Miss Tammy

My son, Vincent likes cheese.  He will eat a cheese sandwich every day.  I would love to say that I am the mom that gets up early, makes a wholesome breakfast - with all of the food groups represented, and packs a nice well balanced lunch for the kids every day...  but I don't.  It's just not possible, for me anyway.  Even when I get up at 6am (the bus leaves at 8:30), I still find myself racing against the clock to stuff a bag of goldfish and a thermos of water into their snack bags as we plead with the bus driver for "one more minute!".  My time in the morning gets sucked up into a blurred memory of backpacks, socks and pleading for 3 boys to get their shoes on.  So it is not often that I get the chance to make Vince his beloved cheese sandwich.  He has to tough it out and "buy" lunch.  There is always money in his account and plenty of selections for him to choose from... but no cheese sandwich!  You see, the cheese sandwich is reserved for the children that forgot their lunch money - or ran out - or for families that just can't afford the lunch.  How ironic - he wants the cheese - but has to run out of money before the cafeteria will give him the sandwich.
Now Vince is like an old soul.  He gets along better with adults than he does with kids.  On Valentine's day, when I asked him who he wanted to send a valentine to he rattled off a list of teachers and staff - but no kids.  He just relates better to the adults.  He is good at it and he knows how to use his big puppy dog eyes to get what he wants.  This is where Miss Tammy comes in.  Miss Tammy is everywhere in our elementary school.  She is there to help the kids with lunch, she is there to help the staff with projects, she is there!  She loves my son and many other children at Paumanok.  She is like the mom of the school.  Somehow, someway, Vince has cast a spell on Miss Tammy.  When he goes to lunch and decides that he doesn't like the selection of food, he finds Miss Tammy and she gets him the cheese sandwich!  She works that lunch crew to custom make Vincent's lunch to just the way he likes it.  And he has her happy to do it!
Every-time I go into the school - I bump into Miss Tammy and get to hear about the funny things Vince said and did that day.  Recently he asked her to come with us on our trip to Disney.  She was thrilled - but after checking her schedule realized that she couldn't take the days off from work.  After all, who would help the other cheese loving, cash carrying students?
I am so thankful for Miss Tammy (and so many others at Paumanok).  Sending your child off to school can be a scary thing for a parent.  You worry that the people your kids will be spending 6 hours a day with may have some wacky view of the world - and possibly not hold the same values that you do.  You worry about the influence the other kids may have on your child - will he follow the crowd into trouble???  How will I know how he handles all of these things.... I'll tell you how... by getting to know Miss Tammy.
I am sure that Miss Tammy does not know this (she will after she reads this!) - but I prayed for her.  That's right - I prayed for her over and over again.  I prayed that my children would be cared for by people who love them.  I prayed that the adults that they shared their 6 hours a day with would be kind and compassionate.  I prayed that they would help my children navigate through the sometimes confusing elementary circuit.  I prayed!  From the time I have had to leave my kids in the care of others - whether it was pre-school, a playdate, elementary school or even a club - I have prayed for the adults that they would meet.  I am so thankful to God for putting people like Miss Tammy in our lives.  She is a true answer to a simple prayer from a mom.  It is amazing to pray and see the answer God has for you - especially when it is just what you wanted.

Thank you, God for sending Miss Tammy and all of the others who have loved my children.

Pass the tissues please...

What the heck is wrong with me?  Lately all I want to do is cry... not for sadness, but for these bittersweet feeling I am having.  Let's face it - I am going to be 40 - and not "some day" - I am going to be 40 in January.  Am I having a mid life crisis?  Is that what this is?  I can't even look at my kids sometimes - they are so beautiful and I find myself counting my blessings everyday - sometimes several times a day.  The uncertainty of life is a scary thought.  What if this and what if that... what if I crash my car and leave my kids motherless???  What if that stranger lurking in the bathroom really is a danger to them???  What if all those video games really make them violent??? What if?  I guess I just have to trust God and do the best I can.  I pray ALL THE TIME that God gives me the wisdom to make the right choices so we all get through life safe and sound - but I also have to use the tools that God has already given me to follow through.  My husband has become such a big support to me.  It seems like the deeper I get into my "midlife crisis" the more he steps up to the plate.  I hate to admit it, but sometimes he knows better than me (did I just really type that?).  He is strong and concerned at the right times - so I find myself following his cues for when to panic and when to just chill out.  The way my hubby sees it... crashing my car... "well with the way you drive", maybe I need to be more of a focused driver.... the strangers in the bathroom - "not so much" - although I will still probably stand outside of the door yelling... MOMMY IS RIGHT HERE GUYS!, the video games.... "you only let them play on the weekends!  Chill out!" I guess I just have to look at the ratings and let it go!  So is this a midlife crisis?  I don't know.  I guess it's better than getting a tattoo or becoming an obsessive gambler.  Too bad my midlife crisis wasn't the one where you get a new car!  For now - I'm sure I will still look at my kids and well up with tears.  I will still worry and want the best for them.  Maybe this midlife crisis is really just a realization that I don't have control over my life - that I really need to just give it over to God and let Him worry about the rest.  That's so hard to do - but I am going to give it a good try.  "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Setting up a blog is confusing...

So I thought I would set up a blog to post about my daily happenings... It's not as easy as I expected.  First of all, I don't type.  Yes I said that I don't type.  I hunt and peck... this could be a problem here.  I must admit that I am pretty good at it and I have learned to peck pretty fast but the set up is confusing to me.  There are so many customizations that I am getting dizzy!  And then to allow ads or not? They say you can get paid from them and everybody likes a little loot - right?  So that is another consideration... for another day.  For now I will just try to figure this thing out.  Packing and getting ready to go to Disney!  Lot's to do.  The Full Nancy