Grateful Friday

 How Mom and Mark time went:

• He didn't wake up until 11:15.
• He was impatient to go shopping while I was talking to Marianne on the phone so I sent him inside with my list.
• When I was done with the call, this happened:

• He was talking into his watch, but I thought "I'll six" was some kind of lingo for I'll circle back around.  I don't know.  I try to keep up.
• Mark didn't want to push the cart.  
• I argued, "You're dad always pushes the cart."
• He said, "You're the adult."
• He's 19, so we are both adults, but I pushed the cart and he hurried around the store grabbing the wrong things and then I sent him back for the right thing.  Repeat repeat repeat.
• He had an existential crisis about tomato sauce being different than marinara sauce.  "But they are both sauce and they both have tomatoes."  I know, Mark.  Everything is going to be OK.
• He evaporated when it was time to load food into the grocery bags and I didn't have Adam's skills and it felt like when Mark was a baby and Adam was traveling and I had to be in charge of him during church and I didn't know how.

I still enjoyed Mom and Mark day.  I always will.

Other things I'm grateful for today:

The Beautiful Snow

The view right now out my office window

I love the tree in the dim morning light.  One last glamor shot of the tree before we take it down tomorrow....

Celebrating with My People

Adam and Emma are home from work today and we have a final bit of time before everyone is back to work/school/life as we know it.  Mark and I stocked up on delicious treats and we've got nothing to do and all day to get there.

Wintry wedding

On Monday, Adam and I went to Twin Falls, Idaho.  While we drove, our phones started alarming us that there was going to be a winter squall and we should stay home.  Except we weren't home.  Other family members were driving from Nevada to Twin Falls and we texted each other pictures like this:

Everyone arrived safe and sound and we got together for dinner at Idaho Joe's.  When in Rome....

My parents, Marianne and family, Olivia and family and Tabor and family were all there.  I accidentally hugged my dad, forgetting he has bruised ribs because he'd been bucked off a horse earlier in the week.  When I told him he was too old for that, my mom said, "Try telling him that."

I thought I had just tried....

We had a lovely dinner though and you've got to hand it to Idaho Joe's for their price structure.  Things were cheaper if you got pie with them and a bacon burger was less than a regular burger.  It was dazzling.

Tuesday morning found us at the temple to see dear Liberty marry Nikki.  It was beautiful and I love going to sealings, particularly of people I love.  I also love sitting next to Adam and feeling grateful for forever.

Adam took this picture after the ceremony.

If it looks cold, it is because it was!

Here's the intrepid wedding party, posing for a picture.  (Nearly all these pictures were lifted from Facebook.  I appreciate the people who take pictures so I can keep my hands in my pockets.)

Desi, Lili, Clarissa, Liberty, Carolina, and Liberty's friends, Camberlin and Ruth--holding Nikki

We had lunch at a venue in Jerome, delicious Mexican food.  Tabor and I moved one of the tables across the room to sit directly below a heat vent.  It was the best seat in the house.

From there we drove to Fairfield, ID, which is where Nikki is from.  It was a pretty drive and a charming town.  It reminded Adam of Finland and we took a few turns around the place to soak in the sights.

There was a ring ceremony and a small reception.  We didn't stay too long because we were driving to my parents' that night.

And it was cooooold.

Tabor and Katie and family were also staying there so we enjoyed visiting with everyone.  The next morning we had a big breakfast (my mom pulls out all the stops), we selected Bingo prizes because we hadn't been there for Thanksgiving bingo, and then we went to Wells.  Marianne and Robert and their talented children could really have their own wedding business.  They've got it down.  Adam and I helped with the set up a bit.  When there was a lull in preparations (because when you're as organized as Marianne, there are actual lulls), Marianne and Katherine (Robert's sister) and I did yoga in the middle of the room.  Katherine's daughter and mom joined us too.  

Refreshed, we got back to work.

Here's the wedding dream team.  I loved that they had a cut out of Hyrum so we could enjoy his handsome face during the celebrating too.

Here's the happy couple, in front of the trees that I moved thirty times until I had them where I wanted them.  I think the people putting lights on them were tired of me, but they were exceedingly patient.

Once the actual reception started, we didn't stay long.  It was snowing and we wanted to get on the road.  The mountain passes were a little rough, but mostly the roads were fine.  

Mark and Emma had been planning to drive to Nevada for the reception but decided to stay home because of the weather.  When we were driving home and slip sliding along, I was grateful they weren't there driving also.  Mark hugged me when we got home and said, "I'm looking forward to mom and me time tomorrow."

Me too, kid.

A merry Christmas

We had a lovely weekend; I'm looking forward to a lovely week ahead. (When I don't blog, Marianne thinks I've died.  I won't have died, plus I'll be with Marianne so everything should be fine.)

Friday Adam and I did our traditional Christmas Eve shopping trip, but this time we stopped into Carter's and Osh Kosh B'Gosh to look at baby clothes.  

It's hard to know if the baby will be big like my babies or tiny like Anna.

Time will tell.

We started a new tradition, but I don't think it has staying power unless we tweak it some.

We went to Target.  Everyone had $20 to spend and 20 minutes to shop.  We drew names in the parking lot, so there was no premeditation about it all.

I drew Mark's name and the only Legos they had in the store were a $99 set.  What?!?  Legos had been my ace in the hole!

The store was picked clean and it was increasingly distressing as time passed.  When we got back to the car Adam said he felt at turns like crying or throwing up because he was so stressed (not to be overly dramatic or anything).  Gift selecting is fraught for that guy in the best circumstances.  

We decided if we do it again, we will go earlier in the Christmas season so everything is still in stock.  Everyone was pleased with their gifts though.  Emma got me nail polish.  Mark got Adam and book.  I got Mark a Lego stocking cap.  Adam got Emma Code Names Duet, which I had debated getting for Mark.

We had chicken tikka masala for dinner and then had a small program discussing The Living Christ and Adam read to us from the scriptures.  Then we watched A Charlie Brown Christmas because that's all Mark wants for Christmas.

We decided 8:00 was our call time the next morning but then neither Adam nor I slept well and I texted in the middle of the night that we were pushing it to 9:00.  There were no complaints.  Adult children for the win.

I didn't see it until Sunday afternoon when I was clearing stuff away, but Emma left this on the hearth:

Gift giving is always a joyous time for me, whose love language is gifts.  One of my favorites of the day was this gift Mark gave Adam:

We will have to direct it to the proper recipient once she arrives.

