My Ode to Teachers

This isn't really an ode.  

It isn't lyrical.  It isn't poetic.

But it is my attempt to put into words the feelings I had at the end of the school year.

So last year wasn't the best year for one of my kids.

It was the first time I ever considered home schooling my children.

But this year was different.

We had a GREAT year!

Not only did both of my kids have the BEST teachers, they also had some really great kids in their class.

Everything was so great, it was so hard to see it end.

The phrase, "It takes a village" kept running through my mind.

Because I do what I can from home.

But my kids are in the care of others for about 7 hours on a weekday (school starts at 8:20 and they get out at 3).

So for 7 hours, their safety, health, well-being, etc. are in the hands of someone else.

Someone, who at the beginning of the year, is most likely a complete stranger.

For the most of us, our kid's lives are pretty safe while at school.

But there were 2 events this year that proved that safety in school is not always a given.

Newtown is the first incident.

This illustrated just how much my children's lives are in their teachers' hands.

And again with the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

From all accounts, in both cases, it sounds like the teachers did everything they could to protect their students, even if it meant the teacher sacrificed their own life.

It was a huge reminder of how the simple act of letting my kids out of my sight was literally putting their lives in the hands of others.

And the hands that took care of my kids this year were, well, I really can't find words to describe them.

I feel like I have a pretty great "village."

It's no wonder I get so attached to the teachers, you guys are basically helping me raise my kids for most of the year.

So thank you.

(and I am so glad so many of you are on facebook, because then I can still keep you in my "family")

My Mormon Unicorn

By now, most of you know that I have moved a lot in my life.  The longest I have stayed in one place is 5 years.  So I am used to the packing, unpacking, leaving friends, and meeting new one.

One thing I am NOT used to is people leaving me.

This does not happen to me.

At least, it didn't.

Until now.

My friends just keep leaving me.

On Monday, my PA BFF leaves for CA.

Which just basically sucks.

Replacing her is impossible.  

Mormon's are a pretty conservative group (to say the least), and when you aren't conservative yourself, you can feel a little out of step with everyone else.

She was really the first liberal Mormon I have met and connected with.

I have connected with many of the conservatives as well, and cherish my friendships with them. 

As do I cherish my friendships with my non-Mormon friends, liberal and conservative.

But finding someone like her has been like finding, well . . . . 

a Mormon Unicorn.

I know that finding another one is next to impossible.

It is hard to find someone who understands what we believe, but who also leans to the liberal side.

And I think people know that I am having a hard time because they keep coming up to me, and with the sympathetic head tilt, say, "How are you doing?  Are you OK?'"

So, instead of wallowing in my grief, I am going to take a proactive step to thwart my depression.

I will be accepting applications for a new PA BFF.

One of the main requirements is that you are not allowed to move for the foreseeable future.

You also have to have a sense of humor.

I will be creating an application for this, so just contact me if you are interested!

Pet Peeve

I used to be a big fan of Glee.

But I stopped watching because of one small thing.

It was when Emma wouldn't move with Will for his new job.

And then something similar on The Office happened.

Pam didn't want to move for Jim's new career.

This bothers me. 

A LOT.

I am guessing that since I moved so much growing up, I don't see moving as such a big deal.

It is an adventure.

It is usually fun.

And so for these married/engaged couples to just throw away what they have because of a location, I find it wrong.

(Yes, I realize that they are not real couples, and they are fictional characters on the television.)

I hate that they don't find a way to compromise.

That since one wants to move and the other doesn't, they just go their separate ways.

STUPID.

I didn't stop watching The Office because Jim and Pam didn't call it quits.

Jim came back because he realized his family is more important.

Thank you for that Jim.

I was disappointed at the beginning of the finale to see that a year down the road, Jim was still working at Dunder Mifflin.

It made me disappointed in Pam for not supporting him in doing something more.

Luckily, by the end of the show, Pam did do something that was totally redeeming.

Thank you, The Office, for ending Jim and Pam in that manner.

When people grow, they don't always have to grow apart.

They can grow and move on together.

Soccer

Yes, it's soccer season again.

With both kids playing on different teams (and different age groups), this time of the year can get pretty crazy with all the games and practices.

Luckily, Caden will be giving up soccer next year.

Ciara, on the other hand, LOVES soccer.

No, she is not good at it in any way.

Ciara is by FAR one of the least coordinated players on her team.

She is also the smallest.

But I think one of the reasons she loves it so much is because of her coaches and teammates.

Let me tell you about Saturday's game:

We started out slowly, but by the 3rd quarter had built up a decent lead.

For the 4th quarter, Coach Fred put Ciara out front and told everyone to pass it to her so she could score a goal.

