Tending to Your Side of the Street

* This was written back in May and not published until now.

We have a nightly routine here . . . they say, whoever they is, that routines make life easier . . . WHATEVER!  My husband is very routine oriented and truth be told I hope at some point my children will be also . . . I am a lost cause!

Back to the routine . . . we do baths for the boys, brush teeth, and in bed by 8pm . . .  we TRY to do this by 8 pm.  My husband and I then sit and watch maybe an hour of TV.  We move to the bedroom and maybe catch 14 more minutes before he is done!

My job at that moment is to tickle him to sleep.  I usually give him two minute and he is out . . . a freight train couldn't wake him and I either watch "my" tv or go about doing other things in the house or things I want to do!

Tonight I elected while tickling my 2 minutes to watch Bethanney Ever After . . . and it was during this show I got this pearl of wisdom "Tending to Your Side of the Street.  In this episode Bethanney was talking about her family, or lack there of . . . of the estranged relationship with her father and that her mother is really helpless. 

An Eye to Eye

I was recently at school volunteering for my FINAL Teacher and Lower School staff Appreciation Luncheon.  We were in the cleaning up stage of the luncheon when the Early Education Head Mistress asked to speak with me.


A million things flashed through my mind . . .

Had she read my blog about our youngest son not getting into his school of choice due to her decision?

Had she heard me say something and wanted to take issues with it?

Did she want to revisit what an excellent job our oldest had recently done on the School's promotional video? Excellent . . . I tell ya!

What could it be?

It was none of those.  She told me there had been an issue with our oldest son and she would like to speak with me.  She wanted to know when I would be done and could I meet her in her office. I am scared . . . the feeling of being in 2nd grade and getting called into the Principal's office comes flooding back . . . btw being called into Mr. Casada's office was because I had to leave early with a family emergency.

During the next 15 minutes I am trying to clear out all my volunteers.  I am attempting to get all my items done and my ducks in a row. I am hoping I can get everyone gone so I don't have to explain why I . . . at an age just slightly over 29 . . . I am being called into the Head Mistress's office.

I am anxious . . . mad . . . and most certainly embarrassed.

You Have to Promise . . .

Last Friday night we went to dinner with some school families.  We decided to meet immediately after the International Festival was over for an early dinner. 

I have a small group of good girlfriends.  Ones you can confide in, who have your back, who you and your children do things with.  Almost all of my good friends have only boys. Once they hit 1st or 2nd grade - you really only know the mom who have the same sex as your child.  Gone are co-ed birthday parties, sports teams, parties, play dates all are the same sex.  There is only one of my good friend with a daughter my son's age, 10.

My friend, with a daughter, and I met four shorts years ago.  We both happened to be at the same event for new families to the school.  We set at a table near the back and another couple asked to sit with us.  It was both out first year at the school . . . we both had 1st graders . . . we both had the same teacher!  We hit it off . . .

Many meals, girl's night out, play dates, Christmas parades, charity galas and volunteer shifts later . . . we are still good friends.  Our kids are close.  We see each other often.  We talk often and we are good cheerleaders for each other.

Husbands . . .

Not so long ago I was sitting in a Junior League meeting.  I was on the Nominating Placement committee.  Our committee was charged with the responsibility of identifying new leadership, determining chairmen and putting forth a slate of new officers for the general membership to vote on. 

During one of our marathon weekend, where we went away so we could read all the questionnaires submitted by those seeking leadership and reviewing the interviewed candidates, we took a quick break.  This was day two of our weekend, we had only one more day to get this portion of the leadership done.

We were standing in the kitchen of a friend's lake house.  Everyone refreshing their drinks and getting a snack to push through the next four house when a girlfriend started to complain about having to be away this weekend.

Summer Camp . . .

I cannot believe I am thinking summer camp, in the middle of January.  Oh, how I wish to be a kid again!  The only summer camps I attended when I was a kid were those through my church.  I don't remember the age, I remember the setting.  Rural, dirt trails, trees, mile hikes to EVERYTHING and lots of worship . . . lots.

My husband attended summer camps but his were either educational or sports in nature.  He is a bit of a brainiac!  He went to TIPS - a Talent Identification Programs hosted through Duke University, West Point, Dartmouth, Baylor and many other sports camps like soccer, baseball, swimming. A bit of a brainiac jock . . . best of both worlds!

We both look back on those esperiences fondly, the friends we made, experiences we had and yet we are both crazy envious of the camp our oldest goes to for two weeks.

It Is What It Is . . .

Wednesday night about midnight I was shopping online.  I came across the sign below, It Is What It Is.  I loved it - so I pinned it.  I say this all the time, and b o n u s it drives my sister crazy! CRAZY!

I realized this sign was popular when over 2500 pinned or liked it in less than 24 hours.  The comments were in either one of two groups - the "I hate this saying, It's a cop out"  or "I say this all the time" group.

My sister and I - who come from the same parents, raise in the same house,and have experienced many of the same things in life  - completely differ on this saying.  We will call the side that agrees with the saying TEAM JENNIFER and the side that COMPLETELY disagrees with it TEAM JULIE.  We shall hash it out, family style!

Blessed Beyond . . .

BOY, HAS THIS BEEN A WEEK!!! 

I just received an email from my 4 year olds school.  It seems his classmate, Chloe, passed away.  Chloe had been daignosed about a year and a half ago with a brain tumor.  She and Jake were about the same age.  When I saw her in December at a birthday party she was much smaller than the rest of the kids.  She didn't have the drive to play, and didn't speak much.

I cannot go into detail all her parents felt, witnessed, experienced or the nights they didn't sleep thinking about and praying for their child.  I don't know those details.  All I know is Chloe was a sweet little girl whose life was cut way too short and her family is doing the best they can to survive.

Day 2 . . . Still going strong!

HA!  Going strong!!!  Who can't keep something up for at least two days?  It is usually day 5 when New Year's resolutions are out the window.  But if you never start . . . you never have to quit!  I've started and I'm committed!

We have just two precious days left home from holiday break 2011-2012.  In an unfortunate/fortunate kinda way we spent much more time than normal with our boys.  My children ADORE their grandmother, my mother.  Technically, they adore all their grandparents and their aunt and each for a very different, but special, reasons.  My mother, Goo, as we call her, hung the moon according to the boys!  She can do no wrong.  The unfortunate part this holiday season is that Goo got sick and the boys weren't able to play or spend the night at her house much.  The fortunate part is that we spent more time with the boys than planned and really got to enjoy them.

So, with just two days left I thought this sign was exactly what I was feeling, what I want our children to remember about this Christmas break, to feel when they think back on Christmas 2011-2012.

Christmas decorations be damned!  We spent the day playing games, playing with friends, watching a movie in the media room - complete with the popcorn bar open for business, hosted friends for a meal, played military, climbed the fort, jumped on the trampoline, ran around in the 60+ temperature and read some books.

There wasn't any unloading of the dishwasher, picking up the game room, or doing laundry.  It was just fun stuff that we did with the boys.  It was a really fun day.  So often I am "requesting" assistance with things around the house - we had NONE of it today.

I absolutely enjoyed just hanging out with them today.  I hoping they remember today as fondly as I do.