship songs).
The Imp spent the day at Bishop McLaughlin High School yesterday. We're trying to discern which high school would be the best for her. She had a good time and the school is really state-of-the-art. She takes the entrance test for Tampa Catholic this Saturday and took the writing test for the IB program last Saturday.
A friend of ours, a radio talk-show host, will have Zig Ziglar on his show soon (I don't remember exactly when). I am envious of all the neat people he gets to meet in his job.
I am glad I don't live in Maine. The Portland school system wants to give the pill to middle school students, and another wants to require every high school senior apply to college. A group of parents were discussing condoms being available at middle schools, and a mom said, The supporters of this say 'IF they're going to have sex, we want them to be safe. We're not encouraging sexual activity.' She wanted to ask the supporters if their husbands' travelled for business would they give their husband a condom before he left and say, "Honey, I know you won't cheat on me and have sex, and I don't want to encourage you to have sex, BUT if you do..please be safe." I know it's not a perfect analogy, but it made me laugh.
The current topic amongst many moms is the new movie, "The Golden Compass," due to arrive in theaters in early December. There has been extensive debate over the dangers presented in the Harry Potter books, with sorcery, the occult, etc. No matter where you fall in your opinion about Harry Potter's appropriateness for children, most agree that it is basically a story of good vs. evil and good wins. The love Harry's mom had for him is more powerful than all the evil of Voldemort (a love that had her sacrificing her life for his). "The Golden Compass" has been compared to the Narnia and Lord of the Rings series. Both of those series are accepted Christian analogies. "The Golden Compass" is written by a professed atheist, Philip Pullman (I don’t profess any religion; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words ‘spiritual’ or ‘spirituality’) His stories are anti-God, and anti-church. I can agree that some stories are simply that, stories. I can agree that a single movie seen once by a child will probably not be a pivotal point in their spiritual growth. I also know that evil exists and that evil spreads in insidious ways. I haven't decided whether my girls will be able to see this movie..."banning" it gives it a great allure. And the Singer is 17. She 'll be off to college in the fall and will be deciding these things for herself soon. But, I will discuss the movie with them and tell them why I have reservations about them seeing it, and for them to be aware that the author does indeed have an agenda.
The past few weeks have been great family/home time for us. With swim season over we have a lot more time together and that time is less rushed. Our dinnertimes have returned to being a leisurely family event. Last week we somehow ended up talking about marriage and we shared with the girls that we had written our own vows. The Imp smiled and shook her head. "What are you smiling about?" I asked. "You guys are our own personal chick flick." We all laughed and it was just good fun. Last night, the Singer shared that Mr. Shindler (brother of the famous Terri Schiavo and former teacher at her school) had come to speak to her religious ethics class. So we spent an hour talking about end of life issues. The Singer asked us if we had Living Wills..and we had to admit we didn't. Updating our wills is on our "List of things to do" and has been for years. Now that the girls have asked us, I'm sure it will get done in the near future as they'll continue to ask. It is wonderful to be able to discuss such topics with my children. And it gives great insight into where they are in their spiritual development and beliefs.
The Singer is going on a "homeless retreat" this weekend. Her youth group is going to a church in a poor area of town and in addition to other activities, will have a dinner similar to what a homeless person would get at a 'soup kitchen' and will spend the night outside in simple tents on the church grounds. They are allowed to bring the clothes on their backs (and they are allowed to dress warmly) plus 3 additional items (not bags filled with items, but individual items). I am already praying for the "success" of this retreat. The Singer was lamenting that most of her close friends from the youth group won't be attending. I told her that being alone was a big part of homelessness for many. She's just glad there is a "Praise and Worship" time scheduled (she'll go anywhere if she's allowed to sing...especially praise and worship songs).
The Imp spent the day at Bishop McLaughlin High School yesterday. We're trying to discern which high school would be the best for her. She had a good time and the school is really state-of-the-art. She takes the entrance test for Tampa Catholic this Saturday and took the writing test for the IB program last Saturday.
A friend of ours, a radio talk-show host, will have Zig Ziglar on his show soon (I don't remember exactly when). I am envious of all the neat people he gets to meet in his job.
