Five

Tomorrow my "baby" will turn five. . . I can't believe it. Time has literally flown by. How can it be that he will start school in the fall. I no longer have babies. I have school aged children. How sad is that?

I hugged Dylan tonight and told him that I did not want him to turn five. He told me he was sorry but he had to. He said even if I canceled his party, he would still turn five and he just had to do it. He assured me not to worry because he will love me forever and will never leave our house. He said he is going to live with me until "I'm like 30 mommy". I hope that is not the case!

Every time the children have a birthday I feel so melancholy. I hate that they are getting older. And this time if feels even worse because he's the youngest one. I could honestly have a big pity party and burst into tears now! Oh - if I were younger I would get pregnant in a heartbeat - well that's if it were up to me. Will keeps saying "Are you crazy? Have you lost your mind?" He said I can't keep having babies every time one gets older or else we'll never stop! Hmmm. I wonder if I had the money and did not have to worry about space, daycare, college etc. how many children I would have. Maybe we would have been a family of 6! Seven including my dad! How fun would that be? I know crazy right?

So . . . anyone want to have a healthy baby for me? I'll take either a girl or boy - not picky at all. Any takers ???

Pregnant

We are surrounded by a lot of friends who are pregnant or have just recently had babies. Mackenzie loves babies and yes she would love it if we had an addition to our family - but the only addition I would even consider adding at my age would be a puppy - so don't get any ideas!

Mackenzie is very fascinated by pregnancy. She is particularly inspired by Leslie! She has seen Leslie's belly grow from nothing to the cute little basketball that she carries now. Every couple of weeks Mackenzie will comment on how Leslie's belly is growing bigger and bigger.

So for the past couple of weeks I have noticed her playing with her dolls again. Holding them and caring for them - really sweet right? Except now she is "pregnant". I have caught her stuffing her shirt to look pregnant and standing in front of her mirror "admiring" her belly. Then when she notices that I have peeked in on her she gets super embarrassed and "deflates" her belly.

I was able to snap a few "hidden" pictures when they were playing outside. When she realized I had taken a picture she was super mad! If she only knew I am blogging about it!

It's kind of funny to see her "pregnant" and I'm sure it's all due to fascination because of so many people having babies - but I hope this is a sight I DO NOT see until she is married and at least in her late 20's!

Look what an impact you've made Leslie!

Bittersweet

For the last 3 years my job has always been uncertain from year to year. Who would have thought that after 11 years of teaching I would need to worry about losing my job. That is how bad the state of California is in. We are losing some wonderful veteran teachers who love doing what they do because the state can't get it together and seems to be digging themselves into a deeper hole. I have some great ideas on how to fix the budget - but that would be a whole other blog - and one that might be offensive to some - so we'll leave that topic alone.

Every January all the prospective budget cuts are discussed and I start sitting on pins and needles wondering if I will get cut. This year was the same and I decided I was not going to let all this crap effect what kind of teacher I am. I could easily go into a tailspin and be sucked into all the negativity that occurs. Instead I avoided being wrapped up in the "what ifs" and decided to take it as it comes. Really what more can I do? It is not productive to sit and wallow in what might happen. And today I got the great news that I am spared once again - for now. I felt such a sense of relief and joy. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. But then I remembered . . .

That in the very same minute that I felt joy - someone else was crushed. My heart was saddened for all those teachers who will not be spared. As of right now teachers who were hired after October of 2001 need to go to a reduction in force meeting. Now think about this. These are people who have taught for 10 years.

For the last 3 years I have had a new kinder teammate each year because of all the budget cuts. My heart is so sad for these friends and many other wonderful teachers who have no idea where their career is going from year to year. What school will they be at? What grade? Or if they will have a job at all. I am so sorry to all those wonderful people. It is wrong.

And then . . . another slap in the face. We find out that our superintendent of instruction, human resources, and finances all just renewed their contract until the year 2015. What does that mean? It means they were looking out for themselves to make sure they are ok. One of the propositions was to cut one superintendent to save money (after all they do make $200,ooo a year). So they made sure that could not happen. In this time of budget cuts, salary reductions,teachers losing jobs, larger class sizes etc. they go behind closed doors to lock in their contract.

