College Move In

Today is the big day.  We moved our oldest child into college, and we managed to make it home again before Hurricane Irene began to dump serious amounts of rain on us. 

I remember his first day of kindergarten like it was yesterday.  The confusion, the lines of excited parents and children, and the very confused siblings.  Our daughter was 1 1/2 when the oldest one started kindergarten, and she was standing next to her brother, holding his hand up until he walked into the door.  She was very, very upset that we would not let her follow him into the kindergarten classroom.

This morning was amazing.  The same experience; excited parents and children, lots of chaos, and some very confused siblings. 

We moved after our son finished 6th grade, as did several of our friends.  We had some amazing people that we had lost contact with over the last couple of years with the stress of raising teenagers.

And here's the amazing part:  My son's best friends from that time in his life are also attending the same University with him.  They are all in the same dorm.  They are all on the same floor.  We saw the parents in the dining hall at lunch time, and it was like old home week!  It was wonderful. 

The boys all slunk off while we crowded around the middle of the dining hall, hugging each other and shaking hands. 

As I started to walk off with our second child, he was stopped by several kids that he's met at the regional robotics tournaments over the last couple of years.  They were all like "hey, how's it goin'??" And doing that weird handshake that they do,  and then he introduced those kids to his brother, who will be the student there this fall.

Move in was amazingly smooth, and textbooks were purchased within 20 minutes of walking in the door of the bookstore.  We left at 1:00, just as the first of the weather was arriving.  We got home safe and sound a little while later, and I'm sitting here now, listening to the rain pound down on the house. 

I still have mixed emotions about him going off to college, but I feel much better knowing that he already knows several kids before classes even begin...

All packed and ready to go!  I hope we didn't forget anything important!

Now this was cool.  It's a line of about 20 Power One electrical maintenance trucks from Florida.  They were headed East on  Highway 70 when we saw them.  Thanks for the proactive help!

And here's all of the stuff, waiting to be moved in.  The University actually had Office Movers on hand, with big carts - think of the carts that industrial laundries use.  They were there as soon as I took the picture, loaded the stuff into the cart, and took it upstairs with our son.  Total move in time: 10 minutes.

Nifty clouds.  These were swirling around as we were getting ready to leave, dumping lots of rain on us.

High School Orientation

So, my youngest child - our daughter - begins High School next week.  This morning is Orientation for all incoming Freshman, and tonight is Back to School Night for all students.

I've done the high school orientation two times before, and I'm still looking forward to today's orientation.  We'll go in and listen to the principal explain attendance policies to us.  He'll explain the Standards of Conduct. 

And then, we'll break up into small groups and tour the building.

This high school is much smaller than my high school was, and I find it to be very easy to navigate.  However, this school is much bigger than the middle school that my children attended, and it is overwhelming to them.  The fear of getting lost on the first day of class isn't mitigated at all by her older brothers giving her directions to get to the portables just outside the cafeteria by directing her through the pool.  (Our school doesn't have a pool, so you can see just how helpful they are being!)

I have some mixed emotions about sending my last child off to high school.  I was thrilled to leave elementary school behind.  We had a good school, but her 5th grade teacher left me with bad, bad memories of elementary school.  By the time the last day of 5th grade rolled around, I stood out in the parking lot with several other parents who were leaving elementary school behind forever and danced the "Happy Dance". 

Our middle school has been the bright, shining light of school for all of our kids.  We are very fortunate to have a school that challenges our kids, acknowledges that kids who are in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will be mischievous, and works hard to challenge all of that excess energy into academic curiosity.  Considering our ranking in the state, our school test scores, and the high number of children who go on to get college scholarships, I know that they do an excellent job.  I love the teachers in that building, and I love their enthusiasm and love for the children.  When we finished middle school in June, I did cry.  I will miss middle school.

But we have an awesome high school!  The best teachers, ever, and a student body that is motivated and eager.  Why do I find myself so sad?  I think it's because she's moving on to High School.  I'm realizing that she has completed 8 years of compulsory education.  She'll only be at home for a few more years before she moves out and starts her own adventures.   It's a sobering realization.

It seems like only yesterday that she was standing at the bus stop with her brothers.  She was three years old, and wearing a purple sweat suit with a purple tutu and sneakers.  She, Philip, Kyran, and Christina were running around the bus stop, chasing each other around and yelling.  When all of their older brothers and sisters got on the bus and they had to stay behind, all of them started crying.  They were inconsolable that their siblings were going off on an adventure and leaving them behind.

I kind of hate to admit it, but that's how I've been feeling this week. 

This stage in our lives kind of stinks, you know?

East Coast Earthquake

Hard to believe, but we had a small earthquake here yesterday.  You'd think from all of the press coverage that buildings had collapsed and thousands have been killed.

There has been damage.  The National Park Service found a crack in the Washington Monument.  I've been watching the news on and off for the last 24 hours from the Washington, DC stations, and I have heard nothing about the monument leaning or being tilted.  I saw the live feed out of Washington at lunchtime, and it doesn't look as if it's tilted.  I remember looking at plans from the monument several years ago, and there is a lot of monument underneath the ground.  In order for that monument to tilt, I believe we would have had to have a stronger earthquake.

