single parenthood

Could the anticipation grow anymore around this house??? I don't think so. Tonight we carved pumpkins with my nieces. Kiran came home and tried on her costume one more time before the big day.

She then asked me if I could come and help out at her party. Of course, the little darlings in my room are having a party so the answer would be no, I cannot. My SIL then popped into the conversation and told Kiran she would stop in and see her and then give her a ride home. That made her very excited.

On the political front, everything that goes wrong around our house we have just blame Bill Clinton like the Republicans tend to do. The other day we were in a store when Kiran dropped something. She looked up at me and said, "That was George Bush's fault!" I thought I was going to die laughing. Can you tell which party she would vote for today????

It is hard to believe that 4 years ago, Senator Paul Wellstone, his lovely wife, wonderful daughter and friends died in an airplane crash about 2 miles from my brother's house. They were on their way to a funeral for a friend's dad. Today I was reading in the paper that his last vote on the Senate floor was a NO vote against the war. How right he was.....You still can find many people sporting their bumper Wellstone! bumper stickers around town.

Dare we start getting excited, one week before the election, that something might really change????

Today, one of my dearest friends at school, rounded the corner and looked at me and said friend how are you??? I could tell something was up and then she said, "I am going to be a mommy to a little baby boy in the next weeks." I started crying on the spot.

Anne and her husband have been through so much. They have been married for 9 years and having children didn't seem to be in the picture for them. About 2 1/2 years ago, she told me that they had decided to adopt. At first it seemed, like they wanted the Euro-American baby with the perfect birthparents. As time went by, they changed their tune and yesterday they signed the papers to adopt a little boy once he was born. I cannot tell you how excited I am for them. They deserve to be happy and I pray this all works out.

The one thing that makes me sad is the fact that their little boy will know his birthmother. They have agreed to keep in touch and maybe once a year get together. Oh, how my tune has changed. When I adopted Kiran I didn't want anything but a closed adoption. As she gets older and wants to know the information, I wished I had some answers for her. Someday, I hope we can find her and have all of our questions answered. Until then we can only fantasy about what she looks like, what she is doing, and like Kiran said the other night, wonder if she has any brothers or sisters.

Adoption, it is the coolest word we know in our house.

We had a wonderful long weekend in Northern Minnesota. We watched deer, a golden eagle and other wildlife. Last night we came home and relaxed some more.

This morning was going like every other Monday, two of my students who had been traveling, one to London and the other to Vegas, were back and it was great to see them. My Vegas traveler brought me a bracelet of dice. It is wonderful. His grandma told me that he picked it out himself. It makes it even that much more special.

Then the bottom dropped out. One of our bilingual aids came up to my room with a few tears in her eyes. She pulled me out into the hallway and told me that one of my students lost her baby sister this weekend. The baby was 2 1/2 months old and she loved that little girl. It sounds like SIDS. I have been so sad all day. She was in school and trying to keep up a good front but I could tell that it was getting to her. She told me that tonight would be the last time she ever gets to see her sister. How sad is that???

It just made everything else seem so trivial in the picture of things. How do you explain to a 7 year old about life not being fair much less to the mother who treasures her children??? In my 19 years of teaching I have never had a student lose anyone that close to them in age.

Hug your little people tonight, for that matter everyone you love, because you just never know what life has in store.

Today, I was walking outside to pick up my wonderful second graders, when we all heard a pop (sounded like a gunshot) followed by some smoke and a scream. The first thing we did was get everyone inside and safe. The noise came from a home across the street from the school. It all turned out alright and with the police investigation it turned out to be some knuckle head letting off fireworks.


Who on this earth, with what has happened in schools the last few weeks, be so stupid???? During conferences this week, I had a parent ask me how safe their children were. I didn't know how to reply because in reality we are sitting ducks. We have no security in the elementary buildings, maybe a camera or two but not much. Our doors stay open during the day in case someone needs to deliver something, pick up a child and so on. We have started locking all but two doors but hey that doesn't make me feel better.

Today I was close to my first school lockdown. Reality has sunk in. Lord help us all and the children we serve.......

When I picked up my baby this afternoon, she comes running over to me and puts her hand in her bag. "MOMMY, MOMMY, LOOK WHAT I GOT TODAY!!!" The smile was from ear to ear.

She received the Student of the Month award for her classroom. Her teacher wrote on there that she is a good friend to all in class. Well, I was worried about her being to shy and not making any no friends.

Hopefully she will continue on with these awards for a lifetime.

One Proud Mommy

First, let me thank the KC Royals and their swept of the Detriot Tigers this weekend.......

Second, there is no better feeling then supporting a team while they win or lose. I remember back in 1982 the MN Twins lost 102 games and as a senior in high school I could tell you everyone's batting average.

In 1987 we went from worst to first in one year. In 1991 we played the Braves and were given no chance. We won both of those World Series, 1987 being the sweetest of the two.

At the all-star break, my guys were 12 1/2 games out. Everyone was writing them off. In the middle of August they were 10 games out. On October 1st they have a one game lead......

Today, my MN Twins won their division and homefield advantage. We knew we were getting to the playoffs but had the Yankees in the backs of our minds. This is a team who cannot win at Yankee stadium, a team who loves their home. Today with their victory over Chicago, and the loss that Detriot suffered to KC, we became the division champions......

Joe Mauer, a hometown boy who is as Minnesotan as they come, win the batting title over Derek Jetier (SP). Derek maybe the most handsome guy in the Majors but Joe is probably the nicest......

Kirby and my mom are smiling down on us this evening. My mom was the biggest fan I ever knew. Kirby was the best player we ever had.

GO TWINS!!!! WIN THE SERIES!!!