Mark picked up a box from under the tree with his name on it.  He said, "I heard the bricks on Christmas day."

Both kids got Lego sets and were happy about it.

In the afternoon we talked to Braeden and Anna, who had a merry time with Anna's family in California, then we went to a movie.  We decided on West Side Story and I hated it.  I knew all the songs and I knew it was a Romeo and Juliet story, but I was not prepared for how brutal and depressing it was.  

So I don't recommend that.

We came home and had nachos, deciding to push our ham dinner to the next day.  

It was just the kind of low key happy celebratory weekend I love.

(Except West Side Story.)

Grateful Friday

 Last night we went to the Jazz game.  They are so fun!  We are minimally invested in the outcome of the game (although Adam lost his mind at one point when there was a dramatic one handed dunk).  We mostly like the spectacle of it all--and the delicious food.  There's a WGU table in a suite.  The table overlooks the game and there's a buffet and a waitress bringing you drinks and what's not to love?

We talk about things like how Rudy Gobert compares to the height of regular people and how Jordan Clarkson definitely has a Jack Sparrow vibe.  

I like these people.

And I'm grateful for time with them.

(It was starting to rain after the game and when I chided Mark for only wearing a sweatshirt, he said, "I'm not made of brown sugar."  That, my friends, is a boy born and raised in the PNW.)

What I'm most grateful for on this Christmas Eve is the birth of Jesus Christ.  I'm grateful for all the many many ways that makes a difference in my life.

As I've been studying the document, The Living Christ, this week, I was thinking about what His appearances after His resurrection revealed about Christ.  

I love the patience He has for Thomas when he is doubting.  Christ is not put off by our weaknesses.

I have loved, since I was a little girl, the way Christ interacted with children when He visited the Americas.  Of that visit, President Boyd K. Packer said  “In the account of the Savior’s ministry among the Nephites, we can see deeper into His soul perhaps than at any other place.”

He loves us, that is clear. 

God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

Porty shorty

I have been intermittently tackling a list of small chores that need doing now that I am home.  I wanted to take off the little aerator on the bathtub faucet to soak it in vinegar to get rid of the hard water deposits.  I could not get that thing off.

I tried a wrench and some pliers and it wouldn't budge.

I did what I should have done in the first place and I called Mark.

He said, "Well, your first problem is that you were probably going the wrong way because this is upside down. Your second problem is that you don't know right from left."

He was correct on both counts.  I was going upside down and right and left have always been hard for me to manage.  Awhile ago Mark taught me port and starboard and weirdly, that makes a lot more sense to me.  

We were making dinner and Adam asked about the aerator that was still on the counter.  I said, "That's Mark's.  He left it there."

Which wasn't true, but I like shifting blame.

I told Adam about the effort to remove it and how Mark had to do it in the end.   Mark said, to put it in terms I could understand, that I was going port instead of starboard when I was trying to unscrew it.  Lefty loose-y and righty tighty don't work so well for me.

Adam said, "Don't go porty shorty."

I don't even know what that means, but it makes me giggle every time I think of it.

Errands with Mark

I love love love having Mark home.  It feels like all is right with the world.

I set up an appointment to get him a booster Covid vaccine.  He didn't really want to (even though he's a diabetic and used to it, he doesn't like shots), but like I told him, I've been subjecting my children to vaccinations for nearly 25 years and I'm not going to back down now.

One difference from 25 years ago is that I dropped him off at the pharmacy to get the shot on his own and I went to Winco and bought my weight in pineapples so we can deliver them to our nearest and dearest.  Then we had lunch at Culver's, where they have gluten free buns (but not Coke products--you can't have everything).  We swung through a Swig drive thru because I have Swig gift cards for days (from school) and they do indeed have Coke products.  

Our next stop was Avenue Bakery.  They have an entire gluten free section so we bought some wares to try out.  

We argued about music and politics and what to listen to on the radio and he made me laugh and I'll never get tired of errands with Mark.

Jamming

I don't mean music--although I have some good Christmas playlists.

Adam bought a jam advent calendar.  We are days behind and this is what our fridge looks like:

On the left there is some homemade raspberry jam our neighbors brought.  They said, "Put it in the fridge because the lid isn't sealed."

Sunday night I pulled out some gluten free rice crackers and the jam for a taste test.  

Mark said, "OK, but not the honey.  We need that for our movie."

Emma and Mark are planning to film a heist movie with the Christmas bears.  They have a plot and all the bears cast in their roles.  There are a lot of plays on words.  Mark discussed it with Braeden when we had our FaceTime call.  Braeden said he wanted editorial rights.  Mark vaguely agreed and it was clear to me that meant probably not. 

In the same way Adam bringing home cookies so I don't have to make them sums him up, that paragraph is maybe the most descriptive paragraph I've ever written about our children.  That is them in six sentences.  

Christmas break!

It is so nice to be home and lazy this morning.  Yesterday I would remember that I didn't have school the next day and it was a lovely thing to remember.

Friday was a rollicking day.  This was on a student's desk.  

It was 8:05 AM.  Two Mountain Dews, a pile of candy, and...a snowflake.

I had him put the sodas away.

Everyone had a candy cane in their mouths, because the aids were passing them out.

Everyone was excited about their pajamas.  "How did they know our sizes?" and "I loved mine!  They are what I would have picked!"  It made me feel like I had done alright in the assigning.  One girl said hers were way too big.  You can't win them all.  Another one told her too big was better than too small.

Practical.

We managed a math lesson then I had a variety of vaguely educational activities for them:  multiplication coloring pages, Christmas mad libs.  The mad libs were a hit.  They would be doubled over in laughter because they were so hilarious.  They would ask me to read them aloud to them.  They were kind of dumb, but I remember how funny mad libs used to be.

We celebrated two birthdays that would happen during the Christmas break and one boy brought frosted sugar cookies for the occasion.  A mom brought donuts.  I saved them and said they could take them home.  We had our "party" which was pin art with Christmas music in the background.  When it was time for lunch, someone said, "So when are we going to have our party?"

I said, "That was it."

So it wasn't exciting, but it was nice.  The kids liked their projects and I didn't feel like my bones had been picked clean, which is often how I feel after a class party.

