Mini Me?

You know as a kid when your mom curses you that your kids will one day be just like you? I'm there. Although, I don't feel cursed at all. In fact, I couldn't be more overjoyed. I haven't figured out if it's a blessing or not for Katie though.

Had a phone conversation with her fourth grade teacher this morning. Right off I'll clear the air - nothing wrong - just checking in. Her teacher sends a daily email about what's going on, head's up about homework, etc. Yesterday her email mentioned a specific math paper that most kids did poorly on. So, the teacher gave each child an identical blank paper and they redid all of the questions again together in class. She wanted parents to look at the before and after papers with our kids last night and discuss it. So - I ask Katie about the paper, describe it really well for her (at first most kids did poorly, she says she gave you a blank one and you all worked on it together in class today, is this ringing any bells???), and I'm getting this 'duh' response, like "I have no idea what you are talking about". I'm like, "your teacher specifically mentions in her email that it was sent home and we should look at it together tonight". "oh", she says, "She had us put that in our math books." So, I email the teacher back and say what Katie says and while I'm at it, ask how she's doing in class.

So, this morning I go to grab her lunchbox from her backpack and find the math papers crumpled in the bottom of her backpack. Eeek! I call her downstairs. "Here's the math paper..." . You can probably see how this progresses. So, I decide to call the teacher this morning, tell her that my email was wrong and that the paper was actually in the bottom of the backpack.

Long lead-in to get to the point...Katie (like me) is doing great in school. She does her homework, gets her reading done, no worries...EXCEPT that she's a social butterfly. Yackity yackity yack. Her teacher doesn't know what to do about it. Was I surprised to get this report? Yea right! I've been hearing it since Katie was in Kindergarten. Wait - I've been hearing it since she was in preschool. Allright, if you know me then you know that I've really been hearing this since I was in elementary school. I have passed on the chatty gene to my very own version of Mini Me.

In the seventh grade, my English teacher Mr. Davis got on me every single day about talking during roll. How was I not able to just shut my trap? So, he tries everything...moves me away from my friends (didn't matter)...put me in a kindergarten size desk right next to his (didn't matter)...moved my desk out into the hallway (really didn't matter - since it was fourth period and everyone was in the hallways for lunch - super chat!!). So, I tell a short version of the Mr. Davis story to Katie's teacher this morning in an apologetic way. Yes, I'm owning up to my Darwinian contribution to her classroom this year. She says, "I was thinking that I should move Katie closer to my desk, but now that you told me that story, maybe that would make her feel too much like she was following in your footsteps, so I'll hold off on that plan".

Here's where I pull the Reason to Believe out of this tale...it's the Circle of Life, baby - and I love seeing me in her, even if it's through both of our wide open yaps!!

Slow But Sure...And, Appreciated

It's October 2008. Three summers ago Stuart and I started talking about painting the outside of the house. Three summers went by, along with several conversations about getting the house painted. There were several obstacles, of course...the color would need to be approved by our homeowner's association, and it takes 30 days once the request is turned in; would we spray or use a brush and roller; what about the weather - it's just so rainy around here. The excuses and the delays were never-ending and when August arrived this year and we hadn't even started looking for a paint color AGAIN, it seemed that another summer would pass without getting paint on the house. Another summer...even thoughI had bugged, I had gotten quotes for having someone else do it, I had whined and whined and whined. (All of this whining by me, of course, knowing that I would not be the one to do the actual painting.)

SURPRISE!! Stuart to the rescue. He might delay, and he might procrastinate, but I'll give it to him when it's truly due - when he decides on something he puts in a dang fine effort. So, he's out there again today, taking advantage of the rain-free weekend. We didn't go through homeowners association approval because we decided on only a slightly darker shade of gray than we already had. He started on Labor Day weekend. He has been out there nearly every nice weekend day since. And, did I mention he's doing it all by hand? And that he washed it all first? So far, he's got two full sides done and he's working on the third side. His goal is to get everything that can be seen from the street done before the weather fails him. The back side of the house, and the trim, will wait until the spring.

You know what? I'm so pleased...he really came through. And I BELIEVE that he will finish up as soon as he gets his painting weather back in the spring. He's a trooper who's painting time had finally come.

Thanks for being my REASON today, Stuart. You rock as a house painter!

Long time...No Write

Here goes...another entry. It's been about three months so I guess it's time.

What has happened in the last three months that remind me of my Reasons to Believe?

• Junior High: I loved it and I hated it. In retrospect, I really only hated it. In fact, as I start thinking about it I realize all of the writing I could do just recounting the horror stories of 7th through 9th grade. But, this Reason really has nothing to do with me. Ryan started 7th grade in September. I am fairly certain that I was worked up into much more of a fear frenzy about it than he was. I gave him a talk about bullying, and mean kids, and getting exposed to all kinds of stuff (like talk about sex, profanity, drugs, etc.). Well, we're about 45 days in and so far, so good. I think he's a natural. I know - early poll results should never be reported for fear of making the wrong prediction. But, this kid is doing good things - and I am feeling so much better about it all. He is a constant reminder that I need to BELIEVE more, and WORRY slightly less. ;)
• Being a girl: I have always loved that I am a girl. Truly. I have always felt thankful to God that I was born a female in the United States. I don't mean anything sexist about it - I just mean that I think that I have to endure less (basically I'm lazy and I get the easy way out a lot of the time) because of it. As I am growning up (notice the tense - this is still a work in progress) I find myself even more thankful that I have a daughter [who is EXACTLY LIKE ME, BTW] who is also a female in the United States. We share girl stuff. There are so many things that are just ours because we are girls. Looks, giggles, knowing grunts. She loves me - and I BELIEVE that it will never end. Might get strained - but it will never end. I have no worry on that one. A first?
• ABBA: OK - I don't think I can type a B backward on my keyboard, so I'm spelling it the "wrong" way - arrest me. I have had the chance to relax and enjoy a few times this summer thanks to ABBA and the crazy little movie that features their music. It started in '07 when I saw the musical with Krisann in Vegas - and as soon as I heard there would be a movie I knew I HAD to see it. Twice now - once with friends Karrie and Deana, once with Karrie (again! :) ), Kindra (sis-in-law), and Karrie's sis-in-law. I'm left with a perma-grin after that movie and I love it all the more because of the experience of sharing it with my girlies. Pure joy!

Hmmm...Lots of others are coming to mind - but I think I'll stop right here for now, because maybe if I leave a few things unsaid I'll actually get back on here and write more.

Here's a teaser for you (and a way to remind myself what to write about):

• Grandma's broken ankle
• Family Reunion
• Planning to go to Vegas with "Sprenger Girls"
• Wanting to do more writing
• Appreciating work through the financial crisis
• Ryan's first drama class performance
• Scrapbooking for a whole weekend with my sweethearts
• Loving being an aunt
• Winning on the radio

Well, if that doesn't whet your whistle, it certainly whet's mine. I'll be back - and until then I hope there's someone out there reading this besides me...