Old Friends

Yesterday, I talked a lot about my girlfriends, but I have a few guy friends that have been influential in my life, as well. Honestly, guy friends are more important to me, right now, than they ever have been before, because I want Charley to be surrounded by positive male figures that are close to my age. I’ve got a few in Minneapolis, and they are great people. I went to dinner with one of them, and his parents tonight, to celebrate his 30^th birthday. It was really nice to reconnect with an old friend, who’s known me since I was a baby. I need to integrate him into my life more, because I DO want Charley to be exposed to more men, and not necessarily guys I’m dating. My MN guy friends are great, but I’ve got a few male friends in other states that I really wish lived in the same city as Charley and me.

First of all, there’s Spenser. Spenser is not my friend, he’s my brother. We were roommates in college, and we became like siblings. I’ll never forget waking up to my exercise ball being thrown at me, or getting rolled up the stairs (yes, that’s right rolled UP the stairs). We drove to work together and gave names to all of the elderly people that cut us off in the car (Bertha and Ethel…it was a fun game). He’s the first guy I call for a good laugh, or if I need to talk about anything serious, because his advice is thoughtful, and generally on-target. Spenser knows more about me than most people, partially because we lived together, and partially because he has made an effort to stay in my life and support me, even when I moved away from KC. Spenser is Mr. Rational, and he’s always reminding me to take things slow, one step at a time, etc. He reminds me that I am a good woman, and any man I’m with needs to recognize what kind of woman I am. He is protective of me, like a brother would be, and I swear, he’s the best guy friend a girl could ask for. I can’t wait for him to settle down for good with Nadia (his longtime girlfriend) one of these days. No pressure, Spenser ;)  

I remember in Vegas, when things went south in my relationship, one of the first people to respond was Pat. He sent me a message that said, “Hey, I am not sure what’s going on, but if you need anything, we’ll be there.” Sure enough, he showed up that night, along with his wife Shelly, daughter, Paige, and friend Melissa, pizza in hand, simply to chat and keep me company. It was such a simple gesture, but the fact that they did that for me meant a lot.

I have a lot of male friends, and each of them serves a unique purpose in my life, and I’m happy have them in it. Right now, I’m so happy to have AJ (not ‘BSB’ AJ that I dated, but my friend’s boyfriend) and Thome around, even though I don’t see them much. They are the type of men I’m really glad to have around Charley, and she adores them.

Ok, on a totally unrelated note, has anybody else had issues with Century Link? I got cut offline today around 4, went out, and when I came home, it was still off. I called, and they walked me through a process that was pointless (in broken English, of course). Basically, they wanted me to see if my cord was plugged in. Ummm…yes. I’m not an idiot. One minute it was working, the next it wasn’t. The problem is on their end not mine…Yet I’m going to have to pay someone $85 on Friday to come check out the issue. Yup…I have to wait until Friday. I’m thrilled about that, considering that I work from home! Off to Mom’s house I go, I guess. How annoying.

I’m skipping the teacher story today to share this little gem. So, a couple of days ago, I took Oscar (my 12 year old Wheaten Terrier mix) to get groomed. He HATES getting groomed, almost as much as I hate getting on the scale, but that’s beside the point. He is horrible when he goes to the groomer, so I always warn them. This time, he was pretty matted, because he licks his fur constantly, so I asked them to shave him down. When he was ready to go, I got a call from the groomer, telling me I could come get him. “He really gave us trouble when we tried to get his face, “ the groomer warned me. I thought I was prepared… But I showed up and found my beautiful, fuzzy dog transformed into this skinny little dog with a scraggly goatee. Charley had been so excited to pick up Oscar, she was telling everyone, “Oscar got a haircut.” When they brought him out, however, she looked at me and said, “Mommy, Oscar’s a goat!” She was right, he did look like a goat. Since then, she has been asking for “The Goat,” every time we come back from running errands. She’s a piece of work!

