Day by Day

A student was headed down the hall on Friday and the hall monitor asked, "Where you going?" He answered very seriously, "To see Mrs. Reed to make a deal." The hall monitor said, "Oh-why you look so serious?" The student answered, "It's like going to make a deal with the devil." Knowing the student, I laughed so hard when I heard that.....I think it's a compliment in some sort of way....I guess I am tough enough to be called the devil, but if you need to, you can make a deal with me, so I'm flexible. At least it gave me a good laugh for the day.

Katie, Brendan and I were discussing the topic of driving tests because Brendan is closely approaching 16 and Kelly just turned 16. Brendan said he had heard one of the questions on someone's test was, "what sign has 8 sides?" We laughed and then I said kiddingly, "I bet Keera could pass that test because she just worked on signs this week at school." Keera was sitting there too, so Katie said, "Keera - do you know how many sides a stop sign has?" Keera answered, "It's an octagon." Katie asked, "So how many sides does it have?" Keera answered, "Eight". So, maybe we'll have her try the driving test; she could probaby pass it.

Keera in her way of saying it like it is declared the other day, in front of grandpa, that he wasn't fun. Now, he had just spent an afternoon playing with her, so who knows where in her mind she was defining him as not fun. However, when we visited with a friend later that night, who just bought a labrador retriever puppy (beautiful brown with green eyes), Keera declared that this is how Grandpa could be fun. He could get a chocolate lab. The world according to Keera.....

For years I wondered when the boys would begin to be friends. They are 2.5 years apart and extremely different, so I am not surprised that it is a long time coming. However, I know in my heart that the two of them respect each other's strengths, even though they do not admit it. Well....be careful what you wish for....lately there is a new comradery forming and it borders on sister and mother mutiny. Brendan and Connor run a continuous teasing dialogue about Katie, as only brothers would. If they aren't picking on her, they are finding ways to get around me by using each other. Connor has the memory of an elephant, as they say, and Brendan could sweet talk anyone into anything. The two are quite the pair. They went from wanting to kill each other every night as they went into their bedrooms to laughing and joking with each other as they make their way around the house.....ok, I really love it-I have to admit it. I hope it grows and they appreciate each other's differ...

Make sure you are sitting down....I came home from grocery shopping and Brendan, 15 mind you, told me he had started the washer and done his own load of laundry. I was shocked and appreciative all at once. Wow-parenting is working to some degree...he didn't even ask for money!

I was running today and thinking about how I could have possibly picked up poison ivy again...knowing I am allergic and thinking I know what it looks like. Anyone who is gets it and is allergic knows that the itching can drive you to the point of insanity. Now I am not one for any type of torture; however, I started to think about this....wouldn't it be better to fight wars that would not kill people, but rather just take two years out of their life making them itch so badly that they wouldn't and couldn't possibly want to continue whatever wrong thing they are doing-with the threat that they would be "repoisoned"? On that note, I think I need to go find something fun to do because if I am at the point where my poison ivy is driving me to think about forms of torture, it is time to "get a life".

Check this scenario out.....A week and a half ago I had carpal tunnel surgery, so although I am doing better than the first two days, I still have stitches until Thursday and I can't move my hand in certain directions. Then on Friday night Bob twisted his knee playing softball. He ended up in the ER Saturday morning to find out that he may have done something to his MCL, so he can't walk without crutches, and with crutches his arms already sore. Well, the handicap couple decided to go to the movies last night-what a sight. Bob hobbling into the movie theatre to get tickets and then me trying to carry popcorn and soda balancing on one good wrist. I felt like we were both 80 years old. Please don't tell me this is what it is like as we grow older....

We were at a baseball game today and Keera and Katie were really getting along well. They ran around together (even though Katie is 12-never too old to have fun). Keera looked up to her and did whatever she said. I looked at the two of them-one half the size of the other-and hoped that years from now they would be really close as adults. I remember the ins and outs of my relationship with Tracey. We didn't seem to get along very much when we were younger; yet today, if a few days go by and we haven't called each other, I actually feel like I need to pick up the phone and be in touch. Just to hear her voice on the other line..."Oh hi..." she always says-the same thing everytime. She is there through thick and thin with me. I don't know how she does it as an older sister....I wish she had an older sister, just like her (this came to me as I watched Katie being a perfect older sister today). It must be hard to feel like you are the one who has to hold it together. I ...

