role reversal

Three.
That's my favorite number. I don't know what it is about that particular number, but it just makes me happy.

At work I park in the third parking space on the right hand side. I have ever since I started and even when I came here to sub. That sweet beautiful space was always open.

Today I pulled in to the school parking lot and noticed a car in that spot!

I gasped. No, really, I did!

Someone took my space and there she was walking away with her giant purple umbrella opened up above her. I've seen this woman before and she has her own damn spot!
I notice these things and apparently today she didn't want to walk, in the rain, the extra 20 steps to get to the school WITH an umbrella protecting her crazy hair!

GREAT!

She's messed up my routine, I can see where my day is going, so I parked right next to her... spot number four and continued on with my routine.

I love walking in to the classroom. The students always greet you; the other teachers are always smiling and also greeting you. It's really a great place but today... I walk in and there she is... crazy hair lady putting away her purple umbrella, in MY closet. Damn substitutes!

Seriously!

You would have thought today was a Monday.

(ohh... subs are awesome, I really do love them!)

announcing

Other moms proudly blog about their children; announcing their adventures, accomplishments, and those "kids say the darndest things" moments. They post their pictures and announce their names yet I haven't written much about Boy Child since I started this blog because I've always been so nervous about subjecting my son to "the blogging world" so to speak.

Yet due to recent events I think I am going to change that.

I want everyone to know how amazing Boy Child is. How big his 9 year old heart really is. He has amazing compassion and passion for just about everything and anything his little hands and eyes come in contact with.

Boy Child loves to read and will converse with you about those books for as long as you will listen. His drawing ability is progressing day after day. He has a crazy love for numbers.

Words sometimes cannot describe him and words definitely cannot describe the love I have for this child. As much as I want to be selfish and keep him all to myself, I'm starting to feel this HUGE need to share him and his love with others.

Internet, I'd like to introduce you to my son...

Cole

In Loving Memory

The internet is a powerful place, a place where strangers become friends, much needed friends.

Amanda introduced me to this amazing woman, Hallie and her blog Wonderful World of Wieners.
But you see, I never took the time to read Hallie's blog, I just listened to what Amanda had to say and her words were always powerful. This woman is amazing and has an incredible love for her family.
Then the other day Amanda mentioned Hallie again... but something about her tone and her facial expression was different. This was not the expression she normally used when she spoke of Hallie; something was wrong.

Hallie's oldest son, CJ passed away unexpectedly. He was 20.

Being that Amanda and I are both mothers to boys we shared a moment of silence and continued on with our conversation, but of a different topic.
As the days passed... I read the obituary and then blog posts also became posted. I started reading about this amazing young man and have now shed many tears.
Tears for a mother, tears for a family and tears for my friend who has, over the years grown incredibly close to this family through words.

Words that will touch your heart and soul.

Please help this family by keeping them in your thoughts.

Written in Loving Memory of

Christopher John “C.J.” Twomey

on behalf of Hallie, John and Connor Twomey

by Dayna and Kimmy.

Words are at times, inadequate, and often hard to come by. This is the hardest thing we have ever had to write. It is with deep sadness that we tell you that on April 15^th, Christopher John “C.J.” Twomey, the beloved son of Hallie and John, big brother to Connor, passed away unexpectedly, leaving behind his heart-broken family and friends.

Please take a moment to read C.J.'s obituary. In the middle of all their sadness, Hallie and John were able to find the strength to write a beautiful and loving tribute to their amazing son.

Those who loved C.J. are left to miss his infectious smile, to wish to hold him again, to have him saunter into a room and make us all laugh. We wish we could talk to him, to watch him love the way that he did, with his whole heart. In short, those who loved C.J. are longing for the future we were all supposed to have with him. Hallie and John are heart-broken, are struggling to understand the events of the past week and are focusing on making sure their son Connor, who has shown grace and maturity well beyond his 16 years, knows and feels the love of his parents at this very difficult time.

Hallie, John and Connor have received an overwhelming amount of support over the last week from friends nearby who have stood with them through horrific circumstances, to the calls of support and the messages sent through text, email, Facebook and many other mediums. They know that so many of you are hurting as well.

