Ghetto

So, it's been five months since I've been here. The three months have sped by, and during that time, I have every so often thought about something I wanted to get on her and post about. Then, something would distract me and another few weeks went by and I had forgotten what it was I wanted to post about.

Well here's one that I couldn't let get forgotten:

Third day of school. Junior High. Logan is offered drugs. On school property. Nice. Here's how it "went down":

Thug: "You want some O.J.?
Logan: "NO"
Thug: "Do you even know what it is?"
Logan: "No. And that's exactly why I don't want any of it."

Logan's a rock star.




Eric was offered drugs at the end of last school year. He was walking home when a car pulled up with a group of .. um .. "urban" ... young men in it, and they asked him if he wanted any. He said "huh?" then they drove away. He told us that they probably thought he was already stoned because of the way he answered.

On a cool note: for scripture reading this morning, we read about "not touching things that are unclean". How appropriate. So neat how that works.

Another note about school, since we're on the subject: Logan likes his teachers who have already showed their talents for sarcasm. I'm worried that he may make better friends with the teachers then the students.

And one more: High School Freshman "Fish" (they call them that here - weird, huh?) Eric, went to Health class on the first day. The teacher walked into the class and the first thing she said was: "Okay, so I know you are all sexually active ..."

What the heck!?! This infuriates me on many levels. 1) I feel like that statement just gave permission or the okay, for everyone who may be on the fence about doing it, or who may become on the fence, that they may as well do it because they are different if they aren't doing it. 2) It most likely makes those who are not active and choose not to be, feel like they are on the outside and there is something wrong with them. 3) I seriously doubt that everyone in that class (and all health classes that she made that statement to that day) are active. Give me a break. I know it's bad now days, and that it is probably way worse than it was when I was in High School, but come on. It bugs me that she qualified that statement with "all of you". Annoying. Anyway, that was a fun ride home from school.

It sounds like we live in the ghetto. But really it is a very nice community. Great schools, great everything else. Small town feel, etc. I just don't think that you can get away from all this stuff. I don't think there is anywhere we could move where we wouldn't run into these or similar issues. I do have to say, though, that I am proud of my kids for knowing what to say without any hesitation, or being able to talk to me about all this stuff. Hopefully this will last. (The communication, not the drug offers and such.)

Six-Year-Samy

Sweet Samy turned six!

Six things about Samantha:

1) This year she has lost four teeth (two are "found").


2) She has become a brave little trooper going off to school every day like a champ.


3) She has learned to read independently and above grade level.


4) She is tall and thin (downright boney!) but can pack in about as much bacon and/or in one sitting as a big, fat man!


5) She loves to wright books (she illustrates too!)


6) Her big brown eyes melt my heart on a daily basis.

I love you to the moon and back, Samy!

Here's some of the par-tay fun:

Kids Nowadays

Totally out of the blue today we're driving home and Logan says: "A girl asked me to go out today."
Me: Go out where? You don't have a car or any money in fifth grade.
L: I don't know. Just go out.
M: Who was she?
L: A girl named Summer. I don't really know her.
M: Who's class is she in?
L: I don't know.
M: If you don't know her, why would she want you to be her boyfriend?
L: I don't know. Ryan said I could say yes just to be nice, then break up with her in two days.
M: Oh yeah, "going out" means you're boyfriend and girlfriend! What'd you say?
L: I told her no then ran away.
M: Why did you run away, were you scared or embarrassed?
L: No, because Jared was coming and he was 'IT'.

Public Information - Spotlight#1

"That's my boy!"

Click on the link:

Public Information - Spotlight#1

Open mouth...

... insert feet. Not foot, FEET!

I've had a gaff-tastic couple days.

Yesterday, in the grocery store, a guy passes by, we make eye contact, say hello, and move on. The guy was my next door neighbor. Ends up we are checking out at the same time in lines next to each other. We chat while we are waiting our turn. I say: "So, the neighbors said that Leah's car broke down. Did you end up getting a new one?" He looks confused and says, "Who's car?" I say, "Your wife, Leah." He says, "What are you talking ab --. You don't know who I am, do you?" Then it dawns on me that this is not next door neighbor. This is guy from the kids school. HU. MIL. I. ATED. So I fumble around and ramble on and on about how he looks so much like my neighbor and once I registered neighbor in my head.....

Every time I thought of it yesterday, I cracked up while at the same time feeling that embarrassed, helpless feeling. The more I played the scene over in my head, the more I think I looked like a complete lunatic. So awesome. The worse part of all is that the guy is a black man. You know how they say that white people think all "person's of color" (I think that is the new politically correct term) look alike. I swear I don't. I don't even focus on color. Really, truly. But, boy, I sure looked like I proved that in the grocery store. So embarrassing. And I'm going to have to go through years running into this guy at school events and stuff. Years!

I'll get over it.

So today (here's the other foot), my friend calls to ask the name of my living room paint color so they can get it. I tell her I will call her back because I have to go in the garage and dig and I need two hands to do that. Friend says, "Hey, don't be making excuses about needing two hands!" Crap. Friend was born without one hand.

She is a good sport. I then yelled at her for making jokes like that and she said "Hey, if you can't laugh about it, you cry." Good girl.

I am so awesome. I'm giving Joe "Gaffe" Biden a run for his money.

On the other hand, when I'm on, I'm good. For example:

A while back, Eric asked me to take him to get some jeans. We went into American Eagle. An employee greeted us as we walked in and asked if we needed help. Eric said we were looking for some jeans. The guy said there are several styles, what are we looking for. I said; "The kind that are real baggy and hang down so that everyone can see your underwear."

The guy looked a little like a dear in the headlights combined with an I'm-so-glad-that-is-not-my-mom look. Eric turned a few shades of red. That was one of my better one's as of late.

Oh hush! Eric is a good sport (or at least used to this stuff) and the store was mostly empty with no one around us.

Are you so glad that you aren't around me that much -- or one of my children? I ROCK!

I'm developing a bit of a complex

For the last few days, Christian keeps coming up to me, poking my stomach and saying "baby?" I say, no baby. Then he pokes it again and says, "Jesus?"

So anyway, it's only a bit of a complex I'm developing. Not anything big enough to anything crazy like diet or something. Besides, on the bright side, it sounds as if he's learning about good things in his Church class, and perhaps he's learned the true meaning of Christmas!

Happy new year.