Off to a great start!

Tonight was Cammi's first high school track meet. It was in Austin, IN and was a triangular meet. Scottsburg, Austin, and Jennings County all competed against one another. Cammi threw shotput and discus. She came in first in shot! She threw three pretty nice throws. Her farthest, the second throw, was 32' 11 and 3/4". That was the winner! After her second throw, I told her, "If you throw 33', I'll buy you a puppy." She just couldn't quite do it. Her next throw was 31' some odd inches. So, we've got a great foundation to build on for the year. Her throwing coach said that if she keeps up in the 32-34 range, she would most definitely make it in sectionals. We're so excited. Also, Lucy (a senior who went to state last year in shotput) told Cammi: "Look at it this way; when I was a freshman, I was throwing 27-29'." That makes us so hopeful! If she could improve that many feet like Lucy did by the time Cam is a senior -- lookout! So proud of you, Cam! Keep it up!

It's so hard to stand back and watch things happen to your kids

I find it difficult to stand back and watch things happen to my kids. This runs the gamut from heartache to sickness to being overinvolved. I watch, and sometimes comment or counsel, but it is so very hard. As a mother I want to protect my kids. At the same time, I know that without life experiences, they will not learn. Better for them to learn while they are under my wing than when they aren't, true? That's how I have to look at it. It doesn't make it any easier, by any means, but it makes it manageable.
Sometimes I want so badly to just do everything for my girls. I want to do it so that they can be spared. That, I've learned, does them no good. So, I've learned the hard way to pull back. I've learned to let them take the driver's seat and go through the curves, hills, and dirt roads. I've wept, smiled, and hypervenilated many times. I've been on the learning curve the same time as they have, I suppose. As I've said before, parenting comes with no manual. That's why it's so difficult.
I've learned to pray, pray, and pray some more. That's what gets me through.

I think she could see herself there

Our last college visit this week was today at I.U. Southeast in New Albany, Indiana. When we got there, the clouds were swirling together and it was getting dark. By the time we were in our first information session in admissions, the sky had turned a dark gray with lightning and thunder abound. Then the rain started pounding against the windows, sounding like a tornado could well be on its way. It looked like our campus tour might not happen. Then, after the admissions counselor was finished speaking, the rain stopped, the clouds lifted, and it turned sunny again. We were going to be able to go on the tour after all. We toured the academic buildings, the library, and then went to the lodges. They are like small apartments, compared to a normal dorm. We were impressed with the lodges. I think Makaili liked the fact that she could have her own room with a door, having communal space in the living room and kitchen of the dwelling. I think it was just the right mixture of a school -- small, homey, and connected to IU. I'm just hoping that the winter semester she starts at IUPUC will not be difficult to transfer to IUS in the coming fall. IUS said she would just have to stay in contact with the admissions office to make sure she's taking classes that will be necessary to her IUS degree. Wow. It is so much to take in! I can remember doing all of this for myself as an adult, but it is a lot to digest for a seventeen year old. It's a lot to put on a teenager's shoulders. I'm hopeful, though. I'm excited for this next chapter in her life. I hope she is, too. We may have another IU degree in the family! So happy about that!

Round Two

Round two is now over. We visited Hanover College today. Mak liked it better according to size. Tomorrow, off to IU Southeast. I told her if she liked certain things about IU and certain things about Hanover, then IUS would probably be the perfect mix.

Comments

So we survived the first round. The IU visit went well. We got all of the info about applications, housing, and a tour of the campus. My daughter Mak's comments were: "Umm...it's kinda big!" And my middle daughter Cammi's comments were: "I could definitely see myself here!" One out of two isn't bad! Tomorrow, onto Hanover. I have this sinking feeling that Mak will LOVE it. It is a small campus. We'll see.

