Our New School

After reading over the post on Facebook, I can see how my opinion has been misunderstood.  For the record, I, as a Hasty parent, do not have any problem with attending the new middle school because of social class.  I was not raised in a wealthy family and I am not wealthy now by any means.  My parents taught us that we have to work hard to be successful, and that we should appreciate all of the things that we are blessed to have- especially our health and a loving family. That is the same example I am trying to instill in my children.  

My problem with the new arrangement is that the new school was built with the intent to house students from Midway Elementary and Walburg Elementary.  Hasty was never in the original plan, and we were all shocked to hear that we were being moved to the new middle school.  The Hasty Elementary school district does not border the Midway or Walburg district.  This school is being built to relieve the overcrowding of North Davidson middle school and Ledford middle school.  Hasty is on the south eastern side of the Ledford school district, so we were surprised to hear that we were even in this debate.  During the first few meetings concerning the zoning of the new middle school, Walburg parents discussed how unhappy they were with the map that showed the new school zones.  At the time the map had Walburg and Midway together at the new middle school and Hasty with Friendship at Ledford middle school.  Since Walburg families had such a problem with the original map, there have now been 5 additional maps drawn to appease that one community.  One of which has 14 students being removed from the Friendship district during middle school and returning to Ledford high school.  The board is going to great lengths to make the Walburg community happy, while everyone surrounding them is being inconvenienced.  If the most favorable map from the board is passed, Walburg will be the only community that is not touched by the rezoning of the school districts.  This makes no sense because Walburg is the most overcrowded school, and the fastest growing community in our area. 

If Walburg were to join Midway at the new middle school, all of the students would benefit in this area.  Having 2 title one schools that could be paired with 2 schools that are not title one could only help the economic hardships that school systems are facing every day.  During these hard economic times, having a majority of low income families at one school will affect the outside funding that a school receives.  Everyone that has children understands how important booster clubs, fundraisers, and parent/teacher organizations can be.  Our schools depend on outside funds from these programs to subsidize the income from public school systems.  Our government simply cannot provide all of the funding required to give our children the education that they deserve.  The new middle school and all of the children that will attend deserve all of the outside help they can receive.  If we are in a school that merges two districts that are already struggling financially, then how will that affect setting up a new school for success?  Midway certainly deserves more than that, as they are the only group of students that has no choice of where they will attend middle school.    

Another problem that I have with the new projected solutions is that it is obviously corrupt..  The board is made up of one representative from each school district, the principals from each middle school and high school, the board of directors that will make the final decision and an attorney.  First of all, the attorney that is giving them legal advice is related to one of the board of directors.  Secondly, the representative from Ledford middle school lives in the Friendship school district and is a close friend of the Ledford middle school principal who is strongly against Hasty attending her school.  Also, this principal, who is obviously not a fan of the Hasty community, will be the one that hand picks which teachers will leave her school to teach at the new middle school.  And, I’m sure that if you do a little research, you will find that the majority of the board members that will make the final decision live in the Walburg community.  Does any of this seem like it’s a conflict of interest, or an ethical issue?  Does anyone who lives in the Midway or Hasty community feel like this is a disservice to our children?

If the decision to move Hasty elementary school students to the new middle school made any sense, or was in the best interest of our children (from Hasty or Midway) no one would not be upset.  But, it makes no sense.  The school was intended for Walburg students, until the Walburg community started to complain. The fact that in order to make this one community happy, every other community in the area has to be negatively affected is ridiculous.   

All My Children

This morning is the first time in several weeks that my kids had to get out of bed before noon- and not one of them were happy about it.  I listened to arguing and bickering for the first 30 minutes of my morning- which didn't make me too thrilled either.  But, after everyone was dressed and had their teeth and hair brushed they all corralled into the kitchen for breakfast.  As I made eggs and toast I listened to the kids laugh and talk at the table.  I always knew they secretly liked each other!  Sometimes they can be so sweet, it makes me wonder where the little horns come from the other 23 1/2 hours of the day! 
I remember the excitement the first time Olivia held Emma- and then Emma cried and Olivia was finished with the loud baby.  And when Luke and Derek took us to Dan Nicholas park, Emma LOVED having Luke to play with, until he didn't want to play dolls.  Then the mean little boy was no longer fun to have around.  But, somehow there are still precious moments of each day when Olivia will dance with Luke in the living room or paint Emma's nails downstairs.  And most days, I know I will find Emma and Luke building a train track or playing school somewhere like they are the best of friends.  I love watching them all grow up together weather they are laughing together or screaming at each other.  I know they may argue a lot these days, but if it's anything like my brother and me, the fighting will pass, and they will grow up as best friends.

