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Photo by evelynishere on Flickr
School starts in 16 days, 2 hours, and 46 minutes as of the writing of this sentence.
Can you tell I’m excited?
My 4 year old is going to kindergarten (don’t worry, he’ll be 5 the day after school starts) and my newly 9 year old will start the fourth grade. There are so many things to see and participate in during the school year that it’s fun for the whole family.
What’s not so fun is back to school shopping.
The clothes we can deal with since we know our boys are going to need school uniforms each year. Plus the school has a locker to exchange gently used items for clothes that fit. We take advantage of that service but always make sure to leave something in its place.
I’m not so complacent about the school supply list. When did we become responsible for buying wall balls for the classroom? Or colored copier paper? I can understand the penciles, paper, and glue but sandwhich bags? And lets not forget the hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. I told the hubs that if there had been face masks on the list our boys would have been homeschooled this year.
And they still might considering the state of California’s economy.
Teacher’s are being laid off and the size of the classroom is increasing. I wonder how our children are going to learn what they need to pass the useless tests that are required by the state? The teachers cannot keep up with thirty or forty kids in the classroom. Parental involvement is becoming required not requested in many areas but how can parents be involved in the classroom during the day if they have to work?
Can you tell that this makes me hot under the collar?
The hubs and I debated these questions while shopping at Wally World* the other day for those school supplies. We couldn’t solve the problems of our economy but it was nice to commiserate at the checkout stand when we handed the cashier our hard earned cash.
Okay, so this post was more of a rant about the rising costs of just about everything rather than an opinion. Surely someone out there feels the same way? If you do, leave a comment!
* Yes, Wally World. In this economy I cannot afford to go anywhere else, particularly when the supplies for two little boys costs me nearly $150.
Buzz Aldrin on the Moon
We should do more of it.
Seriously. It’s been years since we actually got a person on the moon (much less a female or a minority).
This dip we have in national curiosity about space reminds me of the early part of the 20th century when the US became isolationist. The only way to move forward is to look outward and, oh I don’t know, actually make that first move.
Which we did back on July 20th, 1969.
The goal was set by JFK in 1961 and reached by end of the decade. That’s what we can do when we work together and make the effort.
Moving forward, keeping the pace, and getting the job done. We’ve done it with other things, although those were mostly reactionary (9/11 & Katrina come to mind). Wouldn’t it be grand to do something positive & proactive again?
I would love to see my kids get excited about traveling the solar system. My eldest likes to watch the stars at night and, at our new place, we have a great view. I want him to think that he too can make it to the moon or beyond.
So, in my opinion, making that positive first step towards exploration and discovery is the goal the United States should focus on. We should continue what those space pioneers began in 1960’s, build on it, and create a new sense of wonder for the whole world.
from writefromkaren Monday Morning Meme
What’s something your parents used to say to you as a child that you promised yourself you’d never say — but now you catch yourself saying all the time? Now tell us something that you say all the time that is uniquely you.
“Wait til your father gets home!”
“Maybe…”
“You’ll go blind!”
“Well, you could but then I’d have to chain you to the tree out front.”
and the list goes on. I never really thought I’d end up sounding like my mom and dad. However, I’m glad I did since they’re possibly two of the greatest parents that ever lived. And, let’s face it, as a child we promise never to act like our parents anyway but that usually doesn’t happen.* But that doesn’t mean that I am a carbon copy of my parents. I have come up with some new and catchy phrases, like:
“Fabulous!” (not something you’d ever catch my dad saying!)
“Write me a four page paper on it and I’ll consider buying you a ________.” (recently happened and my 9 year old son got to keep the tortoise that came with our brand spanking new house!)
“Where did your common sense go?!” (happens quite frequently with 3 boys in the house!)
“Where’s your little brother?” (Bit of an issue as the littlest one likes to climb. On anything.)
There are others but I’m only on my second cup of coffee at the moment. I hope that my kids remember these and use them within my hearing when they have kids of their own. I’ll just sit back with a big smug smile and nod. Been there, done that, sugaring up the grandkids and sending them home!
Just like my mom.
* This may not apply to those people with horrible upbringings. So, take that particular comment as a generality and with a grain of salt.
If you could wake up tomorrow having gained one ability or quality, what would it be? How would this new-found ability or quality change your life?
A question asked by writefromkaren
Well, I don’t want to fly. I’m not afraid so much of heights as I am hitting the ground.
Stopping time would be nice but I wonder how things would move in a slipstream (I watch way to much Sci-Fi channel).
Or, possibly, the ability to multitask on a guru level. Kids, work, dinner, chores, church all done simultaneously? No problem.
But, since none of those will actually come true, short of a serious technological advancement I’m not sure I’d even want, I’ll settle for accessing the fruits of the Spirit.
The good Lord gave them to me but I seem to misplace them every once in a while. It’s like losing your keys and then being really happy (and a bit relieved) to find them just when you need them. I think if I could keep love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in one spot that I could easily access, I’d be a superhero. I would be able to right the wrongs and do it with a glad heart.
Or maybe something a bit more realistic like having patience with kids wanting to ask questions while I’m trying to work, denying the temptation of a donut, or even showing the love I know I have to my husband on a daily, hourly, minute basis.
Unfortunately, I’m human which means that there are times when those fruits of the spirit are being blocked by my sinful nature. On the other hand, He loves me enough to be patient with me and keeps on whispering, “You left the fruit in your other pocket.”
Have I mentioned how grateful I am to be His child?
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