The Seven of Us

It's Taylor's birthday on Friday.  She is at Disneyland today, although she's actually in Cali for the national FBLA CONFERENCE.  She worked hard, raised every bit of what she needed for the trip, and hopped on the plane with 22 other kids yesterday. And she sat by a boy. (His name is Elliott.  He is like a son to me, connected to our family by several different threads.  The first and most enduring thread is Taylor.  They have been friends for a long time, and he watches out for her, and I think he likes her, but right now I am just thankful that he is her friend.) Yes.  And today I was remembering some things about Tay when she was small.  I remember her dressing herself in trash bags and making Tay soup.  She created woven placemats from iris leaves and put an old white curtain over her head for a wedding veil.  She was always singing--often songs from the little Mermaid  or Mary Poppins, but almost as often  they were songs s...

Taylor was named the Star Farmer of the Haxtun FFA Chapter this year.  Basically that's the most outstanding FFA student in the chapter.  She was also the ost outstanding student in Accounting I, Coffee Cart, and World History.  Way to go, Tay Tay!

Years ago, when I was a younger mom and knew a lot more in theory and a less in practice, I saw a book entitled "A Day Late and a Dollar Short".  I was disgusted.   As if I want to read about how to be late and poor, I thought. Sixteen years later, I still haven't read the book.  I'm not poor, but I'm not wealthy, either.  I do feel like I'm always late, though--generally because I set silly, unrealistic deadlines  for myself in order to keep from being truly late. Anyway, I have been working on a post about Marco Island and it's two months overdue.  So, in the meantime, I'm gonna brag about my kids. Taylor is working her tail off to fund her trip to Anaheim for national FBLA.  She is doing well.  I was proud of her for qualifying and am even more proud of her for working so hard to pay for her trip. I am also dying inside--just a little death, but dying nonetheless, because she will be gone on her birthday, and when I think of th...

Boisterous boys Awesome skies Sacrifice squeeze Earthy clay Bombs of white All night long Launching toward the Lights

Yesterday I received a call from my friend/mentor/superintendent, Darcy Garretson.  I was not hired for the junior high science position.  I had expected her news.  Here's why:  Prior to last Tuesday, I felt like I'd landed the job. Darcy had called, concerned but optimistic, five days after my interview to see if I'd be interested/able to enroll in school in order to complete my licensure requirements.  A few days after that, we met to discuss the likelihood that I'd just complete the seven credits I had remaining this summer, which meant I'd be free to enroll in the Alternative Licensure Program this fall.  Darcy was visibly excited about that and asked me to write a letter to the school board explaining my plan. I left her office that Wednesday euphoric:  I had a LOT of work to do, but I probably had a job. The following Tuesday afternoon I was driving into town, thinking about dinner and wondering what chaos would greet me at home when s...

April 17, 2012  Aaaahhhh...where to begin? We have been home from Florida for two weeks and one day.  It feels like a month.  In fact, the last week feels like a month.  I'm applying to teach in Haxtun.  I am fully prepared not to be hired--the application and interview process alone will be great experience for me--but I am working my tail off to put together the best application that I can.  It's a process.   Simultaneously, I'm working hard to wrap up things with the sumer activities committee.  Today I went to Holyoke and asked the trustees of the Heginbotham trust for funding.  Now that that's done, I can focus on my chem test on Friday, balance the checkbook, and finish my lesson for Sunday.  Then I have a talk to prepare for next week.  I'm looking forward to better weather and more sun to propel me through this!  Yikes....but fun. April 25 More to add...a couple of weeks ago I contacted Laura Knode, ou...