Current Mood: Happy

I took my kids to the school board meeting last night. There were many, many high school kids there protesting the school start times I posted about in a previous message. (Here’s a link on the issue.) My son participated a little bit in the protest and was quite excited to be able to go to school today and tell his friends that he participated in a protest. LOL He held a sign that read “Don’t Leave me in the Dark!” and walked around in a big circle with the high schoolers chanting “flip the switch”! Last week our representative who is doing everything he can to help protest this switch approached the board in a last ditch effort. Here’s what happened. Of the four members who voted to change the times, only one was present when the presentation was made. So all eyes were focussed on her. She was angry! Angry specifically at the board member who put her on the spot. But as the chairman of the board pointed out, according to Robert’s Rules of Order, used to conduct the meetings, this was his only opportunity to make this plea and he was only doing what he “had” to do. He is not able to request for the board to rescind the vote, but he was allowed to make a plea to the board members who voted yes to rescind their vote and bring it back into discussion. She did NOT back down.

From that point, another member who voted no for the change approached their legal council regarding some possible legal issues presented with the change. They seemed to support the fact that they did not believe there were any legal issues that would hold up in court. One lawyer rambled on about it not being what would legally be considered a hardship on people and therefore would not hold in court. I had to laugh at the ending response by the chairman. Just before closing the meeting, she addressed the legal council and stated, “For the record, I have over 100 hardship petitions sitting on my desk!”

I am not happy with the outcome of the meeting but I am happy with Karen Ardamen, Jim Martin and Rick Roach who backed and supported their community and the way that they are demanding that this be revisited by the school superintendent.  The school superintendent responded that he will look and all ways to save this expected loss in the budget and heard the board members and the community “loud and clear”.

Way to go Karen Ardamen, Way to go Jim Martin and Way to go Rick Roach, for listening to and supporting your community!

Current Mood: Loving

I am struck today by the passion and drive so many of our young people now days have.  I often worry about the future of our world in the hands of the ones growing up to be our leaders.  This past week I have been struck by how many of the youth today have such drive and passion, compassion and caring. 

I mentioned in a recent post about spending time with some 10 and 11 year old boys.  I seriously didn’t forsee the enjoyment I would have with them coming.  I have spent quite a bit of time with children in the classroom and at home and have had a view that boys this age are usually obnoxious.  These boys weren’t AT ALL.   They were polite, caring, considerate of each other and happy to just be together having fun. 

I went out Saturday night with some other women and while sitting at the table we observed some excitement.  A young man went after a young woman and pulled her hair.  She took off down the parking lot and he went after her.  What struck me were the four other guys who ran out of the restaurant in pursuit of the man.  Their intent was to protect her.  One of the guys was our waiter, another was a young guy who gave up his table for us.  Nothing became of it as the guy was only after his phone which was in the girls purse.  We chatted with the waiter later about the event.  I was impressed with the four men who went after them to  protect the woman, his concern for others.

I have been reading quite a bit about the earthquake in Sichuan Provence in China.  China is dear to my heart as my daughter was born there.  I keep up with it from the perspective of the orphanages etc.  It breaks my heart to read about so many parents losing their only children, and so many children being left orphans.  I ache inside for them and keep them in my prayers.  Today I heard a story on CNN student news about a news group who was travelling into the area.  They were following others who were trying to get into the region to bring help and check on loved ones who lived in the area.  One such person was a young man going to check on his uncle.  He wanted to get in to check on his uncle, bring him food and water if he was still alive and help to get him out. 

I read about a young male teacher, 30 years old, who held open the doorway until all of his students escaped, only to have the building colapse on him.  I am saddened at the loss of his students and his family, but heartened to know that such caring and compassion still remains in this world.

I read another story about a couple heading out for their prom.  They were both dressed to the hilt and came upon an elderly woman in the middle of the road flagging them down for help.  They passed her and saw someone in the car unconcious and stopped.  The girl took off her shoes and hiked up her dress, ran across the road and started CPR.  The boy called 911 and helped the woman.  Both had just completed a class in school for EMT training.  The gentleman is in stable condition today as a result.  These students had someplace important for them to be, but stopped still to help and as a result saved a life. 

I think we are in good hands with our youth today.  I am proud of them and particularly impressed with what I have observed of our youth this week!

