Not-So-Normal Mom

It is what it is.

What does that mean, exactly? I think too many people are saying this, and to quote one of the best movies of all time (Princess Bride): "I don't think it means what you think it means."

Peace Out,
Mom

In the last post, I said that the other company got the recommendation from the ASO (Associated Student Organization) and they were moving forward with it. After doing a little research, we found out that it had to go before, and be approved by, the student Senate before it went on to the Governing Board. Well, after the students started hearing about it, and people expressed the distaste for what was happening, a grassroots movement built up on campus. Over 1,200 signatures were collected on my husband's behalf. We went down to the Senate meeting with the collected sigatures, and amazing amount of supporters, to give a speech and stop the vote of approval from being accepted by the Senate. After my husband read the speech that we wrote, and after I read comments about my husband that were posted about my husband on the school newspaper's site, and after all of us were crying a bit, the Senate voted to NOT accept the recommendation of the ASO.

Of course, that means the process may start all over again. We are kind of in a waiting game to see what happens now. The ASO has the option to either start all over again or just pick us. I don't have very much faith in them just picking us because I think their little egos are bruised. However, now I now what not only my husband and I are capable of, but what our student, staff, and faculty supporters are capable of. Now, the students and everyone else on campus are aware of what is going on, and they will have a voice in the process. I have hope again.

The most important thing that happened out of all of this is that we are so very proud of our friends. This was a very heartwarming experience. All of their support was amazing and that's why there were so many tears at the meeting. Just looking around and seeing all of those faces of people who love us was just so very powerful. It really felt good. Now, we are just hoping that the ASO makes the right decision next time.

Peace Out,
Mom

So...
The business fell through. We took a huge risk, and it didn't work out. We are going to generate a petition, and that's really all we can do at this point. This is an awful thing. Everything is going to change, and I'm pretty scared. I know that we are hard workers, so I shouldn't worry about what will happen. No matter what, we will be fine. I just really love that campus. It is such a part of our daily lives. We've mourned with these people, celebrated, welcomed babies, learned, and shared with these people. I would like to say that I hate the place, but the truth is, I really love it. That is exactly why it hurts so much. It hurts that they aren't rewarding loyalty or someone who really cares. Really. I'm sad. These last couple of weeks have pretty much sucked, and I feel so drained. Just empty, really.
Peace Out,
Mom

My friend just told me that when she was at the Louvre in France, she slipped while walking up a marble staircase to view the "Winged Arm of Victory." She feel down a number of steps and she said she couldn't believe that she fell in the classiest place on Earth. My response was, "That's what you get for wearing flip-flops to the Louvre."

Peace Out,
Mom

My middle son ran away Saturday morning. We woke up and there were signs of a break in, and when I checked on the boys, he was gone. I screamed and moaned so loud, calling for him, that my oldest woke up and cried. We called the police, my parents, his friends, my sister, and his teacher. All of them converged onto my home in a panic at 7am. I have never in my life been so scared. At the time, I thought someone had taken him; I never imagined that he would want to leave. He was found a short time later by my dad at the walm*rt by my house. He had spent over 300 dollars in cash purchasing a GPS, a mess kit, a camel backpack, and other survival gear, and no one stopped him. Yeah, an 11 year old kid buying survival gear with that much cash when the store just opened is no cause for alarm.

He has been bullied at school all year. We have gone to the school many times, and while the teachers are very supportive, the Principal is not. There are two boys that spread gossip and try their damnedest to ostracize my son. They pretend he has a disease and encourage others to do the same. He has a few friends, but ultimately feels alone. Although we have gone to the school many times, nothing was done. It kept happening. My son is able to defend himself physically, but because he is the nicest boy in the universe, he is unable to understand why these boys would talk about him like this. He has the most tenderest of hearts. He says he ran away because he just couldn't take it at school anymore, and we were making him go there.