Girlfriends

Rena came over tonight, and as per usual, it was an awesome night that ended far past the intended time... I love having my girlfriends over, because nobody ever knows where the conversation may lead. Tonight focused on men...not surprising...and it was kind of fun to catch up and see where each of us was at in terms of dating/relationships. Rena is in a long-term relationship, and it's kind of nice to get a little refresher about what that is like! I mean, it's been a year, it's kind of hard to remember what it's like to be committed to one person! She always has candid advice, and doesn't mince her words when she's referring to the men I've been interested in. Basically, she thinks that men I like see me as naive, and manipulate that to their advantage. She's usually right...and I know I'm naive because I'm new to the dating world. But I learn quickly, and as an adult, I'm prepared to deal with pain that might result from risks I take in my whole dating adventure.She is protective of me, and I love her for it.

I have the best girlfriends (and sisters- Allie and Kelsey). Seriously, I do. I would like to say I have the best friends in general, because I believe that's the truth. But my girlfriends are honestly the best. I've developed close girlfriends in each of the cities I've lived in, and I feel very fortunate for that. I know that a lot of women aren't so lucky. Girlfriends are essential in every woman's life. I know I talk to my friends about EVERYTHING. Yes, that's right men, they know EVERYTHING. And I know everything about them. If you've hooked up with one of my girlfriends, I know about it. I know more details than you would probably want me to know (exactly what happened, when, where, how many times, good, bad...I know it all...and so do the rest of my girlfriends). Most men have nicknames, too...Some of the guys I've dated include Creepy Steve, Firefighter Mike, Chatty Patrick....the list goes on. Now, this rule is slightly altered if we really care about a guy, or see potential with him. Then, the girls will know the basics, but not the details.  Ever want to make a guy uncomfortable? Get a bunch of girls together in a car, and talk about what you'd normally talk about. Guys get so uncomfortable and act all shy. It's hilarious. Anyway, girlfriends laugh together, cry together, call each other out when they need to, give advice...they're the best.

The last year of my life, I've relied on my girlfriends more than ever before. Honestly, I've relied on ALL of my friends more than I had in the past. People say that when things go wrong, you know who your friends are. Well, I'm lucky...I've got a lot of them. Many friends who helped me pick up the pieces, and get to where I am today.

In Minnesota, I've had the same girlfriends for over a decade. They knew me when I was a goody-goody little kid, a responsible teenager (the "mom" of the group), and now as an adult. We've grown up together, and had a lot of 'firsts' along the way. Like I said, my girlfriends know EVERYTHING! Right now, we're all kind of at different places in our lives, in terms of home life (boyfriends, husbands, kids, single life), and that can make it complicated to stay close...but we still make time to stay in each other's lives and  when we're together, watch out! Even if we're just hanging out at someone's house, it can get wild, crazy, and wonderful with Lindsay, Rena, Blair,Laura, Mooty, Pretty Eyes, and Beth! I've recently added Kim to my list in MN, and I'm so glad to have her here.

In Kansas and Las Vegas, I found some amazing girlfriends, as well. I met them when I was older, so even though we don't have as much history, have so many things in common. Janine, Kellie, and Ali might as well be my sisters. I think of them that way. Janine and Kellie have had a lot of life experience, and I rely on them for everything. If I want advice about men, they're usually the first ones I turn to, because they KNOW men! Janine and I had our kids a week apart, so we're learning about the kid stuff together. Kellie and I are both full-time single moms, so we're in constant contact. I love these women, and I'm so lucky to have them.Ali and I were instant friends, when we met several years ago. Since then, she's joined "sister status," and we've even been mistaken for sisters...I think it's the curly hair. There are many others, like Ann, Cori, Gretchen, Colette, Terri, Jennifer, Kelli, Shelly, Melissa, Lisa, etc. and I'm lucky to have every one of them.

Ok, enough with the name dropping. I've learned a lot from my girlfriends, and I hope they've learned a lot from me. They are my biggest supporters, and they have taught me a LOT about life and what I had been missing out on for a long time. They make me laugh until I cry. They reassure me that nothing but positive things lie ahead for me! They're right. I'm in a great place, and I know I've said that before. It's probably getting old. Everything is coming along for me, just as it should be. The only thing missing is a partner in crime! I'm not used to waiting for things. As my parents have always said, from the time I was born (labor was 40 minutes from start to finish), once I want something, I go out and get it...usually quickly. I think right now, I'm having a life lesson in patience. If I want something great, I can't rush it. I have to give it time. So that's exactly what I'm doing! Waiting it out and seeing what happens, and what comes my way. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying hearing my girlfriends' dating stories. I don't have anything juicy to share at the moment, but when I do...they'll all hear about it ;)

