Heading to FRANCE!

 I thoroughly enjoyed the day that was "outside the scope of my contract." I slept in and relaxed around the house before doing some light shopping. At lunchtime, I took the boys for a hibachi lunch before they both received fresh haircuts. It was nice to have a random day off to just hang out and relax.

While I enjoyed the hibachi lunch, it was not the highlight of my day. In the late afternoon Robby received a call from a representative from the National World War II Museum. He was offered a full scholarship for Normandy Academy this July. He is going to be heading back to New Orleans before heading with his college peers to France for a week. 

I am unbelievably proud and excited for this opportunity. The trip has been described as life-changing, and I have no doubt that he will be transformed. Needless to say, the entire family was floating on Cloud 9 after receiving the news!  

 

OUCHY

 Our 'storm' day off school was uneventful from a weather perspective, for which I am grateful. The storm created devastation in our neighboring counties, so I am going to consider the day off work a gift and not complain. I would rather be waiting for raindrops than sitting in the dark, fearing falling trees.  Because the weather remained clear I was able to make a really nice dinner and we made a dent in our laundry mountain.

I probably could have completely finished the laundry, but my leg started to overreact in anticipation of the storm that never arrived. Phantom pain stinks, regardless of the situation. I employed all of my tricks, which provided enough relief for me to remain mobile throughout the day. By the time I slipped into the tub at night, my leg was beyond angry.

It was a rough night with stinging and kicking. This morning I'm tired and my limb feels sore from the constant cramping, but I'm again mobile. Hopefully my limb will cooperate with my schedule today! 

 This past weekend was busier than normal (at least for us).  Friday afternoon Scott picked up Robby from school. He is officially home for Spring Break! I'm excited to see him every day, and I know that Timmy is especially happy for the company of his big brother. Of course, I had to whip up one of his favorite dinners to celebrate his homecoming.

On Saturday, we woke up, packed up, and headed to Pennsylvania. We dropped Timmy and Friend off at my Mom's house and Robby, Scott and I continued our way to Easton PA. The boys were heading to a concert and I took the opportunity to visit with my friend Tammy.

Tammy and I ended up going to the same mall that we used to stroll in college. While it is still her local shopping center, I delighted in the nostalgia of revisiting the past. I was gobsmacked that the only thing that remained the same was the name. While I didn't overtly recognize the mall, I did have glimpses of memories as we walked around.

Sunday, we woke up early, packed up and headed to pick up Timmy. After a short visit with my Mom, we continued back to WV. I had a meeting scheduled for today and I really wanted to tackle the paperwork before it became too late. I began the paperwork as soon as we arrived home, and I'm glad that I got an early start because it too me almost 3 hours. 

It turns out that my paperwork woes were not necessary. About an hour after I logged off the computer I received a text announcing the closure of schools for Monday due to storms. I found it ironic that I worried so much about something that got pushed off, but I'm still happy that it is done. 

Today is a wild weather day. I'm nervous about the trees, but there is little I can do to minimize the risk of damage.  Stay safe today if you are in the path of the storms. 

Friend

 I'm looking forward to this weekend when I will be hanging out with my dear friend from college. Scott and Robby scored tickets to a concert in her area, so we decided to make a weekend of it. Timmy and Friend are going to my Mom and Sister's house, where he will enjoy some St. Paddy's day festivities (and lots of spoiling, I'm sure).  I'm going to hang out with my friend while the boys are at the concert. I'm really looking forward to some quality friend time!

Not only will I be seeing my friend, but Robby will be coming home for his Spring Break. It is difficult to fathom that he is almost done with his sophomore year.  Time has moved so quickly, especially since I started back in the schools.  

Robby has already sent me the list of foods that he is looking forward to devouring over the next week. I guess I'll be spending all my free time in the kitchen.  I'm not going to complain though- I'm happy that he still wants to come home and eat at my kitchen table. I know that this won't always be the case, so I'll enjoy the moment. 

Have a great weekend! 

 

Grief

 Yesterday was strange. I woke up at my normal time but, as soon as I opened my eyes, I remembered the significance of the date. 28 years ago my foot was crushed. Most years the anniversary passes as a blip, sometimes I don't even remember at all. But for some reason, yesterday the memory hung heavy on my heart.

A literal lifetime has passed since I was injured and my life was derailed. Since that sad day I have worked through surgeries, pain, loss, frustrations and curve balls to rebuild a new life. In the past year, I've seen most of what I have professionally built dismantled because it was not singularly profitable. 28 years later, I am back working exclusively in my pre-injury profession having accepted that the prosthetics industry truly only values the monetary bottom line.  

Perhaps the anniversary felt more profound this year because I am no longer in the prosthetics industry. I don't know. I do know that I was glad when the sun finally set so that I could put the date behind me. Thankfully nothing of import has happened in my life on March 12, so today should be emotionally safer. 

Riding

 Yesterday I was running around all day putting out fires (figuratively, not literally), but I didn't really mind because the weather was gorgeous. Today is supposed to be even nicer. With bright skies and warm temperatures, I'm looking forward to resuming my outdoor lessons. I've been contained within walls for far too long.

After school Timmy hopped onto his electric bike and rode until the battery was dead. I know that he is delighted to be able to go outside for longer periods of time and to again be on two wheels. I resumed my perch on the swing, chatting with him as he rode by on his loop. After a rather stressful day, it was the perfect way to wind down.

The bike is charging and readying for another session tonight. Have a great day! 

Birthday Wrap Up

 Scott's birthday was a low-key, nearly non-existent affair. Per his request, I refrained from decorating and serenading him with Happy Birthday throughout the day. Instead, I made a nice steak dinner, gave him a gift and called it a day. I knew that this birthday was going to be difficult, but I suspect I underestimated the impact. Regardless, I think we are both happy that his birthday is over so that we can put being 60 in a box and forget about it for another year.

Robby spent the weekend on campus. On Saturday he joined his Spanish class for a field trip to DC. He had a fantastic time! In fact, we didn't hear from him until nearly 11pm.  It turns out that he and his friends decided to go to the Drag Show fundraiser on campus after they got back on campus, so he kept his phone off.  I was delighted to know that Robby was having fun and I was sure that he was safe and happy. Scott was nearly frantic as the evening passed, working himself into a near frenzy. At one point he wanted to drive by Robby's dorm to see if he made it back from the field trip.  Of course he was half joking, but his worry was visible.  His reaction was almost comical if it hadn't been rooted in concern.

Sunday I spent in the kitchen, cleaning and prepping for the week ahead. The weather is going to be gorgeous, which means that my students and I can resume our outdoor adventures.  The days are always happier when I can spend them outside!