25 days until GRADUATION

I realized today I only have 25 days left! 25 days and I'll no longer be a college student. 25 days and the student loan people will be told - hey she's done, send her a bill. 25 days and I will officially just be a domestic goddess again instead of mom/wife/student!! WOW! One of the fourth graders asked me today how long I've been in school. 16 1/2 years - that's not too bad, except for the fact that most of the teachers I've met are younger than me and have been teaching for 5 years or so, or are older than me and have been teaching for 10+ years. So, I'm a late bloomer of sorts. I knew a long time ago that I wanted to be a teacher, but I also knew I wanted to be a mom. I guess I just did then out of order from most teachers/moms - but that's ok! I'm really looking forward to putting on some heels, a black skirt and white shirt (yes - they have a dress code for graduation - and I don't have a white dress shirt {insert eyes rolling here} and don't want to buy one) and walking (hopefully, gracefully) across the stage, shaking hands with President Moulten, smiling for pics and getting the heck out of college! I can't wait. One of my very good friends will be seated five seats down from me (that's if everyone between us decides to walk) and another one will be right by me! I just can't wait!

There is so much going on in the near future that I'm excited about! My cousin and her two girls are coming next Sunday to spend a few nights. It'll be Spring Break for us and them - so that's exciting. I really miss them and can't wait to have some time with them. Of course, the girls are true girls and act like they are about 16 and are usually too cool to hang out with me, unless they can use my laptop that is, but I love them and can't wait for their arrival. Cole will have a blast too - he loves his girls!

Then, it's back to school for 8 days and then the BIG graduation. The weekend after that is Mother's Day and we'll be doing the ChemoMoms Fundraiser Crop! If you want to read about it - go here>>> http://chemomoms.blogspot.com So if you want to help in some way - please let me know. We're looking for fun things to give away as door prizes, or things to raffle. We would love donations of any sort. There is a list on the site of things we are looking for to do baskets for families that are inpatient (in the hospital). I have tons of great ideas for this organization, but not much time or many resources (you know - money) to do it. I'm hoping I can make a few cool things to give away as well!

Speaking of making cool things - we have remodeled our bathroom. Ripped out wallpaper and texturized the walls, painted, new shower curtain rod (those fancy ones that curve out and give you more shower room), new floor mat and I made a cool clock to hang on the wall, and a wall hanging too. Cole was sad that we were making a mess in his bathroom and wanted us to fix it and paint it red. Well, we already have a red bathroom and didn't want to do the same thing again so we picked gray and decided to accent with white and black and why not throw in some red and M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E too! So that's what we did. Here's the clock and wall hanging - the clock is too darn cute, if I must say so myself!!

The clock doesn't have a second hand, but the bottle cap Mickey, in the middle, ticks and turns around - too cute! And for any scrapbookers out there - this was a cheapo Christmas clock that I got for 75% off after Christmas (75 cents I think) and covered with black cardstock, used my Crop-a-dile to punch two hole to add the ribbon, Heidi Swapp chipboard numbers, and the rest is random Mickey stuff that I've been using to make our Disney Album from the last trip we took to DisneyWorld!

OK - what else? Hmm, Easter was great. We had the Tanner family over to our house. We ate and ate and then played with Amanda's Wii! We bowled right here in my living room! AND I WON!! Only the first game, but HEY I'll take what I can get! Then we (and by WE, I mean ME) spent the evening (about 2 and a half hours) putting together a LARGE Lego set that turned into SPONGEBOB LEGO PANTS! Well, Square Pants actually. My brother sent Cole this Lego set that makes Spongebob from the episode where Plankton gets inside Spongebob's brain and tries to find the Crabby Patty Secret Formula!!!! YIKES! Anyway, it took FOREVER! And then I said to Cole - Don't touch it - if it falls apart, I'm not putting it back together. He pouts and I add, well I'm not putting it back together tonight! (which really means EVER) Lego's are hard! Over 400 pieces! I remember when you just got red, blue, white and clear. My brother and I made all kinds of things. Mostly I made a telephone - the one pictures in the Penny's or Sears catalog that was a push button with the huge receiver! That's really all I made now that I think about it. Doesn't my brother remember that? My talent in Lego building only took me so far. Last night though, it took me to a sponge, under the sea.

Well, that's really all I can think of to share with you today! OH, no it's not. I was just thinking about two years ago today and what was going on in our lives. Two years ago today we were at Mud Island in Memphis with Austin and Allen and their parents. We had a great time hanging out with them. The weather was really nice. It was one of those days where we knew we just needed to get out and do something and it was our last weekend there before coming home for a break and returning to begin chemo. We decided that morning to go somewhere outdoors and mentioned it to Brian and Traci (Austin's parents) and then ran into Allen and his parents and they wanted to come along too. We had a great time! It was opening weekend at Mud Island so there was a petting zoo, a train, hot air balloons too. Fun stuff. Then that Wednesday, Cole had his last radiation treatment and we packed up and headed out! I remember being so excited to leave and then, sad at the same time to leave the new family we had made. By the time we returned Allen had gone home (and was returning weekly for chemo), Austin left just a few days later and several other families were gone as well. It seems like so long ago but I remember so much about the little details! I started writing Cole's story last year in a Reading/Writing class at South. I only got through the first month of his journey but started writing more outside of class. I haven't written anything since April of last year. I couldnt' find the note book for the longest time, just saw it recently and now I'm wondering where it is. I think I'll take it with me to school tomorrow and start writing again. The kids have SAT's tomorrow and I'll be sitting quietly for 2 and 1/2 hours while they take their test - sounds like a good time to write, huh?

Ok, so now I guess I'm done. Thanks for reading - leave me a comment so I know you were here - and have a wonderful week!!!

lisa