I am glad I don't live in Maine. The Portland school system wants to give the pill to middle school students, and another wants to require every high school senior apply to college. A group of parents were discussing condoms being available at middle schools, and a mom said, The supporters of this say 'IF they're going to have sex, we want them to be safe. We're not encouraging sexual activity.' She wanted to ask the supporters if their husbands' travelled for business would they give their husband a condom before he left and say, "Honey, I know you won't cheat on me and have sex, and I don't want to encourage you to have sex, BUT if you do..please be safe." I know it's not a perfect analogy, but it made me laugh.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
College Football, John and the Y Chromosome
USF's Bulls were ranked at #6 for college football at the end of last weekend. They won again yesterday. They're 5 - 0! I really miss John. I don't usually follow college football (professional football has always been interesting to me) but I know he'd know all about the rise of USF. They've only had a football team for 7 years, so their rise is remarkable. It's nice to watch the local news and hear about a team other than the Gators. (They lost, by the way! 3-2..Ha!). I haven't followed USF football and know John could give me a reader's digest analysis on the key players, the coach and the program. Then, I'd feel prepared to watch the rest of the season. Alas, I'll have to learn this on my own.
The Singer is dating a freshman at USF (also the drummer for the youth choir at church) and he's trying to get tickets to next week's game against UCF. The Singer, who has shown less than zero interest in football previously, asked Hubby if he would watch today's pro games with her and teach her something about football, she could use a tutorial by John, as well. Eric, her boyfriend, played high school football and loves it. It's hard not to smile at how cute it all is...remembering that I learned about golf only after meeting Hubby. She actually stayed for 1/2 of her high school's game Friday after singing the national anthem because he came. (They would have stayed later but it started pouring rain...the Singer demanded to leave).
My children bring great humor to my life. There are public service announcement commercials about how different activities add years to your life. One of them states that singing adds 15 years to your life. The Singer and Imp both now feel immortal, as they sing constantly. Another one says laughter adds 7 years. Hubby thinks he has it made as he walks around singing in the house, which causes the girls to laugh, which causes him to laugh! He says he's just trying to keep us all healthy.
The Imp went to a birthday party of a boy in her class last night. The party began at 6pm. Driving the Imp home last night we inquired about the party. She said it was good, but that she was rather insulted by the all the boys' behavior at the beginning of the party. "Here we were, at a party, and what were the guys doing? Sitting on the edge of the chairs, eating chips and pizza, WATCHING FOOTBALL ON TV. [the USF game] The girls were all standing together on the other side of the room and I said, 'This is a party...they should be talking with us.'
So the about 5 other girls went with me and we stood in front of the TV so the boys would have to talk to us." Hubby and I were howling. Hubby's saying, "eating, watching football with friends...sounds like a great party to me." The Imp replied, "D....A......D! You have a party to talk with your friends." Hubby, who just finished reading Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus said, "Perfect example of that Mars/Venus thing going on." The Imp then says, "Yea, sometimes I think the world would be better off without a Y chromosome." What a hoot!
The Singer is dating a freshman at USF (also the drummer for the youth choir at church) and he's trying to get tickets to next week's game against UCF. The Singer, who has shown less than zero interest in football previously, asked Hubby if he would watch today's pro games with her and teach her something about football, she could use a tutorial by John, as well. Eric, her boyfriend, played high school football and loves it. It's hard not to smile at how cute it all is...remembering that I learned about golf only after meeting Hubby. She actually stayed for 1/2 of her high school's game Friday after singing the national anthem because he came. (They would have stayed later but it started pouring rain...the Singer demanded to leave).
My children bring great humor to my life. There are public service announcement commercials about how different activities add years to your life. One of them states that singing adds 15 years to your life. The Singer and Imp both now feel immortal, as they sing constantly. Another one says laughter adds 7 years. Hubby thinks he has it made as he walks around singing in the house, which causes the girls to laugh, which causes him to laugh! He says he's just trying to keep us all healthy.
The Imp went to a birthday party of a boy in her class last night. The party began at 6pm. Driving the Imp home last night we inquired about the party. She said it was good, but that she was rather insulted by the all the boys' behavior at the beginning of the party. "Here we were, at a party, and what were the guys doing? Sitting on the edge of the chairs, eating chips and pizza, WATCHING FOOTBALL ON TV. [the USF game] The girls were all standing together on the other side of the room and I said, 'This is a party...they should be talking with us.'
