Look Out First Grade!

If you read my blog about Joseph's first day of kindergarten, you’ll see how emotionally devastating that day was for me as a mother having to let go of her baby! However, I made it through the day with relative ease.

But, if I thought the FIRST day of kindergarten was hard, I wasn’t prepared for the LAST day and kindergarten graduation. First of all, I’m convinced the only reason for a KINDERGARTEN graduation is to send parents into total fits of nostalgia and emotion overload. At least that’s what it did to me! For weeks leading up to the event, I was feeling that tinge of sadness. The five kindergarten classes were preparing a musical production before the actual graduation ceremony. That ceremony came complete with a processional and individual “diploma” presentations! Everyday Joseph grew more and more excited about the BIG DAY. I, on the other hand, grew increasingly sad that time had passed so quickly and my little big boy was growing up so fast!

The morning of the graduation, Joseph got on the bus and headed to school. Just going through that motion with my kindergartner for the last time secretly overwhelmed me. As I waved goodbye, tears welled in my eyes. I think as I get older, I’m either getting more emotional or more hormonal! ;) I was horrified by my emotions. I thought if I’m already blubbering like this now, there’s no hope for me at the graduation ceremony.

When Jonathan, myself and Papa arrived later for the festivities, I thought I made a mistake leaving my tissue in my purse in the van. Amazingly I made it through the entire event tear-free! I consider that a feat when I remember how incredible he was during the songs and poem recitals. They sang and recited their poems with such precision , it was awe-inspiring.

So my little big boy has moved from kindergarten to THE WHOLE summer with ME! And then first grade in August... ... *sigh* I will cherish this short time with him while I can.

Isn't it neat to see how much they change in less than a year in school?!

Jaclyn & Jonathan

Explaining Death

As you all know, we have had two hamsters. Monday morning both hamsters were alive and well. Monday afternoon Jonathan comes home and says, "Did you see Ying Yang? She's just sleeping out in the open." Two hours later she's still there. Curious, we open the cage to pet her "just in case" and she's cold and hard...

First thoughts: I can't believe she's dead. She was just fine this morning.
THEN: Crap! Can we get it to Petland and get another before the kids notice?

After talking it over, our final decision was to tell the kids and explain to them what happened. We figured that it would be the best and easiest way to explain death to them instead of them learning the hard way by (heaven forbid) losing someone other than a pet. I know that there is no easy way to explain death or even an easy way for them to understand death. Especially when they're our kids' age, at this point their view of the world is very literal. They have a hard time understanding that all people and living things eventually die, and that they won't come back.

We were honest, never used euphemisms, and we encouraged questions. They don't need to know every little detail, but they deserve to know the facts. (This also was how I approached the "sex talk" with Joseph when he started asking questions a while back). If you're curious about that conversation, let me know, I'll tell you how it went.

Joseph, of course, understood much more than the girls about death. Joseph took it pretty hard. He was very sad and cried and asked a lot of questions. He was pleased with our answers and was reassured that we can go on living and being happy. We asked if they wanted another hamster and they almost instantly forgot about Ying Yang's passing.

Tressa picked out a cute little orange colored hamster and named her Tinkerbell. So now we HAVE two hamsters again and the kids are pleased. Tinkerbell is super sweet and lets us hold her and hasn't bitten anyone YET. Hopefully she'll make it longer than two weeks.

How would you have approached this situation? How have you approached this situation?

Jaclyn & Jonathan

Getting There

I was conversing with a friend via text message and she asked me this:

Are you comfortable with who you are now? And if not, what are you trying to change? What do you think is the line between accepting who you are and working to become a better you?

I honestly had no response at first. I always thought I was comfortable with myself and then I hit a "mid-life crisis" and found myself questioning not only my future, but my existence even... However, I am back in my normal state of mind and I couldn't be happier. After a long thought process I responded to her question(s) with this:

I think that everyone should constantly attempt to become a better version of their present self. There should never be a point in life where you stop and say, “Well, I’m happy now so - this is how I’m going to live for the rest of my existence”. Am I comfortable with who I am now? Not fully - but I have years ahead of me to figure that out. But at this moment in my life - I know what I want. Getting there is what’s happening now.