Who’d of thunk we could have fun at Universal Studios with 8 nine and ten year old boys? One usually drives me insane at home!

The patrols at school went on their “reward” field trip Friday. I was able to chaperon along with several other Moms. Each chaperon had 3 children in their group. I ended up with two and traveled in a group with two other Mom friends of mine. So we had 8 big boys. The trip started off with the ticket line taking 1-1/2 hours to get through. I couldn’t believe how well the kids were behaved standing around for that long of time. I guess that’s why they’re patrols. As soon as we had tickets in hand we took off on our adventure.

The first stop was Spider Man. DS was worried because he remembered it being really scary when he went on it the last time. I had to giggle. The last time he was 4 or 5 years old. Of course it was scary. Funny how those feelings stay with you even when you grow up. He had great fun and settled more after that. We went on the Bilge Barge ??? (The Popeye ride). Everyone was soaked and of course laughing lots. The boys played in the play Jurrasic Park play area for awhile and we ate lunch. The last ride we were able to make was the Jurrasic Park Ride. Whoa! That drop was for lack of a better word…”thrilling”.

We had to leave right after that. The funny part of the evening was leaving. I forgot where I parked the van. I was so concerned with following the bus there and following two other mom’s who drove that I forgot to pay attention to where I parked. I knew the general area, but not the specific level. I had to call the home of one of the mom’s (I didn’t have her cell number) and ask her husband to call her cell phone and ask where she parked. Talk about embarrassing. He was laughing out loud on the other end. In the end, Van and I were reunited and all was well.

Current Mood:

I spent some time last night putting together this new skin for summer.  I’ve used this on my main site too.  I love Cosmic Handmade’s graphics. 

It was another late night with DS.  He is having real trouble managing his time.  It is driving me insane.  Because he doesn’t manage his time well, I end up working late with him making sure he gets done what needs to be done.  Last night we were up until 11:30.  That is too late for this old woman who has to get up at 6:30 to get ready to go to work.  I was already tired from musical beds the night before.  Tonight he is dealing with one ugly Mamma.  He’s a bit of an ogre himself though.  Makes for a very pleasant evening around this house.  Bedtime tonight is 9:30 regardless.  He will just have to deal with the consequences at school of not having work done on time.

I had DD’s class again today.  Right after school was a meeting with the 5th grade parents working on the luncheon for end of the year.  I meet in the morning to help the woman I’m helping  out with the year book and we’ll get it finished up and sent off to the printer.  We should have it back in time for the big day.  I will be glad when this school  year is over.

I’m off to work on the kids evening routine and then get myself in bed.  zzzz

 

Current Mood:

It’s Monday and I am exhausted.   Not a good way to start the week when you have so much to accomplish before Wednesday.  I think the game of muiscal beds we played last night must have caused the tired feeling this morning.  Some lovely soul called our house at 11:30 last night and woke everyone from their dreaming slumber.  DH answers the phone and I roll over to go back to sleep when I see a light coming from our bathroom and hear someone moving around in there.  I think to myslef…I didn’t hear DH get up?  So I roll over and he’s still there.  Now I want to know WHO is in MY bathroom in the middle of the night.  So I ask DH and he says it’s DS.  About that time DS appears in our doorway.  WRONG!  DS can’t be in our bathroom and our doorway at the same time.  So DH gets up to check on our bathroom.  It’s DD.  Why she’s in our bathroom I still don’t know.  (I’m not sure she knows!)  I roll over to go back to sleep once more and there’s flopping around behind me.  I realize DS has now joined us in bed.  Never got that story either.  But he’s asking me to move over.  I’m already clinging to the side of the bed and loosing my precious minutes of sleep so I decide to go sleep in DD’s bed rather than argue the point which would take longer to solve.  DD is sleeping in DS’s room?  So I climb into DD’s bed and slip off to dreamland once more.  Somewhere in the night…must be early morning by now, DD comes in and tells me she wants her bed back.  UGH!  I get up and move to DS’s bed as it is empty and FINALLY get to sleep once more.  DS is going to get an ear full when he gets home from school today.  I’m also going to try to get a few winks before I have to get busy today.  Right now I’m in a pretty thick fog and am not sure how much I’ll be able to accomplish.  If I take 30 extra mintues I’ll get more accomplished.  Zzzzz….