October 23, 2011

Nothing ever goes as planned.

Last Wednesday was Advising Day at my college.  Because I am scheduled to graduate next May I decided it was probably a good idea to meet with my adviser and make sure all my ducks are in a row.  I didn’t want to be surprised by having to take another course after the Spring semester.

My adviser, Jon, was busy helping another student when I arrived on campus, but another adviser in the business program was available.  Brian was my instructor a few years ago when I first began this journey and it was nice to get reacquainted with him.  He looked at my transcripts and compared the courses I had already taken with the ones I have left to take.  Brian agreed that I just needed two classes to graduate because everything else looked great.  I was relieved to hear this news.  I was planning on having my last semester be very easy and not as stressful as the others.

As I was getting ready to leave Jon mentioned that I should make an appointment with the Business Counselor to have her sign off on my schedule.  This is just to make sure that everything really is good to go for graduation.  I made my way to the guidance office.

Julanne, the guidance counselor, was just finishing an appointment with a student and I asked her receptionist if I could schedule an appointment.  She stated that Julanne could probably fit me because it was already the end of the day.  I was very happy to hear this.  I would have had to wait a week otherwise.

Julanne looked at my transcripts and course history and then she dropped a bomb on my dream of finishing my last semester without any hassle.

“Your math scores are from 1997.  While they were okay when you first enrolled here, they are now too old to count for credit.  You’ll have to take a college algebra class.”

My heart sank.  I didn’t really like math in high school.  I passed my classes and I can do the work, but it’s been 15 years since I’ve actually used algebra.  I’m just a bit freaked out about this.

“Oh, and we can’t use these Microsoft courses from 1999.  We now use Microsoft Office 2010 and you’ll have to re-take them.”

I became upset.

“I use Microsoft Office every day,” I told her. “My job requires it.  And I’ve tested out of Microsoft Office 2007 at an employment agency last year.  My scores were at the advanced level.”

Julanne explained she would refer this information to the Dean of the Business Program and perhaps they could make an exception.  A few days later she e-mailed me to say they would accept the Excel, Word and Access courses but I would have to take Powerpoint.

Another glitch.  I learned Powerpoint at this school ten years ago.  Now I have to take it again? Just because it was an old version?  I’m very computer literate and I use these programs quite often.  But alas, I guess I just need to take the class and ace them.  Easy A’s.  Still kind of miffed.

So instead of just two classes next semester I have enrolled in four.  I’m going to have to bust my butt and say goodbye to any kind of social life because I’ll be studying and working and raising a family.  I know I could split these into two semesters but my goal was to graduate in May 2012 and I am determined to do it.

Wish me luck.  I can’t wait for this to be over.

September 7, 2011

A Rant and a Recap

This morning I woke up with a scratchy throat that has gradually gotten worse and I’ve been sneezing all day. Add to that a case of itchy watery eyes and neck pain. It’s miserable. I went to the weather website that tells you what the pollen/ragweed count is in your region. Apparently, we’re in the high (red) zone here in Sconnie.

I assumed I was just having an allergy attack and dragged myself to the grocery store on my lunch hour. I picked up some Allegra (using a $2 off coupon – YAY!) and thought this would at least make me feel better. It’s 10:30 and I feel like death.

Now I’m wondering if it’s a cold. But here’s the thing, everyone in this house suffers allergies and we’re all “sick” so maybe it’s just a bad attack.

End Whine.

I’ve been so busy since the first days of school. My semester began August 22nd, and Dawson’s first day was September 1st. He was so excited to go back and see his friends. He even has a real smile on his face:

His first grade teacher just so happens to be Mrs. S and all of my siblings as well as myself had her as a teacher. Mrs. S is retiring after this year so I feel super lucky we get to work with her. She is so kind and caring and loves her job so much. She’s been teaching almost 40 years. Isn’t that amazing? So many teachers are leaving the profession for various reasons so I feel it’s wonderful that she has been teaching and loving it for so long.

Owen truly misses Dawson during the day. When I dropped him off at daycare yesterday morning he looked around the room wondering where his big brother was. I reminded him that Dawson was at school but Owen still stuck his bottom lip out and that pout was adorable and sad all at once. I love that my boys love each other so much:

I can’t believe how much they’ve grown. Just yesterday they were my babies and I rocked them in my arms. I still try to hold them on my lap when we read each night but they’re limbs are stretched out over half my body. They are not babies anymore. They are big boys. Time sure goes by quickly.

June 29, 2011

We Interrupt This Studying to Blog

I’m taking a break from reading my Microeconomics text book to do some blogging.  I’ve been busting my ass trying to get through this semester and I really feel like summer is passing me by because I spend most of my time working, studying, parenting and cramming a whole lot of other crap into my days.  Frankly, I’m exhausted.  But I have to say I have twice the energy I did a month ago and that’s mostly because I’ve made some changes to my diet and exercise regime.

Flashback to last summer/fall when I successfully completed the Couch to 5K program and lost 25 pounds — I was feeling fit and healthy and then flippin’ winter threw me off.  I had never run in winter with snow and ice on the roads and was terrified to try it.  Being an amateur runner I didn’t know if I needed special winter running shoes/gear/gadgets so I just stopped running. I attempted to continue running on the treadmill but then I started school and switched jobs and basically got busy and lazy.  Life happens.