There was major damage to St. Patricks Cathedral in Baltimore, as well as to the National Cathedral in Washington.  Both are closed until furthur notice while structural engineers take a closer look at the buildings.

Where was I during the earthquake?  I was walking into the church with the kids.  I heard the building and ground rattling as we walked up to the door, but there were large trucks driving by the church at that time.  My initial thought was "Good heavens, those are big trucks.  What kind of a load are they carrying?"  We walked into the church and heard the sounds of the preschool kids screaming, and saw all of our pastors and office staff standing in the doorways in the offices. 

My middle son, who is not lacking in self-confidence, announced as he walked into the church office: "The ground trembles at my arrival!"  

In passing, I would like to note that the cats were going absolutely nuts yesterday.  They were throwing themselves around the house, running into walls, and tearing up and down the hallway.  I talked to some friends last night at church, and I heard the same thing over and over again.  Whether people owned a dog or a cat, the animals were going nuts in the hours leading up to the earthquake.  Interestingly enough, our cats have gone nuts several times since then.  The kids have a screen on the computer hooked to the National Geologic Website, and when the cats start bouncing off the walls again, we'll check their online seismograph and find out that, sure enough, we've had another aftershock.  Some of them have been too small for us to feel, but the cats have definitely felt them.

Truly, I enjoyed the earthquake.  It's a better ride than anything I've been on at HesheyPark. 

I am so glad that I don't live on the West Coast, where these things happen on a regular basis.
And I am so thankful that no one was hurt or injured. 

Be careful out there!

Eagle Scout Ceremony

Our oldest son had his Eagle Scout Ceremony on Saturday afternoon. 

His Eagle Project was to build a set of risers (or steps) onto the existing stage in the fellowship hall of our church.

His original Eagle Project had been approved by the district, but when he went through the county permit office, the project was denied, and he had to start again, from scratch.  At the time of the denial, he was 17 years old.  He had less than a year left to find a project, get it approved and carry it out.

I have to say, I have never seen him so motivated.  He found a new project and had it approved by the end of April.  It passed through the county permit office in May, and he began fundraising in June.

He carried his Eagle Scout project out on the third weekend in August - hey wait- that was the exact same weekend that we held his Eagle Scout Ceremony!

And then, he had to wade through the write-up.   His birthday is in January, and he didn't finish the write-up until December. 

He had his scoutmaster conference a week before his 18th birthday, and turned his paperwork in three days before his birthday.  Our advancement chair turned the paperwork in the very next day.  Good thing, too.  As he was leaving the Council office, it started to snow.  The area roads were shut down and schools were closed for the next two days!

His ceremony was wonderful.  All of his living grandparents were there.  His Eagle Advisor was there.  His co-workers from the Boy Scout Camp where he works during the summer were there.  And we all had a great time, talking, laughing, and reminiscing.

So much work on his part.  So many things went wrong, and yet, it all came together in the end.  Preserverance saw him through the project.  Like the rest of life, the race is not always won by the fastest, but by the one who sticks through, until the very end.

Congratulations, son.  I am very proud of you!

A Word from the Cat

Hello... my name is Tiger, and I am one of two resident cats in this house.

The computer is on, and everyone is cleaning up my latest masterful creation in the basement, so I have taken matters into my own paws, if you will, to give my story.

I have lived with this family for nine years now.  I was a little kitten when I saw a little girl with a bright green pack walking down the street to the big yellow caterpillar.  I chased her backpack straps,  and I caught them!

She got into the big yellow caterpillar, and I followed her "Mom" back to her house.  They had a nice porch with a big chair and cushion on it, so I made myself at home.  My Mom had lived in the woods by the place where the big yellow caterpillar came.  I lived there with my brothers and sisters.  Mom had been hit by a car the night before, and we were all out looking for a safe place to live and get food and water.

Eventually, "Mom" brought out food and water for me.  She let me into the house.  She put pictures of me up all over the neighborhood.  I was taken to an office where I was wrapped up in a towel, and had a couple of sharp sticks poked at me. 

But, through it all, I loved that little girl with the bright green backpack with the long dangly straps.   I'll call her Missy.

Missy has grown up now.   She no longer carries a bright green backpack, and the straps no longer dangle on the ground when she walks.  I heard that she was in something called "Kindergarten" when I adopted her, and now she is going into something called "High School".

I've taught Missy well over the years.  I've taught her to pet me when I meow.  I used to sleep at the end of her bed, but now - her feet keep hitting me in the middle of the night.  I try to lick her toes to keep her from hitting me, but does she move her feet?  No!  She kicks me!  I've taught her not to leave the lid on her fish tank open, and last night, I reminded her why she should not leave a ball of yarn down on the floor.