Even in the mist of incomprehensible pain, Hallie and John continue to think of others. Despite their own pain, they remembered the pain of Hallie’s dad as he was waiting for a heart and became a recipient himself. In C.J.'s final hours, Hallie and John made the heroic decision to donate his organs. This week, 56 families felt the joy of hope for their family, even in the darkest moments for C.J.’s family.

Many have asked what they can do for the family and we have thought of a few suggestions:

Pray for comfort. Hallie, John, Connor and their extended family have pain that is indescribable; please offer up prayers that comfort can come to them.

2. Continue to send messages of support. The messages of support they have received mean more than they can express right now. Messages sent through Facebook, her Blog, or for those who have the ability, text messages of support are appreciated. While they are not able to respond, they are reading them, and it does lift them in support when one more step or one more breath seems like it’s just too much to take.

3. Make a donation. Kimmy and I have set up a fund called the "Twomey Family Benefit” for the family to use as they see fit – for funeral expenses, for a memorial for C.J. or maybe even to just be able to get away as a family and spend time grieving the loss of their beloved son. Many of us felt the need to do SOMETHING, and being far away, and knowing that we can't take away the emotional burden, this felt like something we could do to help.

If you are inclined to make a donation, you can simply walk it into any TD Bank and ask to make a donation to the "Twomey Family Benefit" (these exact words must be used). If, however, you do not have a TD Bank near you (as they are only located on the East Coast) you can simply mail a check to:

TD Bank

200 US Route 1

Falmouth, ME

04105

The checks should be made payable to the: “Twomey Family Benefit” and should also include those exact words in the memo line of the check.

Any questions can be directed to Kimmy at: kimmy@maine.rr.com

We know that this time, for all of us, is shocking and difficult to comprehend a life cut so short. We hope and pray that you can take a moment to hold those you love tight, tell them you love them and cherish every moment.

Love like C.J. did, with his whole heart, and give to others freely.

May we all find comfort...

Dayna & Kimmy

vacation

Being that it is April vacation for the local school kids I am also on vacation.

Million dollar question: what are you doing during vacation?

NOTHING!

I don't have the funds to take Boy Child anywhere nice, warm, and/or fancy. One of these vacations we will go somewhere and that somewhere will take longer than 2 hours, or maybe even 4 to get there. We will see amazing things and do fantastic activities.

/dream.

I'm bored. What I really want to be doing is working. Working at school with the kids. Helping them with their learning. (not mine, because mine is no longer important, well it is, but I'm pretending otherwise)
I want to send Boy Child off to school so he can be learning, spending time with his friends, and appreciating the after school time with me more, because he misses me during the day of course!

I'm just bored.
Something is missing. I need some sparkle, spunk.. pizazz.

something.

I'm back

...and I did it!

I landed a long term substitute position. Wait, that calls for many exclamation points!!!
Although I do not have a classroom and I am not teaching I am in the school system doing things I love; working with crazy and wild children!

I am in hopes that I will be offered this position in the fall; pending displaced teachers do not want it (seeing they have first pick) or the future budget cuts don't affect this position either. Education is a scary place right now!

With my new job not only am I physically exhausted, I am completely drained emotionally.
But I am constantly entertained. Constantly.

I work with a teenage girl so I see lots of things... things like the teenage boys with their pants down half way around their butts. I'm always telling them, "pull up your pants!" or when they say rude, crude and obnoxious things, "watch your mouth!"
The teenagers these days are definitely not disciplined like we were growing up. If I ever acted like these kids do when I was growing up, chances are pretty good my father would have inflicted serious bodily harm upon me!

Oh and let's not forget, they're having sex at 13. SEXUAL INTERCOURSE!
Seriously!?
That scares me for what I'm about to see in 5 years when Boy Child turns 13. A lot can happen in 5 years. Yikes!

Well anyways... I'm glad to be back. I had to mark a lot read in my reader but I'm going to do my best to keep up and update better and more often. I have missed everyone!