Elena 
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1. Mother’s Day is this week. Since losing my mom in 2009, I can’t help but be a little sad about it. Life has certainly changed in the 7 years since she died – my oldest kids have moved out and there’s a little grand daughter – but I still think about her every day and often wonder how she would handle the different situations that I find myself in. What would mom have said if we had become pregnant at 17? How would she manage if one of us dropped out of high school? and how would she address the downsizing of our homeschool?
Of course I know the answer. She would have handled it all with merciful grace followed by a lot of pointed and thought provoking questions! I really miss that.
2. Now that I have three adult children on my own it’s not uncommon to feel slighted from time to time (OK, most of the time). They don’t answer texts and they usually don’t call unless they want or need something. And while I find that a little hurtful, I haven’t missed the parallels in my own life where I probably slighted my own mother by not calling or writing enough.
And that makes me very sad now. Yet, once again I note that Mom never tried to guilt-trip me into calling more, and because of that, as I grew older and she moved closer we included her a lot into our household. Some of my favorite moments of homeschooling have my Mother in it. Perhaps if I’m lucky, it will play out that way for me too.
3. Track season is winding down for both kids. Noah can run the 3200 (around 2 miles) in 10:47, or something like that. And while this is crazy fast, it is not as crazy fast as it will be at the college level. I will miss all of the meets and the camaraderie from the other running moms that I have known over the past three years. Noah said he was getting a little wistful about his high school running career ending too, although he said his body is starting to feel the wear and tear from all of the competition.
4. The Diocese of Cleveland is apparently having a war against Mother’s Day. The powers-that-be have scheduled a track meet for Sunday. Probably one of the only things as bad as labor is sitting outside (in the heat or the cold) for hours waiting to watch my runner for a few minutes. And of course there’s all the stuff that goes on before and after the meet including making sure the kids have a nutritious but high-carb meal, getting the uniform together and organized, buying snacks and drinks for the event, and then making sure all that stuff makes it home after the event –
Happy Mother’s Day Track and Field moms!!
5. I am consoling myself by remembering that I once grieved my life as a swim-mom and a competitive soccer mom, but now years later, I don’t miss those lives at. all!!
And I know that we will make new friends when Noah starts running at college next fall.
6. Noah has two proms in the next few weeks, as well as a homeschool dance. So I bought him two suits (it was a 2 for 1 sale) because it made more sense than renting two tuxedos. I made sure that one of the suits was black – just in case he does does become a priest, he will be able to wear a collar with it, just so long as he doesn’t gain more than 25 pounds! I also bought him some ties from the thrift store; they match the colors his dates are wearing.
I also hope to get some senior pictures taken of Noah next week in his new suits!
7. I have been to three formal (as in had a guest speaker and/or a specific agenda of items to get through ) homeschool events in the last month and noticed a disturbing trend – Moms who are new to homeschooling and/or homeschooling high school, who for some reason seem to think that the event should be focused on them and their very specific and unique questions. Ladies, this is not 1988 – go on line or visit the library and at least get the basics down!! Here’s a good place to start!!
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