My Best Day So Far

This was one of the conversations I had with Jo this weekend....and probably my favorite. Jo: I'm so excited for Christmas. Me: Why? What do you want? Jo: Oh...I don't know. Me: Then why are you so excited? Jo: I don't know...I just am. I actually do know why she is so excited. Other than last year, I feel that same way every October. I am just (wonderfully) surprised that she will admit to feeling that way. Without going into a whole lot of detail I'll just give you a little back story on Jo. When she was about 11 her BFF at the time was having some MAJOR family issues. In turn, said BFF began to resent Mom and Dad with a passion. She in turn helped Jo feel resentful and angry toward her own parents. Everything we did was wrong. Everything we believed was wrong. Everything we didn't do was wrong. She began to turn very dark and very scary. She went so far as to tell me she hated Christmas (something my kids and I have loved since...well...forever). One Christmas she was going to strike out at us and not put up her ornaments. It seemed the only people she wasn't mad at were my Mom and my little sister. It got pretty ugly. I prayed that the BFF would move away and leave us alone. In the end....we ended up moving.....from Idaho to Minnesota. Yeah, be careful what you pray for. It was actually the best thing for all of us in the end. Slowly Jo has come back to the awesome girl she had been. She is no longer the dark and scary girl she was. Instead she is full of light and laughter. Now, don't get me wrong....she is still very much a teenager. But she is the best kind of teen. She is real and really that is all I've ever wanted for her.

Soundtrack

I'm not sure if you all have this problem um...curse um....condition....I seem to have a constant soundtrack playing in my head on a continual basis. Sometimes it is loud and I can hear it above all else...and sometimes it is soft background music that I find myself humming without realizing the source. This morning was dreary, to say the least. It was rainy and gloomy and cold. Not my ideal weather....ever. Usually on Friday I have something snappy with a quick (very danceable) tempo. Even on days when I have to go to work. Some of you may not know...but I work with special needs kids as a substitute teacher in our school district. Most days I LOVE my job and I enjoy going to work every day. But this week has been the week from hell a bit frustrating. It started out with me getting bit and escalated from there. I don't think professional football players come home with as many bruises and bite marks as I've logged in this week. I am seriously beaten and bruised and scarred...and that's not just my body....but my ego has been a bit damaged in the process. Working with Shelby last year and her more passive aggressive tendencies, I guess I was a bit sheltered. If she didn't want to do something she would just drop to the floor. End of discussion. Well, I have worked with Shelby this whole month....for just over an hour a day. For some of the day I work with higher functioning kids that need extra help and for almost 2 hours a day every frickin' wonderful day this month I have had the torturous task opportunity to work with a boy named Jake. Jake is bigger than Shelby...a lot....and a couple of years older too. He is severely autistic like Miss Thang...but he is more articulate. And violent. Yeah, he pinches like a vise grip, scratches like a mad cat, bites like a rabid dog and slaps like an old time Mid-Wife. But that is just one side of his personality. The other side loves to giggle and give hugs and high fives and will mimic almost anything he's asked to. In any given hour or so you can pretty much plan on running the full gamut of emotions with this kid. As with all kids, you love the good parts and hope to endure the rough patches. My usual Friday morning rendition of "Good Morning Baltimore" (in which I change the lyrics to fit the town I live in) was replaced with a song from Disney's "Robin Hood". It's a slow gloomy dirge called "Not in Nottingham". One refrain ends with the sad lament...."Can't there be some happiness for me??? Not in Nottingham." I didn't really realize how much I was dreading going to work today until I caught myself singing it as I was filling the washing machine. "If we weren't so down, we'd up and leave......" So sad. I hate feeling that way. I want to be grooving to a happier tune. I NEED A SHOW TUNE!! Usually Friday mornings are a time to celebrate the coming weekend and the mountain of household chores that I haven't had the energy to tackle quality time I will get to spend with my family. But the closer I got to work the louder the song became....until....I started walking down the hall to the locker where I put my coat on cold mornings. Then it changed to the Tony Orlando and Dawn version of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon". Yeah...I know...weird. The part of the song where Tony sings, "I'm going home, I've done my time....." As I got to the classroom and noticed one boy (who will probably be featured on America's Most Wanted) was having a melt down. I said to myself, "Lori, you do this because it brings you joy. Find some energy and get to work." That seemed to do the trick because I was able to suck it up and trudge through. On a happy note...I only worked until noon today and by so doing avoided Jake's afternoon tantrum that has become common place in the "Green Resource Room". As I ran gleefully walked calmly to my car at noon, there was some mellow Kenny G playing in the background. I do wonder what song will be playing when I get up in the morning. Probably something from "Grease" as Jo is out at the high school dance ("Where you can find romance. Maybe it might be lo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ve." Sorry.)tonight. ((Another drawback to having a built in soundtrack...I always have a song lyric on the tip of my tongue...just waiting)) So, if you do happen to hear random music in your head constantly.....you're not alone. Maybe some time we will have to compare music selections. I'm always up for an energetic game of "Name That Tune".

