She Tried Her Best...
I survived the trip to Fredericton and back with Erin. She did really well, but not enough to place in the top 3. The girl who placed 3rd in our District 2 competition had one of those glorious days where everything went so well and she poured her heart into the competition, aced the impromptu question and won the entire competition. Erin was happy for her and gracious about the medal and other participation prizes. On the ride home, she admitted to being disappointed that she couldn’t bring a trophy home for her school, but I explained that to make it to the top 15 in the province was still QUITE the accomplishment...
and then I got lost trying to leave Fredericton.
We got home by 6 pm, fed her and have tucked her in for the night. She needs to be at the volleyball tournament for 7:15 am, so I am off to bed shortly behind her. All the driving and then sitting most of the day have made me really, really sore... but she was worth it.
How to I explain to her how proud I am for just trying? Perhaps she’ll understand some day when she watches her own child attempt something. It isn’t always about winning. Sometimes, it is just about the experience life offers you... to take a risk and reach for that star or not attempt because you might not place first.
I am SO proud of her!
Friday, May 09, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Knowing What Needs To Come First...
When the going gets tough... sometimes I just get quiet. I don’t like it when my blog is full of complaining. There’s not enough cheese to go with all that whining!
My pinched nerve has flared up again with a vengeance. It has hurt to sit at the computer for too long, sit and stitch or sit and draw. After almost 3 months of getting better, I feel as if I have taken 2 giant steps back. I am wondering now if I didn’t begin to lift more things and exercise a bit harder or push my drawing and stitching times a bit longer because I was feeling so much better. For whatever reason, I am in pain again.
So... when the TNNA organizers contacted me about low class registration for the 2 classes I’d agreed to teach in Columbus, it brought all my doubts of being able to handle the show to the forefront. Since Wheat was also going through health issues of her own, it made me take a long hard look at what I had to put first. I chose my family and my health. If I don’t take care of my health, then everything else falls apart. I’ll just have to save the designs I’d hoped to unveil until closer to the CreativFestival in the fall!
Family has certainly been at the center of everything lately!
My brother and his family came over from Switzerland for a week during their spring break to visit Mom and John since they had to cancel their April trip to Geneva because of Mom’s health. My girls had 3 days off school for professional days, so it was perfect time to let the cousins just play and spend time together. When family lives that far apart, you have to make the most of each visit.
Nick is getting back to being himself, even though this is a hectic time of year. With less than 35 days before school ends and planning for next year’s teaching assignments, staffing, portables being added over the summer, budgets etc. he’s been spending a lot of time at work or on his laptop at home. It’s nice to have my Tigger back!
Tuesday night both girls performed in their school Cabaret show. Bethany did her part in the play for one last time in front of a packed house of parents and Erin sang a duet with her partner from the music festival. Every other night this week, Erin has been out at volleyball practice because the Eastern Nationals for volleyball begin tomorrow. Opening ceremonies are tonight and then we see if she has an early game tomorrow morning. It her team is down for an 8 am game then she can probably play once before we drive to Fredericton for the Provincial Middle School Oratory competition!
Erin has to represent our school district, after placing first here, for the Middle School provincial competition held at St. Thomas University. I’ve never driven to Fredericton on my own before, so it will be a bit scary. I am used to being the knitting passenger, the snack organizer and iPod tune-changer. Erin’s volleyball team will miss her for their first games, but she’ll be playing all day Saturday and any late Friday games that are scheduled. She’s really learned how to use her height to block things and her team affectionately calls her “The Wall”! I was so upset with both things ended up being on the same weekend (Nick is also serving at our church pancake breakfast all Saturday morning). Erin’s teachers felt that since she WON the District competition, she needed to be in Fredericton instead of one of the alternates. Luckily, Erin’s volleyball coach agreed with the plan.
Now if I can just keep from getting lost when we drive down tomorrow, I’ll be fine. I’ve already warned Erin that we’ll take stretch breaks whenever I need them!
When the going gets tough... sometimes I just get quiet. I don’t like it when my blog is full of complaining. There’s not enough cheese to go with all that whining!
My pinched nerve has flared up again with a vengeance. It has hurt to sit at the computer for too long, sit and stitch or sit and draw. After almost 3 months of getting better, I feel as if I have taken 2 giant steps back. I am wondering now if I didn’t begin to lift more things and exercise a bit harder or push my drawing and stitching times a bit longer because I was feeling so much better. For whatever reason, I am in pain again.
So... when the TNNA organizers contacted me about low class registration for the 2 classes I’d agreed to teach in Columbus, it brought all my doubts of being able to handle the show to the forefront. Since Wheat was also going through health issues of her own, it made me take a long hard look at what I had to put first. I chose my family and my health. If I don’t take care of my health, then everything else falls apart. I’ll just have to save the designs I’d hoped to unveil until closer to the CreativFestival in the fall!
Family has certainly been at the center of everything lately!
My brother and his family came over from Switzerland for a week during their spring break to visit Mom and John since they had to cancel their April trip to Geneva because of Mom’s health. My girls had 3 days off school for professional days, so it was perfect time to let the cousins just play and spend time together. When family lives that far apart, you have to make the most of each visit.
Nick is getting back to being himself, even though this is a hectic time of year. With less than 35 days before school ends and planning for next year’s teaching assignments, staffing, portables being added over the summer, budgets etc. he’s been spending a lot of time at work or on his laptop at home. It’s nice to have my Tigger back!
Tuesday night both girls performed in their school Cabaret show. Bethany did her part in the play for one last time in front of a packed house of parents and Erin sang a duet with her partner from the music festival. Every other night this week, Erin has been out at volleyball practice because the Eastern Nationals for volleyball begin tomorrow. Opening ceremonies are tonight and then we see if she has an early game tomorrow morning. It her team is down for an 8 am game then she can probably play once before we drive to Fredericton for the Provincial Middle School Oratory competition!
Erin has to represent our school district, after placing first here, for the Middle School provincial competition held at St. Thomas University. I’ve never driven to Fredericton on my own before, so it will be a bit scary. I am used to being the knitting passenger, the snack organizer and iPod tune-changer. Erin’s volleyball team will miss her for their first games, but she’ll be playing all day Saturday and any late Friday games that are scheduled. She’s really learned how to use her height to block things and her team affectionately calls her “The Wall”! I was so upset with both things ended up being on the same weekend (Nick is also serving at our church pancake breakfast all Saturday morning). Erin’s teachers felt that since she WON the District competition, she needed to be in Fredericton instead of one of the alternates. Luckily, Erin’s volleyball coach agreed with the plan.
Now if I can just keep from getting lost when we drive down tomorrow, I’ll be fine. I’ve already warned Erin that we’ll take stretch breaks whenever I need them!
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