FFA banquet

Last evening was our final FFA banquet as parents.  As an aside, we love this organization so very much, and we are hoping we will be invited in years to come and would certainly plan to to attend.  Teachers are often invited, and we also send a sponsorship to them each year, so I suspect we will be.  Anyway, as always, it is an unbelievably long event.  We had been given the "heads up" earlier in the week that Thomas needed to be there for the "extra" portion which was the scholarship presentation.  We are so proud of him for receiving a $500 scholarship!  All-in-all, it was a five hour experience, but we loved seeing Thomas be recognized for his state FFA band selection as well.

I realized this is going to be the last one where I really recognize students and be known myself.  I've come to really like my job, but I will always miss being around the amazing kids at our high school.  It was such an honor and a blessing to get to experience those years as I did!

Friday feelings

I love Fridays in December.  Often, there is a good amount of family time and it's a good time to watch Christmas movies.  They are often peaceful.  And of course they are decorated, which makes it lovely.

Today was not peaceful.  As a whole, this week has had some challenges.  Thomas has struggled, and work has been challenging.  Today though, oh it was rough.  The high school had a threat.  Not many details have been released (understandably), but what we do know is that school ended up being released a couple of hours early and all evening events were cancelled.  It took me back to that Friday in 2012 when so many little children were killed at Sandy Hook.  While I knew in my heart it was likely okay, it's beyond unsettling.  It's a little sickening to hear Thomas talk about the "plans" he and his classmates were making in the case of an active shooter.

I had some errands to run, but I just wanted to be home at the end of the day.  I just wanted to hug my family.  And there is a big part of me who wanted to throttle whomever decided it would be "funny" to make the threat.

Prom

Tonight everyone (except me) is at Prom.  The high school invited back the class of 2020, and allowed anyone who is a junior or senior at our high school to also attend.  Thomas was a little disappointed he couldn't take the girl he likes who is a sophomore.  Catherine had not attended her junior prom, so she was super excited she was able to go.  To say that she looks beautiful is an understatement.  I'm so grateful for a dear friend who wanted to come and get her ready.  I am grateful beyond words, but that is another post.  Andrew is chaperoning, and I'm enjoying my quiet time.  My heart is so very, very full right now. 

I know people

I have a high school class mate who was in a September issue of People Magazine.  How cool is that?  She is an amazing woman.  She adopted the infant daughter of a woman who was dying (and passed) from breast cancer.  Just a couple of months later, she herself was diagnosed.  She fought her battle and has been cancer free for ten years.  She then founded a non-profit organization to offer support to women who are battling any kind of reproductive/gynecological/breast cancer.  It has become a national organization, and she is absolutely amazing.

There was also a guy from my high school who appeared as a dancer on Saturday Night Live last month.  I was friends with his older brothers in high school, but he is significantly younger and I didn't know him very well.  I saw the episode though, and there he was!

I'm amazed by what people from my little town can do.  Someone else I know from my high school founded a local non-profit that gives Christmas gifts, Valentines, and back-to-school supplies to children in foster homes each year.  It's really grown into something amazing.

I'm in awe of these people who have done so much, and especially the women who are truly making a difference in the lives of others.

State soccer champs!

My high school won the Ohio high school soccer championships today!  I am so excited for the team and community.  Soccer was a big part of my life when I was in high school.  We were a powerhouse at the time.  We made two state-final-four appearances and were often ranked in the top ten in the state (and sometimes at #1).  We never could quiet get over the hump to make it to the finals though, let alone actually win.  The best part (in my opinion) is that the coach is a classmate of mine.  He was probably the best soccer player to ever go through my high school and played at the collegiate level.  I was a statistician for the boys' team all four years of high school, and I loved every minute.  I'm so proud not only of the team and their coach, but of how the community has supported it all!

Twenty-eight years later

Last evening, we went to the final performance of our high school musical.  It was absolutely wonderful.  The kids did an absolutely fantastic job.  We were so very, very impressed.  Thomas has to go back today for the set strike.  Overall he has really enjoyed getting to be a part of this.

As we were dropping him off at the cast party, I realized that exactly twenty-eight years ago, I was enjoying the final performance of my high school musical experiences.  For several reasons, we didn't have a musical my senior year.  My junior year, we performed South Pacific.  I was the student director.  I loved absolutely everything about it.  It was definitely one of my favorite memories from high school.  I made life-long friends being involved.  It hasn't worked out the quite the same for Thomas, but that is another post.  I can't believe an entire generation has come around, and that my kids are in high school!

The rest of my Saturday

After I last wrote, I headed to church to get some work done.  With the end of the year/beginning of the year, I got pretty behind.  I think I'm finally all caught up though.

This afternoon, Andrew, Thomas and I headed to the high school for the girls' game.  It was senior day, and I wanted to be there to support the kids.  There are three senior basketball girls, and they are lovely young ladies.  Our girls have only won one game this season, but they were playing a team with a similar record.  In fact, we had lost to them by only one point at their place earlier in the season.  It was a very close game, and we ended up winning on a foul shot with five seconds left.  Honestly, I was way too emotional about it and thought I would cry for these girls if they didn't win...but they did!

I am hoping I can get some sleep and regain my emotional equilibrium!   Andrew is having dinner with friends, and I am waiting for Catherine to get home from her swim meet.  A quiet evening at home is exactly what I need.