They went to lunch and I tidied up.  I put their presents (books) and ornaments I made on their desks along with a donut on a napkin.  We had a five minute turn around between lunch and home.  There were hugs and Merry Christmases exchanged and they loved telling me they would see me next year.

We had our faculty party which is always a good time.  There had been a contest going on all week and the 5th and 6th grade teachers were really into it.  They performed all the little tasks all week and they had a multimedia performance for us at the party.  The first grade and second grade teachers made up a song and performed it.  The third grade teachers were, I'm sure, dead last.  We did nothing and we couldn't even remember our team name (we'd all been assigned a reindeer).  

We can't all be energetic.

I stayed in my classroom until well after 5:00.  I was the only one in the school.  I was working on my LETRS training and I took down all my Christmas decorations and I'm not going back until January 3 and that feels wonderful.

Sunday we hosted the Relief Society women at our house.  I was going to make cookies and the ladies were going to visit and then the presidency would do ministering interviews.  We tidied up my office, Adam's office and the basement as interview spots.  Those are not spots usually ready for guests, in fact those are the prime spots to stash things, so that was where the effort went.  Adam brought home a lot of individually wrapped cookies from Corner Bakery that had been brought to work.  But no one was at work, so he brought them home.

So I didn't have to make cookies!

It was a nice time.  I did interviews in my office upstairs and people commented on how clean our house was, to which I would reply, "I knew you were coming!"  I also indicated all the shut doors. 

If people think our house is clean all the time, they're wrong.

It was fun visiting and I set up a few playdates for after Christmas.  It's nice to have friends.

Grateful Friday

Yesterday we had the Christmas Sing:  two performances for parents.  We would have had the dress rehearsal/performance for the school on Wednesday, but we didn't go to school.

So it was a little dicey and I gave the wrong cue to one of the peppermint holders in the morning performance, but we made it.

Between the snow and the performances and, you know, Christmas, the kids were amped up.  I don't see how they can be any more excited today.  I hope it will go around the horn and they'll max out excited and be calm....

A girl can dream.

I didn't tell them what was in the gift bags, but I explained they weren't from me.  I told them another school had given them to our school.

"To every third grader?"

"To every student."

"But why would anyone do that?"

I said, "It's Christmas.  And it was very kind, wasn't it?"

One of my students, who is almost always unhappy bordering on angry said, "I don't know why, but I feel really...joyful...right now."

I sent them home with the bags and they were giddy wondering what could be inside.

I didn't go away empty handed.

I admire the covering all the bases spelling of miss/mrs

Nola told me that a few years ago, she got a $300 Kate Spade purse at Dave's company Christmas party.  She doesn't even work there, but the spouses got that level of fancy gifts.

I survey the scene at school and I see children who delight me.  I see a little joy I can share.  I read A Wish for Wings that Work and they loved it, like my own children did.

I don't need a $300 Kate Spade purse.  I got the better end of the deal.

Snow day

Yesterday was a snow day at home learning day.  That, my friends, is a gift of the pandemic.  We no longer have snow days we have to make up.  We have at home learning days.  Everyone dusted off their online school skills.

My team and I sent a flurry of texts and emails to each other.  We share a brain even when it's virtual and I'm grateful.  We all bring something to the collective table.  We had to have our assignments to the students by 9:00 AM.  I let the parents know that I was available all day for questions, but I only had one person take me up on it.  (We'll pretend it's because we did such a stellar job sending out clear instructions and easy to follow assignments...)  In late morning, I drove to the school.  I planned ahead (my favorite!) and did some of my training and a little filing and I lined up the gift bags on a high shelf for the pajama give away.  

It was a nice day and I loved the hours to get stuff done.

I do miss the kids at that school though.  It's better when it's full of children.

Speaking of children, Adam is bringing Mark home today.

Last night, I texted Adam to ask if he was with Mark yet and he texted back this:

They found a place that accommodates gluten free.  They have gluten free sauces and rice noodles and had Mark use a specific bowl so they kept his food clear of any gluten.

No wonder Mark looks so happy.

I'll be happy to have that guy home!

Christmas joys for good little girls and boys

A school in a more wealthy neighborhood had a project.  Each family purchased a pair of pajamas that would fit their student, then huge boxes of pajamas were delivered to our school, one for each student!

It is an amazing gift and we are all so excited (the teachers, the kids don't know yet).

It was all hands on deck, sorting and sifting.  We held up pajamas and named students, "Would this fit _____?"  We located styles that we hoped would delight specific students.  It all just warms my heart so much.

This is the box I brought home.  I found enough gift bags to package them up (I ran out of Christmas ones, but I don't think they'll mind). 

I decided to send them home wrapped, to be opened at home.  I don't want them comparing and feeling cheated they didn't get the dinosaur pajamas.  They are pretty good at you get what you get and you don't throw a fit but I don't want to test that theory too much.

There is inflation and natural disasters, an ongoing pandemic and strife, strife, strife.

There is also a school full of students who will get a brand new--tags still on--pair of pajamas picked out by another student in a different school.

There is good in the world.

Speaking of good.  I got this yesterday, surreptitiously placed face down on my desk.

I am pretty sure this is in response to the email I sent to his mom because he was most certainly not doing what he was "opose" to do.

I'm tempted to frame it and hang it on the wall and refer to it as often as needed.  "See?  You promised!"

It was also very sweet.  What a little cutie.

Gifts

Gifts are my love language and all my people know it.

Gifts are not Adam's love language.  He never has any gift requests and when I ask him what he wants he says "Nothing" and he says "Why won't you believe me?" and "I really want nothing."

I'm never going to give him nothing.  I put this under the tree the other night.

I give him gifts because I want to.  I tell him it's not about him.

The kids keep asking me what he wants and I don't know what to tell them.  Adam finally told me on Saturday that if anyone asks, he wants his present to be something purchased off Braeden and Anna's baby registry (which they created at our request).

I was talking to Emma about it and she said, "Yeah, I can't relate to people who say their mom doesn't want a gift; she just wants to spend time them."

It's clear which parent is the most selfless around here.

As Eeyore would say, "We can't all, and some of us don't."

Weekend

Weekends in December are usually busy and this one fit right in.

Friday we drove to Logan.  Adam and I are listening to a BBC podcast series about the White Helmets in Syria and I probably understand about 75% of it, but it is interesting.  (I push pause and ask Adam questions from time to time.)

