About five for August 1

Well, first day of the last month of summer.  I remember how much I dreaded August 1st when the kids were in school.  When August rolls around it means that the beginning of school is eminent which for me is sad.  I loved having my kids home for summer.  We didn't always do anything special but when we hung out, we had fun. I never understood how some mothers were thrilled that school would be starting up again.  I remember every first day of school for Sarah and Mikey. I also remember how I avoided going back to the house right away after I dropped them off at school because I didn't want to go back to an empty house.

This August will be a bit different...

--6--
I finished a scrapbook of all the events, accomplishments and candid pics of Sarah and Mikey while they were at Challenge.  I 'spose it sounds like a crazy way to spend my time but I had such fun!  It gave me a chance to really see in the pictures the physical metamorphosis of both of them.  It also reminded of some fun things that we were also involved with like the cake auctions for Theater.  As I recall, Don bid (and won) $40 for a coconut cake that I baked.  Perhaps someday I will have grandchildren who will want to see a scrapbook of what their parents did when they were in high school.  If not, I will enjoy it.

--5--
Two books that I've read recently have been made into movies: "Snowflower and the Secret Fan" and "The Help".  Both books were truly worthwhile reads; books that you don't want to put down and don't want to end.  I'm looking forward to seeing them so much that I may splurge and go to the theater rather than wait for the dvd as is usually the case.  Currently, I'm reading "Monster in River Oaks".  It is at least as entertaining as "Blood and Money", but perhaps even more so because of Mikey's connection to Dennis Shaw.

--4--
Always a little slow on the uptake, while shopping in Target, I had a V-8.  What a God-send it is for me to need to be busy shopping for college par-fa-nelli!  It's a great distraction from feeling sorry for myself and, I am showcasing my strengths: organization and shopping!  It's a three-fer!

--3--
Mikey brought Sarah's copy of "Arrested Development" Season One home and we've been watching it the last week.  It is so extremely underrated.  I love that it doesn't have a laugh track and I love the dysfunctional Bluth family.  We laughed so hard through the first season that we're renting the second season this week from Blockbuster.

--2--
Eighteen days until we've drive Mikey up to school. As much as I will miss him being around, I hurt for Sarah.  Their relationship goes beyond brother and sister; they are best friends as well.  I could tell stories of their relationship but that is private and I respect that.  I fear them as well. I still recall watching John drive out the driveway on West Johanna in his little red Mazda leaving Austin for San Francisco.  My heart was broken because my big brother was leaving.  What I eventually learned, is that when you are that close to your sibling, distance means nothing.  There were probably events, too insignificant to remember that John and I missed because of the distance, but our emotional bond is tight.  Sarah and Mikey have that as well so they will be okay.  Unfortunately though, for now the pain is fresh.

--1--
Speaking of  eighteen days, ugh, it's going to go fast because that's how the world is.  I was remembering back to when Daddy traveled when we were little.  I was young enough that I don't remember like Ellen and John, but I know that some of the trips to Africa were weeks, maybe months? Mom helped us understand that Daddy would be gone a while by making paper chains with each link representing each day of his trip.  I'm sure that we must have taken turns cutting a link.  It was exciting to see the chain get shorter day by day, and back then as a child, time moved slowly, not at the pace it does now that I'm grown.  There is nothing quite so exciting as getting to the last link on the chain because it means only one thing: that person who you love so much is coming home.

I made a paper chain for Sarah and Mikey when Don went to China.  It was fun.  After that the kids decided to create a paper chain to decorate Mom and Daddy's den.  Of course Nannie and Dan-Dai kept the chain up forever after.

All this chain business got me to thinking: how many links would be on a chain to represent four years in college?

March, 2007

"John Lennon & Me" - December, 2007