So the about 5 other girls went with me and we stood in front of the TV so the boys would have to talk to us." Hubby and I were howling. Hubby's saying, "eating, watching football with friends...sounds like a great party to me." The Imp replied, "D....A......D! You have a party to talk with your friends." Hubby, who just finished reading Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus said, "Perfect example of that Mars/Venus thing going on." The Imp then says, "Yea, sometimes I think the world would be better off without a Y chromosome." What a hoot!Monday, October 01, 2007
Living with Loss
I've had two weeks of thinking about death and dying. The week of the 17th had us attending a rosary prayer service and the funeral of the Imp's friend's (JuJu's) mom. She was only 43. The rosary prayer service was designed by the Salesian Sisters who run the school the Imp and her friend attend. The whole experience was "fitting." The sisters really did a wonderful job of recognizing the grief at losing a loved one, while remembering that our Christian faith gives us hope, even in death. The school is right next to the convent where the sisters live. Inside the convent is a small chapel. The students have always had access to the chapel during their lunch/recess time. A special candle was lit in the chapel for JuJu's mom. JuJu can go in there anytime to find quiet and feel close to God and her mom. The Imp says, the two of them go into the chapel everyday after lunch, on their way to recess. She says they usually stay just a few minutes, but it makes them both feel better. This is why I am so pleased with the school. Academically it is above adequate but below exemplary. But that's okay by me, if the Imp is having her soul nourished. This is real life stuff and the staff at the school is teaching the students how to deal with real life in a Christian way. The whole way JuJu's mom's illness/death has been dealt with speaks of grace and class.
The funeral of JuJu's mom was nice, too. The priest was a little long-winded, just repeating himself, but not everyone can have someone like Father Ashmann give the homily at their funeral. [Fr. Ashmann gave the homily at John's funeral and was extremely eloquent and full of the Spirit.] The really nice thing was seeing 20 of JuJu's classmates there. Most of them sat together in two pews of the church near JuJu. It warmed my heart to see them pulling together for her.
Last Monday was John's birthday. He would have been 42. I still don't always realize he's gone. He was so full of life...always, that it is almost incomprehensible that he isn't still living. I then found out that my nephew, in Iraq, was involved in a "skirmish" and thankfully only suffered a concussion and temporary hearing loss. We all feel like John was on guardian angel duty watching over Byron.
Today is Ellen's birthday. It is hard to grasp that she has been gone over 11 years. It's hard for me to comprehend that the Imp has no memories of her. Ellen loved holding the Imp when she was a baby, and always seemed to enjoy the Singer, too. The Singer has only the vaguest of memories of her. How sad that they never really got to know her. On these days, I am amazed at the ability of my brother, Kevin, and my sister-in-law, Gwyn, to continue on. Ellen exhibited great grace and faith as she lived and died with breast cancer and John exhibited great grace and faith as he lived and died with ALS. But, Kevin and Gwyn have exhibited incredible grace and faith in living each day since their losses.
The funeral of JuJu's mom was nice, too. The priest was a little long-winded, just repeating himself, but not everyone can have someone like Father Ashmann give the homily at their funeral. [Fr. Ashmann gave the homily at John's funeral and was extremely eloquent and full of the Spirit.] The really nice thing was seeing 20 of JuJu's classmates there. Most of them sat together in two pews of the church near JuJu. It warmed my heart to see them pulling together for her.
Last Monday was John's birthday. He would have been 42. I still don't always realize he's gone. He was so full of life...always, that it is almost incomprehensible that he isn't still living. I then found out that my nephew, in Iraq, was involved in a "skirmish" and thankfully only suffered a concussion and temporary hearing loss. We all feel like John was on guardian angel duty watching over Byron.
Today is Ellen's birthday. It is hard to grasp that she has been gone over 11 years. It's hard for me to comprehend that the Imp has no memories of her. Ellen loved holding the Imp when she was a baby, and always seemed to enjoy the Singer, too. The Singer has only the vaguest of memories of her. How sad that they never really got to know her. On these days, I am amazed at the ability of my brother, Kevin, and my sister-in-law, Gwyn, to continue on. Ellen exhibited great grace and faith as she lived and died with breast cancer and John exhibited great grace and faith as he lived and died with ALS. But, Kevin and Gwyn have exhibited incredible grace and faith in living each day since their losses.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Fortunate?