I texted Mark when we were almost there (I had already spilled the beans about us coming--I was excited).

This is a typical text conversation with Mark.  He is a man of few words:

And it was cold.

Everything was icy and Mark instructed me to hang onto him.  He said, "I'm strong and I won't let you fall."

I said, "You're strong and if you slip, you'll take me with you."

He said, "I won't slip."

Because 19 is still a teenager.

We went to the art museum, which Mark had already visited and wanted to show us.  My children love art museums and I love that.

Next we went to dinner.  Mark picked a pizza place.  He had been there before (in the days before he completely ran out of money...maybe there is a correlation?) and he said that he thought the cauliflower crust was just a pile of cauliflower with pizza toppings, but it was actually a crust and actually good.

I love how Mark is adapting to celiac disease with his usual blend of acceptance and stoicism.  It makes me as proud as the whole art museum thing.

We enjoyed chatting and while Mark and Adam were talking about Seattle sports (and Seattle sports radio), my eyes wandered to a TV screen.  A team from Montana was playing and I remembered that my cousin Leslie's son plays football for a college in Montana.  I didn't know which one.

I saw a player, number 5, and I thought it looked like him, even with a helmet on. 

I pulled out my phone and went to Facebook and Leslie's profile and then her photos and then I saw that indeed Garret plays for that team and he is number 5.

Being a super recognizer is not very useful (except I help Adam keep characters straight at the beginning of movies we're watching), but it does add a certain gee whiz factor to eating in a pizza restaurant in Logan when you aren't following the Seattle sports conversation.

All too soon (because we had to drive back home), we took Mark back to his dorm.  In the car, we had him open his gifts.

The Vince Guaraldi Trio's vinyl record of A Charlie Brown Christmas was the only thing Mark has really requested for his birthday or Christmas.  

He was as happy as he could be.

I also got him flannel XL twin sheets for his dorm bed. 

Later I saw this text from him:

Mission accomplished.

Saturday morning Adam and I went early to building 3 in our stake.  We met Danielle there and we helped get it ready for the lunch that was to follow the funeral.  We received a refrigerator full of salads from ward members then we put a rolling cart outside the kitchen door as a refrigerator annex.  It was cold enough out there.

We went to building 2 for the funeral.  It was packed all the way to the stage.  I don't like funerals in general, but this was a good one.  Pat was a good man.  His children spoke and sang and would make any parent proud.  One of Pat's close friends spoke and then the elders quorum president, bishop and stake president all spoke.  It was the trifecta of powerful gospel instruction.  Tender as well as funny stories were told and the plan of salvation was taught.  It all added up to remembering a good man and a life well lived.

Adam and I had sat in the back so we could slip out and head back to building 3 as soon as possible.  A crew of women were there to help us serve the lunch to about 120 people.  Like Danielle said, "If I ever have to do this again, I want this team."

After, we stopped by the stake center where our ward was setting up for the ward Christmas party. (Earlier  when Adam and I were driving to building 3, I heard a siren up on the mountain and I told Adam, "Not today.  Nothing can happen to anyone in the ward today.  Stay healthy everyone!")  And as far as I know, they did.

Saturday night was the ward party.  It was a lovely affair.  I enjoyed visiting with people and the good food and the lovely decorations and program.

Sunday we made yogurt and berry parfaits for all the RS sisters before church and served them in Relief Society.  We had all the primary and young women ladies come in too and we introduced our theme for next year and it was nice to all be in the same room.

So it was a packed weekend and a tiring weekend, but also a good weekend.  

Now for one more week of school!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...

Grateful Friday

I had to pay for it with inside recess  Inside recess + the first snow and the kids are dying to get outside and mostly just want to stare out the window is not a winning combination.

Add the ones from Central America who have never seen snow and pretty much tune out English anyway.

Oh boy.

But here's the view out my window when I got home yesterday.  It is lovely and I'm grateful for snow.

Let it snow snow snow!

***

It is this boy's birthday today:

He was going to come home for the weekend and I had all sorts of birthday cheer planned.

Then, he realized that he needed to get some things done for school and the semester is ending next week and he couldn't come home after all.  I was OK with that.  He'll be home soon enough, but then I was really really sad too.  Even though Mark is my baby, he left a GIANT hole when he went to college.

I am not going into school today, but doing training instead (may the odds be forever in my sub's favor).  I got a hare brained idea and texted Adam:

We would stay the night in Logan but we have a funeral to attend tomorrow morning and the subsequent lunch to help with.  I love having a husband that is up for anything.

I woke up with a smile on my face, I look forward to dashing through the snow with my favorite person in all the world to see the red head that lights up my world.  I am grateful for today.

Today Thelma

My brain is wired to be a pre-crastinator.  I always look ahead.  I always think about what I can do now to make later better.

Emma is not like me.

Once she explained it to me.  She said, "I'm thinking about Today Emma instead of Tomorrow Emma."

I had never though about it that way.  And it seems...weirdly valid.  Who knew there was more than one way to be?

(I still think about Tomorrow Thelma more often than not.)  

Sometimes though, it is all Today Thelma.

Yesterday was a DAY.  I've never had such difficult students.  I had a student who was angry all morning.  The librarian told me two of them couldn't come back next week because they were so disruptive and defiant (one of them was my angry student).  At lunchtime, he was so mad about what they were serving for lunch he dumped his entire lunch in the garbage in a rage then he convulsed in sobs and my entire lunchtime was taken up talking him down.  I eventually got him to eat half of my lunch.  He pretty much hates me every day all day but he humbly thanked me for sharing my lunch.  I told him I was his friend and I wanted to help him. Maybe that will matter?  (Maybe not.)

The other one who has been barred from library was rotten all afternoon.  He caused trouble in PE and wouldn't come in from lunch recess.  He was super defiant and unwilling to work.

Finally he came up to my desk and told me he was unhappy.  He said someone had thrown a ball in the back of his head during PE and also, things at home were bad.  I told him I cared about him.  I told him I was sorry that things were bad at home but that I would try my best to make them good at school.  I told him he was smart (because he is).

These boys can be so naughty and hard to manage and then they sort of melt my heart too.  

I left school exhausted.  It is really hard to stretch and strain your patience to its limit all day long.  It is hard to just keep trying.

I came home and walked past the dirty dishes in the kitchen and the collection of packages inside the front door that really should be dealt with.  I did start a load of laundry, but then I painted my nails.