Now we’re in the last days of June and I finally got my act together enough to run and lift some weights at the gym.  That is when Owen isn’t crying his head off in Adventure Alley.  This afternoon I dropped the boys off and after changing into my workout attire and hopping on the bike for exactly 7 minutes, the YMCA child care worker hunted me down and told me that Owey Pie had been inconsolable for the last twenty minutes.  Let’s just say I didn’t get my work out today and no exercise makes for a very grouchy mama.  (Grouchy, because I need to shed those 25 pounds that magically reappeared – and the 10 extra that came with them! Ugh.)

So then we hit the grocery store, which is NEVER a good idea when I’m crabby and somewhat hungry.  I spent $112 and barely remember what I bought.  I know that most families spend double that on groceries but, people, I bought HUMMUS.  I don’t even know if I like hummus.  I tried it on a multigrain cracker.  The stuff is bland.  I know chickpeas (or garbanzo beans as some call them) are a pretty bland food, but this was the roasted garlic version and it was not very garlicky.  It didn’t spark my taste buds.  Perhaps I’ll doctor it up with more garlic and a touch of lemon.  Or salt!  Maybe it needs salt?

I’ve been spending more time on Twitter and I realized tonight that I’m shitty blogger.  I’ve missed a lot in between my blogging hiatuses (Is that a word? It looks weird.)  Take for example the fact that I HAD NO CLUE that CityMama had a beautiful baby 3 months ago.  Like, seriously.  I suck.  I clicked on her tweet about these brownies and then went to her blog and saw the most adorable boy with cheekers that remind of me of Owen’s at that age:

Oh, the cheeks.  Hard to believe “the baby” is going to be 2 in October!  When did he grow up into this cute little boy:

So, what was I saying?  Oh yeah, I’m a shitty blogging friend.  Dearest City Mama, I felt so awful for not knowing so I promptly attacked your archives.   Your bundle is just so precious! Congratulations! (I know…three months late.)

Just goes to show I need to revisit my old blog loves….

….

I know.  I’m procrastinating.  That damn Econ book is staring me down.  Here’s hoping I pass this test!

November 4, 2010

Bullies on the Bus

I got a call at work this afternoon from the nurse at Dawson’s school.  It seems my little boy was feeling sick and wanted to come home.  The nurse explained he didn’t have a fever but had said his stomach and head hurt.  The flu had been going around and she was concerned he may have been coming down with it.

When I arrived to pick him up, Dawson looked sad and worried.  I asked if he was feeling okay and he simply shook his head.  We walked from the nurse’s office to his classroom so that he could get his coat and backpack.  His teacher stopped to talk to me in the hallway.

Mrs. T made mention that Dawson was feeling some anxiety about riding the bus home from school.  I knew exactly what she was talking about.  A few weeks ago, Dawson told me some of the older kids (fourth and fifth graders) on the bus were poking him in the back of the head and calling him names.  Being a Love & Logic parent, I told Dawson how sad I was to hear this and asked him what he thought he could do about it.

After talking it over, he decided he would tell the bus driver if things got out of hand, and he would try to sit in the front of the bus whenever possible.  Dawson is the last one on the bus in the morning, so all the seats at the front are usually taken and he makes his way to the back where the naughty kids wreck havoc.

I discussed the situation with his teacher and she explained that Dawson becomes nervous just before the end of the day.  She thinks he may be worrying about the bus ride and it’s making him feel sick.  It broke my heart to hear these words.  The thought of my son enduring such torment is frustrating and infuriating.  I honestly had no idea it was causing him such anxiety.

Dawson is a polite child and he’s painfully shy.  He doesn’t cause trouble.  He doesn’t fight. He doesn’t talk back.  He will sit quietly and ignore anyone who intends to bring him harm.  This child has more patience than any adult I know.  I try to teach him to stand up for himself, to use descriptive words to tell the bullies that he doesn’t like what they are doing.  I’ve told him to politely ask them to stop.  Dawson tells me he did tell them to quit bothering him but it sounds like the bad behavior is persisting.

After school I called the school bus garage and left a message for the bus driver.  When she returned the call she told me that Dawson is one of the best kids on the bus.  He never yells or causes a distraction.  He always says hello and goodbye to her when getting on and off the bus.  She also told me she has been keeping an eye on the situation to the best of her ability, but that driving children safely to their destination is her first priority so she can’t always see everything that goes on.  I told her I understood; I know the drill.  My mother has been a school bus driver for 23 years.

The plan is to save a seat in the front of the bus for Dawson so that he doesn’t have to deal with the rotten kids in the back.  I’m so mad at those kids.  Shame on them for picking on someone littler than they are.  I am so upset that they cause my son so much anxiety.  It brings back memories of the same crap happening to me when I was in elementary school. I never fought back, I was too scared.  I often cried all the way home.

I sure hope this arrangement doesn’t single Dawson out and cause more teasing, but I don’t know what else to do.