The Hourglass

As springtime fades into summer, I am reminded of how quickly time passes by.  This time of year is so hectic, full of endings and new beginnings.  The days pass by in seconds, the weeks are over in the blink of an eye.  As I watch my children say goodbye to friends from school with tears and start the summer that to them will last forever, I think about how fast the summer will turn into fall and a new school year will begin. And end, even faster than the last.  I walked my 2 second graders and my fourth grader out of school a week ago, and by the time we were home I realized that they are now third and fifth graders.  Next year will be Olivia's last year at elementary school and the little ones are right behind her.  I can not believe how fast the years go by.  As I prepare for Emma's 8th birthday next week, I am hanging on to their childhood by a thread.  I can still see the huge smile on her face when she got her first big girl bike for her 5th birthday, and I think to myself that before long I will see that same smile as she drives off in her first car. 

As we get ready to celebrate Emma's birthday we also get to celebrate Father's Day.  I remember making cards with construction paper and markers when I was small, and now I get to watch Derek open his hand made cards with the same smile that my dad had years ago.  I sit back and watch the kids work forever on the perfect card to give to their wonderful dad. And I watch Derek take each card and thank them with the same loving look and the same big hug that I can remember from my childhood.  The look in my dad's eyes and the smile on his face are still just as important to me today as they were when I was 5 years old.  There is something about the bond that a father has with his children that is truly priceless.  My dad has taught me so much and guided me carefully through life with his silent smile of approval, his quite nod when I had done something wrong and his comforting hug when I needed to be strong.  I feel so blessed that I had such wonderful parents, such an amazing father.  And, I am so thankful that God has given my children someone to lead them the way that my dad led our family.  His patience and love taught me how to be a better parent.  His wisdom and kindness taught me how to be a good friend.  His life has been a lesson to me, and I know that Derek will instill in our children the same values that my dad passed to my brother and me.

So, yesterday as I was trying to find something meaningful to show my dad just how important he still is to me, and to find the perfect present for my sweet little Emma, I saw an hourglass. I thought about  using an hour glass to keep track of time during a board game.   It seems like when you first flip the hour glass, the sand will never run out.  But, once the hour glass is half empty, it's as if the sand moves faster and faster as you watch your turn slip away.  I think that's just how life is, when you start out, it's like time moves backwards.  All you want is to learn to walk, learn to read, learn to drive.  And then you learn how to be an adult.  Then the hour glass speeds up and you watch your life quickly slip away, holding on to the memories that have carried you through.  As I watch the people in my life grow up and grow older, I am trying my best to collect wonderful memories that will make the last few grains of sand in my hour glass last forever.

Emma the Gardener

Last weekend we decided to do a little yard work.  After a trip to Home Depot and a short lunch, we headed home to plant some flowers in our flower bed.  I started by setting out the plants and rearranging them over and over.  Emma, who was playing in the sprinkler decided that she wanted to help.  It took me a few minutes to give up control of my OCD, and hand over the shovel.  Emma was so cute, she is a natural in the garden.  She slowly dug each hole and measured to make sure they weren't too big.  Then she gently pulled the flowers out of their pots and planted them in the dirt, carefully filling each hole with tiny handfuls of soil. After making sure they were perfectly planted, she fed and watered them.  She was so sweet with the little plants, like they all had feelings.  Finally, before we cleaned up, she gave them each a name. And, every day this week when Emma gets home from school, she takes the time to water Precious, Pretty, Polka Dot, Pinky, Rosey, LaLa, Leo and Amy.  They look like very happy little ladies in our little flower bed!

