Who Flipped HER Switch?!

Yesterday, The Girl came home from school in a great mood. It was the last day of the semester and she had a super day. She chatted with Genius Golfer and me before setting out to do other afternoon-y things. Her Friend-Across-The-Street eventually came over and the two of them devised a plan for the evening.

Friend had to babysit for her cousins--and these apparently are wild cousins if you are their babysitter, so I have heard. The Girl asked if she could go "help" babysit. I told her that was fine with me, but the real person to answer that question is the cousins' mom. They are her kids, after all.

Without any other notification to me (I was making dinner) they were off. I am assuming here that they got permission, got a ride and got the babysitting done--as we didn't see the girl until almost 10 PM.

Now, I am not one to assume my kids are anything. They usually have to prove it in my Kitchen District Court, and generally they are guilty until proven innocent. But in this situation, I couldn't imagine anything else happening. The charge here: just not informing this parent.

I grilled her when she got home about letting me know, did you get permission, when you are going, etc., etc., etc. Of course, in equal portion to my harping, she gave me teenage attitude. It was a good thing I was exhausted and already in bed--making my yelling all the less impressive, to be sure.

The next few years will be a trial for me. A lot of mood shifts and flipping of attitude. I see why people have suggested adopting them out for about 4 years when they are 13 or 14.

Conscientious or Uptight?

The kids wanted to go to the library yesterday--yes, I said kidS, as in They Boy also wanted to go to the library {gasp}--but I digress. The kids wanted to go to the library yesterday, so I took them after school.

Apparently they have a renewed interest in art and drawing. The Girl was showing The Boy about shading to make your apple, fruit basket, or razor-taloned-laser-eyed-crime-fighting hawk more realistic. They each checked out several drawing books.

While I was browsing and milling about, I was also watching a brood of kids that seemingly had been abandoned at the library by their parent. They were happy kids, clearly from the raucous levels of squealing and yelling out to one another and laughing all over the main floor.

They were sitting and jumping and standing near the computers. They were touching and fiddling and pressing buttons there too.

Then I mosied to the audio book section and kids near there were flipping and scrunching the pages throughout some beautiful reference type books (you know, the large, heavy, filled with fantastic photography and too expensive for you or me to replace should something happen to it).

I could feel my blood pressure rising and my breathing accelerating and my fists balling with my nails digging into the flesh of my palms. I wanted to scream "STOP THE INSANITY! THIS IS A LIBRARY, YOU FREAKS!", but I refrained.

Yes, there actually was a mother there with at least part of the kids--but the worried looks from the lovely librarians told me the mother had already left her post or surrendered her job completely.

So, am I wound too tight, or am I just hyper conscientious?

Happy 200th! Happy Class!

Assuming my math is right, which is a big assumption at times, this is my 200th post since beginning this blog. That went fast. I still enjoy the self imposed assignment to write everyday, though I am sure my topics are not always intellectually stimulating or enlightening. At least it gives you something else to waste your time with besides Facebook.


I am very pleased to tell you that The Boy's classroom change happened yesterday and the effect was almost immediate. He was so happy when I picked up the carpool kids yesterday. He was excited to tell me about the quiet classroom atmosphere and the amount of thinking he could do in his new class. He liked the book they were reading as a group and he was already caught up to just one chapter behind the group! He'll be right with them by the end of the week.

Last night for homework (finally!) I sat with him as he did some geography. The midpoint of the year is tomorrow and this is the FIRST HOMEWORK he has brought home (besides math, which is with Mr. W, as always). It was fantastic. He was happy to do it and seemed to enjoy the new class completely. That makes me feel much better about moving him, though I regret not doing it sooner.

The really lame part of his classroom switch, is his former teacher didn't even make eye contact or say a word to us as we cleaned out his desk to move him. That was sad.

While I am glad for The Boy to make this switch, I know other kids are having a great time in there, with the original teacher. Maybe it is personality conflict, or more likely (knowing The Boy) a classroom management style issue. The Boy has not been pushed this year, and that allowed him to take the easy way for a whole semester now. (His new teacher even mentioned to him that she might have to work with him on his penmanship--that is the kind of no-brainer basics that I thought would be mandated by all teachers.) Maybe The Boy's natural laziness is what muddled his first semester, coupled with the teacher's more relaxed style. I don't know. But the important part id we got him moved to another class and he is already thriving.

