Well, vacation is here! We leave tonight. Unless we can sneak a weekend away, this will be our only vacation this summer - not counting the family trip to scatter Twin's ashes in the mountains (I am just not sure that is goign to feel like vacation at all). We are surprising the Girl with a trip to DisneyLand tomorrow! She knows we are goin g camping with our friends this weekend, but Daddy was able to get an extra day added to his Memorial Day long-weekend, so we leave tonight when he gets home from work and tomorrow morning, we are dragging her to The Happiest Place!
This is a hard secret to keep. She can spell, so that does not help when trying to talk to other adults to make plans. I have had to lock her out of the bathroom so I could make my calls, get on-line when she is not paying attention, etc. Daddy ALMOST blew it last night, but she was so wound up she did not hear him say the D world. I even passed a note explaining exactly what I wanted to purchase to the teller at the MWR where I bought the tickets, with a smile on my face and "Please help me keep our secret," so she wouldn't think I was trying to rob her! The Girl was dancing around saying, "Give me a hint, give me hint," as the teller and I burst out laughing -- the entire office was decorated with Mickey Mouse paraphenalia! "No hints, sissy!" I replied.
Yesterday and today are errand and packing days - tires to rotate and oil to change, fill the gas tank and vacuum out the car, packing for the 2 distinct halves of our trip, a cooler to buy, and if time gets short and I still can't find the missing camp crate - a tarp, an air pump, a flashlight, stakes... The camping part is one of our historical recration events, so in addition to all the traditional camping gear, I also need to finish packing for all three of us and altering (letting out hems!) the Girl's costumes, pack both day (warm weather) and night (cool weather) costumes and real clothes...
I better go get started!!!
May 26, 2010
May 20, 2010
Last day of school
Kindergarten is officially over. Today the girl got to meet her first greade teacher and spend some time in her first grade classroom. We had a promotion ceremony/performance for the Kinders on Tuesday. My girl was the letter A in "Kindergarten": "A is for the ABCs that we practiced every day," she announced with such excitement the audience cracked up. When she put on the sunglasses to sing "My Future's so Bright" and "Hit the Road Jack", I had to laugh.
But when I made eye contact with the daddy, I lost it. Tears of joy, of pride, of sentiment welled up. My baby just started Kindergarted a minute ago. And just yesterday, she was learning to walk. And the day before that, I found out I was pregnant. How does the time go so fast?!?
But when I made eye contact with the daddy, I lost it. Tears of joy, of pride, of sentiment welled up. My baby just started Kindergarted a minute ago. And just yesterday, she was learning to walk. And the day before that, I found out I was pregnant. How does the time go so fast?!?
May 18, 2010
love and gratitude
1. My husband randomly calls out "Love you" through the house, especially when I am in another room. Makes me giddy. Our daughter does it now too.
2. He also kisses random body parts as he walks by - whatever is in reach - foot, shoulder, arm... whatever is conveniently close.
3. We are planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Don't tell - it is a secret.
4. The Girl was promoted to first grade today. OH MY
5. School is out this Thursday.
6. My June conference is at a very posh resort. One of the only 5 star resorts in Arizona. Good thing neither I nor the school district has to pay for it.
7. The technology teacher had the type of video tape I need for this afternoon. No rush to the store for me and good thing, since I do not have time.
2. He also kisses random body parts as he walks by - whatever is in reach - foot, shoulder, arm... whatever is conveniently close.
3. We are planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Don't tell - it is a secret.
4. The Girl was promoted to first grade today. OH MY
5. School is out this Thursday.
6. My June conference is at a very posh resort. One of the only 5 star resorts in Arizona. Good thing neither I nor the school district has to pay for it.
7. The technology teacher had the type of video tape I need for this afternoon. No rush to the store for me and good thing, since I do not have time.
May 15, 2010
she is brilliant
Have I shared that the Girl is gifted? Duh, right, every mom thinks that. No, seriously. After repeated recommendations from other teachers, I finally requested that she be tested. Yep, scientifically speaking, she is gifted, and will be started gifted classes next fall.
My child, she pretended she could not read so that I would read to her. Nope, says her teacher, make her read - she reads for me all the time. Typical, says the gifted teacher, school comes easy, so even at her age they will take the easy way out since they don't have to work as hard to be successful. HMMMPF. We will see how often we fall for this!
Thinks outside the box all the time. Wish I could think of an example, but I actually get how her mind works, so she does not often catch me totally off guard - I can usually see the connections. But this is what made the other teachers start advising we get testing.
Today I said something about dinosaurs and cavemen while reading a story (this is a cherished part of our evening, whether she can read the book on her own or not). She rolled her eyes and told me, "mom, they never lived at the same time. maybe a caveman found a fossil or something, but that is it." Shheeeesh.
My child, she pretended she could not read so that I would read to her. Nope, says her teacher, make her read - she reads for me all the time. Typical, says the gifted teacher, school comes easy, so even at her age they will take the easy way out since they don't have to work as hard to be successful. HMMMPF. We will see how often we fall for this!
