That one is (almost) over

Well, what I have learned this year in school is, #1, trust my instincts. I should have requested a new teacher for Thomas. It was/has been a terrible year for him. Fortunately his grades have not faltered, and he is reading 5th grade level books (he's in 2nd) and doing 4th grade math, top of the class in both, but the teacher has a real vendetta against him. I was happy to talk to another mom whose son had this teacher part of last year (in Glee's class) and realized it truly is the teacher, not Thomas. He got a detention this year for laughing at the teacher when she repeated "Buttkickers is not appropriate language at school." Who wouldn't laugh at an old lady saying the word "buttkickers?" He also got a letter for playing cops and robbers and getting tackled during the game. It only hurt a little he said. Yeah, that is a lame teacher.

#2, I should not be embarrassed that my kids are smart. I am still working on that, but I sure don't want to be that parent who just thinks their kids are advanced when they really aren't. My kids are. It's almost harder than having kids with learning disabilities because people think you are boasting, but I am not. Glee is on honor roll again all this year, and her goal is to be a Presidential Scholar, which is honor roll for all three years you can be on honor roll in elementary school. She reads books like there is no tomorrow and loves loves loves math. Not to mention she is learning the negotiations of a pre-teen, and she has a straight head on her shoulders. Thomas, he is a a firecracker. As much as his teacher doesn't like him, I think he is amazing. He is funny, quick and learns things faster than can be taught. He still loves his turtles but with his new interest in all things Space and all things Tron I think we may have an MIT candidate some day soon.

#3, and last... I don't have to be in charge of so many things. I can give up PTA jobs and they will still happen. I have been really lucky this year, my business has really picked up. I could do a better job following up on those clients, and I think I will set that as a short term goal, but for now, I have had a fairly steady flow of work and that makes me happy on all sorts of levels.

So, we have two trips in the planning this year... one to Colorado and one to Chicago. We are going to Colorado in the summer, with a weekend stop in Arizona for a family reunion. We are planning a winter time trip to Chicago, because we like new experiences and we have never been there in the winter! We were hoping to plan a trip for a wedding in March of 2012, but the bride and groom are tying the knot in September 2011 instead, and we can't make it. I am sad... but so incredibly happy for the family members getting married! They are perfect together, and I am very glad they found each other.

Other news here... lately, there was a royal wedding to watch, and Glee and I sat on the couch at 3am and watch it. Amazing, and I am sure I will remember it as fondly as I remember the wedding from 1981. Also, Osama bin Laden was taken out by the US Navy SEALS, and it leaves a weird feeling to me. I am relieved, not that anything will really change in the world, but I feel like his orchestration of 9/11/2001 stole a piece of my history from me, my baby daughter was 5 days old. I am glad he can't be here to do that anymore and it feels like what I imagine closure may feel like, although I have never been in a situation where I needed closure (thank god). I am glad the guy is not here anymore. It felt kind of personal to me.

So, I am looking ahead to the summer of libraries and parks and beach days and sleepovers with friends and computer games and knitting. It will be a good summer.