by Sarah | Aug 31, 2012 | Crap, Friday Fragments, Random
[flickr id=”7089103379″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]School’s back in, and we’re on the roller coaster ride of emotions that always accompanies the start of the school year.
- At first I thought the school year would be great for Molly. Then I spent a night in tears bawling over an email that showed me how little they understood my girl…and then the next day I was able to meet with the teacher and went back to feeling positive again. Who knows where this year will end up.
- Kennedy has also lucked out in the teacher department. She’s got one willing to understand and work on her temper issues and communicate them with me. Total bonus.
- For weeks I’ve been working on edits for my manuscript. This is just my personal ‘clean up’ round – it’s just the start. So much work to be done to get that book out into the world.
- In between edits I finished another novel. Now that one needs to be polished up and submitted ’round the world.
- Having a quiet house during the day is a beautiful thing. Things are cleaned, bills are paid, I am calmer.
- Erik’s birthday is next Friday. The old man turns 45. Quite a milestone for such a baby face.
- Been running again. Each run varies between going really well and me wanting to collapse and die. Here’s hoping I make it to the 5k and through it!
- I also have a big anniversary coming up. 10 years. Wowsa.
by Sarah | Aug 29, 2012 | All About Kennedy, All About Learning, Anger Issues, Special Needs
[flickr id=”7665946732″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]The day before school started I got an email from Kennedy’s teacher.
After reading the excited, bouncing off the email, energetic note of welcome before school even started I took to twitter and commented that Kennedy had a “perky” teacher and that I might be a wee bit frightened.
The feeling continued when the first day of school came with another bouncy email and a mass of papers to fill out about Kennedy – her personality, strengths, weaknesses, etc. More than any of my kids have brought home from any teachers.
Of course I got to go to Kennedy’s “meet-the-teacher” night while Erik went to Molly’s – so I got to meet the bubbly teacher myself. She didn’t disappoint with her very friendly and enthusiastic intro into the world of 1st grade.
I think I became a little more frightened.
Then yesterday happened.
The first time Kennedy’s notorious temper reared its ugly head.
I knew about it pretty darn quick. The teacher emailed me withing an hour or so of it happening. We communicated through the day, and I was able to deal with it when Kennedy got home.
I was scared of the perky, bouncy teacher…until I realized that it could lead to a year of excellent communication and possibly a better way to deal with Kennedy’s anger issues.
Embrace the perky.
I know I will. 🙂
by Sarah | Aug 28, 2012 | 45 before 45, All About Me, Get Fit - Or Kill Myself - Whatever Comes First
[flickr id=”7267389774″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Some time ago I made a pledge. I signed up for a 5k and determined that I would make it through the c25k program with time to spare. I’m not a runner, but I wanted to get healthy again, in shape.
Then the drought hit.
The insatiable, undying, intense heat.
Every day over 90*, starting in the 70’s.
So blasted hot.
Too hot to run without passing out.
Finally we had a break. Cool mornings.
So for the past 3 weeks I’ve been back at it.
I still can’t sustain a run for a long time and I’m sort of speed-bumping my way through that c25k thing. My muscles are weeping, my body is tired – but I can see that finish line now.
In 25 days come hell or high water – I’ll be running a 5k.
I just hope I come out the other end. 😉
by Sarah | Aug 26, 2012 | Photography, Scavenger Hunt Sunday, Show & Tell
So the kids are back in school. This is excellent save for one thing…
They brought home that horrible “School has started summer is ending” beast of a cold. Molly sick on Monday, me sick the rest of the week…well, my camera got neglected in favor of me sleeping. Sooo…another week of archive draws. Sorry.
All taken w/ Canon Rebel XS.
1. School
Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn. ~Benjamin Franklin
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School is in, leaving the playgrounds barren. (Still one of my favorite shots)
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2. Rule of Thirds
Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond our grasp, but which, if you sit quietly, may alight upon you. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
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What is uttered from the heart alone, Will win the hearts of others to your own. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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3. Side Profile
For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it. ~Ivan Panin
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Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. ~Kahlil Gibran
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4. Small
A small world appears within the Christmas windows.
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Mighty things from small beginnings grow. ~John Dryden
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5. Motion
I lived to write and wrote to live. ~Samuel Rogers
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That which the fountain sends forth returns again to the fountain. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Since I’m addicted to quotes w/ my images I’ve started to link to the Sunday Citar over at Fresh Mommy Blog w/ my photo posts every Sunday. It’s a great way to combine two of my loves 🙂
You can find more pictures over at my flickr account.
Scavenger Hunt Sunday is run by the beautiful Ashley. Head on over to see more Hunters.
by Sarah | Aug 23, 2012 | All About Molly, Autism, Special Needs
[flickr id=”7665948176″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]The new school year began a week ago.
We didn’t get the early meeting with the teacher we’d expected.
We did get a phone call the day before. A 15-30 minute talk with her teacher about Molly and what to expect and where she should sit and what to expect and how she’d been at home (a bit bonkers in anticipation of the change). The call went well, I think we got things across and I liked her over the phone.
Molly has been…
Happy.
Busy (read: a bit ADD).
Talkative (?!!!?).
There hasn’t been (so far) any of the violent out-breaks of last year. No major throwing of fits. There’s a 7 year old’s attitude, but nothing in the extreme ranges.
I don’t know if its having a teacher with a different personality. Or now 2 years experience under her belt. Or what….
But so far so good.
Fingers crossed that it keeps up.
Now if only she hadn’t brought home the cold virus ~achoo~
by Sarah | Aug 21, 2012 | Random
[flickr id=”7809451492″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]When my grandparents were dating, my grampa would bring gramma a gardenia at every date. She’d carefully set it in a bowl of water, wary of touching the petals so they wouldn’t brown, and keep it as long as possible.
We lost grampa over 15 years ago. Gramma – just 2 years ago.
This year on a whim, and a deep prayer, I bought a gardenia bush to plant next to my last ‘whim’ purchase of a Rose of Sharon (that now stands 4 feet tall and blooms like mad).
I bought it to honor my grandparents, and hoped they would help ensure it bloomed.
But the drought came early. Within a week, despite watering it every evening, then every other evening as water bans started to take effect…the leaves browned.
Death took hold.
Or so I thought.
The past two weeks it has begun to rain again. Not enough to totally erase the drought – but enough to turn lawns green again. My Rose of Sharon had never stopped blooming so I never thought to check on my flower bed.
Until the other day I happened to notice some green.
Just a little. Weeds, perhaps.
But no.
I got closer and saw the familiar waxy leaves, small but sprouting. Where dead, brown branches reached into the air – green tips started to appear.
I doubt it will fully heal before the winter comes – but it has survived.
Delicate on the surface.
Resilient. Strong.
Like my grandparents.
Like me.
My husband.
My kids.
My family.
A gardenia.
