June 12, 2007 3:06 PM
What I've been up to
I don't have time to figure out if my cup is half full or half empty - no matter what's inside, it always feels more like a shaken up bottle of diet Pepsi with lime threatening to blow its top.
How I thanked God for Kohl's opening at 8am when I find out right before school that Jonny needs black pants and white shirt for a chorus performance!
How I laughed at myself when on another trip to Kohl's to return something, I decided to try something on and left my bag of returnables in my cart. Remembering halfway through the trying-on process, I peeked out only to find my cart empty. I threw my clothes on as quickly as possible and dashed out to find a saleslady holding my bag. Made my return, got in the car, and drove to the bank - where I discovered I'd put my skirt on inside out! I promise I will only have compassion for anyone I see with inside out clothes from this day forward...
Tuesday I had a colonoscopy. Yes, I am old. But I am healthy and that's great news!
Thursday I drove down to Luray (2 hours away) to see my friend Robin from California. I hadn't seen here for five years and she was here for her nephew's wedding, so I couldn't resist though we only had two hours together. Here we are in downtown Luray:
Thursday, Maddy and Jonny had an awards ceremony at school. There must have been a hundred awards - for things like the six most improved in math. They make it hard not to get an award, actually. and of course the funny sight is when Jonny gets one for Honor Roll (since he has Down syndrome, he's graded on a pretty subjective scale :) and gets up and looks soooo excited. At the end of the ceremony they announced a special award - the Malone Award, which a member of the Foundation comes to present. Only one is awarded in the field of music in each school. It means a lot of special recognition and a 250. scholarship. It was a big deal presentation. And then they announced the winner - Maddy! I actually jumped out of my seat, I was so surprised and excited for her. And you can see in the picture that her classmates gave her a standing O.
Oh, btw, Maddy never dresses like that for school. She just found out that morning that she was supposed to wear black and white and borrowed a pair of white shorts and a black shirt. I'd been sitting throughout the awards ceremony thanking God that she dressed more modestly, and then - whamo, there she was in shorts. Oh well.
Jonny with his teacher, who's been the greatest blessing to him:
The next day, very disappointing news: Zachary's appointment to the Air Force Academy was withdrawn. They'd already sent him his tickets even. And it was gone, just like that. Trying to process the shock and disappointment, we did eventually understand their rationale: he had just not made a strong enough showing in math. And he had withdrawn from his math class the past semester. It's been a long hard road for Zach and it has really hurt to see him walk through it, but there is a lesson here on the importance of being excellent in every area of your life if you want to reach the top. They've encouraged him to apply again next year.
Saturday was a field trip to Hershey Park for Maddy and Jonny's drama club - a sort of cast party for Fiddler on the Roof (which I never found the time to write about, but for which I am very proud of both of them: Maddy as Golda and Jonny as a villager). I was a chaperone, which meant leaving on the school activity bus at 7am, arriving at the park at 10, keeping track of my group of kids for 12 hours, piling back in the bus and arriving at home at 1:30.
Maddy and I don't ride roller coasters, but Jonny went on every one with his friends. It was absolutely amazing how little I saw of him as he is so accepted by his peers.
Sunday I felt so old!! But we made it to church and Samantha, Kip and the grandchildren came over.
Monday I had two very conflicted IEPs - a very long story, but after 3 1/2 hours I walked out with two IEPs for Jesse and Justin for next year that I feel very good about. Last night Zach and Ben had friends over, but we did manage to get to bed at a decent hour.
Today I'm trying to catch up on bills, laundry, everything my family needs because tomorrow I leave for four days in Boston, where I am covering the story of Thursday's expected vote on the Massachusetts marriage amendment for Citizen. I am so honored and excited to have this assignment and I am staying in a truly historic hotel right on Boston Commons and across from the State House, where there is expected to be a quite colorful turnout of protesters.
Keeping up with the news, I am sad to hear that the governor of Massachusetts marched in last weekend's Gay Pride parade and that a rainbow flag is flying over the State House.
Well, this is my life. I am trying to clear my Inbox before I go, but it looks like that will not happen. If you are waiting for something, please know it's not that I don't think you're worth it. I just need twice as many hours each day.
But I'm sure any mommy knows what I mean.
I willw rite tomorrow from Boston - hopefully with some interesting pictures.
Comments
Thanks for the update! You've been busy!
Posted by: Becky Miller | June 14, 2007 12:32 AM