I found out Thursday that my parents had a "small" fire in their basement on Wednesday morning. While you would never say someone who had a fire in their house was fortunate, someone was watching out for my parents. The fire began with the dehumidifier in the basement (don't know the specifics). My parents go to church every morning, and are often gone much of the day. My mom returned home around 11:30, and smelled smoke when she went in the house. After she checked the appliances on the first floor, she found the smoke coming from the basement. She quickly got the portable phone, went outside and called the fire department. They arrived in about 10 minutes. The fire, itself, was contained to 1/2 of the basement. They feel so fortunate that no one was hurt. They feel so fortunate that my mom got home when she did. They were set to leave town for a week the next day. If the fire had started after they left town, the whole house would have burned. The unfortunate and inconvenient part is that fires are messy...really messy. The efficient air unit quickly dispersed the smoke and soot throughout the house. EVERYTHING is covered. They're staying on base right now, as they get the house cleaned. My dad is glad his office (the other half of the basement) didn't burn. Most of his books in his office are warped, but readable. His computer is shot. I am so thankful they are okay and know this is not something that's going to be cleaned up in a day or two.
Other sad news. Saturday, we found out that the Imp's best friend's mom had died. The mom, Dawn, had fought cancer a few years back, and was diagnosed with kidney cancer this past summer. We knew the prognosis was poor, but didn't realize how sick she really was. The Imp, my child who cannot stand to see someone sad, is wishing she could make it all better, but knowing she can't. I think she is able to be more of a comfort because of experiencing John's death so recently. It seems the universal response to this kind of thing is "I don't know what to do or say." That is magnified when it happens to teen-agers who don't know what to do or say under normal conditions. My heart goes out to the Imp's friend and the whole family. It's going to be a long year for this little girl.
Other sad news. Saturday, we found out that the Imp's best friend's mom had died. The mom, Dawn, had fought cancer a few years back, and was diagnosed with kidney cancer this past summer. We knew the prognosis was poor, but didn't realize how sick she really was. The Imp, my child who cannot stand to see someone sad, is wishing she could make it all better, but knowing she can't. I think she is able to be more of a comfort because of experiencing John's death so recently. It seems the universal response to this kind of thing is "I don't know what to do or say." That is magnified when it happens to teen-agers who don't know what to do or say under normal conditions. My heart goes out to the Imp's friend and the whole family. It's going to be a long year for this little girl.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Children's Health and Success
Recently, it has been almost impossible to pick up a newspaper, or turn on a news show and not hear something about the obesity epidemic. While, obviously, food choice (and amount) plays a significant part in this problem. It seems to me, we are once again approaching this issue from a very simplistic view. Obesity isn't about food, it's about lifestyle. Two articles recently published about studies in England support this idea.
The first article from Scientific American states
Both of my girls need sleep (probably just the recommended amount, but when so many people don't get that much, it seems they need "extra" sleep). I can tell when they've not had a enough sleep, or simply need a little more because of the stressors in their lives. Yesterday, the Imp was sooo tired. She's been getting 8 1/2 hours of sleep, but with her friend's mom ill, she's been using lots of emotional energy through the day. The Imp is an intelligent girl who tends to do well in school and takes most things in stride (I've called her my poster child for "don't sweat the small stuff.") Her Algebra class has to do a project involving stocks and charting their fluctuations. The Imp, discovered that with a $4 increase, her chart wasn't big enough to show the stock's progress. She had already redrawn her charts because she had made the increments so big, small fluctuations (under $1) really couldn't be seen on her charts. Bottom line, she needed to redraw 3 charts. She began yelling about the "stupidity" of the project and then burst into tears. The Imp rarely cries, especially in frustration. She was just too tired to handle the normal irritations of the day. She was sent to bed early last night, and I'm sure today will be not be flustered by things like redrawing graphs.
I feel like I'm a lone voice in the wilderness advocating sleep for my kids. We have a "no telephone calls after 9 PM" rule. That is partially to make sure the girls' sleep is not impacted by the telephone. It has taken years for some of the Singer friends to understand we won't put her on the phone if the call at 10:00pm. What is more amazing, is the parents of these friends imply I'm the crazy one, because often the calls concern homework. We've had to take the Singer's cell phone away at night, because her friends were 'texting' her all through the night...12 midnight, 2 am...anytime and all the time. Our sanity requires some down time. We don't need to be that connected.
