One day this summer our family was driving somewhere in the van. Thomas was sitting behind my husband and when I turned around to look at him, it suddenly hit me in the face that he isn't a little boy anymore. Even though I know he is thirteen, something just suddenly struck me. He was sitting with his headphones and he just looked older.
In so many ways though, he is still my baby. For one thing, as my youngest, he is always "the baby". And he has such a tender and sensitive heart, and sometimes he still likes to sit with me, and he plays well with younger kids...so sometimes it is easy to still think of him as little himself. He still looks at the toy catalogs, and is just so sweet and innocent.
Yesterday, I subbed in a sixth grade classroom. At the end of the day, Thomas came by to pick up his duffel bag for his after school activity. The kids had all left, and I was chatting with another adult, when I looked over and saw this person in the doorway...my son. My not-so-little-and-not-so-young son was standing in the doorway with his peach fuzz on his upper lip and actually some height to him. It struck me again, that he isn't a little boy anymore. I miss those days, but I love watching the person he is becoming!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Being band mom
For months, Andrew has commented on my role as "band mom". I have adamantly denied that statement. He has pointed out though, that I am the mom who was at band camp every day and I'm the one who fed the kids and arranged to have parents help with food. I am the one who collects all the money and handles all the fundraisers, as well as being in the schools to collect information. However, I maintain that there are many parents who do far more than I do with their chaperoning and pit crew during the season, not to mention the uniform parents and many others. However, I am the ones the kids know.
Last week at the concert, several students handed me their sweaters or jackets as they were walking to the stage, and one even handed me her flute case. Andrew of course was sitting next to me, and he began to chuckle. At that point, I kind of had to admit, I might be the band mom! Ultimately I don't mind because I really like the kids. At the same I am ready for the season to end and just be mom to my own kids!
Last week at the concert, several students handed me their sweaters or jackets as they were walking to the stage, and one even handed me her flute case. Andrew of course was sitting next to me, and he began to chuckle. At that point, I kind of had to admit, I might be the band mom! Ultimately I don't mind because I really like the kids. At the same I am ready for the season to end and just be mom to my own kids!
Monday, October 30, 2017
A perfect Saturday evening
Our Saturday morning felt almost as crazy as Friday. Thomas had art first thing, and I had to work at the church. The end of the month is here and that means deadlines! I also had some band responsibilities with deadlines, and needed to get to the grocery. Andrew and Robert came home from Columbus, and by the time everyone was home, we decided it just wasn't going to work out to go visit our friends like we had originally planned. We hated to cancel, but in the long run, it was definitely the best decision.
Instead of being gone, our evening consisted of "fun" food (i.e. wings and potato skins) for dinner. We had a fire in the fireplace, and watched some great football. Everyone was tired and went to bed early (even the teens) and we were able to get a good night of sleep.
It was a really fabulous Saturday evening, in spite of the change of plans. We needed that down time, and I'm so grateful it worked out that way!
Instead of being gone, our evening consisted of "fun" food (i.e. wings and potato skins) for dinner. We had a fire in the fireplace, and watched some great football. Everyone was tired and went to bed early (even the teens) and we were able to get a good night of sleep.
It was a really fabulous Saturday evening, in spite of the change of plans. We needed that down time, and I'm so grateful it worked out that way!
Friday, October 27, 2017
Not the birthday I would've chosen
Today is my birthday. It isn't exactly the one I would've chosen, although much better than last year. Last year we had to attend a meeting at the career school to determine whether or not Robert would be allowed to remain at that school based on some poor decisions.
This year was far better, but to be honest, it didn't feel like my birthday. I've not opened the first card or present. Normally, we open things and have cake, no matter how late it is before we are all home together. That just didn't happen today though. In fact, my oldest never even wished me a happy birthday. I worked at the middle school today and while the job was fine, I always much prefer to be at the high school. It was senior night at school, and I had band responsibilities to handle after school before picking Thomas up from a student council meeting. By the time we got home, Andrew needed to leave in order to be back to the high school for some football responsibilities. I took all the kids up later so Catherine and Thomas could play with the band, and Robert could help me with my responsibilities for senior night. It began misting after school, started raining by the time we got to the football field, and proceeded to rain harder and harder. I stayed long enough to see our band seniors get recognized, and then I came home. In spite of my poncho and spending as much time as I could under cover, I came home soaked. And this is nothing at all that would be considered a warm rain. It is bringing a cold front with it and it is down right cold.
Robert and Andrew left before the game even began as well because they have a long drive this evening. Robert has to be 2-1/2 hours away at 6:30 in the morning, so decided last night that I wanted them to go ahead and make the drive this evening and get a motel, so they wouldn't have to leave the house at 4AM. They left an hour before Catherine and Thomas were finished with band, so there was no opening of anything and not one bite of birthday cake. It's not at all the worst birthday I've had, but in some ways it felt a little bit lonely!
