The job hasn't changed, but I'm getting into the groove of the instruction and I'm hopeful that I'll teach these kids a thing or two by the end of the year. Right now my goals are the short vowel sounds and how to add to twenty. I'm setting my sights a little low. I've been challenging my students to think a little deeper, and it's not really going well, but we have our moments. This week, after reading a book about sharks which started out with some information about dinosaurs, one of my students said, "Mrs. Clark, I'm confused. How did life start on Earth and how did people start being born if there weren't any people?" I try hard not to impress my views on my students (e.g. evolution), so I told them it was a very important question that people have been talking about for a very long time. The student on the left shouts, "People evolved from monkeys!" while the student on the right said, "My parents said we came from God." The student who asked continued to process and push me for an answer, and I kept telling her it was a very confusing question (not really, in my opinion) and she needed to talk to her mom about it.
A few weeks ago I babysat for Grady and Case while Julie and Tim went to a rehearsal dinner and also celebrated their five year wedding anniversary. We Facetimed with Grandpa and Sanny (mostly to see Max, the dog), and we probably called them six or seven times because Grady LOVES Max.
This is on my sister's fridge and is from my mom's fridge from years ago (the fortunes are Julie's). I love that these principles were important to my mom, and they continue to be important to me and Julie.
Trey is continuing to take swimming lessons. He has advanced to the level where they swim the length of the pool instead of across. Randy and I both like the fact that he is doing well in swimming and making progress. It's important to Randy because swimming is an important life skill, and it's important to me because Trey is building his gross motor skills. We both win. Three weeks ago, Trey had a bad swimming experience and got water up his nose while he was diving. He started crying and we ended up leaving early (I didn't know until later why he was upset). All week he cried about swimming and said he hated swimming and never wanted to go again. The night before his next lesson (this was a few weeks ago), I posted on one of my hippy Facebook mama groups asking for some ideas on how to make the next morning of swimming lessons go smoothly. I was really surprised, and still am, that several mamas told me I should let him quit and that I shouldn't force him to do something he didn't want to do. I was shocked. I've been known (and accused by some) to not have any limits with Trey and let him get whatever he wants. But I do not understand and really do not agree with letting my child quit something after just a little challenge. What kind of lesson does that send a child that they can quit something if they struggle just a little bit? I think that is a terrible message to send and not a life lesson I want to teach. If Trey continues to struggle week after week, then maybe we need to talk about taking a break from swimming. But after one time? Really?
We went to swimming on Saturday morning and I told Trey we would talk to his teacher about his worries (diving and getting water up his nose). I told him I wanted him to dress down and sit on the side but he didn't have to get in if he didn't want to. Then I bribed him and said for every ten minutes he stayed in he could get a DumDum sucker (I know, I'm a sucker). After about 20 minutes of the 30 minute swim lesson, Trey turned around and asked me tearfully, "Has it been 10 minutes yet?" He ended up staying in for the entire lesson but we are still dealing with some residual "I hate swimming." I'm not sure why or what to do, but time will tell.
Success!
Julie's friend Bianca got married this month and Julie was honored to be a part of the wedding. Randy and I were planning on going together, but our sitter came down with the stomach flu. Randy stayed home, so Tim was pretty much my date. We had some time to kill between the ceremony and reception, so we stopped for some beers. We tried out a newish place on Williams called the Tin Bucket; it was alright but nothing different than the typical Portland watering hole. We were on our way to the reception and passed a new brewpub called Ex Novo. We both commented that we had never seen it before, and when we were about three blocks past, I said, "Wanna stop?" "Sure," Tim replied. And here we are...
Deena and Logan were at the wedding too, and luckily we were seated together since I was solo and Tim was at the bridal party table with Julie.
On Sunday, Trey and I went to Maclyn's fourth birthday party. It was at Curious Comedy Theater and I knew Trey would love it. There was a show put on for the kids, and it was great. After the show ended and Kathleen got out the cupcakes, Trey got all clingy and weepy and said he wanted to go home. When my boy says he wants to go home rather than eat cupcakes, I take it seriously. I was paranoid that he was getting hit by the stomach bug that went through his preschool, but luckily he didn't.
Super fun show for the kids - plus, they have a bar for adults.
Maclyn showing off his talents on stage
My friend Ardis, who is a pseudo-mother to me, lost her daughter this month because of a sudden brain aneurysm. Jenna leaves behind two teenaged daughters, so not only does my heart break for Ardis but also for her daughters. I attended Jenna's funeral and was glad to be there to support Ardis and her husband Dan. There were several other people there from the Woodburn School District who came to support the family. Afterwards, I went to Yun Wah's with Shelley and Stacy, and we had a great conversation about all sorts of things - living life fully, cancer, sudden death, grief... good friends + a few cocktails + the shock of losing someone suddenly = an afternoon I'll never forget.
Shelley, Stacy, and myself - my old special ed team from Nellie Muir
Recently, I had the opportunity to go to a really great conference for school psychologists (which I'm not) about assessment and special education. I was really looking forward to getting away from school for a few days, and I was also really excited to spend some time with Beth and Sarah, my old colleagues from the ESD. Wednesday night I had the thought that our old old colleague Michele might also be attending, and on Thursday morning I got the return text that she was. OMG!!! So happy!!!!!
With Michele and Beth after the first conference day
I used to walk with Sarah and Beth a lot at the ESD during our lunch breaks.
Walking the trails at Skamania was a nice way to spend lunch together.
While I was gone, Randy and Trey spent some time at Kris and John's house.
Trey convinced them to make brownies one night. Lucky Trey.
Driving home from work, I got to see this double rainbow.
The rainbow on the left was one of the brightest I've ever seen,
even though you can't really tell from this photo.
Thursday night I went to see Cheryl Strayed with Kellie.
It was great to catch up with Kellie and wonderful to hear Cheryl Strayed.
I can't wait for Wild to come out.
Cheryl Strayed talked a lot about loss and love, and one of the things she said really resonated with me. She said that the love her mother felt for her was so deep that it was now a part of her, part of her cells. She said that because of the love her mother had for her she knew what it felt like to be truly loved. I definitely feel like that was the experience I had with my mom, and, if I do my job right, that is what Trey will be able to say about me.
While I was out, Randy kept sending me pictures of Trey, dressed up for the Bronco game, in his boat headed to Walla Walla. The boat kept getting fuller and fuller. Super cute.
My sister and her husband spent a week in Mexico to celebrate their five year anniversary. Julie put together a week of babysitters that included the boys' grandparents. My dad and Sandy had the shift from Thursday to Saturday. We all went over there for dinner last night, and Trey and I spent a lot of time with them today. While it was fun to see them, it was also sort of a shit show. This afternoon, my dad and the boys came over and right now my house looks like a tornado hit it and I'm exhausted. I have 9,500 steps for the day, and the only place I went besides Julie's was swimming lessons, if that gives you an idea.
Friday night madness
Grandpa and his boys
Saturday morning troublemakers
"Grandpa, wake up!"
Trey and I made our holiday sugar cookies today, and I told him we would frost them when the boys were over.
he and Grady got along all day.
but now it looks like a tornado came through.
At least the boys were entertained...
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