Quick teaching story: When I was student teaching with my friend Sara, we decided to play a prank on our third graders. In fact, we played several pranks on them, but this was one of my favorites.The kids were about to begin a writing prompt about a time they felt scared. I picked the kids up from P.E. while Sara stayed in the classroom, and hid behind a bookshelf. I took the kids into the class, got them all seated, and began reading from the story we were using to spark their imaginations. The students were totally engaged and focused on the story, until Sara popped out from behind the bookshelf and made a plethora of spooky noises. The kids screamed in unison, some of them jumped up...it was awesome. For another writing prompt, we scared them again. I don't know why, but we seemed to get enjoyment out of it. Anyway, I was teaching the lesson, and asked the students to close their eyes. I talked them through a spooky story in a very quiet voice. The kids were completely silent, with eyes closed, and I screamed (as part of the story), at the top of my lungs. The kids screamed, too, because they weren't expecting it at all. Again, hilarious. Those are probably some of my favorite writing stories, and I don't think I'll ever forget them!

Back to School, Back to School

Well, Spring Break is officially over, and I'm back to work for two more months. I have definitely enjoyed working a teacher's schedule. You can't beat the breaks, and summer vacation is a big plus! I can't believe my second year at NVVA is wrapping up. It went by really fast. I know people say time flies quickly, but I don't think I realized how quickly until I started teaching. I think back to my first year of teaching...that was 5 years ago! My fifth graders are high school students now, and I'm not sure I would even recognize them if I saw them! It's crazy. Time flies even faster when you have kids. Someone mentioned on Facebook today that Charley is losing the "baby" look, and definitely looking more like a toddler. I felt that way this weekend, when she was at gymnastics. I've taught so many two year old kids over the years, I just can't believe that Charley is now one of those kids! Time really does fly.

Today was pretty uneventful. Just the typical work stuff, trying to get back into the swing of things. I had a hard time getting motivated, even though I had quite a bit to get done. I found myself dancing around with Charley throughout the day. Sometimes I wonder what people would think, if they were flies on my wall when I'm at home with Charley. We laugh a lot, and dance constantly. I'm notorious for dancing to Lady Antebellum, while doing the dishes or getting ready for the day. I guess it would probably be amusing to most people, but lucky for me, I never get caught (probably due to the fact that there's nobody here to catch me). I wonder of other people do the same things, when they are home alone, or if it's just me! Charley and I were both extra excitable today. I  think spring fever is settling in, even though it is still freezing in Minnesota! I'm definitely looking forward to relaxing by the pool at Janine's at the end of the month. It will make flying to Vegas totally worth it! I'm actually looking forward to the trip, and seeing all of my Vegas friends. I'm not looking forward to administering tests for 3 days in a row, but it's okay,  I'll deal with it! Charley will get a chance to see her dad and Grammy. It will be good for her, but definitely hard for me. I'm not used to spending much time away from her, especially for long periods of time. It will be fine, it's just going to be a challenge for me.

Alright, here's for my dating topic for tonight: dating people from high school. Since I've become single, I've actually talked to a couple of guys from high school. My sister ended up marrying a guy who when to our high school, and she recommends it, that's for sure. Here's the thing. Thinking about dating a guy from high school has it's positives and negatives. For one thing, they KNOW me. They might not know me that well, but they know about me, and the type of person I have always been. They even knew me during my awkward stage! And they are still interested. That's a definite plus. I mean, I've changed a lot since high school, but on the whole, I'm still the same, down to earth girl. That can be a negative, too, though. They might have preconceived notions about who I am. Am I still a good girl? Yes. I'm still responsible, and I stay out of trouble. But I've had a lot of life experience, since high school, and I've definitely grown up! I think I'm more fun than I was in high school, but that's just because I've loosened up a bit. Anyway, more than anything, I think the negative is that there is more at stake early on. It's not like just randomly meeting someone, going on a date, and realizing it's not going to work. With someone from the past, you already know about them, and the first date stuff kind of gets skipped. I think it could jump to relationship status more quickly than it would with someone who's NOT from the past, and that has its positives and negatives, too. Is it worth the risk? I don't know. Because they are really good people, and I wouldn't anybody to get hurt. It would be a pretty big risk! I guess time will tell, just as it will with any potential man in my life.

