Fall Update

Let's see where this leads me. I haven't posted in a while and I am feeling guilty. For me, creating an entry is difficult and time consuming. I feel bad if I don't have something interesting to say or the time to dedicate to a fun and witty post. I need to get over that or I will never post! Obviously. So this post is dedicated to updating. School started 3 weeks ago and this is my very first work day off. We are all busier than ever.

Senior year for Bubba has brought a few changes. She has decided to quit gymnastics. After nearly 14 years, she is done. She is tired, hurting and just wants to have a fun non stressful senior year. I don't blame her in the least. She knows college gymnastics is a long shot and why continue for another year when it's not that much fun anymore? I am of course sad and am still adjusting. I've given up my meet duties, turned over all my files, laptop, printer and knowledge to another booster parent. I wish them well but I will honestly miss it. I actually enjoy running the meets and all the stress it involves. I think I've been having an identity crisis since Bubba told me she was done. As a parent so much of your identity comes from what your children are or do. I am no longer a gym mom. I am no longer a meet coordinator but I am now a dive mom. Bubba needs to be busy. She doesn't know any other way of life after all these years dedicated to a very time consuming sport. So for now it's diving which fills hours but not nearly as much as gymnastics and not nearly as hard on her body. Her classes at school are easy and she is enjoying football games and hanging with friends. She is also doing choir with her sister at Tacoma Youth Chorus.

Essica is super busy. She started work at McDonalds over the summer and after complaining to her boss about not getting any hours she is now working up to 4 days a week. Most weekends and then after school a couple of days. Tuesdays are Tacoma Youth Chorus and starting this week, Thursdays are for Special Olympics Bowling. She will be helping out with that for the next 6 weeks or so. Saturday mornings are for bowling league and several weekends are for bowling tournaments. I never get to sleep in anymore, waaaahh! Until she gets her licence, we take turns driving her but I usually get the short straw more than others. When she'll have time to fit in driver's ed, I don't know.

Nodnarb is also working a lot. He is not currently going to school so he has lots of time to work. He switched to a brand new Safeway so he has the most seniority. He often works the morning shift of 6 am. HA! He has to get up at 4:30 am! I have to laugh about that. He is so not a morning person but is coming to appreciate the early shift. He says he has more time in his day to do other stuff. Welcome to adulthood.

Ricky is doing very well so far this school year. He has been able to get all his school work done and I rarely have to threaten him. Last night he was actually working on it without being told to. I know! Insane. He even wrote an 8 paragraph paper about himself with no help and let me read it. It was the best paper I've ever seen him write. His spelling was atrocious but it was well thought out and clever. I really couldn't think of a single criticism other than the spelling and punctuation which I didn't even mention. (He did inform me ahead of time that this was a rough draft and they would be peer editing the next day so I bit my tongue.) Last week Ricky took a hunting and gun class. It was a very intensive 4 day class with Saturday being all day. While I am glad his dad made sure he was getting educated on how to handle the guns he routinely uses for hunting and target practice, I am not a gun fan at all. This is difficult for me but I know it's something he really wants to do. If given the choice between my son becoming a hunter/marksman or a sullen rebellious teenager I guess I'll take the former. Ricky is also taking guitar lessons and is doing very well. I can actually hear a real song or two in his playing. :)

My mother in law is not doing very well. She has lung cancer and at this point is bed ridden and not eating. Mr Rainy has been making trips down to Vancouver where she lives with his sister to visit as often as possible. We expect a call any day now. Having been through this with my father 18 years ago, I can tell you there is nothing harder than just waiting. His heart is breaking and I can't do anything to stop it. His dad passed away when he was just a teen so he is no stranger to death but it's his mommy this time. We are as prepared as we can be but the waiting is awful.

I had been working long term in a 4th grade class. That came to an end yesterday so I'm just chillin'. I'll be back to another job tomorrow I'm sure. That's the wonderful thing about subbing. I'm looking forward to a ladies retreat in October. I have a group of friends from the early days of Bubba's gymnastics career that still get together. We rent a house and do nothing but drink, eat and play games all weekend. It's absolutely wonderful.