Embarking on a Journey

Tomorrow we will be embarking on a journey that could potentially influence the rest of our lives here in my household. We are beginning our college visits for my eldest daughter, Mak. Tomorrow we tour IU Bloomington, the place where I went to college. I wonder if it will impact Mak like it did me when I first set foot on the campus. I just felt alive and at home. I'll be anxious to see what effect it has on her, if any. I am excited to be going to Btown. I love it there. It has an electricity that energizes me. I'm ready to feel that and experience that with my daughter. I'll be proud to have her attend the college I attended if that's what she chooses to eventually do. If not, that is her choice, and I'll accept whatever college she thinks will fit her best. Tuesday we will visit Hanover College near Madison. We've been on the campus for a basketball tourney before, but never toured campus in its entirety. And then on Wednesday we will venture down south to IU Southeast in New Albany, Indiana. I have attended there for a summer class, so I'm a little bit familiar with it. I am looking forward to the new chapter in our lives. Sure, it's scary, but it is a good thing, too. My baby is growing up and becoming an adult. It feels weird, but it's nothing I can't handle. Btown, here we come! :)

Fab Five

When I was becoming an adult and getting ready to graduate high school, there became this baskteball phenomenon known as the "Fab Five". These five players played basketball for the University of Michigan. They were trendsetters, outlandish ball players, and created enough hype for a million dollar merchandise business. After a couple of years, the team fell apart due to many circumstances. The team, however, was featured in an ESPN movie last night titled "Fab Five". We watched it and were enthralled in reliving the story. My middle daughter, who plays basketball, loved it. She is watching it again tonight with some friends of ours who didn't get to watch the movie in its entirety. I loved reminiscing about those years. The NCAA tournament was IT back then, even moreso than it is today, in my opinion. Damon Bailey was playing for IU, Duke had an incredible team, and so did University of North Carolina. Wow. The good old days. I can remember when Chris Webber (of Michigan's Fab Five) called that last second time out when Michigan didn't have any, creating a technical foul that cost Michigan the final game. It was devastating. That team was so much fun to watch. They had it all.
If you haven't had a chance to watch the ESPN movie about the team, I recommend it. Great insight into the minds of legends.

Thirteen

Thirteen years ago today I was in the throws of intense labor with my youngest daughter, Syd. We didn't have a name picked out, and it was tough going after she was born, trying to figure out the perfect name for her to be labled with the rest of her life. Mallory was one of our top choices, but it didn't come through. It was a day later when we finally named her Sydney. She, of course, wishes we had named her Mallory, but doesn't every kid wish they had a different name? That's funny how they do that.
I also remember it snowed the day she was born. I don't mean drizzle; I mean accumulation. I was baffled. She was also born on my college midterm day. It was my last semester. I missed my classics lit. course. Two weeks later, I was on campus (with the little one and my mom for help) in order to take the midterm I missed. I ended up with a "C" in the class. Didn't turn out to well for me. Ah, the days. My memories aren't crystal clear, but I can remember that class. I hated it. I didn't mind missing it for the birthing of my child, I can tell you that!
So, thirteen years ago today I can vividly remember where I was and what I was doing, can you?
Happy Birthday, Syd. Love you!

From couch to 5K

I have been working on this running thing for two years approx. It's really getting to me. I have exercise induced asthma. That basically means that if I overexert myself, I can't breathe. How fun is that, right? I know. So, given that, I have a hard time running for very long distances. I want so badly to run a 5K - it's on my bucket list. But I simply cannot even run a mile straight. Simply not able to do it. Now, those two years I spoke of were years of off and on running spurts. I took some time off due to sickness, basketball schedules, etc. So I can't say that it has been two consecutive years. It still aggravates me to no end that I feel like I'm not making much progress. I keep telling myself that it'll get better as it gets warm and I can run outside daily. Yeah, that's what I keep saying.
Will my goal ever get met??? I'm tired of not accomplishing it. Real tired.

Busy Week

After being off yesterday for a funeral and then returning today, I have a busy week ahead of me. Tonight is the boys sectional at Seymour. We have dance practice all week. I have two days of ISTEP testing for my students, and track practices to boot. Busy, busy.

What?!

My youngest daughter has been diagnosed with shingles. This is the girl who has already had chickenpox twice in her life! And I don't mean a few spots here and there. I mean full blown chickenpox. So now we are dealing with the very painful shingles. It's not been fun.

Grammys

It frustrates me to no end that the majority of the performers on the Grammys don't sing worth a hoot live. I told the girls if it was me and I had paid money to see any number of them in concert, I'd be one ticked of girl.
Why it bothers measley old me?? Don't know. But it does. Seems like anyone can be a rockstar with the right technology and editing. Maybe I should sign up!