I think from the moment our kids are born we begin the process of letting go....for the longest time they are attached at the hip and when you get to number four it feels like they will never let go, but at the same time, every so often there is a tug to move away from us and become their own person...especially during adolescents.....how far do we let them move? How do we know when it's too far or beyond safety versus our comfort zone? How do we know if we have given them all the tools and lectures to ensure they will make the right choices? How do we make sure if they make a poor choice that it is not one that will scar them for a long time or life? How do we find the strength to be there for them continuously if they make the wrong choices, or as they run into failures and try to build themselves back up again? How do we protect our children and yet allow them to grow into who they will be? I don't know that anyone has the answers....and the worst part is that what work...

I have not been inspired to write in my blog since last Tuesday - pointed out to me by Bob, my husband. I sat down last night and again felt uninspired....granted I did have carpal tunnel surgery on Thursday and have been trying to recover from that...still not an excuse. When I was getting ready for work this morning, I realized what I wanted to write....I finally felt inspired. Last night as I was going on about getting ready to go back to work, one of the things I said out loud was...."how am I even going to dry my hair in the morning, especially with this new haircut the hair dresser gave me Saturday?" Bob replied, "I will wash and dry your hair for you." At the time, I didn't really listen...I heard...but didn't listen.....to even offer to do that is the ultimate act of love. He is really saying, "I will take care of you, in sickness and in health....", 18 years after taking what seems like just a vow at the time. I love you Bob and coul...

Conversation with Keera tonight - "Mom, when did you marry Dad?" "18 years ago." "Wow-that's a long time." "yeah." "Mom, when am I going to marry someone?" "When you meet the right person." "I think I'm going to marry Devin." "You don't want to marry Matthew anymore?" "No, because he pushed me and cut in line today." "Oh...so Devin said you could marry him?" "yeah." "Wow.....I bet all the boys like you because you are so pretty and nice." "Yeah...but I bet they'll like me better in this outfit." "Keera, you crack me up." "Yeah, I know." Is this girl four or fourteen? I don't know.....................

I have often heard people say that the things they were sorry for in their life were the things they did not do or the chances they did not take. My mother used to say, "God gave you the talent, now use it." If I could leave anything behind to my children it would be the notion that if you have potential use it and never turn down an opportunity because you do not know where it will lead to. Potential and opportunity are the key elements to finding-no making-success in life.

Who can claim that at age 40, they are still going to 2 proms a year? (Who would want to?) I am still attending 2 proms a year out of requirement. However, despite my grumblings about how late they get out and being somewhere for six hours when I would prefer to be doing something else, underneath it all, I really don't mind. Kids know how to have fun! They know how to drop their guards (even as teenagers moving into adulthood) and just throw themselves into a song. It's funny how adults are constantly commenting on the way they dance, the clothes they wear, they style of hair......remember back to when you were that age.....has it really changed all that much? Yes and No. Styles change, but the concept of "that generation" being different, has not changed so much. Did the teens of the 60's or 50's have the adults approval for hairstyle, dress and type of dance. I'll bet the twist by Chubby Checker or disco dance and John Travolta had some adults...

I guess I don't really understand anger. I understand the feeling of anger and that it can derive from hurt, frustration, powerlessness; however, I do not understand the expression of anger. What does it accomplish to yell, pout, scream, become physical when angry? I see angry parents on an almost daily basis that are just directing disapppointment or frustration where it doesn't belong. I see angry kids (students) that haven't been taught how(?) to handle emotion. I see anger in adults (teachers) when patience and forgiveness would go farther. Angry reactions are so irrational that it is amazing that they continue to happen. I guess people are not perfect, never claimed to be and never will be. (I know I'm not!)

As if it wasn't funny enough that we moved into a beauty parlor with a huge contemporary attached, we are still living with the humor of people thinking it remains a beauty parlor with public parking. Take for example last week when Bob was home from work because the kids had vacation. Bob was working on the house when all of a sudden there was some knocks at the front door and in walks a man, saying, "hello, hello". So now there is a strange man in our house, who says, "I'm just looking for my hair salon." Bob redirected him to down the street, which is where the previous owner moved with her business. Another example would be two rather large wakes which have taken place across the street at the funeral home. We have learned that when there are large wakes and people run out of places to park, they tend to park in our front yard, which is a set of seven parking spots. In the bigger scheme of things, I guess we are doing our part of community giving b...