I'm too tired to write a teacher story tonight, but here's a funny little Charley quote. She called her dad tonight, and immediately started rambling about her day, and what she ate for dinner at her Papa's house (I was working). "I ate ketchup, and chicken, and yogurt, and trees, and broccoli. Lots of things!" Trees? Ummm, yeah, pretty sure she was actually talking about the broccoli, which she didn't touch. But she was very proud of herself. Love her!

Family Dinners and Meaningful Songs

I love family dinners. Whether dinners are at my mom's house or my dad's, they are never short of entertainment. When my sisters and I were little, my parents made it a point to always have family dinners, so we could chat and catch up. I miss having those on a regular basis. Charley and I have family dinners, but it's just not the same when you're talking to a toddler! Anyway, tonight Charley and I went to my dad's house for Easter dinner. It's impossible to go over to my dad's and leave without some kind of funny story. Here is my favorite from tonight: We'd eaten dinner, and Charley and I were getting ready to leave, and take Kelsey back to my mom's house. Charley was shouting, "Baby Blue! Baby Blue!"  which is her name for one of her baby dolls. Scott, who is notorious for hearing things wrong, looked at Kelsey and asked, "What's the doll's name? Mr. Bloody?" Kelsey and I looked at each other like, "Huh?!!!" Of course we started laughing hysterically. Not only would it be incredibly creepy to have a baby doll named Mr. Bloody, but seriously, the name wasn't even close! I laughed until I was tearing up. I think that's one for the books!

Anyway, the topic of family dinners is actually pretty important to me. I think it's a great way to bond as a family, and find out what everybody is up to in their daily lives. I can't wait to have real family dinners on a daily basis, with my immediate family, and continue that tradition.

So I tried my friend's direct approach with Howie and AJ. I just simply said I thought they were nice guys, but I wasn't interested. It was easier than anticipated. I should try that approach with every guy, I think. Although I'm  not sure I will have the guts to be so direct with guys I actually like! It's funny, things are so different when I actually have interest in someone. Sometimes I think they're being coy (especially via text), and I try not to come off too strong, so I'm coy in response. But for someone who is as articulate as I am, I can always manage to stumble over my words in text messages! Have I mentioned how much I dislike texting? Just checking. Anyway, in ending things with Howie and AJ, I've decided to really follow through on my plan not to look for love anymore. I burned myself out on the whole one-date wonderland, and I didn't really enjoy it. It felt very superficial, and I'm not looking for something superficial. I'm going to let Mr. Right find me!Are there still people I'm interested in? Sure. But the way I see it, if they want to get to know me, they will pursue me. If not, they're just not that into me! 

In the last few weeks, I've been listening to a lot of music. I think it's because today, Easter, essentially marks the break-up of my marriage. Last year, at this time, I was miserable, and trying to figure out what to do with my life. Now, I'm totally happy and secure with my life and what I'm doing with it. Along the way, I've let music play a major role in my life. A year ago, I was listening to the following songs:
1. Long Gone (Lady Antebellum)
2. Stronger ( Kelly Clarkson)
3. Shattered Glass (Britney Spears)
4. Picture to Burn, and Should've Said No (Taylor Swift)
5. She's Gonna Make It (Garth Brooks)

Now, my favorite songs are very different. My playlist consists of:
1. Don't Ya (Brett Eldredge)
2. Jump Right In (Zac Brown Band...my current favorite!)
3. Could it Be (Charlie Worsham)
4.Cool if You Did ( Blake Shelton)
5. Crush (Lila McCann)
6. Just a Kiss (Lady Antebellum...this has been on the list for long time!)

I guess what I'm getting at, is the music I choose to listen to is reflective of my mood and how I feel. Last year, I needed music to build me up, and reassure me that I was going to be fine. Now, I AM fine. I'm even better than fine. I'm great. The music I'm listening to now is more fun, flirty, and reflective of my current attitude. A year ago, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. Today, I'm positive, and confident that my life is going to continue to be great, and a wonderful man is going to sweep me off my feet. I'm looking forward to that, and I'm enjoying not knowing when or how it's going to happen.  But I know I'm ready to "Jump Right In" (listen to the song, it's awesome), and give love a shot, for the first time in a long time. On that note, Happy Easter!