Last night, I decided to pay attention to Today Thelma.

I decided Tomorrow Thelma is on her own.

Teaching

My students are doing a Christmas Around the World activity.  They were each assigned a country to research and then they have a little book to fill in about the Christmas traditions in that country.

One of them wanted Japan.  He said, "I know everything about Japan.  There isn't anything about Japan I don't know."

Awesome, but you still got India, kid.

(He is the same student who earlier in the day said he didn't need to learn to read because he was going to be a professional basketball player.  I've seen him play basketball and I'm not stopping those reading lessons yet....)

At the end of the day, I said, "Something happened 80 years ago today.  Does anyone know what it was?"

They wanted to know if I was alive back then.

That has ceased to offend me because they also think I'm younger than their parents.  They have zero concept of age.

They didn't know what happened.  I told them it was the only time we were bombed by another country.  So then they all thought it was September 11.  (Do you hear yourselves kids?  On December 7 we are commemorating September 11?)

Man.

I said that wasn't a country attacking us, but terrorists.

Finally someone remembered Pearl Harbor.  I said, "Do you know who bombed us?"

Even my Japanese expert didn't know.

I said, "Japan."

He insisted, "Well I still love Japan."

I said that was good because they weren't our enemy now.

He said, "As long as we didn't nuke them."

Then I had to share the bad news that we did, in fact, nuke them.

I told them a little about it all and then I realized it was time for them to clean up.  One of the other students, a mischievous boy who I love even though he causes problems daily with his shenanigans said, "No!  Keep talking!"

I love being a teacher.  Janelle sent me this the other day and it cracked me up because it is absolutely true, but I still love it.

And I'm going to take some of Braeden and Mark's World War II books to school.  When someone wants to know more about something, I am on the case.

We need each other

 My eyes were just watering to beat the band and Miriam stopped and put her arm around me and asked, "Are you OK?" 

I said my eyes were watering; I wasn't crying.  It was nice of her to check though.

***

Janelle came in to confer about our training.  We shared ideas.  She is so different from me and so much the same as me that we are a team.

***

I emailed my principal that I would miss the faculty meeting because of my eye appointment.  He emailed back a thumbs up.

***

When I texted Adam that everyone kept wondering if I was crying, he texted back this:

He makes me laugh.

***

Terri, my RS president and friend, texted us this:

Those ladies make me feel loved.

***

Emma texted this:

She also makes me laugh.  

***

I talked to Marianne and I was telling her all the things.  She said, "You are too hard on yourself."

Sometimes you just need someone to say that and bonus if it's your older sister who knows everything so you (mostly) believe her.

***

We stopped by to see my grandma.  I hope my little granddaughter leaves my house feeling as loved as I feel when I leave my grandma's.

And all of that just happened yesterday.  We need each other.  I'm glad I have people.

Weekend

Friday was hard.  My students were naughty.  Some days a few of them are just off and it must be endured.  There are tears and tantrums and defiance and general rowdiness and I just try my best.

When Adam got home he said, "I thought of a new restaurant we should try!"

That was exciting.

Then he couldn't remember it.

This is what happens when our brains are full.  Things fall out.

I think my school drama fell out of my brain in my dream.   I dreamt that I was at school and it wasn't going well and then a woman who works at the school, but never in my classroom, was there and talking loudly while I was trying to read aloud and then she told me that I was expecting too much of the students and doing everything wrong.

So that was a fun dream.

Yesterday we had a presidency meeting that was over three hours long.  We have a funeral and a ward Christmas party and all three buildings in our stake reserved by our ward next Saturday.  It is going to be a weekend.

Good things in the weekend were the regular weekend rhythms of errands with Adam and slightly more adventurous cooking and listening to Emma's music.

I wrapped all the books for my students.

I have another eye doctor appointment today.

The beat goes on.

Grateful Friday

I am grateful for doctors.  Specifically my eye doctors.

I had a bit of drama yesterday.

During the afternoon, my eye started hurting.  Then it started hurting more.  Then more.  Then more.  It wasn't even my problem child left eye, but my right one.

After school, I was talking to Jamie and she asked, "Are you OK?"

I said, "Yeah, I'm just having an eye problem."

She looked at me with all the concern of a mother and teacher and it felt like she was having an internal debate about what she was going to do with me.

Camie came in my room to tell me we are getting another new student and my eye was so messed up, I felt like I couldn't look at her properly.  It was this weird stabbing pain like nothing I'd ever experienced.

I said, "I'm sorry, my eye is struggling."

She said, "It looks like it!  You should go home."

It was early yet and I had the inevitable to do list and scatter of piles on my desk.

I said, "I will."

But then a little time passed and I decided I would leave early.  I was not being productive.  I saw Jamie in the hall and she said, "You'd better be going home.  Are you?"

Driving home was agony.  The sunlight made my eye way worse.  My sunglasses didn't even help that much.  I finally made it home and took my contact out, thinking that would solve the problem.  It didn't.  My eye still felt like it was being stabbed and it hurt to open it and it hurt to close it.

I realized it was still in the 4:00 hour and I called my eye doctor's office.  I explained my woes and they told me that Dr. Ward, my regular doctor, wasn't in but that Dr. Meyers was.  They said, "Come right now."

I debated about asking Nola to drive me, but I decided it was faster to just go.  Back into the stabbing sunlight I went.  I got to my doctor's office and it was dim and had the usual instrumental primary songs playing in the background which was my first indication when I went to that doctor's office for the initial time about 7 years ago that I was not in Kansas anymore.

I had never seen Dr. Meyers before, but he was very nice.  He put deadening drops in my eye which was sublime.  He looked at my problem left eye and said it was OK, then he looked at my Big Problem right eye and said, "Oh, there it is."

Then he went on to describe the bacterial infection that was "burrowing" into my cornea.

If there is an eye party to be had, I'm in, apparently.

He prescribed antibiotic eye drops.  He said we were going to be really aggressive and to take the drops every hour as soon as I got them.  He said, "You caught it early and that is good."  I thanked him and drove to Walgreens.  The deadening drops were still doing their magic and I felt like all would be well.

(Narrator:  the saga was not over.)

After waiting in line behind a woman who was not happy about the cost of her prescription and arguing with the young woman at the drive thru who obviously had nothing to do with the cost, it was finally my turn. 

