A New Year

Seventh grade. A new year, a new attitude. On both our parts.


We wrote "new year" resolutions for ourselves, and each other, then sealed them in an envelope to open at the end of the school year. I'll share mine with you. I promised to try and give my girl more space. To grow, to try, to mess up (gasp!), to fly. I freely admit to hovering last year; to being "too there". But I did so for all the right (my) reasons. Her best friend had moved away, she had come off two years of school with bad "girl issues". I just couldn't stand by and watch the Middle School years start out on a bad note. So, I got involved - in everything I could. And then, I actually loved it. She and I made a deal that if it got to be too much, she'd tell me to back off. While she hasn't told me it's too much, I know it's time. She's ready to go it alone.

She came home from school yesterday as happy a girl as I have seen. The girls (the 8 remaining girls) in 7th grade got together at lunch. They all talked about how they need to make a much better 7th grade; they need to work at bringing their two cliques together and all getting along. She's on Student Council this year and is taking this responsibility seriously. I think she's turning into me....

So despite the sad faces on the two animals in the pictures - What? You can't see Tig trying to squeeze through the crack at the bottom of the screen door? - We are off to a great start this year. For the first time in ten "First Days of School" - I didn't cry!

Um - Hi!

Sorry. The break went a little bit longer than I anticipated. The blog and I were in a little bit of a disagreement as to which should come first - work or play. Ultimately I won. And while the blog thinks of herself as work (and at times, so do I) last week, it was all work for me. The blog thinks what I do is "volunteer" and thus, should not count as work. She thinks she should come first. It's an age-old battle between the blog and me. It makes me wonder how blog peeps with real jobs manage all this drama.

The blog and I will have to continue this battle as school starts tomorrow; I'm not quite ready for it this year as it's a full week ahead of schedule from years past. And while I realize that I am not going to school it does mean I'm really busy. Jon and I agreed once again chair the parish-wide Oktoberfest fund-raising event for the parish/school. And I continue in my capacity as hepard to the youth of the school in their fall sports endeavors. I love my volunteer jobs - well, you know the rest of that statement.

But I hope you'll stick with me here because there is a big change coming for the family. Some of you know it - don't give it away! The blog will take a slight detour while we undergo a little family detour; it'll be very exciting.

The last few weeks of summer had my family from San Diego here. It was delightful. A house full of girls is just a wonderful way to end your summer. Full of giggles and laughs and squeals. Every moment of it was lived to the fullest . . .

. . . from the beginning . . .

. . . . . to the end.

Lunch Time

I've pulled Middle School lunch duty at school for the rest of the year. I'm happy to do it - as much for the kids , as for the poor teacher I'm helping out. It's down to the last 10 days and the natives are definitely getting restless.

The sixth grade girls are still looking pretty innocent; not the source of much lunch room chaos!

The silly seventh grade girls are so ready to be the big kids!

Next year's Top Dogs - the seventh grade boys - "Yeah - we bad!"

The eighth grade boys - ready for high school.

And all of a sudden, they've become very shy and elusive, the eighth grade girls.

You may notice the absence of the sixth grade boys. Um - therein lies the need for a change in supervision in the lunchroom. As much as I love these boys, sometimes they are just unlovable, and the during the 20 minutes of lunchtime, the sixth grade boys - unlovable.

As the school year comes to an end, I realize just how much time I've spent with these kids and how much I've gotten to know and appreciate each one of them. I'm going to miss these kids over the summer, and the eighth graders next year.

School lunch - not so much!

Updates

Thanks for the kind, comforting and all-around good-thoughts yesterday. It helps so much to be in the company of good women who can lend an ear, an eye, a comment, or private email during uncertain times. I feel surrounded!
I needn't have worried about a thing Friday night. The Middle School dance went off beautifully! The kids were amazing - well behaved, dressed appropriately, no "space" issues. I was very proud of all of them! Kathryn's (pink top) dance card was full - it was precious seeing her dance her first slow dance ever. The young man had asked her on Monday! They all dance arm's length apart - sort of like Frankenstein.

The DJ was a hit. Only one song snuck past the censor (me) and even though it was the clean version (something about Helen Keller) it slipped past me. It was quickly removed. I'm stupid just not that stupid!

In Secret Kitty Lair news, this situation was quickly corrected yesterday and the Queen has been restored to her rightful throne. A coup has been averted.

Dancing

I have dance on the brain. Kathryn dances on a competition team and has had two competitions recently. They have "won" trophies and ribbons in abundance. Yay. Here's the dirty little secret - everybody wins. It's just a matter of what type of trophy you win - bronze, silver, gold, platinum, blah, blah, blah. We don't take this all too seriously in our household. We don't own any t-shirts with rhinestone studs proudly proclaiming us as: "Dance Mom" or "Kate's Mom". And although I haven't checked Jon's closet, I don't think he has the male version of these shirts either. One more competition, a recital and Kathryn plans to hang up the shoes.

Top row, third from the left.

But I'm still thinking dance. Tomorrow night is the first Middle School Dance. I'm the assigned parent sucker in chargeorganizer. Besides the normal organizational activities such as, secure the date, beg for food, beg for chaperons, arrange for the lovely art teacher (and mother of eight grade girl) to decorate the cafeteria, this honor also includes talking with the children regarding the "Code of Conduct". The CoC, as you might imagine includes dress code, cell phone use, permission slips, blah, blah, blah. It also includes, and this was in the very small print of the handbook which does not exist, demonstrating to the children the appropriate, and more importantly, the inappropriate forms of dancing. In a Catholic School. Where we are not allowed to grind our bodies. And we must leave room for the Holy Spirit when we slow dance. My daughter is just now starting to speak to me again.

School Days

I always wanted to be a teacher. But back when I was in college teachers were flooding the market so I chose the safe route, a non-teaching degree in psychology. Many years later, after working in the technology and telecommunications fields, I'm finally getting a chance to teach - sort of. I spend Fridays at Kathryn's school under the direction of the first year English teacher Miss K. working with the 6th and 7th grade students. First hour is 6th grade writhing lab where the students spend the hour working on directed writing projects. I get to help!


Second hour is 6th/7th grade English. We're finishing up our section on Jack London's Call of the Wild. Friday the students presented their final projects and on any one of a number of thematic elements from the book. There were MANY wolf presentations ... many!


Finally, a break with the weather.


Recognize a long blond ponytail in this picture??


I'll admit that gym was not my best class in high school, but with a class of 40 - 6th and 7th grade students, the gym teacher needs assistance just keeping order in this class. So in third hour I am an extra set of eyes and ears in the gym. Last Friday was fitness testing and then some free time. Oops - look, my kid again.


After gym I help in the lunch room with the little guys. You know - making sure they eat enough, don't eat too much, eat their own food and not their neighbors etc. I marvel at how much food mom sends them with vs. how much they can actually eat! Sometimes I eat lunch with Kathryn when the Middle School comes in - depends on her mood. Other times - I eat in the teacher's lounge!! Like a real teacher!

After lunch is 7th grade writing lab, much the same as 6th grade, just different projects. Last period of the day is 7th/6th grade English.

They are also finishing their Call of the Wild projects. Not as many wolf presentations in this class, but lots of dogs!

I love this shot showing the extreme physical difference between 7th grade and 6th grade boys. By the time I get home from school at 2:30 on Fridays, I am exhausted. I love my day at school and being a part of these kids' lives. They probably don't realize that they are teaching me so much more than I could ever teach them.

Guess what Ian's presentation was about?