Leaving this evening

I will be in Fresno Tuesday evening 7/29 if anybody is available. Let me know if you would like to get together. I will be checking the blog from my parents' house.

Growing up

Yesterday I had an amazing day with one of my students. She was in my class this past year, and is seriously a marvelous young lady. We ran into each other at Walmart, and she said that she was having an okay summer, but was tired of going to day care. So I asked her mom if it would be okay to come pick her up and hang out with her for the day.

We really didn't do anything exciting, but rather just did the normal things I had to get done that day. We worked in my classroom with Scott, helping him move anything out of my class that was his and needed to go into his new classroom across town. Lunch at Olive Garden, and random errands like the bank and teacher supply store.

But even though there was nothing really that special about what we did, I loved every minute of my time with her. We talked about silly things during the time that she helped me do whatever I was doing.Little things, like putting the shopping cart away while I loaded up the groceries, and helping me unload the dish washer.

I guess part of the reason why I loved being with her yesterday is because it allowed me to see how things will be with Emily when she is that age. I spend so much time worrying about things that I will miss when Emily gets older. The things she will no longer do, and the things she will no longer need me for. But yesterday made me realize that even though Emily is getting bigger and growing out of certain things, she and I will do new things. There will be different ways that we spend our time together, and though they won't be better or worse in terms of their significance, they will still be wonderful things.

Just a random realization I guess, but nevertheless and important one. Reflecting on my day with my sweet student allowed me to be at peace with Emily growing up, and not mourning the loss of eras that come to a close with her growth. I'm excited to see who Emily will become!

Hurricane Preparedness

On our way to Edisto Island we saw this gem. Yes, those are cinder blocks holding up that trailer. I bet that really helps the danger of storm surge. If I was in a hurricane, this is the house I would want to be in. Safety all the way.

When I first saw the beach houses here it took me a moment to figure out why the entire house was built up, so that the garage is actually the first story, and the rest of the house is built on top of it. I get that. But a trailer? Do they really think that is going to help?

THe first time we drove by it I wanted to take a picture to send to my dad to show him the beach house we were staying in, just to see what he would say. Then I started really thinking about the cinder blocks, and what is holding them together. I wanted to get close enough to see if there is any mortar, but when we went by on our final day, there was actually a car in front for the first time. I didn't want to be rude, as if stopping on the highway and snapping a picture of his house wasn't rude enough.

All I have to say is... if there is ever a hurricane while I am in the Charleston area I will know exactly where to go for safety!

Adam: Can you really compare this to a pigeon?

Going Here tomorrow

We rented a house on Edisto Island with some friends. Should be lots of fun. Lots of relaxation. Lots of lazy.

We head out in the morning and our plan is to stop in Charleston (one of my favorite cities EVER) for lunch, and then head on down to the beach house. We are brining our bikes, as we hear there is a bike trail that goes all the way around the island. I wonder how long we could go without using the car?? :)

Plans may include fishing (?!) for blue crab, Charleston ghost tour, and/or a beach combing expedition to Otter Island. Nice.

See you next Saturday!

P.S. Fresno and Bako People: Em and I will be flying in to L.A. 7/24 and staying until 8/4. As of now we plan on staying in Fresno on 7/29-7/30. I am hoping that some of my favorite tower people will be in town the night of 7/29 and eager for a night out at Landmark, or wherever. :) I miss you all!

Any other possible solutions are welcome

When I was younger (and still on my parents' insurance) I was told by both my Bakersfield and Fresno dentist that I had no wisdom teeth. I guess I just wasn't made with any. (No wise cracks about me not being wise!) I always thought this was a wise (ha ha!) decision that God made, knowing how horrible I am with tooth pain, and my aversion to going to the dentist at all.

Now let me back a bit and talk about my dental aversion. When I was twelve I was just a couple days from getting my braces removed. I was playing outside with my dad, and asked him to throw me "A really HIGH POP FLY." So he did. And I caught it... with my mouth. I totally blacked out, and when I came to, my mom had just arrived home and was marveling at just how swollen I was already. Three hours of emergency oral surgery later, and I was back home to find out that my treasured mouth metal was to be with me for at least another six months. Nice.

Then comes pregnancy. How does this tie in you ask? Well let's just say that besides my hair getting much darker and my bladder permanately smaller, another after shock of pregnancy is that it "drops" wisdom teeth in some women, becoming impacted. So now my "non existent" wisdom teeth were very much existing in my oral x-ray. I found this out in winter '07. I came directly home and cried to Scott. It was horrible. And that was the end of that. I just figured I could ignore the entire problem, and hope that it goes away.


But that doesn't quite work. I was reading Katie's blog where she mentioned Denise's wisdom teeth extraction, and I couldn't help but immediately feel the impacted teeth. I don't know what to do about this, since going to the oral surgeon is clearly not an option. Wish them away? Pray to God to remove any wisdom he bestowed on me, including my now apparent wisdom teeth? Ughh.

If anybody has any thoughts on how to get rid of these pesky suckers I would greatly apprectiate it. (And for those mennos who attend church with my mother, please don't tell her. As far as she is concerned, I was never made with wisdom teeth. The last thing I need is her trying to talk some "sense" into me! :)

Hey Julie? You want some brownies?

I made brownies last night for my family. Not anything special, just the basic box brownie with a scoop of vanilla on top. It made me think of the summer of 2002. That was the "summer of the brownie" and "the summer of the failed cooler."

Julie had moved into the back sun room in the Vassar house, and Jenny was in China for a bit. With Jenny gone, Julie and I could make dessert every night with nobody telling us no, or reminding us of calories and fat content. It was fabulous. We went through too many brownie boxes to count.

And while reminiscing about that summer, I was reminded of the two weeks from hell when our air conditioning went out after Jenny got back. Now, this wasn't really an air conditioner, but a swamp cooler. Everybody knows that swamp coolers are great, until the temp goes over 100 and then they do nothing. This particular summer was very hot, as we all remember, and our cooler went out the very day that our landlord flew to Ireland for a two week vacation. It was awful. I was teaching summer school and Jenny was year round, so we came home every day and found some way to get cool. We went to a movie, Boarders, too much shopping at Marshall's, and I even seem to remember a great picture of Woody, Sara, Jenny and I in the back yard in the wading pool drinking some sort of icy adult beverage. I will surely look for that and scan it in for all to see.

Anyhow, I hope that I am not jinxing my air conditioner to go out by making many brownies this summer! :) That would be horrible!

Emily's Sunday Picture

Ever since we moved here we have left certain pictures on our fridge. Some are quite dated (Justin has dreads in one) but all are of our friends and family that we miss. Emily was asking me the names of the people, and pointing out the people that she now knows after the Colorado trip. I believe that is what inspired this piece of art. Watch out Ed, she may be displaying with you at next month's art hop.

One of the things that enamors me about Em is that she may not get to see these people very often, however she continues to think about them. That makes being far from you guys a bit more bearable.

The sweetest thing

Last night I got home from Bible study to find the cutest thing ever. It was after nine, and already dark and Scott and Em were outside inside the tent that he had set up for them to sleep in. They were already inside of it eating ice cream and watching Monsters Inc. on the portable DVD player. Too precious. I thought it was the best thing ever. Emily loved sleeping outside with him. (I enjoyed my cozy bed) THe weather was perfect too, the highs in the mid 80's during the day, so it cooled down nicely for them. I think that might become their thing to do in the summer.