They said, "We don't have anything for you.  It isn't in the system.  Maybe the doctor forgot to call it in?"

I called my doctor's office and they were closed by then--it was after 5:00.

I parked and walked inside of Walgreens, because I didn't have any better ideas and I wanted to be aggressive.  (I went to a lot of high school basketball games when I was growing up and all those cheerleaders yelling Be Aggressive!  Be Be Aggressive! had made an impact.)

I explained my conundrum to the guy behind the counter and I said, "Is there any chance it is in the system somewhere?"  (I clearly have no idea about the system, but can we check some super secret hiding place?)

He was apologetic but if there is a super secret hiding place, he didn't know it either.

My doctor's office voice mail had said that if there was a medical emergency, you could call Dr. Ward's cell phone.  I briefly debated if it was an emergency (was I dying?).  The deadening drops were wearing off and I was thinking about "burrowing into your cornea" so I decided yes, maybe I was dying.

I called the cell phone.  Dr. Ward was incredibly kind.  He has always reminded me a little of my brother Ammon.  He said the long name of the medicine and asked, "Is that what was prescribed?"

I said, "Maybe?"

He said he would call it into the Lindon Walmart, was that OK?

I said, "Yes!" and I was sure that all would be well.

(Narrator:  the saga was not over.)

I stood in a long line with my eye throbbing and watering down my face faster than I could deal with it.  It was Walmart so no one noticed or gave me a second look.  The guy at the front of the line was arguing with the woman behind the counter about the cost of his prescription and it is clear to me that the people behind the counters at pharmacies don't get paid enough.  What an awful job!

I tried to be very well mannered when it was my turn.  

Except they had no record of my prescription.  It wasn't in the system.  Maybe my doctor forgot?

I said, "He just said he would call it in."

They directed me to the other end of the pharmacy with a young woman to help me.  Her blue Walmart shirt was covered with Mickey Mouse pins and she had a bright yellow tag that read, "Tech in Training."

So clearly they hadn't given me someone more experienced to handle the problem, but less.

She clicked her keyboard for a long time and confirmed that no, I wasn't in the system. 

She said they hadn't received a fax.

I said, "He was going to call."

A grumpy lady next to my Mickey enthusiast didn't look up, but clicked a button on the phone and an automated voice said, "No new messages."

So we were at an impasse.  Then she noticed a nearby slip of paper with the information handwritten on it.  

We were in business!  All would be well.

(Narrator:  not yet.)

She said, "That should be ready in about 30 minutes."

I know when I've been beat.

I called Adam, who was on his way home.  I said, "Will you get my prescription at Walmart?"

He agreed.  Of course he did.

So I have been aggressively giving myself eye drops and I don't know if I will ever wear my contacts again.  I don't want to wear glasses, but like my dad used to tell me and like I tell my students, often:

You don't have to want to.

I am so very grateful for my kind doctors though!  My eye feels a lot better this morning!  Also, I'm grateful for Adam.  That kid is always my knight in shining armor.  He even brought home soup and bread.

I really think all will be well.

I won't give up

I like to give my students a book for Christmas.  I overanalyze the decision heavily because I want it to be a book they would like and that is their correct reading level but doesn't seem like a baby book.  It's tricky.

Because I'm a pre-crastinator and because I heard rumblings among the teachers about Scholastic orders taking forever (supply chain...the pandemic is the gift that keeps on giving), I ordered in mid October.

A few weeks ago, I got an email from Scholastic that my order was on the way.  It was a happy day!  I had considered the possibility that they would be Valentine gifts rather than Christmas gifts if they weren't delivered in time, but it looked like I would have them!

Camie brought in the white Scholastic book box.  Hurray!  I stowed it under my desk and schlepped it home after school.  I feel like I always have ridiculous armfuls of stuff to and from school but at least I don't have too far to walk.

I tore open the box and pulled out...books I hadn't ordered.  Confusion reigned.  My name was clearly on the outside of the box.  I pulled out the invoice and it was not my order, but the order of a woman named Theresa who lives in Pennsylvania.

I called the customer service number and made my way through the automated system.  Finally, I was in line to talk to a live person and the voice warned me that the wait time was 45 minutes.  45 minutes?!?  How is that even a thing?

I put the phone on speaker and ranted to Adam about how I wasn't going to have Christmas presents for my students.  He suggested I email and also found an email address for me to use.  I hung up the phone because the hold music was awful. (Which apparently is a prerequisite, but I don't understand why.  There is actual good music in the world.)

I emailed and felt no hope that anyone would email me back.  (And they haven't.)

The next day, the other secretary, Rachel, came in with another Scholastic book box.  I opened it immediately and it had my books!  I told Rachel the tale and told her that I was still trying to get in touch with someone at Scholastic.  She said, "If you get ahold of them, will you tell them to CALL ME?"  She has also been trying.

So my story has a happy ending, but Theresa's doesn't.  I'm still trying to get ahold of Scholastic to iron out the mix up. 

I won't give up!

Unexpected consequence

I have a student I will call Max.  He is hard.  He spends most of the day in special ed. and when he is in the classroom, he takes a disproportionate amount of my energy.  Most of the students tolerate him and his quirks and disruptions.  I would not say any of them are his friends, but they tolerate him.

Some of them are less patient.  Another student, I will call Nate, struggles to give Max a pass.  He engages in pointless arguments and criticisms and eggs Max on, which is not helpful.

I made a deal with Nate that if would leave Max alone, not talk to him or mess with him in any way, he could play with Legos during read aloud time (the rest of the students do handwriting then.)

Nate agreed and it mostly has been better, but he still aggravates Max and the situation from time to time.  (And Max does his share of aggravating.)

Yesterday, I put Max's picture behind the elf door.  First thing in the morning, the class huddled around the door.  Some of them said, "Let Teacher open it!"

But Nate, who seldom does what the rest of the class thinks is right, opened the door himself.

They saw Max's picture and one of them asked, "Why did you put his picture in?"

I asked, "Why not?"

They had the good grace to accept that as answer enough.

Right before lunch, we opened the mailbox they had been surreptisiouly packing with tiny notes.  There were three notes from three sweet girls.  They were notes to Max.  They told him he was a good classmate and they liked him.

It straight up melted my heart.

I called Max over to my desk and read the notes to him.  He was amazed and sort of confused, sure they were written by the elf even though the girls had signed their names.