A Close Walk with God

About a year ago, there was a night when I was up late unpacking and organizing the kitchen after we moved into our house.  Derek was at work and the kids were all sleeping.  We had just finished moving, and the TV wasn't set up yet, so I was listening to the radio.  I had been listening to the Buzz (alternative and rock) all evening as I cleaned and put stuff away.  As it got later and the house got quieter- I just felt uncomfortable.  Anyone that knows me, knows that I am a scardy cat!  I hate being home alone at night, especially in a new house, and all the boxes and shadows and new noises were making me crazy!  So, when Highway to Hell came on, I decided to turn the radio to something a little more soothing.  That's when I found K-love.  I had never heard of it, but the sound of someone singing about Jesus and comfort just made my nerves settle.  From that night until the cable guy came a few days later, I would spend my time unpacking and cleaning listening to K-love.  And when the cable and TVs were all set up, I realized that I missed that good feeling I got from the music, so I starting listening to it on my way to work, and with the kids while running errands. It slowing became a daily routine.

Now, each morning while I drive to work, I listen to christian music.  I spend that time praying and talking to God.  During the past year I have realized several things about my relationship with God.  I realize that my relationship with God is the greatest blessing I have, and I have been blessed for a long time.  One day a few weeks ago, I thought about people who talk about finding God late in their lives and how it has changed them.  While I know it's wonderful to find God at any age, I can't imagine going through my life without the comfort and grace that God has given me up to this point.  I remember praying with my Grandpa when I was 5 while a thunderstorm moved over our house and I was scared to death.  I remember the peace in my Grandpa's voice over the phone as he prayed for God to watch over my house and give me comfort- and I remember the comfort that I felt after that prayer.  I remember praying at night when I would have nightmares about scary movies that I would watch with my brother, and I would fall asleep while still talking to God.  I remember praying for my Grandma when she found out she had cancer, and how wonderful it was when the doctors told us it hadn't spread and that they were able to completely remove the tumor.  And she has been cancer free for 20 years.  These memories make me feel so blessed that I have always had God to lean on during the scary moments of my life, and that I have ALWAYS had God to thank for carrying me through them.  When I look back on my life I can see the moments when I followed God, and I see the moments when God just had to pick me up and carry me through.  I know that there are many people who don't have that relationship with God, but I just can't help but feel that He is still there for them to lean on, even though they don't understand.  And I know that He will still carry them through the tough times, and God willing one day they will look back and realize that He is real and that He was there all along.  There is such peace and joy in that realization, I can't imagine living without it.     I know I have made many, many mistakes, and I haven't been the person I should be, but that is all a part of life.  So, when I make mistakes, I just try to learn from them and not make the same mistakes again.
Everyday as I pray and thank God for my many blessings, I thank him for finding me when I was so young.  I know that my life has been full because he has always been with me no matter what I have been through.

An Epiphany of Organic Proportions

For years, I have heard about the great benefits of eating natural and, more importantly, organic foods.  The hype around this trend was something that I just didn't buy into, but, now it seems like all around us there are people dealing with cancer, heart problems, diabetes and other health issues. So, I had to wonder- Is there something more I should be doing for my family's health?  I started researching the effects of additives and preservatives, as well as the difference between organic and natural foods.  I was shocked to see what the FDA allows manufacturers to put into the food that we eat every day, and what that does to our bodies.  I always joke around that I don't watch Dr Oz, because every time I do, I have to give up something that I love.  But the more research I have done, the more I realize how bad the things I love are for me and my family.  So, I decided that it was time to make a change.  For the past few months, we have tried to eat mostly natural foods, and as much organic food as possible.  It's surprising how difficult that is- especially when it comes to things like artificial flavoring, artificial color and high fructose corn syrup.  And no matter how many commercials they make saying it's the same as sugar- trust me, it isn't.  Of coarse, not everything we eat is natural or organic.  If we eat out or at someone's house, the ingredients are out of our control.  But, I think controlling what I can helps a lot more than doing nothing at all.

