Three months, and here I am, again. I can't help but feel embarrassed that I go so long between posts. The whole idea behind "blogging" is to regularly add posts so that your followers have something to, well... follow. I've run the saying, "Life is crazy busy!" into the ground. But, if anything that I write is the truth, those words are.
Baseball is fast approaching. Actually, for my family, it's been here for awhile. Dustin and I are on the board (again). He, as the Safety Officer (again) and I, as the Information Officer and Juniors Player Agent. I retired my calculator, turned in the league checkbook and happily resigned as Treasurer. Other people's money gives me a headache. I'm much better suited to get things done, not handle large wads of cash. Opening Day is this weekend, scheduled long before "The Winter That Just Won't Let Go" was the reality. Possibilities of re-scheduling/postponing this weekend's festivities floated around our board meeting last night, but really, we cannot plan around Mother Nature. So, this weekend will happen, rain (most likely) or shine (fingers crossed).
Avery has moved up to the Major's division and Adam has moved up and over to the Juniors division and will play on the High School fields. As I look back at what I thought was in store for me as a parent when I first learned that a life was growing within, I never could have imagined what roads my children would lead me down and just how involved I would become in EVERYTHING. A great disappointment right now is the reality that I will undoubtedly miss some of my kids' baseball games due to the fact that they play on fields in two different locations. That, and I am in school again. I know Adam will play games on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. I still do not have Avery's schedule. Adam will also travel with his team being in this new division. Thank goodness both vehicles are running again!
About two weeks before the Spring semester began I decided to go back to school. Dustin was actually my inspiration. He too had decided to further his education, and was already signed up for a class. We are both taking Speech 1 together on Thursday nights. At the beginning of the semester a classmate posed the question, "How is it, taking a class with your spouse? Don't you get competitive?" My answer was, "Fine, and not yet." And now that we're just past mid-semester, my answer is pretty much the same. Dustin and I work well together, when we do. As far as competition goes, I'm not very competitive by nature and I know my success is not measured against Dustin's and vice versa. So far I have done well on my speeches, but the tough stuff is still to come. My next speech is due this Thursday.
Dustin questions my choice of speech topics. There may be a recurring theme. In a 1-2 minute memorized speech at the beginning of the semester I chose to recite the Langston Hughes poem "Mother to Son". I have always loved Langston Hughes, and that poem especially speaks to me. Life is hard, but that's no reason to give up. We have to keep on climbing, keep "reachin' those landin's and turnin' those corners." This Thursday's speech is one to inform. I will inform my classmates about a man named Henry "Box" Brown. He was a slave who shipped himself to freedom in a wooden box. His story intrigues me. Henry's story has many holes and it's said that once free, Henry did not choose to locate the wife and children whose sale at the auction block prompted him to break the chains of slavery, but still, I'm fascinated. The human spirit is indomitable and Henry Brown shows me that there's always a way out of a bad situation.
April will be here before we know it and most assuredly before I'm ready for it. Taluelah will turn three on the 10th and Adam thirteen on the 18th. I can't help but fall in love with every picture I see of my sweet, rambunctious, rough and tumble little girl. There are a few pictures from last summer that keep popping up on my computer that I decided the world needed to see. We have a local magazine, Mendo-Lake Family Life, that circulates at the schools around here, as well as out at the stands. I uploaded a few of those summer photos to the magazine's website. The graphic designer has contacted me and one or two of Taluelah's photos will be in the April issue! That will make for a nice little keepsake for my girl to look back upon. Happy birthday to her!
I'm slightly in awe of the fact that I am going to have a teenager. Thirteen? Thirteen. Thirteen! I remember when I turned thirteen. My parents took our family and one of my friends to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. I rode my first inverted roller coaster that day. Oh, what a thrill! We had dinner at Red Lobster and I ate calamari for the first time. I felt more mature but really didn't have a clue. Looking at my oldest and seeing him through my thirteen year old eyes brings about understanding. The kid's brilliant, full of attitude, can't stand his brother (most of the time), adores his little sister (most of the time), has the biggest heart, is shy with girls and can keep up with the most intelligent of conversations. He's light years ahead of where I was as a thirteen year old. Though he has yet to go upside down on a roller coaster!
Avery, being the "mature" fifth grader this year, just had the "BIG" talk at school. I remember when Adam had the same puberty talk and he was silent as a clam afterward. All I could get out of him was that he got two small Old Spice deodorants. This, after he had very recently seen me give birth to his baby sister, as viewed from my feet. Avery... well, Avery is a completely different child. He has used every opportunity since the talk to inform me of what questions were asked and by whom. What answer was given and what response was elicited from the audience of fifth grade boys. He even went so far as to ask his VERY modest older brother if he's had a wet dream yet. I literally had to go two rooms over and close the door to avoid my boys hearing me audibly choke on my laughter. Unfortunately, I missed my eldest's response due to my absence. I can only imagine his mortified face and less than forthcoming answer!
As a family we are faced with the possibility of having to move again. My job as the elementary library clerk is not as secure as one would think/hope/pray. Our school district is facing a deficit between $1.5 million and $2.3 million. My job was on the chopping block along with many many other classified positions. The idea is to have the one, only other library clerk in our district who currently serves the Middle School and High School, serve all four schools. Fortunately for me, the Board did not agree to cut my job for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year, but did approve keeping the possibility of cutting the position for the 2012-2013 school year as an option. I think of all the work I put into teaching the students how to properly use the library, much more work than my job description requires, and the reality that the entire library system will fall apart if one person is forced to manage all four of our libraries, and a deep sense of frustration fills me. I will continue to do the best I can by the kids, because when all is said and done they are the ones who really suffer when these cuts are made. I can only hope that the library will continue to stay open, the halftime that it currently is, at our elementary schools, but only time will tell.
In the meantime, I am left once again trying to figure out what the next step is. Hence, the return to college and the frequent web surfing looking for that place in this country or elsewhere that is thriving. I know, what a joke. There is a lot to love about Lake County, not the least of which are the people we have the pleasure of knowing and the beauty of our surroundings. But realistically, the economy is a shambles, worse here than a lot of other places. The job market is non-existent and if I am looking at the very real possibility of losing my job with the district, there's nothing left for us here. I'm keeping my eyes and mind open. That's all I can do. That, and run around like crazy after my three offspring, which doesn't give me a whole lot of time to dwell! Chin up, as I always say, 'til next time...
