Day by Day

Katie and I had her Junior meeting with her guidance counselor.  We spend all of our time putting out fires (so to speak) and arguing with our teenagers and we know they are doing great things, but until we actually sit in a meeting and hear all the great things they are doing, we don't see how wonderful our kids are. She is 5th in her class, as of last spring and is taking 4 AP courses this year as a Junior.  She is involved in community service and working, as well as clubs and sports.  But the best part of all was that she is about 10 steps ahead of most kids in her grade when it comes to colleges, SAT's, college fairs, etc.  She is so motivated and in such a humble, quiet way that you would never know what is going on inside of her mind.  She wants to research medicine to discover a medicine to help with uncured diseases. She is an incredible young woman.  I adore her!

So back on Oct. 5th, Bob and I celebrated 22 years of marriage-wow-where does time go? We golfed and then we took Keera to a fair and Katie bought us a cake that said Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad. We still owe each other a night out.  Too busy to get that in. Hard to believe the years come and go.  I look back now a little bummed that I didn't enjoy every minute of all of it, but I guess that isn't human nature to do that. On we go to the next year.......

Talk about irony......I was talking to someone in the house about how they needed to do something and all I could think of was a round tuit.  I explained to them how I remember my grandmother having a "round tuit" on her refrigerator and I bet if I looked on line I could find it.  It was a circle that said round tuit and there was some sort of story inside of it....so that was a memory from the past. Well.......low and behold, I went to church that weekend and the bulletin had a little section in it about the Gospel.  The Gospel was talking about how we should do and say things that we want to before we can't.  And there was the round tuit with the article....it was a circle with those words round tuit in it.  It now sits on my refrigerator. Can you imagine that?  I told my father about it and he remembers Gonnie and Uncle Tommy talking about round tuit, etc... I guess I am getting some message to get around to it in some way.

I received an email that at the last minute they need me to teach for St. Joseph's University again, starting next week.  It is the same course, which is great because all of the prep work is done.  I am a little nervous, but it is only 7 teachers and half of them have emailed me saying they are excited for this course, so it should be good! Let's hope!!!

What a great book.  I absolutely loved this book.  I couldn't put it down.  Bob actually picked it out for me and it was a best seller, so I knew it was good.  I think he picked it out because the author's mother died and she decided to go on a journey (hiking for 1,000 or so miles) on the PCT - trail in the west. Well, I could not put it down because it was so simple...there were so many messages in it.  It has made me want to hike the AT (Appalachian Trail) for the last 100 miles (New Hampshire and Maine).  I know two teachers who did it a few summers ago and they loved it for all the reasons that the author of Wild, Sheryl Strayed, talked about.  It gives you time to think because that is all you have; it gives you a purpose; it gives you a connection with nature; it is a challenge and it is about overcoming whatever you want to overcome. I am seriously considering what it would be like to do it next summer.  We'll see.

We were walking into the costume store and Keera was messing with her pants.  I said, "what is wrong?" She said, "I lost my button on my pants....oops, my zipper is down too....I guess I lost my dignity too." and then she laughed. Too much. She was chewing gum a few weeks ago and part of a filling came out.  She had to go have it replaced.  When she was finished I asked her if it hurt and she said no.  I asked if she told the dentist how she lost her filling and she said, "No, but I did tell the lady that it wasn't my fault if my mom lets me chew gum."

I work in a very safe school.  The nature of my job is to deal with unpleasant situations and students at times, but I have never been really scared.  Today, I crossed that boundary.  Interestingly enough the two students who shook me up today are both transfers, so part of the problem is that we don't know much about them.  It was definitely a statement to me of how personalizing education is so important. If our kids don't feel connected to someone in the building, they will not feel safe. First I dealt with a situation of searching a student due to a report of possible illegal substances on him.  He was so irate that he could be searched; he was a big guy, and he did not hide his anger at me.  It wasn't until the resource officer just happened to come to our office, that this student actually tamed way down.  Apparently he has been on parole, etc. etc.  That didn't scare me as much as the next incident, but it did set the stage.  We also...

I was proud at both ends the other day, so to speak. Sunday Tracey and I went to a dinner that honored a few people who have been involved in the ethnic center for years.  Dad was one of the honorees.  I was tempted to not go because I didn't know how much it might mean to him and time is so short with other things necessary, but Tracey motivated me to go.  I am glad I did for many reasons.  The one I found most interesting was that out of all the people we talked to and listened to that day, I was most proud of my Dad-because he is my Dad, because of all he has done, but more than that because of - sounds silly- but the way he has aged.  People are very interesting, but my Dad is the one who didn't talk too much, but talked enough; didn't force himself on others socially, but socialized; was humble enough about the award to accept it, but not dote on it.  I was truly proud of him for everything that day. Then came Monday and it was time for open house ...

I had a really frustrating morning with Keera one morning this week.  She was really grumpy and it was hard to get her moving...of course trying to get an 8 year old out the door by 6:45 isn't fun for her either. Anyway....Brendan usually gets up at 7 to go to work.  We had left by the time he was up, but he had obviously heard the commotion. When I arrived in work, I had a text from him.  Of course my thoughts went to...his car wouldn't start....he couldn't find something he needed for work....all of the things that moms get calls for.  Instead, here is what he wrote in a text to me: "mom you are the most patient woman I know and the strongest and I know I my not show it a lot or be around a lot but I love you and I hope you have a really good day cause you deserve it." This is the 20 year old man who isn't around much and hardly says much when he is. But still waters run deep and he knew what to say that day, and said it.