The fact that my son felt so desperate, and felt that we couldn't/wouldn't protect him, shreds my heart. I have been crying every day and trying to come to terms with how I failed him. We are still talking about it and I kept him out of school on Monday. I talked to the principal about it, but she is continuing to act like a politician instead of focusing on the needs of the school. These boys need to get the f out. My son isn't the only one being hurt. There are others. I'm tired of living in such a PC world where we tiptoe around the rights of bullies and punish those that do the right thing. I don't give a SH*t about these boys. Get them out and let the rest of the school get an education in peace.

When we asked him how the boys should be punished, he said that he didn't want them to be punished, he just wanted to be left alone. Why can't they just leave him alone? My heart hurts.

Peace Out,
Mom

The masses were sick for the last couple of weeks, and they are just starting to come around...And I am feeling a tickle in the back of my throat. I don't have time to get sick!!! I have a Spanish project due, an exam on Friday, work piled upon work, and my hubby and I are bidding for a new business. This is put-your-balls-on-the-table time. This is the time where it all changes. No matter what happens, our life is going to change. God willing, things will go the way that we want/need them to go. If not, there we will sit...at the top of sh*t creek without that trusty paddle. Ouch. No matter what, this is the time in our family that will go down in history as the best thing we could do for ourselves, or the "what were we thinking?" moment. These are the moments in life that you both dread and long for. This is one of those make-it-or-break-it times. Damn, I'm hoping that we make it.
Peace Out,
Mom

My house is again, an infermary. I had two boys home sick today, and it looks like the little man will be home with me tomorrow. These are the days when I wish I worked somewhere that paid to be out sick. I can't wait until I'm officially a grown-up with benefits. Maybe one day...
Peace Out,
Mom

Update: Tuesday morning: I have the little man home with me and the middle son, too! They are playing rotating sickness!!!!

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone

Peace Out,
Mom

I have way too much going on right now. The pitch went okay. It will take a few weeks to know anything, but when we do...I will post more. My hubby was sick during the pitch, so we were a little discombobulated, but what can you do, right? My middle son came home from school early yesterday and stayed home today because he is sick. So both of them were here in our makeshift infirmary while I was at work. I am feeling a little achy myself, but I'm fighting it off. I don't have time to get sick right now. Friday, I will have a little reprieve. I hope everyone out there in the universe finds that moment where they can just exhale ever so slowly, close their eyes, and feel a sense of calm-if only for a moment.
Peace Out,
Mom

We're pitching a new business tomorrow. Send up a little shout to whomever you believe in to help us out. This could be life changing, and we really need it.

Peace Out,
Mom

It sucks. The problem with taking a morning class at a JC is that all of the people in the class are young. In my Spanish class, which is the third semester and a little difficult for me, we are required to do a skit that is part of our test score. We are supposed to write it up together, memorize it, and present it to the class. We were only given-total-about 10 minutes to work on it in class, and the rest should have been done via email. My group mates, who are both about 18 or 19, and I , decided to break up the work and communicate via email to finish the project. It is due tomorrow and after sending out numerous emails, I still haven't received the rest of my groups' work. It's due tomorrow morning at 9am. It is now 7pm. This is gonna suck.
Peace Out,
Mom


update: It is now 9:30, and I still haven't heard from them...
update 2:It is now 6:30am and I never heard from them...
update 3:The girl tossed me her part on a piece of paper 10 minutes after the class started and said that her email must have screwed up her replies because she was sure she sent it. Are you effing kidding me????

From I Sing the Body Electric:

Well, we were in New Jersey for about ten days, and then we had a little over a week back at home. It was very nice and relaxing. I really like my family. I adore my husband, and my boys are a lot of fun. It's really nice when we all get a break from our busy lives and just spend time together. The boys went back to school last week, and I go back tomorrow. It all goes back to normal. Bummer. I was telling my husband today that I wish that we could just hang out together everyday and get paid for it. Wouldn't that be fantastic??? Anyway, all is well here.
Peace Out,
Mom

My new mission, which can also be described as a Christmas miracle, is to win tickets on our local radio station to either Disneyland or the Wild Animal Park! I'm broke, and the boys would just love it!!!!! It could happen, right????
Peace Out,
Mom