Happy 8th Birthday Karcie

Karcie's 8th birthday fell slap on Memorial day this year. We had a quick lunch party at her school on Friday. We then had a family gathering for lunch on Monday followed by lake fun in the afternoon. I think there is a trampoline party coming up too! 

Karcie gets a lot of presents. I can see why. She is beautiful, smiley, loving, sweet and cuddly. However, her best present attracting aspect is her reaction to gifts. When Karcie opens a gift, the grin is large and the reaction is filled with unbridled excitement - every single time. A rock to paint. A book, A shirt. Candy. Shoes. All the same. Jumping up and down and squealing. I hope that never changes.

Happy Birthday Tater!

Shout out to Kimberly and the rest of the family for always making birthdays special. I am certainly better an documenting it after the fact than the planning beforehand. 

Scholastic Superstar

If there was a word higher up the word totem pole than Proud, that is what we would choose to describe how we feel about Kamdyn's academic performance. In 7 years + K, I don't think she has received any interim or end year score less than the highest possible. Her running man on the NC standardized test ran off the page. I expect the same thing will happen in SC. 

When she was just a young kid, I just thought they gave everyone the same good grades. In NC, I started to think the schools were just too easy. I am running out of excuses now. 

I am always interested in understanding how people do things that I can't do. I constantly ask her questions to understand how it is possible to get perfect year end 100's in most all classes. I could take 7th grade 10 times in a row and not do it. Seems almost impossible. She wont tell me the how she does it. It is certainly not her parent's influence. We rarely help or even discuss her academics (other than to praise her success)

On Tuesday, she received All A Honor Roll, Highest Class Average in Science, Math and ELA (English for you old timers like me), Student Council recognition and Attendance.

And by the way, she is great human being as well. Increasingly rare these days.

She is a Scholastic Superstar and she may very well do a lot more of the impossible. The opportunities in her life will be unlimited as she keeps this up.

Mother's Days

I'm blessed. I don't know if I'm smart, lucky or have extreme guardian angel oversight. I approach Mother's Day like I do other opportunities. Collect the facts and data. Calculate the single best solution. Act. Learn. Revise plan for next time. Yes, I know, this is a typical Precious thing to say. I know it is the wrong approach, but well, that is the only approach I have. I am a bit handicapped in this aspect. I believe I may have asked for forgiveness from each of you for this. If not, I'm sorry again. I am still revising my Mother's Day plan 43 years later.

During the week leading up to Mother's day there seemed to be a lot of office chatter on Mother's Day. I listened. The CEO of the company I currently attend said there was no way for men to win on Mother's day. He said this to an audience of 70% women. Not smart, but par for the course-I digress. What he meant was that you can't recognize all that mothers do in one second Sunday in May. Poor delivery, but he was right. It came out wrong. I certainly understand that. I am a repeat offender. Others spoke of the same summary. Basically, men want to do the right thing but can't live up to the requirements we would like to and that mothers deserve. A bouquet of flowers? Lunch at a marginal restaurant? A card written by someone in China, signed love Precious and girls? A potted plant? Spa gift card that has been in the gift card box now for 4 years?

Seriously. Mother's create you. Love You. Provide for you. Sacrifice for you. Guide you. Put you above most everything most everyday. Not just the second Sunday of a random month. I would love to list the ways that the women in the pictures have affected my life. I wouldn't know where to begin or end. Even then, I would leave something out. My biggest take away from watching mothers is watching them sacrifice their own wants to help their kids. I have seen this too many times to count and enough to know it will always happen. Nothing can stop it. I do take notice. I try to adopt some of that. In recent years, I have moved family/wife/mothers/kids up the list. Currently, they may have overtaken fishing on most days. Definitely above my career and worldly possessions. Maybe not over key lime pie, certain football Saturdays or spreadsheets. But there is still time and I'm still learning.

So after all that, what happened on 5/12/19? I took Sandy and my Kim to a marginal restaurant and a concert on Friday. I sent a card from China to my mom and promised an in person visit. I made sure the technology was conveniently located so the young'uns could speak, see and giggle with Ruthie and Nanny. I  made sure my own kids took note of the day by making sure they expressed to their mother the things they are thankful for. Partially for Kim. But partially so they can reflect and know the value of their Mom beyond made lunches and laundry. Oddly, they mentioned laundry and bed making in their appreciation video. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but we are all on the same journey I guess. I let Kim sleep late. Made sure the house was orderly when she arose. Procured groceries for the week. We provided breakfast on demand with live kid video on demand. Cards from China. A traditional school gift that I think was a painted clay pot. Might have been an unfortunately shaped animal.

I reflected on the Mother's days that I missed and will miss. That was harder than the rest. 

At the end of Mother's day 2019, I explained all of this to my Kim. I wanted her to know my intentions and that I truly appreciate all she does for us. I didn't feel it was enough. She said it was enough. That's a mother doing what mothers do. What they all have been doing for me for 43 years. Just like they do every day, here in person, from a distance and as angels.

Columbia Zoo Field Trip

Mama took a much deserved day off from teaching and herding kindergartners to accompany a slew of 2nd graders on a field trip. They left early, passed right by the perfectly good Greenville zoo to visit the Columbia zoo. I guess Columbia has better mammals or reptiles.

Karcie had a good time. I almost had her convinced the trip was to leave her at the zoo. Permanently. Nah, we couldn't do without Karcie making our own house a zoo.

Hope you enjoyed your day off, Kim!