Last Wednesday (August 19, 2009) my little boy entered the first grade! It was a massive milestone for my little fella and for his mommy and daddy too! I decided we would walk to school every morning – the elementary school is so close it doesn’t make much sense to waste gasoline driving the two miles up the road when we can do our bodies a favor and walk. ?????? ????? ????

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The afternoons are too hot and no one needs heat stroke – just not worth it. *smile* Sammy has attended Montessori school since he was two years old and kindergarten was at Montessori as well – so this was also his first year in public school! I was a mess freaking out – Sammy is Sammy and he has a strong personality and no one can really control him. He was born with this personality and we are doing everything in our power to mold it and guide it but it seems – at times – to be bigger than we are! I knew his personality would be the massive downfall in public school because they don’t respond well to power of self. Public school likes the kids that sit, and follow the flow like little brainless zombies… Okay maybe that’s not fair – but it seems that when the kids are smart, quiet and go with the flow without complaint that they are the favorite children. Kids like Sam are early labeled “problem children” and then all the teachers get together and gossip about who the “good” and “bad” kids are… If Sam is labeled one of the “bad” kids every teacher will *sigh* with annoyance at the thought of getting him – it’s really a violent cycle! I am hoping the system proves me wrong and I hope that Sammy finds guidance rather than a smack down of spirit.

I met before school with the principal and with his teacher – giving both a heads up about what they are getting with Sammy. On Wednesday I let him go… It was by far the hardest thing I have had to do since he was two and going to preschool. It had to have been a hard day for most of the children – but when I went to pick up Sammy – after a day filled with stress – I got the dreaded head shake from his teacher after I inquired how the day had gone. I thought all my nightmares were coming true! Every fear I had for him in a normal public school were smacking me in the face! It was the first day and already it was a failed attempt at public school… My heart sunk deep into my gut and I just wanted to vomit! His teacher was too busy to tell me what had happened so I had to come home without the report. As soon as I got home I sent his teacher an e-mail and just asked about the day’s events. I got an e-mail back saying that he didn’t listen or follow directions, and his defiance worried her. BINGO! Everything I thought would go wrong – went wrong. Although, I was shocked that I saw this as a challenge rather then a shot to the head! I feel like now I am on a mission to get Sammy to succeed in first grade – and every other grade thereafter! I am going to figure this out and he will conquer the first grade!

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I know it’s going to be a ton of fun and the experience of adjusting will be smooshed by the experience on a whole – the fun and friends… It’s going to be great and I know that it was hard for me to see or imagine Sammy being successful in public school but now he’s there and I feel good about it! His teacher is (so far *wink*) amazing and we are in total communication about Sammy and what’s going on and what needs to happen… Sammy IS going to push every button and he IS going to push every boundary and  he IS going to test his limits with everything! He has a strong personality and he’ll never give up – for that I say, “Go Sammy!” He might be a mini pain in everyone’s ass right now – but I have no doubt that my little fella is going to blow everyone’s minds away when he’s older. Look at him – he’s the All-American boy next door! AND – he made the front page of the news paper! ?????? ????? ????

I am excited to see what the year brings – so far it’s been a headache, but come on, we’ve just begun! There will be birthday parties and Halloween! There will be holiday fun and school work and home work – Sammy’s favorite thing about school (right now) is the work… I am sure that will change – but you never know! *fingers crossed* He’s my little Samma Wamma and I am proud of him! (don’t pay any attention to the yelling and freaking out I do – the bottom line is that I love him and I am proud of him!)

…Now can I talk about overcrowding in the public school system?

I am having a blast stalking people online! Not stalking in a bad psychotic way, but finding people I had not even thought about in almost 20 years! *UGH* That made me feel and sound old! Anyhow – I have a Facebook, and a Myspace and I Twitter – I am in there just having a great time! I have found friends on Facebook from high school and am able to stay connected to people I no longer see everyday. Just recently I decided to look for a boy I had a mad crush on in high school – he turned out to be one of my best friends, but moved after just one year *sad* – I found him and have chatted with him and it is just amazing! Friends I hung around with in high school whom I never heard from again after graduation – reconnected with them! Okay, sure I really have nothing to say other than, “HI! Remember ME?” ~Anyone who reads my blogs regularly knows that I am a dork… I also get to see pictures and see how they have changed! Exciting stuff! I am able to stay connected to my students – whom I had spent the last seven years of my life with – via Myspace. I get to watch them grow long after high school and their daily interactions with ME. *smile* ???? 3d ???????

I was able to find my very first best friend! It was Kindergarten 1979 and I was crying like a little baby when my mother left me in line on the first day of school and the little girl standing in front of me turned around and asked what was wrong – I told her I was scared and didn’t know anyone – she then told me, “It’s okay, I’ll be your friend.”  We were friends through almost all of elementary school but when I switched out in the fifth grade and attended another school that seemed to be the end of our friendship. Although, we never had hard feelings towards one another and when we attended the same junior high school and high school and would see each other  – we would always stop and say hi… We formed different groups of friends and our worlds were too different to be the BFFs we once were, but I always smiled when I saw her face. ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ???? ??????

Also, on Myspace I found a boy I had met but once and had a short “thing” with, but it ended badly -  my fault. I wanted to stay friends with him but other factors came into play (namely my boyfriend at the time *giggle*) that sent me into attack mode and pushed the guy out of my life in a nasty hurtful way – so now I have the chance to say I am sorry – I mean how awesome is that! How often does one get the chance to go back and fix something they broke? I was a mean girl and there are probably a few people I need to apologize to – and there are

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many folks out there who it would be so nice for ME to hear, “I’m sorry.” come from their lips – or typed from their fingers… Whatever! *laugh*  I just enjoy this chance I have to reconnect with people from my past, present and hopefully future!

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Almost three weeks after saving Daisy… she is doing great!!! Doesn’t like having her picture taken though – as soon as we pull out the camera she goes into super shy, sad puppy mode. Then when we won’t get out of her face with it – she’ll start getting angry and growl… So, we don’t have too many pictures of her – that look happy – but at least you know it is the camera pissing her off and she really is a happy little normal healthy hyper pupper uppers!

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I took her back to the vet today (8-6-09)  for a check-up to see if we need to continue the medicated dips and whatnot – the vet said that Daisy was the worst case of mange they had seen in a very long time! Poor girl! Although, the scraping he did today proved that we are on the right track and we are killing those parasites! *yay* We need to murder all the mites and her little body needs to banish them before the real healing can begin. The Vet put her back on antibiotics and she is scheduled for two more medicated dips (2 weeks) before seeing the vet again.

This super cute little girl is going to be just fine! The reason the mange was infesting her in the first place (so badly) was because she had a weakened immune system, but now she is on the road to good health! Daisy is acting like a normal puppy, chewing up everything, getting into the trash and biting the children (in play). She’s amazingly smart! Hardly ever barks! Listens when you tell her to “come” or “no.” Hasn’t run off… Daisy loves her little pack she has here with her Boyz.

Daisy’s Teddy mama is in complete love with her baby girl and for Teddi’s birthday I took her picture with Daisy – their first family portrait! This little puppy girl has it made – and every life she’s touched with her story of woe has inspired us to love life a little more…

This Barack Obama music video from Jib Jab is awesome! ????? ?????? ?? ???? ???????????

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