Thinks outside the box all the time. Wish I could think of an example, but I actually get how her mind works, so she does not often catch me totally off guard - I can usually see the connections. But this is what made the other teachers start advising we get testing.
Today I said something about dinosaurs and cavemen while reading a story (this is a cherished part of our evening, whether she can read the book on her own or not). She rolled her eyes and told me, "mom, they never lived at the same time. maybe a caveman found a fossil or something, but that is it." Shheeeesh.
May 10, 2010
the weekend in review
Friday afternoon started with a request from the Daddy to meet him at the RV dealership. No, we did not buy anything, but his parents did. Very nice.
Then he had to go in to work, but upon talking to the crew chief, realized he could not do alone what they needed him to do, so he started making phonecalls. Ended up that his brother was available, but we though he had his kids, so off to the in-laws I went to mind all the children, only to find out the children were not there. Home again for the girl and me, off to work until well after I was in bed went the Daddy.
Saturday, we had lunch out for Mother's Day, since I refuse to see the joy in fighting the crowds at any restuarant on Mother's Day Sunday. Then back to ohh and ah over the RV and to swim at the in-laws.
Then he had to go in to work, but upon talking to the crew chief, realized he could not do alone what they needed him to do, so he started making phonecalls. Ended up that his brother was available, but we though he had his kids, so off to the in-laws I went to mind all the children, only to find out the children were not there. Home again for the girl and me, off to work until well after I was in bed went the Daddy.
Saturday, we had lunch out for Mother's Day, since I refuse to see the joy in fighting the crowds at any restuarant on Mother's Day Sunday. Then back to ohh and ah over the RV and to swim at the in-laws.
May 6, 2010
coincidence
is it weird I got the same Mothers day card in the mail as the one I sent in the mail today?
May 4, 2010
this and that and the other
- Sitting in an assembly today, the teacher next to me starts to giggle. "What?" I ask. She points to my belly and we both watch it roll and pulsate. The polka dot dress made it especially funny.
- I was more dressed up than usual one day last week, and one of my 7th grade boys says, "Your husband is a lucky man." (Duh.) :)
- I only have to wake up on 2 more Mondays before summer break.
- I gained 5 pounds in the last 5 weeks. No way that is all baby.
- I have been asked to attend a second conference this summer. This one is paid, and in town. Child care still an issue. Why is that always the Mommy's job to figure out?
- Today is Teacher Appreciation day. I am not feeling very appreciated. Maybe free dinner at Applebees will help. Doubtful, though.
Controversy
We were weighing our options in regard to genetic testing, and whether we wanted to put ourselves through that; the rate of false positives, the risks of amnio on a healthy baby, etc. During that conversation, someone actually said to my husband and me, "It depends on if you are pro-life or pro-death." Really? I thought the one side was called pro-choice. Now, I am not here to debate politics or morality, so please, let's not (so if I can figure out how to turn off the comments, I will). However, I was very taken aback. I happen to be of a two-fold mind on this issue - one is in regard to my own morality, and one is in regard to forcing anyone else to live according to my morality. Therefore, I happen to believe morally in one position, and politically in the other. And neither is pro-death.
I personally see very few -if any - reasons that I might choose other than to take a pregnancy to term. That is my own moral viewpoint, it is what is right for me, for my family, for my views on religion and love and sex and family itself. However, I see more reasons why someone else may choose to make a different decision than I would. For all my complaining and self-pity about certain aspects of my life, for all the times I lacked self-esteem, I always was safe, I always had someone I knew loved me, I have never had to deal with the truly dark parts of this world. But I know there are women and girl who have not had that same experience and know that I could never tell them that they must choose what I would choose. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." Matthew 7:1
To call the one side "pro-life" and the other "pro-death" is to belittle the moral, spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical trauma that I think most women find themselves in if faced with this issue. Choice allows you choose. Hence the name. It allows the choice of life, which is not the equivalent of the offensive name this position was labeled. I understand the concept of opposites; but in this case - in my and just my opinion - the political sides of this issue are not opposites. I am pro-choice. For you. And pro-life. For me. The two are not mutually exclusive and my political views allow me to excercise my moral views. Hence "choice".
I personally see very few -if any - reasons that I might choose other than to take a pregnancy to term. That is my own moral viewpoint, it is what is right for me, for my family, for my views on religion and love and sex and family itself. However, I see more reasons why someone else may choose to make a different decision than I would. For all my complaining and self-pity about certain aspects of my life, for all the times I lacked self-esteem, I always was safe, I always had someone I knew loved me, I have never had to deal with the truly dark parts of this world. But I know there are women and girl who have not had that same experience and know that I could never tell them that they must choose what I would choose. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." Matthew 7:1
To call the one side "pro-life" and the other "pro-death" is to belittle the moral, spiritual, emotional and sometimes physical trauma that I think most women find themselves in if faced with this issue. Choice allows you choose. Hence the name. It allows the choice of life, which is not the equivalent of the offensive name this position was labeled. I understand the concept of opposites; but in this case - in my and just my opinion - the political sides of this issue are not opposites. I am pro-choice. For you. And pro-life. For me. The two are not mutually exclusive and my political views allow me to excercise my moral views. Hence "choice".
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