I was glad to see the article seemed to be supporting my beliefs. But near the end of the article, it stated
I don't think it's teenagers who need to wake up to the fact that they need more sleep...it's their parents. That's the parents' job, to teach the teenagers healthy habits so they can be successful in life.
The second article is from BBC. Here the value of play is emphasized. We've sent our kids to private schools for primarily religious reasons. But as I watched the public schools take away any kind of recess, it gave me another reason to keep my kids in private school. The Imp is in 8th grade. She has 20-30 minutes (depending on how quickly or slowly she eats her lunch) to play outside with minimal adult supervision. While she no longer plays ball on a regular basis (most of the time, it's girl-talk time), for years, she climbed monkey bars, swung, played kickball and various other outdoor fun. As a former middle school teacher, there were days, I had to take my students outside and let them run for 10 minutes before starting class. There was just too much pent up energy in these 12 and 13 year olds, and I'd be fighting a losing battle to ask them to sit still, when they'd already been sitting still for 6 hours. Many schools have cut back on recess to allow for more "academic" time. I argue that taking recess away will hurt the academic scores, more than additional teaching time will help. If the student isn't engaged, it doesn't matter what the teacher is doing. Kids need time to be kids.
My solution to obesity? Give recess back, take electronics out of the bedrooms and let kids sleep.
The first article from Scientific American states
The Sleep Council said "junk sleep" could
rival the consumption of unhealthy junk food as a major lifestyle issue for
parents of teenage children.
Both of my girls need sleep (probably just the recommended amount, but when so many people don't get that much, it seems they need "extra" sleep). I can tell when they've not had a enough sleep, or simply need a little more because of the stressors in their lives. Yesterday, the Imp was sooo tired. She's been getting 8 1/2 hours of sleep, but with her friend's mom ill, she's been using lots of emotional energy through the day. The Imp is an intelligent girl who tends to do well in school and takes most things in stride (I've called her my poster child for "don't sweat the small stuff.") Her Algebra class has to do a project involving stocks and charting their fluctuations. The Imp, discovered that with a $4 increase, her chart wasn't big enough to show the stock's progress. She had already redrawn her charts because she had made the increments so big, small fluctuations (under $1) really couldn't be seen on her charts. Bottom line, she needed to redraw 3 charts. She began yelling about the "stupidity" of the project and then burst into tears. The Imp rarely cries, especially in frustration. She was just too tired to handle the normal irritations of the day. She was sent to bed early last night, and I'm sure today will be not be flustered by things like redrawing graphs.
I feel like I'm a lone voice in the wilderness advocating sleep for my kids. We have a "no telephone calls after 9 PM" rule. That is partially to make sure the girls' sleep is not impacted by the telephone. It has taken years for some of the Singer friends to understand we won't put her on the phone if the call at 10:00pm. What is more amazing, is the parents of these friends imply I'm the crazy one, because often the calls concern homework. We've had to take the Singer's cell phone away at night, because her friends were 'texting' her all through the night...12 midnight, 2 am...anytime and all the time. Our sanity requires some down time. We don't need to be that connected.
I was glad to see the article seemed to be supporting my beliefs. But near the end of the article, it stated
"Teenagers need to wake up to the fact that to feel well, perform well and look
well, they need to do something about their sleep."
I don't think it's teenagers who need to wake up to the fact that they need more sleep...it's their parents. That's the parents' job, to teach the teenagers healthy habits so they can be successful in life.
The second article is from BBC. Here the value of play is emphasized. We've sent our kids to private schools for primarily religious reasons. But as I watched the public schools take away any kind of recess, it gave me another reason to keep my kids in private school. The Imp is in 8th grade. She has 20-30 minutes (depending on how quickly or slowly she eats her lunch) to play outside with minimal adult supervision. While she no longer plays ball on a regular basis (most of the time, it's girl-talk time), for years, she climbed monkey bars, swung, played kickball and various other outdoor fun. As a former middle school teacher, there were days, I had to take my students outside and let them run for 10 minutes before starting class. There was just too much pent up energy in these 12 and 13 year olds, and I'd be fighting a losing battle to ask them to sit still, when they'd already been sitting still for 6 hours. Many schools have cut back on recess to allow for more "academic" time. I argue that taking recess away will hurt the academic scores, more than additional teaching time will help. If the student isn't engaged, it doesn't matter what the teacher is doing. Kids need time to be kids.