 

Doing It All

So, today was an exciting day for me! Charley started gymnastics. She went into the gym, all ready to go and couldn't wait for class to start. She immediately befriended a little girl named Aurora, and those two had a blast throughout the class. Charley really did well. I wasn't sure what to expect, because she's never been in a structured class before. I was teaching another class in the big gym, while Charley was in the preschool gym and I could hear her squeals of joy loud and clear. When she came out into the big gym and saw me, she definitely got off task. She looked so surprised to see me, and yelled, "Mommy! Hi!" at the top of her lungs. I was all the way across the gym, working on beam with a couple of girls, and tried to ignore her, but it was impossible. She kept waiting until the coaches were working with other kids, and trying to sneak away. They finally took her back into the preschool gym, and she was fine, until my dad picked her up, and she realized I wasn't going home with them. He told me later that she recovered quickly. Not a surprise. Anyway, she did MUCH better than I expected for her first class, and I'm excited to see if she actually takes to it.

I mentioned before that I love teaching, right? Today was a great teaching day for me. I had a private lesson with an adorable little 7 year old dancer. Her mom is a dance mom, through and through. A very nice woman. But a dance mom. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy as I saw her today, though. The little girl, who I'll call Sara, had two skills she was trying SO hard to master, and she just couldn't get them at dance. So, we worked on the skills (a backbend, and a kick over) and after about 20 minutes, she had mastered both skills. Sara's face was glowing. She was so proud of herself, and it made me feel great.

Tonight I'm sitting at home watching a movie and doing a little cleaning. I was hoping to go out with my girlfriends, but couldn't track down a sitter. I'm actually really bummed about it, because I haven't had a girls' night in awhile, and I could really use a night out with some of my favorite people. Now I said I don't need to bash my ex, and I don't intend to. But this is one thing that really frustrates me. He never has to worry about finding a sitter. He can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. I, on the other hand, spend 95% of my time with Charley. The way I see it, I'm the lucky one, but it would be nice to be able to get out every once in awhile, and not have to worry about finding a sitter.

So, I was talking to one of my guy friends earlier in the evening, and just kind of discussing the differences between men and women. In his eyes, women constantly try to figure out men, and we'll just never be able to do it. He thinks I'm an idiot for "playing the game." He says that guys just want a direct question, and a direct answer. They don't want any beating around the bush, and they won't invest the time to figure a woman out if they can't get a quick read on her. I have a hard time being direct with men, though, and I think a lot of women could relate to that. Even the guys I'm not interested in. I have a hard time saying, "You're a great guy, but I'm not attracted to you." My friend, on the other hand, has said that to dozens of women. I can't imagine a guy just coming out and saying that, but maybe he's onto something. I prefer when people are direct with me, and I can be very direct in most situations. But I have a hard time being direct when it comes to dating, at least in the early stages. I think that's because I'm trying to feel people out, as much as they are trying to feel me out. I'm a very open, outgoing person and I will give everybody a fair shot...but I can be skeptical at times, and need to make sure I know a man's intentions. I guess I'll play it this way: if a man is direct with me, I will be direct with him. If not, I might feel out the situation a little bit. That doesn't mean I'm not interested, it just means I'm trying to get a read on the situation. Seems fair enough, right?

Alright, time for a teacher story. When I was in Las Vegas, my fifth graders got to go on a field trip every year. While I was working with the 5th grade, I set it up for all of the students to go to the gym I worked at, for their field trip. I coached in an incredibly low-income neighborhood, so none of my students had ever experienced anything like it. They were SO well-behaved, and had the greatest time learning basic gymnastics and dance. It was truly the highlight of the school year for them, and they talked about it from the time of the field trip, until school was let out. Well, I had one student, who I will call Brian, who had a particularly good time. Brian was a great kid, but a little rough around the edges. He was one of those kids who got blamed for a lot of things, but he generally wasn't the whole problem. Brian and I got along great, because I could see the sweet soul beneath the rough exterior. He could be a handful, but I liked him. He was dying to go back to the gym. One night, I showed up at the gym, and my boss played a voice message for me. Brian had called to ask if he could come back to the gym. "Ummm, hi, this is Brian from Mrs. Pierron's class. I am wondering if I can come back to the gym sometime. I'll be really, really good, I promise. I won't be loud or rude, and I'll pay attention! Please, please, please let me come back to gymnastics. Bye!" I loved it. I thought it was the sweetest thing. I hope Brian will get a chance to go back to a gym someday!