Any time another player had the ball, all the girls on the bench would yell, "Pass it to Ciara!"

Even the girls on the field would yell with them.

And they would pass it to Ciara.

And she would try her hardest to score.

She never did.

But that didn't stop the girls from passing it to her.

Someone from the other team tripped her at one point, and they gave us a goal kick.

Even though there were many he could have picked to take the shot (and many who had a better chance at actually MAKING the shot), Coach Fred told Ciara to take it.

Again, no goal.

But no one minded (at least, not outwardly.  I am sure some of them were groaning on the inside).

They still continued to feed Ciara the ball for the rest of the game.

She never did score, but she was so proud that she ALMOST scored.

And I, being the emotional wuss that I am, tried not to cry as I heard all the girls cheering for my daughter.

During the fall season, we had a similar experience.

One of our better players (Maddie) told Ciara where to stand.

She then said that she would pass the ball to Ciara so she could score.

And even though it took about 20 tries, Ciara finally scored.

So, I just want to express my gratitude for Coach Fred and Coach Adam who have made my daughter love soccer.  And for all the Paw Prints who have helped build her confidence.

I am so sad that we won't be able to play next year with you all (Coach Fred and Coach Adam will only be doing club).

If club weren't so competitive, I would consider having Ciara play there just to stay with her team.

For now, we will just enjoy our last weeks with the best team ever!

Vacation?

With summer approaching, I am starting to think of the summer trips that we could possibly take.

Since we have moved to PA, the kids and I have made the trek back to SLC every summer.

This has been getting more and more expensive every year.

I used to be able to find ticket for under $400 (as long as we drove to Baltimore or Philly), but now I can't find anything under $500.  

So, for the 4 of us to just fly to SLC, it will be over $2000.

I have been doing some research on other vacation options, and we could do a lot of different things with that money.

After talking about it for a while, Rocky and I realized that we haven't had a vacation with just the 4 of us in a long time.

Or ever, for that matter.

Every time we go somewhere, it is with other family members.

(Not that I am complaining, we always have a great time with everyone!)

And then (to my utter shock and amazement) Rocky suggested we go back to Disney.

(If you know my husband at all, you will understand what a shock this is.  I thought he would HATE Disney World the first time we went, but apparently he had a good enough time to want to return within a year.)

We could plan a decent Disney trip with the $2000 saved from not going to SLC.

I even found flights from HARRISBURG to Orlando for $130 round trip.

Or we could even drive.

Ahhhh, the possibilities.

I know our families will be upset if we don't visit.

And I will be sad not to see everyone.

But when we moved out here, we specifically talked about how we didn't want every vacation we took to be visiting our families in the west.

We wanted to take the opportunities we had on the east to explore.

And we have done some exploring (NYC, Baltimore, Washington DC, Philadelphia).

But at what point do we stop using all of our vacation money to visit family?

(Just so we are clear, our family does visit us pretty regularly.  My parents have been up once this year, and are returning in a few weeks, and Rocky's parents were just here for Easter.  It is extended family, and siblings that we don't get to see that often.  My kids only have 2 cousins, and if we don't visit, they will only get to see them once this year.)

We are also planning a trip to Williamsburg, VA to see some friends, and to hopefully visit the beach.

And then our Thanksgiving trip with family to St. John.

So maybe that should be enough vacations for now.

Fleeting Moments

I honestly can't believe all the change that seems to be coming this summer.

None of it is happening directly to me, just to people surrounding me.

People moving, changing jobs, adopting babies, having babies, etc.

I am filled with such conflicting emotions about everyone's change.

Then I go back and reminisce about the big changes in my life (babies, moving, new business).

And life does continually change.  

I mean, the kids just keep getting older.

And I hate that.

Can I stop them?

I hate that Ciara is starting to get an attitude.

It doesn't happen all the time, but on occasion (usually when she is tired), this other girl rears her ugly head.

She is shockingly rude, and snotty.

I feel like this is just a glimpse of what is going to happen in the near future.

Great.

(that was said sarcastically)

And every milestone that Caden reaches, I am just reminded that this is the last time I will get to experience it.  And it breaks my heart a little.

Even the puppy is growing at an alarming rate.  

I left for work one morning, and I swear she had grown about 2 inches by the time I got home about 3 hours later.

SLOW DOWN, LIFE!

Quick Photo Update

 Our trip to see the Stanley Cup

 Caden and the Cup.

 Caden's teacher and his kids cheering Caden on at his last hockey game.

 Caden, playing goalie during one of the warm up scrimmages.

 Willow, the dog.

If you are sitting on the floor, she will be in your lap.  She just loves to snuggle.