The experts say that play - especially
when it takes place outdoors - is crucial to a child's health
An increase in traffic, parental fears about abduction by strangers and a
"test-driven" culture of education have all contributed to the trend.
My solution to obesity? Give recess back, take electronics out of the bedrooms and let kids sleep.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Scrapbooking
Today I've been able to spend time "scrapping." It's been a long time since I've worked on my scrapbooks and the first thing I have to do is sort the pictures. I came across a box full of pictures from the early 80's and before. I found this picture of my brothers, John and Chris, that my mom has been looking for. So this is for her.
Next week, my friend and I are going to start scrapping every other Monday. We're both excited. Having a partner makes you scrap, instead of seeing all the other things that need to be done. A few years ago, we scrapped every Thursday for over a year and a half (a short break during the summer). That was wonderful, and I got much done. I'm anxious to get started again.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Ellen's Carrot Cake
Tonight, Hubby and I have are monthly get-together with 5 other couples. I love the fellowship and faith sharing, but the real pull is the great food. We have potluck. The host couple makes the main meal and the rest of us bring the sides. People always bring really good stuff. I can hardly wait to go and eat...especially because we're bringing dessert. And I made Ellen's carrot cake. I really met Ellen in August of 1988 (I had been introduced before...she was my sister-in-law, but this was when I moved closer to where she lived and got to see her more regularly). And I can't remember exactly but it might have been that year's Labor Day cook-out to which she brought her, now famous, carrot cake. I had never been a big carrot cake person (chocolate is my middle name). And I tried the cake more out of politeness than anything (mumbling to myself...doesn't she know real desserts have chocolate?) Then I tasted it. It was heavenly! I had to have the recipe. I have no idea where she got the recipe but it is more than good. Since then, I often choose this dessert to bring places and always get rave reviews. And it's always nice to remember Ellen.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Survival Awards and Dreams
I'm always "writing" blog entries when I read something interesting, or troubling, or thought-provoking. My writings don't always make it from my head to the computer.
I read this interesting, thought-provoking article about educating students. The teacher's suggestion was right on target. I'm not sure policy makers and law-makers know about these individual students.
People need to be able to dream. Faith Hill's song "Fireflies" talks about being taught to dream. That's what kids need.
Two more thoughts:
I read this interesting, thought-provoking article about educating students. The teacher's suggestion was right on target. I'm not sure policy makers and law-makers know about these individual students.
Here I am -- another month of teaching gone by -- contemplating our school'sIt made me want to send all of Cindy's kids an award. And it made me think how Cindy tries so hard to minimize the effects of the traumatized pasts of her kids (And maybe Cindy needs a reward for "just coping with life") But it also made me remember so many of my students who showed up at school with the odds stacked against them, and my frustration with the emphasis on passing written tests. Don't get me wrong...students need to master skills in order to succeed. But not everyone will master those skills at the same age. And if we (and I don't mean just the schools) addressed some of the other issues, so many more students would be able to concentrate enough to master those key skills. How can 'Tommy' learn about anything when he's not sure how long he'll be at this school or in that home. I had many 'Tommy's' who were shuffled between homes...first mom's, but new boyfriend doesn't get along with Tommy. Then dad's, but dad has no patience and tells Tommy if he messes up he'll be sent away. Tommy messes up and is sent to live at his aunt's. After a month or two, Tommy's aunt is a her wit's end and sends Tommy back to mom's. Tommy can't focus on much at school, and being transferred from school to school (because all these people are not in the same school zone) there's no continuity to school. If Tommy has anything else going against him...ADHD, or lower than average intelligence, or a learning disability, his chances of making it successfully through the school system is slim. If Tommy showed any progress, he should get an award, but he was still "below level" so no awards came his way. And so many 'Tommys" stopped dreaming of a better tomorrow, or never dreamed at all.
monthly awards: Perfect Attendance, Outstanding Citizen, Outstanding Scholar,
Superior Writer, Great Reader. . . [and] all I can think of is: How about an
award for Psychological Survivor, Emotional Duress Survivor? In other words,
awards for just coping with life.