A Day in the Life

So, today was a pretty typical day in the life of a single mom. I had a doctor's appointment this morning, so I left Charley with one of my girlfriends, and went off for about an hour to get what I needed done. It's amazing how difficult doctor appointments can be when there is a kiddo tagging along, least of all my kid! Anyway, the appointment was fine, and I went back to pick up Charley and my friend to go to lunch and do a little shopping. Of course. Charley had been great all morning, and she did very well at lunch. She was fine for about an hour of shopping, then it was melt-down time. There's nothing like carrying a toddler who was screaming, "ICE CREAM!!!" at the top of her lungs, out of the mall. I got looks of pity from the older women walking by, and looks of disgust from the younger generation (yes, I'm 29, and said younger generation). My theory is, once they have kids, they'll get it. I definitely don't love those terrible twos moments, but they don't really affect me anymore. I'm pretty good at ignoring the tantrums, until they subside. When they happen in public, though... Let's just say they aren't my proudest moments as a mom!

Anyway, after Charley's mall meltdown, we went home, and she was fine. She was happy as can be, watching the KU basketball game with me. The way she says Jayhawks is about as hilarious as the way she says leotard (use your imagination... you'll figure it out). She cheered them on, until the bitter end. It was a sad day for Jayhawk fans. I can't wait to take her to a game, someday. She will be an amazing little cheerleader! I think the season got cut short this year, but that's okay, there's always next year.*Sidenote: What happens when you take a bath after a very painful loss, and 2 drinks? Well, if you're me, you forget to wash the conditioner out of your hair. I washed it out a few minutes ago, and my hair is VERY soft right now. I guess I got an unintentional deep conditioning treatment!

I got several texts today from Howie (could I really date a Howie?) and AJ (the VERY nice guy who I'm just not into). Honestly, I don't think I'm interested enough in either of them to keep talking to them. So I haven't responded. These poor Backstreet Boys aren't faring well in my dating realm! It's interesting to me, though. When I don't respond, they keep texting. Then, I feel bad because I know I'm just not into them. At the same time, when I DO respond, I don't hear from Howie for days at a time. What kind of sense does that make? None! I guess it's part of the game! I would like to say I've got the game figured out. I think I do. Generally I like to play games (i.e. board games...ha!), but I'm not so into the dating games. I'll tolerate the game. I'll deal with it, if the right one comes up in the mix. But I'm not such a fan of the game. 

This brings me back to the topic of texting. Why has it become such a dating staple? Is it because it makes things less awkward as you get to know someone? I mean, I understand that point of view. Honestly, it's easier for me to start out texting, too! Talking on the phone can be nerve wracking, and awkward. I'd rather have the awkwardness of a phone call and get it over with, though. It's better than having the awkwardness in person when you can't pretend to listen, while watching Dance Moms throughout the conversation! Most of the time I'm pretty attentive on the phone, but if it's awkward or boring, I check out. You would think most people would notice when I check out. I know my sisters do! But some of the guys I've talked to can ramble even more than me, and that's not an easy feat! Anyway, I swear, the next guy to CALL me, will get a date. I might regret saying that...but hey, I'm willing to risk it! I mean, I'm WAY better on the phone than I am via text. Although, I talk a lot...I apologize in advance to any man who might actually call me!

Alright, let's talk about a teacher story...Today we're going to talk a little bit more about Jacob, the student I previously mentioned, who burned me with a hot glue gun. When we were building the chairs in his science class, which was a total fiasco, because I am SO not a builder (although I did manage to help 3 kids make nearly identical chairs that they could actually sit on), his dad came in to help one day. He watched me working with Jacob, and Jacob was having a particularly rough day, so I thought I made a horrific impression. However, I got a phone call at the school the next day from his father. He was impressed with my consistency with Jacob, and wanted me to do a little bit of work with him outside of school. I agreed, and started taking Jacob with me to the gym once a week.