I am so disappointed. I thought I worked for people with more integrity, humanity, and morals. How can they sit safe when the district is looking at a bare bones system. Some of the proposals made to save money are: no librarians, 80% principals, 5 hour health clerks, maintenance will only mow when necessary, cutting custodial duties, secretaries at 80%, class sizes at 32, less salary for teachers, and getting rid of 50 teachers. And . . .the school board approved their contracts. What is wrong with this picture?

In the long run - it all trickles down to the kids. The kids pay the price. My own children pay the price. And I hate that. I know it happens in big business all the time - it's very cut throat. I wanted to think (naive me) that this was not a business - that it is a school where we are educating children for the future. I was wrong.

Happy 2011

New Year's Day has always been special for our family. We would go to our SGI meeting and then come home and sit under the kotatsu (heater-table) and eat some delicious homemade Japanese food. I miss those days with my mom. Now we still go to our SGI meeting and then visit mom at the cemetery.

The new year is significant in Japan because it's a fresh start to a new year. Time to make resolutions and set goals to accomplish for the year. It's also a time to reflect upon the year that has passed and see what you have achieved and what is still left to do.

Here is a poem that was sent to me this Christmas that really resonated with me.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire,

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times, you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunity for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary

Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

Also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

And they can become your blessings.

I think this resonates so deeply with me because in Buddhism we have the power to turn all negative situations into a blessing. Each hardship is an opportunity for an individual to grow and deepen their faith and find their buddha nature. It is up to me to have the determination to change "poison into medicine". No prayer ever goes unanswered. I have deep gratitude that one of the most important legacies my mom passed on to me is this Buddhism. With this Buddhism I can accomplish anything! Today, I will not be defeated. Today, I will courageously advance!

Jolly

One of the best Christmas traditions we have started has been Elf on the Shelf. If you are unfamiliar with it - it's basically a little elf who watches over the children and report back to Santa each night to tell "the man" how the kids had behaved throughout the day.

We adopted "Jolly" last Christmas and it has been so fun to see the kids hunt for Jolly each morning during the holiday season. This year Jolly even left them a note and told them to tell mommy to check her email because Santa had sent them a message. It was the coolest thing.

I wish I had both kids reaction recorded as they each sat and watched their video from Santa. It was so precious and I got tears in my eyes to see how sincere they were listening to Santa's message. Dylan was mesmerized and shook his head yes and listened so intently with a big smile on his face. I didn't know what Mackenzie would think as she got older - but she is still equally mesmerized. She does ask a lot more questions, but is always satisfied with our answer.

During this time of year I love all of the magic that the kids believe in. It's so fun to see it all through their eyes. I hope they will carry the innocence in their hearts for many more years to come and enjoy all the traditions we do.

Social Butterfly

This past year Dylan has really become quite the outgoing guy. I love to see how confident he has grown.

When I run into someone and I don't introduce him, he will speak up and say, "Hi, I'm Dylan" and give a little wave, or extend his hand for a handshake.

When we go into restaurants he likes to acknowledge the wait staff and is very proud to place his order himself. I also love that he is very polite whenever his cup is refilled. However, if the wait staff does not respond to his thank you's he gets a little peeved and speaks even louder until they acknowledge him back with a "you're welcome".

This Christmas season he has also been into telling people "Merry Christmas!". It doesn't matter if it's the waiter, the cashier, the bagger or the mailman. It's quite charming!

I love this little guy who is growing up to be quite a charming social butterfly.

Gingerbread Houses

Every year the kids get to decorate gingerbread houses. The tradition started when I taught first grade and I would make houses with the kids. Now looking back I think I was crazy to actually build houses with the kids and then let them decorate once it set. Every year I would think to myself "I am not doing that again" - until I see the pure joy on their little faces and I would forget all the mayhem of the house building. So I decided that it would be fun for my own kids to have the opportunity to experience the fun - and now we decorate houses every year.




I pre-make the houses the night before so that they are set and won't collapse.



The girls before they began . . .





and the boys !



Dylan was the first one done. He couldn't wait to . . .





dig in - face first! He was hilarious! If I would have let him, he would have ate the whole thing in one sitting.




Mackenzie's gingerbread girl.



Mackenzie's house.


She took her time . . . But the prize goes to . . .






Aunty Tiff! She looks forward to making houses every year. Next year she has requested a bigger house on cardboard covered with foil so she can expand her scenery. Wait . . . who is this event for?