The FRUSTRATIONS of being a parent!!!!

I feel the need to get up onto my SOAP BOX and vent for a few minutes, so bear with me!!!! Jeremey is planning to go back to Great Falls for the summer to work, hang out with friends, and be a normal teenage AMERICAN boy.... We all know that the last few days of school are filled with yearbook signings, turning in text books, and movie watching during class time... So what is the BIG DEALIO in letting Jeremey miss the last 3 days of school to get back for a graduation party in Great Falls....
Apparently the DODDs school over here has more say then WE do as his parents, the sole providers and nurturers! He has been good about going around and getting all the work needed in order to make sure he wasn't going to miss anything. ALL of his teachers have been more then helpful... Okay all but ONE!!! Not to mention the Principal who gets on my last nerve rather quickly!!!
Funny thing is - I don't remember them being in the room when I was doing LAMAZE and pushing this baby OUT!!! I don't remember them changing his diapers, feeding him, rocking him late into the night when he was ill, clothing him, kissing boo-boos etc!!! Heaven knows the extra help would have been great...
So now they think that they can TELL me when I CAN and CAN NOT take him OUT of school... What happened to the land of the FREE... Free speech, free rights, freedom of religion etc....
Needless to say - Jeremey is a good boy... He gets his work done - with a bit of proding but it gets done.... He doesn't go around with the "rebel" crowd, he is a well liked kid at school and as far as I know it his teachers and coaches have NO issues with him.... Oh, except for the one teacher, principal and a secretary in the office.... (both of which ganged up on me the other afternoon!)
Anyways.... I have been told that the reason for all of this stress is clearly stated in the handbook (apparently) that..... NO ONE other then those PCSing (having orders to leave early) are able to leave early without penalties.... The principal told me that this was to "stop families from starting their vacations early!" Well, we pay ALOT of money for Jeremey to attend this school over here and if I decide he is catching a plane on a few days prior to school being out - then that is what is going to happen.... not to mention that I carried him for 9.5 months!
At what point did we LOOSE the RIGHT to raise our children in the manner we see fit....?
I am sure this all sounds like "goobely gook" to you.... I am a stubborn blonde that protects her youngin' to the death!!! If you tell me that I can't do something that I feel is appropriate for my child.... you better think again... cuz' I'm going to find away to make it happen!
Thanks for listening!!!! Does anyone have a ladder to help me get down off this "soap box!"

Fish is FINISHED!!

Well - the track season for the FISH is over.... The last track meet was held in Leeds and guess what?!!!! Yep - the Fish got hurt again!!!! This time it was the night before at the school carnival! He thought that after he had iced and heated his calf it would feel good enought to run the next morning.... He left for the meet hobbling and moaning of the discomfort he was in.....

Upon our arrival I tried to assist Jeremey by rubbing some "icy hot" on it... He was not liking that one bit! Below he is taking over himself as the discomfort was too much when I was rubbing!

Needless to say - it was WAY too painful to run so he did not qualify for europeans in Germany. He is recovering fine and will be beefing up on the milk and steaks during the summer so we don't have as many injuries during football season in August!

Jeremey can "run like the wind"... he ran a good race and we are so proud of him!

Sights of my morning walks with Pixie

Since we have moved I have had the priviledge of taking Jeremey to seminary. (He used to catch a ride with some members in a nearby village when we lived in Summerbridge.) Pixie and I have been walking nearly every morning. We take Jeremey to the church and then walk down the street to the stray.
The stray is a large park with walking paths running through it. I thought I would share some of the sights we see on a daily basis.... Pixie is ALWAYS more anxious to get going in the morning then I am!!

Beautiful Blue Bells

One of the walking paths acrossed the stray

Pixie ready to go!!!

Crows having breakfast!!!

It is so peaceful at 6:20 in the morning!

One of the many flats that we pass by.

A lovely park bench

More of the stray

We walk down this road lines with trees

Go past the catholic church

and the cemetery that is in the church yard

down another side street (more apts)

Lots of ornate gates

and charming door fronts

Creative gardening

A Pub... This ones called The Alexandrea

more blue bells

A beautifully smelling Lilac Tree!

and of course these lovely bins are dotted all along our path!

We make a few "deposits" on Pixies behalf!!! :0)

Then back to the church

This is a tree in the church parking lot... The flowers were really vibrant this morning!

Hope you have enjoyed our daily journey... Not sure what I will do until school starts again as today was the last day of seminary for the year.... I'll still walk daily for sure - just a bit later in the morning and probably in other parks in our neighborhood!

Hope you are all having a great day - get out and take a little walk.... it's amazing what a brisk morning breeze and a few rain drops can do for ones spirit!

REFRESHING!!!!

The Best-est Day Ever!!!!

Making memories on Mother's Day!

I feel so blessed to be a mother!!! Yes, at times it hasn't been the most glamorous job, not to mention the time and effort it takes to raise our 4 wonderful children!

However, when the phone rang yesterday and it was BRITTANY calling from Mesa, Arizona I nearly wee'd myself! For those of you who don't know - Brittany is currently serving a mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) in Mesa. She will be out for a total of 18 months and has completed nearly 12 months already! We only get to speak to her on Christmas and Mother's Day, so it was a real treat to hear her voice and hear the spanish "accent" that she has developed. (Brittany is in a spanish speaking mission)

A very EXCITED Mum!!! Trying to keep my emotions in check!

Next Jeremey got his turn to speak to Brit!
During parts of the conversation they were speaking spanish - so not sure what was being said! I do know that he misses his sister but is so proud of her!
The the PAPA got his chance to speak to his daughter!

What a proud daddy!!! He truly is wrapped around BOTH his daughters little fingers!!!

Here is PIXIE waiting patiently for her turn to talk!!! HAHAHA

Then to make my day even better I recieved a call from HILLARY and then right after I hung up with her GREG called!!! I truly am blessed to have such wonderful children!!!! My day couldn't of been any better and I couldn't of asked for more!

Spending the day with the love of my life, Ed and my favorite youngest son, Jeremey..... Getting calls from my 3 kiddos that are stateside, chocolates from Germany (Jeremey had a track meet there and brought some home for me!) and a statue of BIG BEN!!!!! My day was PRICELESS!!!
Thank you for loving me for ME and allowing me to be your Mother and friend!!! I feel like I am on top of the world!!!

SMOOCHES - Mum

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