Wordless Wednesday

Good Will Madness

I stopped at Good Will this week. I think they missed seeing me. I've never had so much help shopping before. I didn't realize how predictable I have become. "The new frames are over here." "We just got in some coke glasses." And my favorite, "Did you see the new snowmen?"
Alas, I didn't love any of the snowmen...but these cute little bunnies did speak to me. Weird....I don't usually love the bunnies. I do love the cool white candle holders. Of course they needed some black spray paint....as did the frames I bought. I spent just over $12 for the 4 candle holders, 2 bunnies and 3 frames.
I loved the detail around the edge of this one. I have some fabulous plans for these beauties. I started with a few coats of magic black spray paint.
You'll have to wait to see the end result in a few weeks. I am saving the surprise for the end of next month. You're going to LOVE it. I promise.
Here are the newly painted candle holders. Doing their new job with such flair. I'm not sure if there will stay there or if they need a little something more. Who knows. I am linking up again with the fabulous Ms. Rhoda at Southern Hospitality. She always hosts such fabulous parties. Be sure to head on over there and check it out!!

Everybody Needs a Darla

I heard the most alien sound coming from Jo's room this morning. I sounded like giggling. But wait...that can't be right. Jo barely groans first thing in the morning. Sometimes I get a good morning grunt...but NEVER a giggle. Oh, crap....what if something is wrong. What if it isn't a giggle and she is actually having a seizure or something. So I run like mad calmly walk into her room to check on her. When I woke her up this morning I let Darla in to do the actual waking....I'm not risking losing a limb to her lack of morning etiquette. So now I see Darla perched next to Jo and every time Jo turns her head to look at Darla...Darla nips at her nose and then wags her cute curly tail like mad. Oh, the fun game this little midget has found. She pounces playfully at Jo and her nose. So funny to watch....even funnier to listen to.

On a sad note....I am dedicating the last portion of this post to our newly departed friend Bleeker. Poor Bleeker met his maker some time early this morning. Sources confirm that Bleeker was found floating on his side in his tank he shares with his companion Juno who is maintaining her innocence in the matter.....although she has no one to confirm her alibi.

So Busy

I have a TON of projects waiting for my undivided attention. There are the cabinets and walls in the 1/2 bath on the main floor of my house that NEED painting. There are 3 birthday presents and one "Yeah! For You" gift that need starting. I have carpet to order and kitchen cabinets to paint and Formica to finalize (we decided that since we probably won't be in this house for more than 5 years we are going to forgo the quartz). I have a craft room to organize and Christmas to plan. But I find myself working instead. Not that I am ungrateful. I LOVE being able to work. How else will I pay for the projects? But really...the beginning of fall is the perfect time to get this stuff done and out of the way for the long and dreary winter ahead of us. I will hate to look at the insanity for an entire 6 months (OK maybe only 5...but it seems like 9!) until it is warm enough to poke my nose out of the cave I live in all winter. Now if I could only figure out this whole hibernation thing. huh...Anyway....so I have been working with first and second graders lately. So funny. They are quite the crack up. I know some of them from last year. They are still the same cute, curious little bugs as before....but this year they seem to have lost just a bit of the doe-eyed innocence that they carried around in kindergarten. One little cherub told me yesterday as we were discussing her para (and friend), Laura, from last year...."I'm over her. I'm big now. I don't need her anymore." Oh...gulp...how sad. How quickly will they out grow my assistance? When will I become obsolete? It's just like with my own kids. You love them and kiss the ouwies and dry the tears and console them and laugh with them and cheer them on and then the ungrateful little buggers go and MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE....leaving a big empty hole and a clean, stink-free, room behind. How rude! Seriously...how rude...((sniff)) I guess at some point there will be grandchildren to fill that gap. The gap left by the children I gave birth to and the children that have a piece of my heart just because they are surviving and thriving against all odds. I love that type of kid. One that can take what life has dished out to them...a crappy home life, a mental disability or a physical impairment and stay cheerful and keep striving to do the very best they can. I look to these kids for an example of how to live my life. Maybe that is why I will rue the day they no longer need me. Little do they know...I will be watching from a far....just to make sure that my assistance really is no longer required.

Baby No More

Today isn't technically Jo's birthday but it is the last school day before it. Kim was asking me what I was going to do to commemorate the day. I didn't have a clue. I am that way a lot....clueless. She suggested that since it was Jo's "Sweet 16" I do something BIG.
OK....but what. Well...Kim suggested getting 16 HOTT boys to deliver a flower to Jo and then sing to her. OK....I can do that. Well....with some help!!
I jacked Reid's (a good friend of Jo's) number from Miss Jo's phone and sent the first text (weird to be texting a teenage boy!!). He was cool though and didn't make me feel too creepy. I told him the diabolical plan and he agreed to help.
Reid (in the orange shirt) came through BIG time!! Jo's BFF (Stephy...in the back) brought a couple of Jo's guy friends to help out too. Reid arranged for them to meet me by the office (and thought to get passes to get them into class without getting in trouble for being late! What a guy.)
Miss Jo knew something was up when I asked her to wait here on the bench. Not a happy camper. I was SO excited!! The boys lined up and walked by Jo. Each giving her a beautiful flower. Jo loves public displays SO much. I do hope she will forgive me....(I think, secretly....she liked it)
Tyler...A SENIOR...well done, Reid!!
Lots of cute guys. Mostly from the soccer team.....GO OTTERS!!

Now that her face is a more normal shade she did manage a smile.
Until Reid led the group in a very bass toned version of Happy Birthday.
Oh Yeah!!! She will not soon forget her 16th birthday. There are so many things she will miss seeing on her birthday...but having great friends won't be on that list.
I will put some embarrassing baby pics on for her actual birthday blog....but I just had to show you these today. I can't think of a more fabulous way to start a birthday weekend!!