Jacob was always a hit at the gym. He played with the kids, learned basic gymnastics, and got a lot of practice with following directions and having appropriate social interactions. The drive to and from the gym, could be interesting, though. One thing to know about Jacob, was that he was OBSESSED with words. He was notorious for reading any word he saw anywhere, so I was pretty used to hearing "real estate," or "no turn on red," shouted out from the back seat. One day, Jacob was talking to himself. He suddenly started saying, " Oh my GAAAWWWWD," over and over again. I corrected him. "No, Jacob, we don't say, 'Oh my God,' we say 'Oh my gosh,' or 'Oh my goodness." He thought for a minute. "Or, ' Oh my wolf!" he exclaimed, with a grin on his face. I started to laugh, because I had no idea where that had come from. Was it because he loved the Minnesota Timberwolves? Did he hear that somewhere? Then, sure enough, I looked out my window, and saw a law firm with the name Wolf in big letters on the building right next to us. I should've known. Jacob never failed to entertain me!

Sidenote: Charley starts gymnastics tomorrow! Can you tell I'm excited about it?!

My Mini-Me

So, when Charley was born, she looked nothing like me. She was the spitting image of her father. But at the same time, it was clear she had my personality. She’s been spunky, stubborn, and well, a handful since day one. So it’s no surprise that she currently shares some of MY interests. I guess that’s what happens when kids spend 95% of their time with one person. They pick up mannerisms, key phrases, facial expressions, and personality. It’s so much fun!

When people ask me about Charley I always describe her as a hoot or a character. That’s because she is so hilarious to me. She says things like, “O.M.G.” and “Charley’s so beautiful.” She consistently blames my sister for every bad habit she has picked up (e.g. “DeeDee says shut up,”). One of my favorite stories is about how Charley looked at my mom, and said, “Nana, calm down.” My mom tends to be a busy-body, and the comment was perfectly timed. It was classic. At bed time, we read a story every night. Then, when I turn out the lights she always requests The Three Little Pigs, followed by Goldilocks and the Three Bears. That’s not the funny part. Then she asks for Rachel. And by Rachel, she is referring to Rachel from Friends. So, I basically recite an episode of the show, and she falls asleep. Yup, my kid is one of a kind. Friends isn’t the only show she’s into. She also likes Modern Family. When she started yelling STELLA at the top of her lungs when we walked Oscar yesterday (just like Cam did, in one of Charley’s favorite episodes), I knew it had gone too far. That’s just Charley, though. She is completely a mini-me.

That brings me to the excitement of my day, yesterday. I took Charley to buy a leotard, because she starts gymnastics on Saturday. She was so cute, trying on leotards with her chubby little legs and her diaper! Unfortunately the cutest one she tried on was scratchy material, so that was quickly ruled out, but I like the one she ended up with. I am SO excited to see how she does in the gym. I started gymnastics when I was three, and was, according to my parents and coaches, incredibly focused. I’m not certain Charley will be so focused, but I don’t really care. I just want her to have fun, and get a chance to participate in a structured class. Again, I can’t wait! It’s a proud moment for a coach and former gymnast. It’s my first chance to see if she is going to be into my sport or not! I guess we’ll see…

I thought I would venture into my virtual classroom for today’s teaching post. I had been working with a little boy I’ll call Ethan, for several months. I noticed that some days he would come to class full of affection and praise (I love you Mrs. Pierron. I love you!). On other days, however, he would show up late, and crabby. The poor kid had a rough home life, and he really struggled academically, so I never knew what to expect. One day, Ethan came into class in one of his moods. He refused to use the microphone, and typed random letters in the chat box, instead of answering questions. Finally, I asked him to stop messing around, and answer my question. His response? He typed “F you,” in the chat box. He didn’t type the actual word, just “F you.” I had a hard time not laughing as I scolded him, telling him that I would not accept that kind of language in my classroom. I told him that I was going to remove him from the class for the day, and he would have to schedule a make-up time with me on a later date. So, I kicked him out. Two minutes later, he was back in the class, and typing away in the chat box, F you! F you! I kicked him out again, and this time he didn’t return. When I talked to his Learning Coach about it, she apologized and said he was mad because he was missing recess to attend my class. So, I rescheduled it, and I’ve had a happy Ethan, ever since.

