The day after the meeting

The PTA meeting was fine. It lasted two hours and lots of issues were discussed. Everyone got to say their peace. So I guess the goals were met. I could have done better. I knew it would be a long topics laden meeting and I was nervous. I hate when that happens. I'm usually so good with public speaking, but I was shaking with nerves. That just casus everything else to go bad -- I can't get my thoughts together and I start stumbling my words. I was so mad at myself. But people told me it was a good meeting, and when I heard it enough, I started to believe it.

After the meeting, my husband rushed up to me to tell me that during the meeting he had called home to check on the kids. He found out that my father was sent to the hospital. God did that worry me! Add that to the news that my sister found some inflammed lumps on her breasts. She goes to the surgeon tomorrow. When my husband told me the news about my father I kind of just lost it.

The day before the PTA meeting

This was my day... woke up, got a call from the principal. Actually the call was from her secretary. The principal wanted to postpone our 10am meeting until tomorrow. I told her "no can do." I needed to meet with her today. The principal calls directly. Says she can't meet until 1pm. Told her I'd just meet with the VPrincipal. Principal calls back and says she's cancelled appointments and will meet with me. Get the lunches ready, get the kids ready and walk them to the bus stop. Get home and eat a quick breakfast and rush out for a meeting on our Feb school spelling bee at 9:30am. Have the meeting and then rush to meet with the Principal. Speak for nearly 2 hours about the PTA meeting tomorrow. I took on this position of PTA president on a whim. Really, I thought I could do the job and do it well. Today, right now, I'm thinking of the phrase, "fools rush in when angels fear to tread." I think this non paying volunteer job might break me or at least my spirit. After the meeting to discuss strategy, it was already the end of school. I brought my son home -- my daughter likes taking the bus too much -- because it was half day Monday. While I'm waiting at the bus stop, I call back a parent who had a budget concern. She's a pleasant woman who I don't know well, but she always seems nice and friendly. She proceeded to yell, I repeat yell, at me for 20 minutes about this budget issue. She accused me of being a liar. I was shocked. I'm so up front and direct I offend people. I can't remember ever being called a liar. After that call the principal called to tell me to stay strong. After that I called my sister. She told me she thought she was having a worse day. Told her she picked the wrong day to compete and told her about my day. Of course, she trumped me -- she has a health concern. She told me she thinks she has some terrible form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, which is very aggressive. She is on pins and needles until she speaks to her doctor tomorrow. A health concern certainly helps put things into perspective. My family has had a lot of cancer, so I didn't take this news well or lightly. The waiting is the worst part. I love both my sisters very much and can't imagine a world without them.

Sunday in the Park

This weekend was pretty low key. The boys went up to a camp-in at the Maryland Science Museum. They drove up Saturday evening and returned Sunday morning. They had a great time at the interactive museum -- they went through all the exhibits, went to the Planetarium, watched an IMAX movie about Alaska and didn't go to sleep until midnight.

The girls stayed home and Daughter had a sleepover with her best friend Caroline. We watched Spy Kids 2 while eating pasta. Then in the morning we woke up and made chocolate chip waffles on the Hello Kitty waffle maker that Daughter received for Christmas.

Today we went to the new McLean park, Clemyjontri. The kids had a great time running around, but are very tired now from their fun filled weekend. Dad just took off to play basketball.