A couple of weeks ago, Olivia and I were shopping and decided to stop for lunch.  She wanted to eat at McDonald's- which I refuse to do.  After a long discussion, we settled on going to Grateful Bread, which is the only place around here that serves natural and organic foods.  While I waited 30 minutes in the crowded dining room to get a sandwich, I browsed through their menu and a list of homemade baked goods that they sell.  I realized two things at Grateful Bread that day.  1- organic food is obviously important to a lot of people, and 2- I could make just about everything on their menu. That's when it hit me- I could spend my weekends and afternoons doing something that I love- baking fresh breads, muffins, cookies and all of the other yummy stuff that my family loves.  Even the organic food I shop for has to be packaged and shipped to the store, so the only way to know exactly what is in it would be to make it myself.  So, that's what I have decided to do!  I am so excited to get started!!  I have made a list of breads, pastries and pies that I want to try to turn into a healthy treat for the kids- and tonight I'm going to start by making fresh honey wheat bread for them to take for lunch.  I think I may even bake some muffins for breakfast!  Hopefully, it will be delicious!  And hopefully I can teach my children to make healthy choices instead of reaching for potato chips or candy.

... Now, If I could just get them to eat all of their veggies!

Organized Chaos

As an avid reader of Better Homes and Gardens, and an obsessed fan of Martha Stewart, I strive to keep my home perfectly organized and neatly arranged.  This was much easier before I had to share my house with 3 small people and one man.  Through the years, I have evolved into some sort of cleaning maniac that has surely scarred my children for life with my rules of neatness.  Of coarse, my house is never perfectly clean but it's not because I don't try.  I'm convinced that I have some form of OCD that will soon have me turning the lock on the door 7 times and tapping my foot twice before I can leave the house with my 12 bottles of hand sanitizer and packs of individually wrapped plastic ware just in case we are caught eating out unexpectedly.  Unfortunately, I have imposed my craziness onto my wonderful husband, who now spends his afternoons off running around the house yelling at the kids to make everything perfect before I get home from work.  As soon as I walk through the door, I will get some sort of warning like "Emma didn't hang her clothes up" or "I haven't had a chance to unload the dishwasher."  Almost always, the warning is followed by a child crying or yelling that it isn't fair that their chore is so much harder than any other chore in the house.  So, this is my life.  I would like to think that my need for complete organization makes me corky like Monica on Friends, but I'm sure that my neurotic issues are obnoxious at best.  A couple of weeks ago, I had an epiphany. It was a Saturday morning, and  I had the kids clean their rooms and put away their clothes. We had breakfast, and I cleaned the kitchen while Derek made the bed.  Everything in the house looked fine, so the kids went downstairs to play and Derek sit down to watch TV.  And, what did I do? Well, I went through the house reorganizing closets, smoothing out wrinkles in the beds and cleaning mirrors and counter tops.  That's when I realized that even when the house is neat, it isn't "perfect" until I do it myself.  So, my new year's resolution is to stop making my family crazy and just suffer in silence.  I will no longer expect them to do the things that I will do over even though they are perfectly fine.  Of coarse, that is a huge step to take, so I have spent the past few days taking necessary precautions to keep from losing my mind in the process.  After careful planning and cleaning out every closet, cabinet and drawer in the house, I had a check list of things that would make every inch of our house organized and functional.  So, with Luke at Nana's house and Derek sleeping after a long night at work, the girls and I headed to Charlotte to visit the happiest place for a neurotic neat freak shopoholic like myself- Ikea.  It was wonderful.  After an afternoon of shopping, we came home with files, boxes, baskets, shelves and any thing else you can think of to organize every inch of the house.  I spent Saturday night (well into Sunday morning) turning my linen closet into an arts, crafts and school supplies closet.  I reorganized the laundry room and bathroom cabinets. And, my kitchen cabinets are so perfectly arranged that I am the only person that will dare to move one dish- because no one else will ever be able to re work the puzzle that I have created.  There are still several little projects to complete, but when I am finished, our house will look like a page from my favorite magazine.  It will be perfect.  Now, if I can just keep it that way...

Yes, I know I have a problem.  But admitting it is the first step!