This year was far better, but to be honest, it didn't feel like my birthday. I've not opened the first card or present. Normally, we open things and have cake, no matter how late it is before we are all home together. That just didn't happen today though. In fact, my oldest never even wished me a happy birthday. I worked at the middle school today and while the job was fine, I always much prefer to be at the high school. It was senior night at school, and I had band responsibilities to handle after school before picking Thomas up from a student council meeting. By the time we got home, Andrew needed to leave in order to be back to the high school for some football responsibilities. I took all the kids up later so Catherine and Thomas could play with the band, and Robert could help me with my responsibilities for senior night. It began misting after school, started raining by the time we got to the football field, and proceeded to rain harder and harder. I stayed long enough to see our band seniors get recognized, and then I came home. In spite of my poncho and spending as much time as I could under cover, I came home soaked. And this is nothing at all that would be considered a warm rain. It is bringing a cold front with it and it is down right cold.
Robert and Andrew left before the game even began as well because they have a long drive this evening. Robert has to be 2-1/2 hours away at 6:30 in the morning, so decided last night that I wanted them to go ahead and make the drive this evening and get a motel, so they wouldn't have to leave the house at 4AM. They left an hour before Catherine and Thomas were finished with band, so there was no opening of anything and not one bite of birthday cake. It's not at all the worst birthday I've had, but in some ways it felt a little bit lonely!
This week's band concert
Catherine and Thomas had a band concert this week. Generally speaking, I don't enjoy their concerts. Often, it is a great deal of work for me due to my band volunteer responsibilities, and I don't necessarily love sitting through the music. This week though, was something very different. Thomas's band was second, and I love how much he loves band. His eighth grade class is a really fabulous group of kids, and with it being a smaller group I have the opportunity to know the kids a little better.
Catherine's group was the last one. They dressed in their marching band uniforms, and although they couldn't perform the movements of their show, they could play the music. This is by far the best group of students that have been in marching band since I've been involved with the Boosters (Robert's eighth grade year). I truly like and enjoy this year's marching band students, and I especially love watching how much FUN they have while performing. They love being out there and it shows. For the first time, I really enjoyed being able to be the band concert!
Catherine's group was the last one. They dressed in their marching band uniforms, and although they couldn't perform the movements of their show, they could play the music. This is by far the best group of students that have been in marching band since I've been involved with the Boosters (Robert's eighth grade year). I truly like and enjoy this year's marching band students, and I especially love watching how much FUN they have while performing. They love being out there and it shows. For the first time, I really enjoyed being able to be the band concert!
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
An autumn day
Today it really feels like fall. A cold front came through overnight, and it's overcast and windy, and I love it. I know I'm probably a little odd that way, but I just don't feel there is anything cozier than weather like this. It helps that I'm off work today, and I don't have anywhere I need to be until Catherine & Thomas's band concert this evening. I'm grateful for this time.
We have received a great deal of sad news within the last 48 hours. The father of some very dear family friends, a man whom I have known literally my entire life, took his own life yesterday morning. He was in his 90's and although his physical deterioration had been slow, mentally the deterioration had been rapid. We also learned this morning that that a lady from church who has worked with Andrew for years passed away this weekend. It wasn't unexpected, but still sad.
We also learned the results yesterday of my aunt's lymph node biopsy. Only one lymph node has cancer, but it is still one more than we had hoped.
With all of this sadness, I am grateful for some down and alone time today.
We have received a great deal of sad news within the last 48 hours. The father of some very dear family friends, a man whom I have known literally my entire life, took his own life yesterday morning. He was in his 90's and although his physical deterioration had been slow, mentally the deterioration had been rapid. We also learned this morning that that a lady from church who has worked with Andrew for years passed away this weekend. It wasn't unexpected, but still sad.
We also learned the results yesterday of my aunt's lymph node biopsy. Only one lymph node has cancer, but it is still one more than we had hoped.
With all of this sadness, I am grateful for some down and alone time today.
Monday, October 23, 2017
Focusing on us
It was a rather rough weekend in our house. For privacy, I will not divulge much info, but I will state that we would appreciate any good thoughts and prayers that could be sent our way. There was a lot of stress and a lot of sadness, but there were good moments as well. Saturday evening, Robert wasn't home, and the four of us that were really took the time to focus on us. I hate the circumstances that brought us to that point, but I am grateful that we rallied around each other, and really just tried to enjoy the four of us being together. In fact, we even had a family slumber party, and all four of us slept in the family room together. That may sound odd, but Andrew and I both mentioned it actually brought us a great deal of comfort to wake during the night and see us all together. Even Abby the dog joined us! We spent yesterday morning just being together and focusing again on each other, before we needed to start dealing with the realities of the world again. Before anyone panics and worries too greatly, I think for the most part, things will be okay. I'll always be grateful for my family, and for our time spent together!
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