Day by Day

Some are kind Some are hard workers Some are sensitive Some are insightful Some are hurting Some are angry Some are different Some are generous Some are easy going Some are uptight Some are artistic Some are athletic Some are intelligent Some are forgetful Some are dependable Some are flighty On and on it goes....what are you and how can you change the things about you that you are not comfortable with?

I signed up to be the "mystery reader" for Keera's 1st grade class yesterday.  When I got there, Bob pulled in with Connor.  I was a little bummed because I felt as though this was my moment with Keera; since Bob has not had a job in over a year, he has been able to be there with Keera for field trips, 1/2 day kindergarten, etc., etc.  He had picked Connor (who is still on crutches) up after school and they came to see Keera's surprised face when she saw me. It was really fun to read to all these little faces and Keera was beaming the whole time. One humorous part was when we walked in the classroom Keera gave me a hug and then Connor and then her Dad.  Connor said he heard one of the kids say to another, "Ooohhhh, she has a crush."  And the other one said back, "That is her brother."  I LOVE KIDS-they make the world what it should be because sometimes I think the rest of us, adults, forget to stop and enjoy it the way it is.

Ok-I admit it, at first I thought it was a drag to go to the open house with Brendan at SCSU.  Although I was really glad that he signed up because he has such a strong interest in going.  When I went to college, people applied to very few colleges, didn't go to open houses, barely visited campuses-the world has changed.  Now it is all about applying to 6-7 colleges, visiting all campuses ahead of time, etc. etc.....how did we survive??? Anyway......Brendan only wants to apply to about 3 colleges and since I am a SCSU graduate, we toured the campus together.  Twice we ran into his best friends in a "tour group" with their parents.  They said, "Brendan, come on ...join us."  and his reply was, "That's okay...my mom's giving me a tour."  I thought that was cute-save that moment. Two days after the open house the truth came out......."Mom, there are a lot of pretty girls at SCSU."  Oh boy.  I said, "Brendan, there are a lot of p...

So.....Bob said I wrote a post that wasn't about family a few days ago, which was a first.  I didn't realize that I write every post about family-mostly because years from now I want to remember every moment I can and share with my kids when they are older.  However......I should expand my horizons (as safely as possible).  So......here's something different - I am so glad that the Rangers, who have never been to the world series and the Giants who have only won the series once are going to duel it out for the ownership of the title.  I like it when the underdogs get a chance to play.....I think I should have been around when baseball wasn't so much about money-it would have been more fun! (How's that for a start....should catch Bob's eye.)

Brendan and I went to an open house at ScSU today.  As we were headed there I said to him, "This is like when I took you to kindergarten."  His response - "Only I'm a bit taller now."  His comments as we walked around campus were so freshmen like...."How do you know which building to go to"?, etc.  Luckily, I am a graduate there, so although the campus has some new additions, I was able to commfortably show him the important areas.  Onto a new era.....

I am reading this book called "The Power".  It is all about the power of positive thinking.  It kind of goes beyond positive thinking to the belief that you must love things (money, health, etc.) in order to "attract" it into your life.  I do not think I can go as far as it goes in my mind,  but it has helped me try to (not always successful) turn negative thoughts in my mind into positive ones, as soon as they enter.  I think if I practiced it enough, I could (and I am sure some people have) do that without having to think about it.  It is like exercise for the mind.  I don't have total faith that you can just will things to happen because you see them happening to you, but at the same time, I am starting to kind of buy into that.  I am practicing it with something and I may not see the results for years, but it is amazing that just working on it is making my thoughts more positive about it.  Neat stuff!

One of my dear teacher friends at work is a Spanish teacher (from columbia).  She takes her high level students to Spain every year.  This year she asked me to go and advertised beyond what she needed to in order to get enough students for me to go too.  She fell short by 4 kids so she then asked the company if I could attend (I am paid for), being assistant principal and all.  They agreed and Katie is going to at 15% off the price.  Margarita, my friend, has a daughter the same age as Katie and she is going also.  I am so excited.  Katie rarely demands attention or anything else for that matter.  I have never known such a content child in my life.  It makes me very happy to be able to give this to her.  She is very excited and I can't wait to spend time with her only.   We leave in April....11 days in Spain!!!!  Me and the Katester.

connor tore his menicus. It was a whirl wind of dr. appt, mri, dr. appt all in one day and then surgery the next day.  Bob and I sat with him as they prepped him for over an hour and when it was time to roll him down the hall, I could feel the lump in my throat, as they say. The nurse said, "Ok, here's where we say goodbye."  I gave him a quick kiss and an I love you that wouldn't embarass a 14 year old boy.  Bob said goodbye and a nurse walked us out as they rolled him down the hallway. All I could think was he is so young and how could I let this happen to him?  It was one of the harder things I have had to do.  I have sat through many stitches in both of the boys, but this I had to let go for....no holding hands, no telling them it will be alright all the way through the procedure.  He came out fine, except for the throwing up and nausea due to anethesia.  I took him home and took care of him as best I could.  I told him to keep his ce...

connor asked if he could have friends over for a fire in Bob's new fire pit.  Ten kids came over and we ordered pizza for them.  I have to say this fire pit is awesome.  How does Bob know how to build these things?  Our kids "lead the life of Reilly", as they say.  They always have friends around and a great place for them to come. Anyway.....Bob and I are sitting in the kitchen playing cards, Keera is on the computer and Brendan, who had just come home from work, was sitting with us.   All of a sudden we hear a deep low voice saying, "Paging Bobby Reed".  I opened the back door and all ten kids look at me and say, "Someone is calling for Mr. Reed."  I call Bob to the door and sure enough there are two of his softball friends at our fence, on the bar side, calling for Bob.  They were next door having a drink and wanted to invite Bob. Sometimes  I feel as though I live in a circus.  Our life is so much like a sitcom....or ev...

Keera and I were driving in the car about a month ago and she said, "Mom"?  Right there, I was a little leary of what would come next.  "Yes"? "There is a four year old who stands in the bus line next to me who is soooooo cute that I want to marry him." "Really?", I said. A few days ago, I decided to inquire as to how this crush was going.  I said, "Keera, how is that cute boy who stands in the bus line next to you?" She said, "I don't want to talk about it." I said, "Ok-Do you still think he is cute"? She replies, "Yes, but I don't want to talk about it." So....she went from a five year old thinking a boy was cute and sharing with mom to (a month later) a "15" year old who doesn't want to talk about her crush.  They grow up all too quickly!

Hey a post to me....lol...... I'm not sure where I'm at and I'm not sure where I'm going....I think I'm on the brink of something important. I'm worried about the future....I'm worried about my children....I'm worried about my husband...... I need to just relax and let God do the work he is doing....sometimes patience is the only thing to keep us put together.

19 years-wow-that's a long time to be with someone....lol......many others have done it much longer!  It does seem just like yesterday that we were saying "I do".  If I had known back then what we would be today, I would have felt secure that the road would lead us to whereever together.  We didn't know then where we were going or what we were doing, but we have made it....bumbling, stumbling and at times crumbling....to where we are and who we are today.  I look at our four kids, ranging from almost 6 feet down to 4 feet, ranging in looks and personality....and I wonder how it all came to be. Bob is my soulmate through the good times and the bad....through the ups and the downs....we have made a life together that isn't always perfect, but is satisfying.  Sometimes we are good to each other and sometimes we could be a little better to each other, but I know I can say confidently that Bob has made me a better person than I would have been without him.  Li...