A bit too much for me this week...

In just this one week I feel that life just bit me in the butt and then ran around laughing at me...

... Monday-Jay sprained his ankle and was diagnosed with a sinus infection. We spent the morning in the ER. While we were waiting to see a doc, we were told by the staff that they were super busy for a Monday because of a school bus accident. Felt like we were living a scene from ER

... Tuesday-my sister calls me on the way from school to let me know my aunt's mother had died. She had been diagnosed just 12 days earlier with cancer.

... Wednesday-running around at school like a chicken with my head cut off. I was informed that this horrible testing process that we did with the children back in November was once again coming our way.

... Thursday-funeral in the frozen tundra that we call Michigan. It was very hard to see my peeps so sad. Of course, I was crying right along side with them.

Friday-after having a long conversation with my friend, she tells me that last week she filed for divorce. Twelve years and 3 children later... she will be looking at life as a single. G-d help her.

Saturday... Ben's team lost in basketball. My fifteen year old niece is now going on car dates and was asked to the prom.

Moms

Even at 42, I can not imagine life without my mother. She has always been there for me thick or thin. As a child, I worshipped the ground she walked on. As a teenager a believed she was the wicked witch of the west with all the rules that she imposed upon me. As an adult she not only is my mther but my friend, grandmother to Ben, driver and watcher of him as needed and just my overall emotional support. I don't depend on her anymore but I can't imagine life without her.

My wonderful Aunt Rena lost her mother yesterday to cancer (among other things). I confess that even though I have known Aunt Rena basically all my life, I really don't know much about her mother. I knew she was a wonderful baker back in the day and that she loved to cook. I knew that she deeply cared about her family, children and grandchildren. I knew that she stayed home with her own kids and was married to a mail carrier. Most importanly, I knew that she was the mother to my aunt.

I can not imagine the pain that my aunt is going through. I don't want to. So... here's to my mom being with me for many years to come. And also it is time to say goodbye to another mother. May Shirley rest in peace.

Live the dash

This week was one riddled with horrible news. Terminal illness for my aunt's mother, the loss of staff at my school, kindergartners getting a serious case of cabin fever and making some interesting choices in their behavior and a break-up are just some of the highlights of the fun I had.

But then there's a little voice inside my head that pulled this saying out, one that was said again and again by someone who I deeply respected and admired, Cantor Dubov. This was his saying, his mantra and he lived his dash. Unfortunately the dates between his dash weren't long enough and he was taken from us at the age of 52.

In entering this week, I need to keep this quote in my mind. I need to live my dash and not let everything get me down.

I am gonna try!!!

Ben 11

Another trip around the sun has happened and once again, it is January 24th. Happy 11th to you, Ben. A lot can change in a year.

Ben, your love of sports has grown stronger. You have successful completed 3 seasons of flag football, started your first season of basketball and will be starting your 3rd season of league bowling.

Your persuasiveness never seems to amaze me. You got me on your side when you argued why having a cell phone at 10 was necessary and then you talked Daddy into it as well. Just how many toys did I buy for you after you reluctantly went shopping?

You have worked very hard at school. You continue to keep up your grades striving to be the best that you can. Your involvement in school amazes me. You ran for VP of student counsel, and when you didn't get it, you served as rep for your class. You are on the safety patrol and news team. You spend time helping in a classroom with children that have special needs. You are participating in the Battle of the Books. Wow-is there anything else that you can sign up for at school?

You continue to be an awesome citizen. You care about everyone around you and your zest for life is infectious. You have strong friendships and you are very close to your extended family-even Ashley. You are fair and not judgmental. You see the good in everyone, even the WWE super villains.

So... Bennyboo... here's to the start of another trip around the sun. By next year, you will be in middle school. Can't wait to see what changes this will bring to you. Luv ya, kiddo!

Jane Cooper Elementary

Jane Cooper Elementary. Also known as Cooper "The Renaissance" School. This skeleton of a building is where my career as a teacher for Detroit Public Schools started. I was shocked to discover how Cooper had been basically robbed of it's beauty and charm in under a year.

I have so many memories of Cooper. I worked there from 1990 to 2001. I learned so much there not only how to teach in an urban setting but how to respect all those that I came in contact with. I definitely could say that the years I worked at Cooper were my childhood, if you will, as an educator. Children came to me from all sorts of backgrounds and I taught them. I taught them to love each other, to feel secure and to not be afraid when they were in the hall of Cooper. I gave them routine, stability and love. I taught them discipline minus the physical nature of it. I taught them their abcs and 123s plus a whole lot more. I loved this school but when the opportunity presented itself to me, I left never looking behind me. I knew that Cooper was much like the Titanic, a ship doomed and I had to get out of there. And I did way before it became dust in the wind.

When I came across this story from the whispers of the yesteryears, I could not believe it. I have been almost obsessed in finding my pictures. I even found my classroom. I didn't attach the really upsetting pictures-computers all on the ground of a once state-of-the-art computer lab that laid in a tangled mess, trashed beyond repair and the once beautiful and ornate auditorium where my students performed in many programs, and the thousands and thousands of dollars of materials that could have been used at another school. The pictures that I did attach are very meaningful to me. The classroom in the picture was mine. I recognized it by the calendar which was permanently attached to the wall. The other two are outside views from the front and back of Cooper. In the front view, my classroom was located next to the door on the second level to the right of the picture. The back view shows our unpaved parking lot and play area.

So goodbye Cooper. See you in a much better light in my memories!

The end of an era

Yesterday it was made official, plans that we have been working out since last year... My inlaws' put their house on the market. Their house on a little street in Oak Park was purchased by them 42 years ago. They were living in a changing community in Detroit and wanted to assure a good education for their daughter Pam who was high school age and their son Jay who was all of two.

There are lots of memories we all have about their cute little home. Read on...

... A car drove right into the master bedroom and threw Jay and his mom off the bed where moments before they were enjoying a tv program together.

... How the Wilds and the Weiss' built and maintained a friendship that has extended into adulthood.

...The dogs that were members of their household ... Champ, Pogo, Magic and of course sweet Belle some I knew well and some were members of the family before I came into the picture.

... Like how they all lived thru Michigan summers without central air until it was installed in 2004-I experienced many of these summers without it and learned how truly spoiled I am!

... Anything with liquor logos on it that you can imagine could be found in the basement or garage and I mean anything!

... Like the many holidays we spent in Oak Park as a family

.... Ben's baby naming we had at their home with our family celebrating our joy with us.

... About how all the kids in the neighborhood and neighbors were friends and watched each others back-let me assure you nothing like our neighborhoods today!

and there are many others...

The end of an era has come. My inlaws' next place of residence will be in senior apartments. They are both in their 80s and my father-in-law no longer drives and my mother-in-law never learned to drive so getting here and there has become a bit of a challenge for them.

So... Mom and Dad, good luck and G-d speed to selling it fast. And to the future owners, make wonderful memories of your own in this very special family dwelling...

Hoops there it is...

Here we go again...

Ben decided that his winter sport was going to be basketball. He has never played a formal game of it in his life. It has always been just the impromptu neighborhood boys shooting hoops. With Ben as tall as he is, he should be quite a natural. So... Go Badgers and good luck to you future NBA players.

Mickey's true love

Our dog Mickey is fixated on popcorn. I was making popcorn for us tonight and from the minute that the popcorn went into the microwave to when it was shaken into a bowl, Mickey watched and I could almost swear he licked is chops....