How would you respond to said questions?

Jaclyn

Getting A Head Start... Sort Of...

The girls have been in Head Start now for almost a week! Eek! They are just in the summer program as of right now, which ends somewhere around July 16th. Then *hopefully* they'll be accepted into the fall program.

They absolutely love every bit of it! Joseph had been talking to them every day from the time we found out about all the stuff that happens at school and all the little rules that have to be followed. I had never seen them so excited about any one thing before.

The first three days we were required to take them to school and pick them up, and they were super anxious about wanting to ride the bus the whole time. They love their teachers. I have not met Amaya's teacher yet, since she has been out with a sickness since day one, but her substitute teacher and assistant are great. Jonathan and I absolutely ADORE Tressa's teacher Mrs. Knight. She will talk your ear off, but she is super sweet and active and is always on top of the kids and what they're doing.

The first day the girls met at the playground during recess and didn't leave the others side for a second. They even held hands going down the slide. When Amaya's class left before Tressa's, Amaya had a serious breakdown and would not let go of Tressa's hand. It was awful. However, Tressa did do her best to reassure sister that they were going to see each other after school and it would be okay! :)

Monday was their first day on the school bus and they were so happy! Tressa was a little hesitant, but gathered her cool once she stepped aboard. While getting them off of the bus yesterday Tressa's teacher, Mrs. Knight, is assisting the bus driver and tells us she was walking around her classroom while the kids were eating breakfast and noticed that Tressa wasn't eating very well. Then noticed that Tressa was actually Amaya. They had mixed up the girls when they got to school yesterday morning! So they've already had a break down, ridden the bus and been mistaken for the other. They have had a rough week! :P

Saturday we went to the pet store and bought two little Teddy Bear Hamsters. They're so cute! It was our treat to the kids for being good and helping out around the apartment and celebrating our little family's success in our "own little home". Unfortunately Joseph lost his privilege for bad behavior all week at school and bad behavior at home. Once he can fix his behavior at school, he may earn his "pet privilege" back. Right now, any time he comes home with bad behavior reports we make him write sentences about what he did, for instance, "I will not talk in the classroom when I should not because it is against the rules." So far it's working.

Amaya fell in love with a brown and white hamster that bites constantly and named her Princess (Go figure, right?) and because Tressa was so sick and her allergies were kicking her butt she opted out of picking a pet because she "just wanted to take a nap" she told us. So daddy went ahead and got another hamster that is black and white, and called her Ying Yang. She is actually very calm and hasn't bitten... ... Yet. Hopefully I'll have pictures of some sort up soon.


My online classes ended last week and I'm so happy! However this week is finals for my regular classes. Got lots of studying, studying, and more studying to do. Getting more excited for the taste of summer break I'm about to get!!! No more studying! I can finally enjoy catching up on some hobbies and organization and TV!!! Lol

Jonathan is still working (Thankfully!) and he even got a pay raise after the company laid off 15 people, so we're hoping it stays looking bright for him, for us. Our marriage has never been so perfect. I definitely think being on our own has helped alleviate a lot of the stress and our communication skills have been their best yet! I have never been more happy in my life than I am right now, this moment of these last two months. It's an amazing feat that we have conquered... Just when we thought we were on the verge of divorce.

I hope that everyone is doing well and would love to hear from you. I could try keeping in touch with you too, but I suck at it! I swear I have a million and one things to do all the time! Ugh! Hopefully Summer break will give me that chance. Until then, I'll stick with the blog to keep you all updated.

Jaclyn & Jonathan

P.S.
A couple that is very good friends of Jonathan and I found out that they are expecting their first (and probably only) child. Just want to say CONGRATULATIONS... It sucks! Haha! Seriously, Love you guys and we're so happy for you!