This is what I do for fun?

Last night was a cub scout banquet. The older boys "cross over" to boy scouts; it's a pretty big deal for some of them. My boys are not there yet, but most of the boys go to the banquet regardless of age.




There is usually some part of the ceremony involving fire, but apparently one year that we did NOT go, they almost caught the stage curtains at the middle school on fire. I would have to miss the most exciting one! So this year, we left it to the "professionals". Yep folks, that's a fire eater. See that little light in his mouth? He just ate fire, and is about to light one of his other wands with the fire that is in his mouth. Yikes. He also fancied himself a comedian. Very cheeseball, but the scouts loved it, and yes, I do realize that's what matters. Here are a couple more. Pinky is on the far left with the tan shirts; Curly is second from right, back row, with the blue shirts. (Yeah, I'll never be mistaken for a photographer)





Sometimes I feel like Cub Scouts is slowly sucking the life out of me.

Great day for the nation, so-so for me

I wasn't able to enjoy any of this historical day. I am in full stress/panic at work as the month winds down and I wonder how I am going to get everything done. My friend L went to her daughter's elementary school as she does every Tuesday to eat lunch with her, and got to see the tail end of some coverage on tv in the classroom. She said the kids were really excited and into it (3rd grade), belting out the National Anthem and all. How cool would that have been. Pinky and Curly seemed pretty excited that they got to watch too. I hope that just a little bit, they "got it", rather than viewing it as merely an opportunity to watch tv at school. I didn't get an opportunity to have a good talk with them about it though. I got home from work and it was time to take off. We dropped Curly off at my friend's house, and Pinky and I, my friend and her 4th grade boy went to the memorial service for the boy who killed himself last week. I think I actually had some unrealistic notion that because they called it a "celebration of life", somehow it was not going to be as sad as it was. But of course it was horribly sad. I have written, erased, rewritten, and re-erased more thoughts on this, but I think I just need to stop. Think I'll go look for some coverage on the day's events, and try to bring some optimism back into my little world.

heartbreak

When I expressed my dismay at having been talked into both blogging and Facebook with no time for either, Rowan gave me the sound advice of using the blog only when I have a story to tell, and using Facebook for more frequent and quick communication. I am doing a little bit of neither, but tonight I find myself in need of a quick unload.

Tuesday night was 4th grade Strings concert. Pinky and his classmates did a delightful job, I was quite emotional at seeing him up there, dressed in his first tie, plucking and bowing his way through his songs. I quite love the sound of the viola, and wish I had taken the time to learn an instrument other than the piano when I was younger.

That was the highlight of my week. Yesterday the boys came home with sealed manila envelopes from the school to give to their parents. Inside was a letter informing us that an 8th grader that was at our elementary school two years ago had passed away; counselors would be available at the school the following day to help students process this information, but the school wanted to let the parents know beforehand so that they could decide how to break the news. There were no details, which made breaking the news to young ones even a bit more difficult with the unanswered questions. The sibling attends our elementary school. I do not know the family personally, but my heart ached for them all that night. Driving home from work tonight, I started thinking about it again, realizing that there was probably more information now. And when I got home, my fears were confirmed; this child took his own life. This is too real and too close to home. I am heartbroken, for this child and the angst suffered, for the family, for the friends. I must go hug my babes tight, and try to make sure they always know they can talk to me.