Never Missing Out

Every year, people make New  Year’s resolutions. I am no exception. Generally, I make some resolution involving losing weight or getting more exercise before summer although that is as much for the benefit of the people who have to look at me as anything else (I don’t have to look at myself).  Anyway, this year I made a different type of resolution. I have decided not to miss out on ANYTHING that comes my way, just because I’m afraid of failing or getting hurt. This goes for my career, friendships, love life, etc. 

I’ve always been a bit of a perfectionist and I don’t like to fail. As a result, I haven’t been much of a risk taker in most areas of my life. If I take a risk, I could fail, and I do NOT like to fail. So, I’ve stayed kind of inside a safe little bubble, where everything is just normal. Not exciting, just normal. Until last year… When I moved back to Minnesota, it was a huge risk for me, but it is the best decision I’ve ever made, which is part of what lead me to this resolution. I missed out on things for a long time, but I won’t do that anymore!

I’ve already alluded to a huge business opportunity in my future, but I won’t elaborate on that until it comes to fruition. However, I will share my dating approach, when it comes to this rule. In the last month or so (since I got out of the online dating world), I’ve been told by the men I’ve gone on dates with that I’m hard to read. Generally they do this via text message, because they have asked me on a second date, and they can’t tell if I’m interested. Here’s the thing…If I’m interested, it is VERY clear. If I’m not interested in someone romantically, I’m still nice, so I imagine I am hard to read in that situation. That could be due to the fact that I’ve met more than my share of creepers and clingers in recent months, and I’ve learned to keep people at a distance for awhile. But that’s beside the point. I’ve had little to no connection with the men I’ve met in the last month, so they weren’t worth the risk.  

I have a good friend who tells me frequently that he’s non-committal, because he’s been hurt twice since his divorce. It’s easier not to get attached, because if he tries again, he could get hurt again. He can introduce women to his daughter as his friends. But going beyond friendship has been too much for him, because he doesn’t have control over what will happen down the line. Ultimately, though, he does want to settle down again. We’ve talked about this several times. And what do you know…he finally took the leap and committed to a woman (one who had previously hurt him, actually), and he’s as happy as can be. We’ve all been hurt. Everybody has been burned, including me. It has made me nervous that I won’t take the risk that I should with the right guy. But that’s what this year is about for me. Being willing to go with it, and take a chance, if I think it’s worth it. So if I start posting stories about taking risks and making out-of-character decisions, such as signing up for a Tough Mudder (no idea what I’ve gotten myself into), don’t be surprised!

Okay, time for a short teacher reference. I’m not actually going to tell you a story today. I’m just going to describe my 5^th grade classroom, when I was in my second year of teaching. This is the group we referred to as The Misfits. One of my co-workers once saw me interacting with this group and just said, "Lindsey, you're going to heaven." Maybe that's an indicator of the craziness of my class. First of all, I had 4 students who were 12 or 13 years old…in 5^th grade. That made for an interesting dynamic. I had Alex, the boy who laid outside the portable wearing a million layers, along with a pathological liar (he had stories for days, about going to Egypt, being born in Italy, having cousins who were princes, etc.), and  two…not one but TWO, students who were missing an arm. I also had a girl we called The Mom, because she looked older than me (one of the teachers actually asked her to sign her child in at the office….whoops!), an INCREDIBLE artist, an albino African-American student (imagine my surprise walking to the line to meet my new student…total shock! I loved him immediately), and a kid who brought me brownies every day at lunch while I was pregnant so the baby would come out all cute and chubby (he was successful).  Hmmm….who were the other stand outs? I guess I would say the girl who came during the middle of the year, with rocker hair, fishnet tights and corsets (yes, in 5^th grade). She showed up with a tongue ring one day, and I about lost it when I called her mom and found out she’d had permission to get it! There were other kids, too, all of them full of spunk and personality. I would say about 95% of the teachers hated my class. They were AWFUL in specials. But I loved them, and we had a great year in the land of The Misfits.