Later, there was a note on Max's desk.  It said, "I think you're great.  From:  Someone."

Everyone wondered who it could be from.  I suspected Nate, because I had seen him cutting some paper earlier.  I glanced at him and he knew that I knew and he half smiled and nodded at me.

Max was beside himself.  "It's from the elf!" He insisted.  "He's somewhere in this room!"

Nate delivered 3-4 more notes through the afternoon.  I caught him in the act and he smiled at me.  No one else in the class knew and that was exactly what Nate wanted.

Max was elated.  He can't read well and he demanded I read him the letters.  They were all very kind and purposely mysterious.

I'm not telling you any of this because I did anything to make it happen.  I deserve zero credit.  I just want the record to show that Christmas is magical and children sort of are too.

Christmas classroom

I love setting up my classroom for a little Christmas magic.  There are only 15 school days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and we have to embrace the season!

My students loved finding their names on the tree.  Some of them were surprised to be included.

They said things like, "My name is on there?"

A few of them timidly asked if they could take the names home.  I said, "Yes, right before Christmas.  They are part of your Christmas gift."

Eyes widened and they said, "Part?!?"

You will not find entitled children in a Title 1 school.  They are always grateful.  Always.

Since no one is home to enjoy the Christmas village, Anna set it up on the counter.  I was afraid it would be trouble to keep their hands off of it, but they were very good about just looking.

My favorite thing I was excited to show them was the little elf door.

Every day (sometimes twice a day) a different student's picture will be inside.  That student gets to put an ornament on the advent calendar.  The ornaments have numbers on them which are linked to treats or activities.  Yesterday they all got a Christmas eraser.  Which is more exciting than it sounds when you are 8. 

They (mostly the girls) wrote tiny notes for the elf and put them in the mailbox.  (The lid is removable.)

The elf responded with a note that was in 4 point font.  I for sure couldn't read it but those young whippersnappers with their youthful eyes could.

I read them Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Tree.  I love Christmas!

Home for the holidays

We packed a lot into a few days, evidenced by how much I was dragging on Saturday night.  It was a wonderful time though.

On Thanksgiving we prepared our feast and sat at a pretty table.

the little rosemary plant in our kitchen window is the gift that keeps on giving

Adam asked me to say the prayer and I said no.  He asked, "Because you'll cry?"

I said, "Yes."

So he said the prayer and I cried anyway.

In an extreme departure from the other women in my family, we did not have a ton of leftovers.  All the kids said that Thanksgiving leftovers are overrated, so I guess we all stood in the correct line in heaven.

In the late afternoon, we went to a movie. (King Richard, we all loved it!)

We came home for pie, which is always a good thing to come home for.

Friday, after doing my part for the economy on Amazon, we decorated for Christmas.  Those boys make quick work of carrying boxes. 

The highlight of decorating is opening the box of Christmas bears.  Anna sat in a chair and was bombarded with both stories about the bears and actual bears.

Each bear is loved and stories are told about them all.  It is the weirdest scrapbook in the world, but it's ours.

They put them in chronological order, Braeden at the helm

Adam and Mark set up the new big tree that is on wheels and lives in Adam's office closet.  It is slick and easy and when they were done, they commented that no one was even mad after the task.  Winning.  Adam and Braeden set up the other tree and no one got mad there either.  We're all growing up so nicely.

Mark has long been my sidekick decorator and he was up on a ladder and arranging things to my specifications and he said, "I think we need a third thing up here," and I couldn't have been more proud.  Emma and Anna helped with the arranging as well and we soon had the house looking festive.  We realized next year at this time, we will have a little one crawling around.  Hurray and also, that will change the decorating situation around here.

We watched the Great British Baking Show finale which had been highly anticipated by all of us (except Mark, he hasn't been watching, plus he said since he can't eat gluten, it's not fun to watch).  Mark hung out with his friends instead.

After, we had more pie and then watched A Mighty Wind.  Anna had never seen it and we all wanted her to watch.

Actually, I told her it wasn't a want, it was a need.

She complied like the sweet girl she is.

Saturday was another pack-a-lot-in sort of day.  I made cookies for pikkujoulu.  They were gluten free and also sort of unrecognizable as their former gluten selves.  Let's just say Paul would not have been handing out a handshake.  I still have lots of Christmases to figure out how to make them though.

We went to lunch and then to BYU for nostalgia for our BYU alumni kids.  Mark walked around in his Utah State sweatshirt which he was wearing coincidentally.  I told him I loved him anyway and I would love him even more if he would drop out of college and stay in my basement forever.

He said no.

When we got home, I folded mountains of laundry (dishes and laundry don't take vacations) and we sat around the fire pit briefly because it works now and it was a sputtering mess when Braeden and Anna were last here.  We brought in the couch cushions (the boys and Adam had moved all the deck furniture earlier in the day. And we decorated the big tree.  

Adam made clam chowder while we did that, because we were also going to have pikkujoulu.

The marathon continued.

We had a lovely meal, sans the bread bowls, but I think they weren't missed (plus I told Emma and Braeden that if anyone mentioned regret that we weren't having bread bowls, they wouldn't get Christmas presents).

The kids opened their new ornaments and Braeden and Anna opened a few presents and we sampled some treats (mostly gluten free, from Trader Joe's).   Everyone gamely ate the gluten free disasters I had made and told me they were delicious.

That's why they are all getting Christmas presents.

So happy together

Everyone together is my favorite.  

Mark and I picked Braeden and Anna up from the airport.  We stopped at WGU to see Emma and Adam, at their request/begging  (from Emma).  They didn't respond to our texts (they were, you know working) so we were stuck in the lobby, which is beautiful, but not the point.

We gave up and went and got breakfast.

Then we circled back and got to see them.  

Everyone except the workers went to my classroom and we decorated for Christmas.  I want my students to walk in and be sort of blown away by the Christmas decorations.  I haven't quite achieved that, but I think I am getting closer.

Emma and Adam came home a little early.  Anna took a nap (they'd been up since 3:30 AM) and I walked downstairs and saw this:

They are playing Mario Kart.  It's just about perfect, down to the messy boxes in the background.  I like our house lived in better than empty.

Anna has a little baby bump and it is adorable.  She cried when she saw Mark because she was so happy to see him.  She cheerfully wants to help with everything and anything and I couldn't love that girl more.