People need to be able to dream. Faith Hill's song "Fireflies" talks about being taught to dream. That's what kids need.
Two more thoughts:
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
--Beverly Sills,
Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get
tired."
--Jules Renard,
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Real Mothers Never Give Up or Give In
Reading Cindy's blog makes my heart hurt because of her pain. Reading her blogs, I never doubt she will get up tomorrow and keep on keeping on. She's got God on her side and I know she knows it. But all mothers (even those of us who have the "perfect angels"?) get tired of the constant repetition of our jobs and the condemnation we often seem to get from our children we are so desperately trying to teach. Most of us want to teach them first and foremost, that they are loved and lovable. For Cindy, that's a big order since most of her children come to her believing love is the stuff of fairy tales and that if love were real, they would definitely not be candidates for it. But the quest to believe you are lovable is not limited to those with abusive/neglectful pasts. Watch any 2-year old and see them test their parents to see, "Am I truly lovable?" Watch any teen-ager, and much of their actions beg that they be told they are lovable no matter how outrageous or foolish their behavior is.
Today's reading at church was from Luke 12:
This has always been a passage that has caused me discomfort...mother against daughter, daughter against mother. Not a comforting thought, but the priest today said that those who live The Truth will always cause discord with those around them. It made me think of how tired I get telling my girls, "No, you may not wear that." "No, I won't buy you that...it's not appropriate." "No, you may not listen to that music in this house." "No, you may not...." And I'm so tired because of the resistance they give to me, not once but over and over again. Maybe this is the daughter against mother?? If I'm doing my job, I will cause discord, unease in those around me. Whether or not that's exactly what is meant by this passage, I did take encouragement from this passage and felt like I could continue saying "NO" even though I often feel like giving in. I wonder, am I being too strict? Am I making them social pariahs? Today I answer, I am teaching them Truths. Better a social pariah than a heavenly pariah. God is on my side. So whatever my "battle," big or small, as the mother I can't give up or give in. I must continue teaching them truths and The Truth...they're all lovable.
Today's reading at church was from Luke 12:
"I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already
kindled! "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until
it is accomplished! "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on
earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in
one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
"They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against
daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and
daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
This has always been a passage that has caused me discomfort...mother against daughter, daughter against mother. Not a comforting thought, but the priest today said that those who live The Truth will always cause discord with those around them. It made me think of how tired I get telling my girls, "No, you may not wear that." "No, I won't buy you that...it's not appropriate." "No, you may not listen to that music in this house." "No, you may not...." And I'm so tired because of the resistance they give to me, not once but over and over again. Maybe this is the daughter against mother?? If I'm doing my job, I will cause discord, unease in those around me. Whether or not that's exactly what is meant by this passage, I did take encouragement from this passage and felt like I could continue saying "NO" even though I often feel like giving in. I wonder, am I being too strict? Am I making them social pariahs? Today I answer, I am teaching them Truths. Better a social pariah than a heavenly pariah. God is on my side. So whatever my "battle," big or small, as the mother I can't give up or give in. I must continue teaching them truths and The Truth...they're all lovable.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
School Choices
School is well under way now. The Imp has settled in and is basically okay with her classes and teachers. Her science teacher will be the thorn in her side all year, but hey, you can't have all your teachers be great.
The Singer came home from school the first day and exclaimed, "I'm never gonna make it through this year!!!" Trying to be sympathetic and not laugh at her dramatics, I inquired about her day. She proceeded to tell me that her classes were going to be hard. [This realization astonished me, as she's taking AP Spanish, Government, Calculus, and English; dual enrollment Anatomy and Physiology; Shakespeare; and Catholic Morality. I'm not sure how she thought her classes WOULDN'T be hard?] After more investigative work on my part (kids rarely tell the real problem outright), I discovered that her AP Spanish was the class really worrying her. Apparently she sat through the first class, not understanding most of what the teacher said. To keep afloat in that class would require extensive time, and she didn't see how she could give it that much time and still keep up in all her other classes. So Thursday she talked to her Spanish teacher and her guidance counselor and she's now taking Honors Spanish IV. She was worried about dropping an AP class hurting her chances of getting in to college. Of course, her friends fueled that worry with comments of "Colleges want you to take the most rigorous courses. Even if you get lower grades. You can't drop an AP class." Ugh. Thankfully, her guidance counselor told her graduating with 6 AP credits and a dual enrollment credit was fine. I know life has changed, but I didn't take ANY AP classes and still was able to get into William and Mary...go figure.