This has been a tender spot for me, as I don't want to "make waves" at the school. I have been there 9 years now and I love our school. I didn't want to be a demanding parent or cause anyone any trouble. But over the Christmas holiday I realized that my NOT doing something and just seething at home about it, I was not being the advocate for my child and his education that I must be to do my job as a parent. That was the tipping point. I have 4 1/2 months left at our elementary school. If I make waves, it won't affect my younger kids--there aren't any. I may actually help other students that might get this teacher next year or the years to come. At least the administration knew of my concerns and allowed me to make changes to affect my son, while doing what can be done to help improve others' experiences too.

So, these are the big accomplishments for this week: The boy's new class and my 200th post. I believe I can parlay either event into a reason to eat cake, right?

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Really, what more can I say? I had to pull the camera's focus out to see the snow level, and now you can barely see the tape measure numbers, but I assure you it says "12" inches. That is crazy!

Are YOU One Yet?

Yesterday I mentioned my dad is further into his kidney failure than we previously had been told. All day yesterday I was thinking about this change in his situation. To be honest, I worried most of the day yesterday.

Several years ago, about the time I first got my first license to drive, I opted to be an organ donor. I didn't have any personal experience with organ donation. My decision was more of a practical one; I didn't need those organs if I was dead--they might as well go to someone who could use them.

Yesterday I thought about that decision again. I am more than willing to give my dad a kidney. Now the problem is: Am I a good enough candidate for him to accept a kidney from me? Is my kidney a close enough match for him to use? Sadly the answer is already, NO. We are different blood types, and this is the first criteria to determine organ matches.

This doesn't mean that I can't donate a kidney. But my donation would go for the person at the top of the kidney waiting list with my blood type (all other screening criteria being OK). My donation to a stranger will help my dad's chances of finding a match with his blood type--he gets moved up the list for the next matching one.

Did you know that 2% of the entire population will someday need a kidney at some point in their life? Did you know that this is an organ donation you don't have to die to make? Did you know that the screening process for organ donation is so strict that the chances of you needing a kidney after being cleared to donate one are slim to none?

I realize I am on a soapbox here, but please take this moment to think about your feelings about organ donation. Not for my dad, but for anyone that might need it at the time you are able to give it. Read up on the options at http://www.organdonor.gov/ for basic info. Talk about it with your families. And make sure, whichever way you decide, that your family knows your wishes on this choice.

Genius Golfer and I were on opposite ends of this decision. I was; He wasn't. He had no interest in doing that. More than a decade of discussion (yes, I am morbid like that) he switched his choice the last time he got his license renewed.

Just think about it. Talk about it. Read about it. Taking the time NOW to do these things, could possibly save some one's life later. Maybe, many lives. And for that, I thank you.

Much Rejoicing?

The kids go back to school today. (And there was much rejoicing.)
Genius Golfer has a job interview--and it is local. (And there was much rejoicing.)
Dad in California is in some more advanced stage of kidney failure and will be in surgery on the 13th. (There will be much rejoicing when this begins to help him.)
I have finally determined to see about transferring The Boy to another school for the remainder of the year before he looses any more prep for Junior High. (There isn't much rejoicing at all on this one--except that there is a chance we can catch him up before it is too late.)
Oh, and I have a full day of laundry on tap, but time for lunch and a stop at the Gas 'n Sip, of course. (Much rejoicing.)

My Level is FULL

This weekend is a jumping off point for a stretch about three months long of intense responsibilities for me, all regarding my calling in the Stake Young Women's presidency. It is a challenging calling, but it comes with great rewards.

The camping trip was the kick off, then last night our stake hosted the Brand New Year event--that is happening worldwide from about 2 weeks ago through the end of next week--and we had food assignments for that. This morning I have a meeting for our Stake YW Winter Camp. The Bishops in each ward will host a fireside to conclude the "BNY" event tonight. Then Tuesday begins a series of six "pre-conference" visits with each of our wards in the stake, prior to their ward conferences, which begin in two weeks, and we also attend each of those and teach during that meeting. In between all that, YW basketball begins on Saturday and we are also attending all 6 New Beginnings activities in the next four or five weeks. Mix in a few Trek committee meetings on Sunday mornings at 7 AM and regular presidency meetings and you have a good idea of what I am facing.

I don't tell you this because I am complaining. Frankly, I know the Lord called me to this, again, and I don't doubt this is where I am suppose to serve in the church at this time. But there is much to do and much to keep track of for the next few weeks.

I guess I can call it job security, right? At least I can declare my level of commitment as FULL.