Stuff Just Happens

I sat down and heard a crash on the deck followed by a thump. I thought Prince must have jumped off to take his daily tour of the yard. When I got to the deck the window box planter was on the deck floor. Prince was laying down looking as if he couldn't believe somebody would make such a mess. He has grown up and become a compulsive liar! Typical childhood phase.

That was one of my posts from a week ago. Today was different. It's a special day, high school graduation for my son.

Let me take you back to December, 2013. My home educated son completed his high school course of study in December and the plans for the graduation event were made. This would be a family event which was to include the presentation of the diploma followed by dinner out and dessert at home. Everything was in order and this would be fun!

I know that it is unusual to graduate in December but it is not unheard of but every day presented something different. I think he was the first to say that there was no big rush since Christmas was approaching and we would be having especially busy around the holidays. Then, it was the post holiday which brought us to Valentine's Day, my birthday celebration, his sister's birthday, a myriad of weather events and work schedule changes until I finally had enough and put my foot down. By plum! I have been waiting since December and if this is going to be done we are going to have the presentation of the diploma on May 26, 2014, Memorial Day.

Well, the son got sick. Fortunately it was nothing other than a lousy cold but he started not feeling well late last week and then I turned up with it too. Not again. The date was set. I had put effort into getting schedules changed and we were not going to cancel. Since he was not feeling well changes were made to the planned dinner out. Since I wasn't feeling well I modified the dessert menu from the elaborate cake served on my favorite china to a half dozen cupcakes and ice cream.

We went to a local restaurant for dinner. It wasn't the reservations that I had made in my mind at the fine dining establishment that is out of state but the food and service were more than acceptable. It stinks that he and I were both not feeling very well. This is an exciting time for a young person and it's exciting for the parents too but we surely missed something, didn't we?

We left the restaurant and arrived home. I was ready to serve dessert when my son told me that he didn't think he would like to have any dessert because he would rather spend a few hours gaming. My daughter offered my husband and I the ice cream, I pulled a cupcake from the plastic package for my husband and the three of us sat down to finalize the celebration. I heard a crash from the dining room. When I arrived in the dining room, the cupcakes were on the floor. Stuff just happens.  It's a typical adulthood phase!

Not Afraid To Have Adversity As a Teacher

We are impressed by Americans throughout the nation and would like to share a story about a friend of ours that refuses to be defeated by adversity in her life.

Our friend, Joann, was forced into retirement after having health problems that left her disabled. In a personal way, my meeting Joann at a neighborhood get-together has always stuck me as odd.

I hadn't lived in my neighborhood very long when I met Joann.  I asked her where she was employed and she responded with the name of the hospital where both of my parents had had their heart surgeries. Her answer took my breath away and I was hit hard by a wave of remembrances. That period of time in my life was nothing other than crazy and was a learning experience for myself and my toddlers. I will never forget telling the children to be especially careful or they would get run over by the hospital staff because the nurses and technicians had the important work of saving lives and come to find out Joann had been one of those people. Though the conversation was a rush of emotion for me, to Joann it was all in a days work!

Things suddenly changed for Joann when she needed to retire.  Stupid health problems. Joann took control, followed doctor's orders and worked to become as healthy as possible. Time passed and she then had to take the advice she had given to others just a few years ago; she looked for positive ways she could influence her situation. Rather than have idle hands, Joann decided to make jewelry. During a visit last week she showed me some of the jewelry she had created.  It is beautiful!  Her hand crafted jewelry is unique and it is certainly above and beyond anything you find in the retail stores.

Now, Joann puts her capable hands to work for a fun purpose and I am proud to invite you to visit Joann's new online shop. We are all sure that you'll be pleased to have the opportunity to see the beautiful pieces of jewelry she has created and we are especially honored to know a great American that has allowed adversity to be a teacher but not the boss.

http://www.georgiannahardwarecorporation.com/