This Reminds Me

Archive for May, 2008

Our school year is almost over.  Never have I been more glad to see one end, largely because of the stress of coordinating a carpool to our middle school when we lost bus service.  Keith and I fought the loss of bus service with the school board, but “The Man” won this battle

Hannah on the school web site, making the morning announcements.  I’ve started working on transportation for her next year and I think I’ve got it handled – thanks, in part, to Rachel’s being able to drive.

With both of us working downtown, how exactly were we supposed to get two middle schoolers w/30-lb. backpacks to and from a school 1.86 mi. up and down hill on a too-narrow sidewalk edging a way-too-fast road?  I pinged neighbors, tried to hire a high school driver, offered to trade stay-home moms food and babysitting for rides, etc.  Nothing was working, and I was at wit’s end as I hurried into the elementary school open house early last September.  I ran into an old friend – Linda – recently retired from AT&T who said, “You look upset!”  And it all poured out.   Linda said she could help.  And I said, ‘Linda.  You don’t want to do that.  You have your own first-grader.  And you should be enjoying retirement.”  She insisted.

I couldn’t work out consistent transportation, so, each week I hobbled together a car pool schedule from church friends, neighbors, Keith, me….and Linda.    Every week, I’d ping her to ask, “How are you looking for next week.”  And she’d tell me the days she could and couldn’t help.

So what can I do for Linda, who has put herself out week after week for my family?  Who relieved so much of my stress?  Who has been nothing but cheerful and helpful, constantly reassuring me that “she understands?”

Lois – featured on the school website at the 8th grade dance.  She’s had a terrific middle school experience with honors classes, awards, choir achievements, etc.  Next year – on to high school!

Linda wants nothing from me.   I can’t “pay” her for her time – her gas – her car depreciation.

I can’t “pay  Linda.”  But I can “pay it forward.”  I never read the “Pay It Foward” book or saw the movie, but I understand the concept.  I think I heard it first doing my own bible memory work as child,“Love your neighbor as yourself.” And that whole “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” thing.

So often, the girls and I have talked about being “Jesus with skin on.”  I’m thinking Linda has been “Jesus in the black Suburban.”

Need something from me?  This is a good time to ask.  Because I’ve had a whole school year example to remind me to pay it forward.

Grab the hand of the person next to you. Close one eye.  Squint with the other.  And watch this.

We celebrated our second Sisters Day today, remembering May 18, 2006, when Julia came home.

After church this morning, we headed out for an entire day of fun stuff – no chores, no rushing, nobody else with us.

Lunch at Chipotle’s, the favorite of Rachel and Julia.  Julia searches the chips for the most salty ones and keeps those for herself.  Her sisters are welcome to the dregs.  I told the girls that today – because it was such a special occassion – we could get soft drinks, too, instead of just water, which resulted in many smart remarks and exclamations of shock from the back seat.  Keith commented, “That’s really sad.”

Next – Off to Central Market for movie snacks.  Real junk.  Lots of it.  Everybody picking out two things – sweetned nuts, candied ginger, chocolate, all manner of horrific consumables.  I drew the line at Julia’s request for a candy necklace, not wishing to see “juice” running down her neck.

Why every mom needs a generously-sized purse.   “Prince Caspian” was a really good movie, especially viewed betweem chomps of praline pecans. Keith, Juliia and I watched the first “Chronicles of Narnia” between Zurich and Dallas two years ago.  Julia remembers seeing it, and always gets excited when she sees any Narnia merchandise.  After the movie – a trip to Borders, and dinner at Chili’s, and home again….

…to admire our gorgeous Russian flag  We’re probably the only people in the neighborhood who know what it is.  And with all the retired military around us – that’s just as well.

We were too sugared-out to even try the Rice Krispie Treats Hannah and I made yesterday.  Note the “choco-nilla” variety created with Cocoa Pebbles and regular Rice Krispies.  There’s always tomorrow.  Once they’re cut, they won’t last long.

For gifts:  Each sister got a couch pillow printed, “Best Friends Are We – My Sister and Me” flanking a photo insert sleeve  Each pillow held a slightly different pose of the same basic picture – the other three sisters placing their hands on the sister who was getting the pillow  The girls had no idea why I was asking them to pose those ways on Good Friday.  But they’re used to my “just one more” pleas.

A requirement of Rachel’s U.S. History class is for each student to create a three-minute movie about an American hero who personally impacted the student’s life.  Rachel created this gem yesterday – yes, the text slides and transitioning need some editing and yes, it needs to be tightened a bit to make the three-minute mark – but darn!  I thought this was good.  Showed some real thought.  And creativity.  And true personal impact.  And what perfect timing with Sisters Day!  I didn’t want to wait to post the more polished version I know is coming.

Way to go, Rach!  You made this one for the Gipper.

Happy Sisters Day to Sisters Everywhere!

Two years ago today, we were bumming around Moscow, enjoying the sites, waiting for the round of Embassy chores required to bring Julia home.  The night before, Keith had captured this image of her asleep on the train between St. Pete and Moscow.  It’s still the screen saver on his cell phone.

Oh how she loved “machinas” – cars.  And this train.  And the following week – the planes at the airport.  Anything with a motor that moved.  She used to sing a little song about machinas.

Yesterday, I asked her to bring me the keys to my “machina” and I got a ‘Huh?” in response.

Fast forward to today.  Her first-grade teacher (the sainted Ms. Jones) sent home her daily journal because her work was so good.

Translation:  “I would have made it to school, but I did not want to go to school.   Instead I went to my cousin’s house.  I went to my cousin’s house.  While I was walking I saw a fox.  The fox said, ‘Mmm?  The rabbit looked good to me.’  Then the fox took the rabbit.  He took the rabbit home.  He tied the rabbit on a rope.  The rabbit told the fox to go to a store and he did go there.  The rabbit got away.  He ran home and told his mom, ‘A fox almost ate me.  I am never going to miss school.’”

That’s an original story.  Her language skills – both oral and writing – are on par with other first graders, and her teacher is confident she’ll pass the tests required for second grade.  Is she academically where Rachel, Lois and Hananh were in first grade?  No.  But neither were Rachel, Lois and Hannah where she was physically and emotionally for their first six years.

Funny thing about education.  There’s what you learn in school – like how to spell “fox” in your journal.  And then there’s what you learn out of school – to run like a fox to show that journal to your daddy.

We are rapidly approaching our second annual Sister’s Day celebration – May 18, the day Julia came home. The last two years have certainly been an education for all six of us.  An education with not only what Julia has learned at school, but also what all of us have learned at home.   Julia wrote, “I am never going to mes school,” and I support that – because now she is not missing a family.