The college search is revving up. Hubby and the Singer are off to UCF for an official tour on August 29. Then the 3 of us (possibly the Imp, too) are head to FSU on Sept 10. We're hoping that these visits will help her get a feel for the campus and help her decide which she prefers.
While doing the college thing, the Imp is stressing over high school choices. And while it seems early, we've got to have applications to the Catholic schools and the magnet schools in by January, and if we decide on a Catholic school, registration payments (non-refundable) are due early March. So I'm praying for lots of patience and guidance this year.
Hubby's off to work already today. He'll put in 8 hours or so today. We've gotten spoiled with him rarely working more than 45 or 50 hours a week, and we don't even usually notice as he often works for an hour or two at home in the evenings. When he first started working for IBM back in 1988, a 50 hour week felt like vacation. In fact, he usually would work for 3 or 4 weeks at 70-80 hour/wk, and then the next 2 months would be 50-55 hour weeks, then things would pick up and a deadline would be coming and the 70-80 hour/wks would resume. I'm not sure how either of us survived that. He use to get up at 4:30 to be at work by 5:15 am. Then he'd come home about 5 to have dinner and spend time with me and the Singer, and then he'd go back into work around 7:30 and stay till midnight. When we talk about that time in our lives, we both marvel at the resiliency of youth.
The girls are waking up and I need to go start my Saturday chores.
The Singer came home from school the first day and exclaimed, "I'm never gonna make it through this year!!!" Trying to be sympathetic and not laugh at her dramatics, I inquired about her day. She proceeded to tell me that her classes were going to be hard. [This realization astonished me, as she's taking AP Spanish, Government, Calculus, and English; dual enrollment Anatomy and Physiology; Shakespeare; and Catholic Morality. I'm not sure how she thought her classes WOULDN'T be hard?] After more investigative work on my part (kids rarely tell the real problem outright), I discovered that her AP Spanish was the class really worrying her. Apparently she sat through the first class, not understanding most of what the teacher said. To keep afloat in that class would require extensive time, and she didn't see how she could give it that much time and still keep up in all her other classes. So Thursday she talked to her Spanish teacher and her guidance counselor and she's now taking Honors Spanish IV. She was worried about dropping an AP class hurting her chances of getting in to college. Of course, her friends fueled that worry with comments of "Colleges want you to take the most rigorous courses. Even if you get lower grades. You can't drop an AP class." Ugh. Thankfully, her guidance counselor told her graduating with 6 AP credits and a dual enrollment credit was fine. I know life has changed, but I didn't take ANY AP classes and still was able to get into William and Mary...go figure.
The college search is revving up. Hubby and the Singer are off to UCF for an official tour on August 29. Then the 3 of us (possibly the Imp, too) are head to FSU on Sept 10. We're hoping that these visits will help her get a feel for the campus and help her decide which she prefers.
While doing the college thing, the Imp is stressing over high school choices. And while it seems early, we've got to have applications to the Catholic schools and the magnet schools in by January, and if we decide on a Catholic school, registration payments (non-refundable) are due early March. So I'm praying for lots of patience and guidance this year.
Hubby's off to work already today. He'll put in 8 hours or so today. We've gotten spoiled with him rarely working more than 45 or 50 hours a week, and we don't even usually notice as he often works for an hour or two at home in the evenings. When he first started working for IBM back in 1988, a 50 hour week felt like vacation. In fact, he usually would work for 3 or 4 weeks at 70-80 hour/wk, and then the next 2 months would be 50-55 hour weeks, then things would pick up and a deadline would be coming and the 70-80 hour/wks would resume. I'm not sure how either of us survived that. He use to get up at 4:30 to be at work by 5:15 am. Then he'd come home about 5 to have dinner and spend time with me and the Singer, and then he'd go back into work around 7:30 and stay till midnight. When we talk about that time in our lives, we both marvel at the resiliency of youth.
The girls are waking up and I need to go start my Saturday chores.
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