I made macaroni and cheese for dinner and a lot was riding on it.  That is one of Mark's favorite foods.  I selected the gluten free pasta that I thought would work best and I studied a few recipes to get the white sauce right with no flour.

It was good!

Mark was happy and I think I was happier.

After dinner, Adam and I went on a quest for pancetta, like you do.  After three stores, we finally found some.  When we got home, we were sitting at the kitchen table, reading different recipes in preparation for the big day.

Mark wanted us to go downstairs and play Quiplash.  He said, "What are you doing?"

I said, "Preparing.  Thanksgiving dinner doesn't make itself."

Mark said, "Hmmm.  That's always been my experience."

This morning I am the only one awake and I am enjoying the quiet until everyone bursts on the scene (actually Braeden is probably the only one who bursts scenes.  Everyone else will be more sleepy and slow moving).  I am planning some gluten free oatmeal apple muffins for breakfast and then that Thanksgiving dinner that doesn't make itself. (At least not for me.)

Mark

Mark spent the afternoon in my classroom yesterday.  I had the students who weren't finished with their essays work at my desk and Mark held court with the others.

He led them in playing with the marble run which is the role he was meant to play.  Building? Check.

I think they would have followed him anywhere.

I probably would too.

After they went home, I said, "Do you see why I come home tired?"

He said, "Yes, I'm exhausted."

Mark and I are about to head to airport to get our California kids.

There's no place like having my kids home for the holidays!

Getting the party started

Yesterday after school we had turkey bowling, a time honored tradition at our school.  I got a strike my first bowl, flinging a frozen turkey across the cafeteria floor.  Then I lost in the next round.  Since the prize was a (different) frozen turkey, I came to terms with the loss.  Only two of the male teachers were there and they, of course, got up to shenanigans.  All the female teachers, who are used to recalcitrant boys all day anyway, kept them in line.  Stop.  No, you can't shot put the frozen turkey.  Stop.

I was chatting with a second grade teacher and she told me her married daughter and her husband were coming for Thanksgiving and she was "giddy."

I know.

Last night, Adam got tickets to the suite at the Jazz game and Emma and her friend Omar went with us.  We had a good time.  I could get used to being whisked up to the VIP entrance and fed a fabulous meal.  The game was OK too.  During the game, Mark texted that his Tuesday classes were canceled.  Adam is leaving in a few minutes to go get him and then I'm hoping that kid will come to my class.  He'd better not scoot around on my wheeled chair and kick a soccer ball around the room.  That's what he usually does in my classroom.

I am so excited to see him! 

And then Braeden and Anna tomorrow!

My head is buzzing a bit from my late night, but maybe it's just that I'm like my friend Karla.  Giddy.

Weekend

We tackled the holiday grocery shopping.  We are having pikkujoulu next weekend in addition to Thanksgiving so it was an undertaking.  Also, Trader Joe's has gluten free peppermint Jo Jo's.  

Honestly, what more do you need in life?

Adam fit everything into the fridge and freezer and lectured me when I put the (gluten free) pasta on a random shelf in the pantry instead of in the designated spot.

I'm better at organizing the pantry than maintaining an organized pantry.

But don't worry, Adam is on the case....

Saturday, Adam and I were both given Covid booster shots.  I felt fine until the middle of the night when I got chills.  I woke up pretty achy and miserable yesterday morning, but it was short lived and worth it.

Saturday night, before I started feeling awful, Adam and I went to the Carlsons' for dinner.  Anna's parents moved to Utah this fall and they're only 30 minutes away in Herriman and that is wonderful!

They are our kind of people.  We immediately became friends when we met that first time and we truly love spending time with them.  It's fun to talk about our kids--particularly the ones we have in common.

We compared notes on our news from them and feel the exact same tension about wanting to give them everything and wanting to let them figure it out for themselves.

Adam told them all about the finer features of the strollers and carseats he's been researching.  We're going to share a granddaughter!  I'm so glad we're friends!

We talked to Braeden and Anna and Mark in a FaceTime call on Sunday afternoon and Mark was taking a walk around campus while we talked and Braeden was moving his phone all around their kitchen while he was getting his lunch ready and I told them to stop and hold still.

They didn't so I moved away and just listened.  I was getting carsick.

Later I was sitting across the room and Adam was holding the laptop.  I had my glasses off and I couldn't tell which boy was which.  They look a lot alike when they're blurry.

I love those boys even when they won't hold still (pretty much their whole lives)!  And my girls!  We'll all be together in a few days!

Last night we watched the latest installment of the Great British Baking Show, then I called Braeden and Anna to discuss because I had theories.

Braeden realized we'll all be together to watch the finale!  It's the little things that make life grand.

Grateful Friday

Dominating my gratitude today is thinking about next week when all my darlings will be under one roof! I am excited!  Everyone is!  I want everything to be perfect food-wise and I want the house to be in tip top shape, but then I think, "Who cares?"  We will be together and that matters most.  Also, these people have seen me at my worst so I don't need to maintain any charade of put togetherness.

I'm also grateful about small things like my heated steering wheel that makes me happy every morning.  I love that thing.

Speaking of warm hands, I have had morning traffic duty this week, before school.  I have spent the time chatting with one of my students from last year.  It's been cold this week and yesterday I took her out some gloves.  Just those cheap stretchy ones.  I told her she could have them and she threw her arms up in the air, exultant. 

She's probably lost them by now if she's anything like she was last year, but I love being able to help these sweet kids any way I can.  Their joy is mine and I'm grateful for the chance.

Yesterday we had the reward (finally, it was hard fought) of a fort party.

They could each bring one stuffed animal and one blanket.  I confiscated everything at the start of school and piled it on a top shelf they couldn't reach.  They all promised they wouldn't get distracted by their stuffed animals, but this is not actually my first rodeo.

At the appointed time, they made a tremendous mess in the classroom.  There were tears from students who didn't know where to make their fort.  There were boys running around throwing their stuffed animals at each other and there were students collaborating and creatively figuring out how to make forts.

This picture pretty much sums up the energy.

these smart girls enlisted some of my clips

And this, they are all tucked inside:

the reading books are heavy it turns out

It definitely left me with a never again feeling.

But...when they went home, I saw this.

It seriously takes so little to make them happy.  I'm grateful every day I get to be around such appreciative, rambunctious, creative little souls.