My "baby" is touring the high school

I can't believe Thomas is touring the high school today.  In some ways, I've looked forward to this all year.  I am so ready to be finished with middle school and everything that goes with it.  I am so very ready for him to be at the high school where there are so many more options to help a kid find his/her niche, and, to be perfectly honest, where Andrew and I are just a little more able to keep tabs on him.  He has struggled this year, and while I know we won't "fix" everything with high school, I do feel we will have a little more of a hold on things.

I had marked this day on my calendar at the beginning of the year.  I wanted to make sure I didn't take a job elsewhere.  If I was going to work today, I wanted it to be in this building.  I had told him what classroom I was in, although I was sent to cover a different class during second period.  His group never came by, although I did know several students that did.  As I was walking back to my classroom between classes, I caught a glimpse of Thomas.  I called his name and he began walking toward me.  He was happy to see me, and I was so thrilled!  They had come by my empty classroom and I obviously wasn't there.  He told me he had already seen his dad, but I don't think he got to see Catherine.  To be honest, she is going to be really disappointed if she doesn't get to see him.  I know those two fight like cats and dogs most days, but in so many ways they are still so close.  I am so looking forward to having all four of us here at the high school together next year!

Twenty five years since high school

This weekend I returned to my hometown for my 25th high school class reunion.  I was really looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with others.  There were only about 25 classmates there (along with spouses or significant others), but I really enjoyed seeing those that were there.  It just seems so hard to believe that an entire quarter of a century has passed since high school.  Many of us have teenagers ourselves now.  A few have children whom have already graduated from high school, and a couple are even grandparents themselves already!  I wasn't overly close with the people in my class, but we share a common childhood that can't be changed.  It was a fun evening.

Homecoming isn't what it used to be

I am really a little bit astonished at how Homecoming is not at all what it used to be.  I went to Homecoming two out of my four high school years.  Both years I purchased dresses (one of which was considered my birthday present from my grandmother) that I could also wear the next morning at church.  They were just simply nice dresses.  Not so anymore!  Now the expectation is a cocktail dress.  And don't even get me started on how unbelievably short some of the dresses are.  I mean, my goodness!  And then there are the pictures.  For our kids two weeks ago, we just stood in the front yard, in front of a tree, and took some pictures.  However, both of the "other" sets of parents then took the kids and took them to sites around town to take pics.  And apparently, this is the thing to do.  In our former town, some of the families drove into the city to take some pictures at certain fountains or museums.  Are you kidding me?  I'm hearing I better get used to this in terms of senior pictures.  All those years ago, I had four outfits and they took a total of 20 pictures...all in the studio.  The props used were things at the studio.  Now?  Well if you don't have any outdoor pictures you might as well get over it.  I also had one mom tell me yesterday that her daughter wants to have outdoor pictures taken...at several different sites.  I am apparently entirely too old and to be raising teens today!

Undecorating

I had Andrew and the kids get the Christmas tubs down last evening and I began undecorating the house.  I enjoyed the holidays and loved our time together, and yet kind of feel like I missed the entire magic and spirit of it all.  Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the crappiness of the teen, maybe it was something I need to fix within myself.  Regardless, instead of feeling sad while I take down and put away the decorations, I am actually finding myself feeling irritated and annoyed.  I don't know if it is the time of year, or hormones, or aging, but I am finding myself praying for peace in my heart and home!

One of my most fun days as a parent

Yesterday will go down as one of my most fun days as a parent.  It was very busy and definitely exhausting, but I really enjoyed every minute of it.  It began early with a cross country meet for both Robert & Catherine.  It was in the same town that we ventured to on Tuesday, and I also knew that because our former school district was there again, and this time our good friend Jen would be there.  We thought that Robert wasn't running until the "open" race at the end, but Kyle was running an earlier race so we got there to watch him.  Thank goodness we did...it turns out Robert did run in that race as well!  As is typical for a fifteen-year-old, communication isn't his strong suit!  It was such a cold and damp morning, but we enjoyed it.  Robert's race had a fabulous ending.  While he still finished in the last 1/3 of the racers, he was involved in a photo finish.  As he and another runner rounded the corner, the Dunbar runner (a school known for its sprinting speed) began to sprint.  Robert kicked it up as well, and a sprint to the finish was on!  Knowing the reputation of Dunbar's speed, I didn't think there was anyway Robert could out sprint the kid for the distance they had left.  He kept just a step ahead though, and as they passed I really started screaming for him.  I then began jumping up and down (my enthusiasm has always been part of my charm, lol) and Robert managed to finish 0.2 seconds ahead of the other kid.  Our friend Jen managed to catch in on video, but because I don't have a smart phone we don't know how to get it off and save it.  Catherine ran her race (and she is no longer walking, so we are pleased) and we came home to warm up before our crazy evening.

We were able to watch some college football and hang out for a bit until Andrew left to meet up with some friends from Florida who were in town.  I was helping Robert get ready for Homecoming, and then we left for group pictures.  It was just so amazing to watch my son all dressed up and be "adult-like".  The other kids and their parents all seemed very nice (although I had to wonder about the folks wearing Alabama t-shirts...hmph) and they were off.  Andrew and I went back to hang out with his friends from Florida a bit more, and by the time we were home near 8:00, I was ready for an early bedtime.  Dream on though, because Robert needed to be picked up from the dance at Midnight, and we had agreed he could attend a bonfire afterwards.  We all (minus the younger two) tumbled into bed at 3:00 this morning and to be honest, we are ALL feeling it today.  I absolutely loved though, hearing him tell us about all of the fun he had last night.  Parenting a social high school student is definitely a new phase, but right now it's a lot of fun!