Recently, my family brought home another cat.  Her name is Luna.  Luna thought that she could have possession of Missy's feet, too.  She was wrong.  Luna and I have been having battles over posession of Missy's feet at 2 in the morning.  I win the battles, and possession of Missy's feet.  Unfortunately, Missy wakes up when we fight, and throws us both out of her room and closes the door so we can't get back in.  It's not fair!  I win those fights fair and square, and what reward to I get?  I get tossed out into the cold, dark hallway in the middle of the night!

Picture, Copyright 2011 BLW

And so, last night, Luna and I declared a truce.  After we were tossed out of Missy's room, we went downstairs and found the yarn basket.  Need I say more? 

I must go now.  I hear Missy coming back upstairs.

Until next time,
Tiger


 This post originally appeared in my now defunct "Mom's View" blog.  I moved it to this blog at the request of my kids, who wanted to have all of the various posts that accompanied their high school years in one place.  I've matched the publication dates here to their original post date.  If you're reading these posts, I sincerely thank you for taking the time to go back through them all! 

Coming Events: Eagle Scout Ceremony

Our oldest son earned his Eagle Scout Rank this past spring.  He received the notification from the National Office that he was an official Boy Scout about a month before he graduated from high school.  A week after he graduated, he went off for his summer job at a Boy Scout Camp.  Between his camp schedule and his work schedule, this weekend was dubbed to be the weekend of the Eagle Scout.

I have been dilligently preparing for this event all summer.  I sent out the letters to our Congressmen, Senators, and President months ago. As the letters have been coming in, I've placed them inside of the plastic page protecting sleeves and put them into a notebook.

His Cub Scout album was finished a couple of years ago, and that will be going with us. 

All of the fun badges that he's earned over his 12 years of Boy Scouting are on his badge blanket, and that is also going to the ceremony.  His Arrow of Light has been tracked down, and we will be taking it with us to the ceremony.

I slapped together a display board of his Eagle Scout project, and I submitted a press release to our local newspaper.

I found this awesome book at the scout store a month back.  It's a fabulous handbook that lists all of the segments of an Eagle Scout ceremony, and gives the scout the opportunity to choose which type of material he would like to have read for each segment of the ceremony.  We spent a couple of nights during our vacation choosing what he wanted to have in each segment of the ceremony.  Somehow, he managed to talk his sister into participating in the flag ceremony- with her in her Girl Scout Uniform.  How he did that is a mystery to me, but I am so thankful that he managed to talk her into doing this.  Talk about memorable!

What is proving to be the hardest for me is getting the food planned out. 

I will be ordering a cake from the grocery store tomorrow.
We're going to have a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and chips and crackers. 
Water Bottles in a tub, and a 5 gallon thermos full of lemonade.

I feel as if we should have more, but I am at a loss as to what else we should put out. 
I'm open to any and all suggestions......


This post originally appeared in my now defunct "Mom's View" blog.  I moved it to this blog at the request of my kids, who wanted to have all of the various posts that accompanied their high school years in one place.  I've matched the publication dates here to their original post date.  If you're reading these posts, I sincerely thank you for taking the time to go back through them all!  

A Week Away

We just spent an amazing week on Maryland's Eastern Shore for our family vacation.  One fabulous and amazing week with no electronics, and no television.  We stayed in a place where, horror of horrors - there was no cell phone reception!  The kids couldn't even text their friends!

Very sadly, I realized that this is the last year that we have as a family for vacation before everything changes.  My oldest child is headed off to college in a little under two weeks.  He'll be living on campus, beginning his own life. 

Anyway, we stayed on the Western Side of the Eastern Shore in a wonderful little house on the water.  We saw Osprey.  We saw Bald Eagles.  We kayaked every night.  We rode bicycles.  We went crabbing.  We watched the most beautiful sunsets every night.  And we did crossword puzzles,  played games, and talked.

We did spend one day down at Assateague Island.  (Where the wild ponies live.)  We were on the beach side of the island, playing in the water.  We looked up on the shore and saw a line of four wild horses come over the dune.  They walked in a line through the beach towels, giving each and every one a good sniff.  The family just in front of us had left a bag of apples on their towel.  The lead pony grabbed the bag, and twirled it around in his mouth until the apples fell out- onto MY beach towel.  They then stood around, eating the apples.  My daughter and I had left a change of clothes in a grocery bag on my towel.  Since the ponies had hit pay dirt with another grocery bag, they then nosed through our bag full of clothes.  Finding nothing, they moved on to the next beach towel. 

When we got back up to my beach towel, we found an interesting situation.  Our unmentionables had been spread out, but someone had thoughtfully scooped them back into our grocery bag for us.  Thank you mysterious, thoughtful person!  However, my beach towel was covered in horsespit, apple slime, and sand that was thouroughly ground into the wet parts of the apple slime/spit combination.  Easily one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.  I've washed that towel a couple of times now, but I think it just may be a lost cause.

Now THAT is a priceless vacation memory!

A bald eagle hangs out on top of a telephone pole, looking for his lunch.

A look down our dock and into the river leading to the Chesapeake Bay.