Early Spring

I love spring, when the flowers are budding and the grass is poking its head through the ground in a lovely shade of green. It makes me feel alive. However, those months leading up to spring are painful. They are difficult to get through. They seem to drag on forever, the ground either covered in white or the ugly brown slush that the mixture of sand, salt, and ice make.
The groundhog predicted for us today an early spring. I sure hope so. These dreaded cold months are wearing on me.

Love it!

My girls found this song about IU and it is awesome. It is sort of like a retort to the "Black and Yellow" song that is the craze now. I like this one much better! You have to go to YouTube and search for "This is Indiana". It'll pop up a video. Watch it and you'll be singing the lyrics all day long, I guarantee it!

Keeping Quiet

I find it hard to not say what's on my mind. I mean, it almost kills me to A) not say what I want to people, and B) not wear my heart on my sleeve at all times. I'm just that kind of emotional girl. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think I'm one of those women who crawl at people's feet with every little needy nuance of life. Rather, I am a sensitive, emotion-driven woman who feels the need to be open and honest with others. I guess that's a good way to put it. Nevertheless, this kind of gets me into a bit of trouble at times. Take right now, for instance. There are sooooo many things that I want to say to several different people, but I know in my mind that I simply cannot do it. I cannot say the things I feel the need to say. It'll stir up trouble. Big trouble. And I don't think those cans of worms need to be opened. I guess as they say, some things are better left unsaid. I just find it very difficult to put into practice. Some things I want to say may offer someone else some comfort, whereas other things I want to say to someone may hurt them terribly. I'll be the bigger person and not act on what I want to say. I'll keep it to myself. Sure, I'll suffer somewhat, but it's what I have to do I suppose. I must keep my emotions checked at the door. I wonder how others do it?

Could've

I could have mentioned the name of the wine: Poet's Leap.

Reisling

A couple of months ago we took a road trip to Ohio and went to Jungle Jim's. It is a very large grocery store that has all sorts of exotic foods and foods from around the world. Another lovely thing about Jungle Jim's is the large alcohol section. There are wines from every vineyard imaginable. While there, I was able to find a wine that is normally not available to me. It is a reisling that I love. Since the sticker price was $25 a bottle, I got only one on my limited budget. I saved the wine for as long as I could. I opened it last night. I savored every single glass I drank. It was beautiful. The wine is a bit drier than that of a Chateau St. Michelle or a Fetzer or a Kendall Jackson. It is not too dry, though, because I don't like them very dry. The hint of fruit is satisfying. I was pleased to have found it in Ohio. Too bad the liquor stores around here don't carry it. That would please me even more! I guess I'll just have to see it as an indulgence - something that I can look forward to every once and a while. (Unless I want to stop by Bonefish Grill with my girlfriends and indulge there.) Now, that doesn't sound half bad, either! :)

Things come back around eventually

I never thought it would happen, but it has. The proverbial "boat shoes" have come back into style. Yes, you heard it here. My daughters are on the bandwagon. I'm not sure I've come all the way around to the idea, but they are slowly sucking me in. Sperry's are the name brand of the shoes they are hot over. Now, my oldest daughter likes the leather ones. A true vintage look. I, however, like the plaid ones more. (go figure. I'm a nut for plaid and paisley...) Look them up. See if you could handle a pair. They are for men and women!

Sleepy time

I was glad to sleep in this morning. When I woke up before five with sleepy eyes, I looked outside my bedroom window. I saw what I thought to be streetlights reflecting off the wet asphalt of the street. Then, not too near in the future, I got a phone call telling me school was out. NO SCHOOL once again. I turned over, and I went back to sleep. I woke up a little before nine. It was nice to sleep in. I must've needed it.

Welcome to the Jungle

Going back to the South Decatur gym has me reeling with memories of all the time I spent there growing up. In the nineties, the song that played nonstop there was "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N Roses. When I say nonstop, that's exactly what I mean! We had shirts that were adorned by it, posters, megaphones, and more. It was crazy. So, tonight, I'll be taking a road trip with my daughters to go see JC play SD. I think JC will kick butt, but that's okay. It'll be an opportunity for the girls and I to see many of our old friends. We will also be eating at the local pizza place, a hole in the wall with excellent breadstics, again bringing me back to my youth when my friends and I would order them while working at the local Dairy Queen. We'd order both marinara and cheese sauce, then dip the breadstick in one directly followed by the other. It was such a tasty combination. That was our life! That and strombolis. Yum! Bring back the memories, SD. Bring 'em back.