12.29.2011

Highlights of 2011, my edition

The Associated Press and pretty much every newspaper in the country will be running year-in-review stories this week. The top stories of 2011 here in Alabama were the April 27 tornadoes which killed more than 200 people and left miles and miles of destruction and Jefferson County filing the largest municipality bankruptcy in U.S. history.  And yes, Alabama is heading to the BCS national championship game this year after Auburn did the same in 2010 after Alabama did in 2009 ... we own this game! Nationwide and abroad, the economy had 99 percent of us down. The devastation caused by the March earthquake/tsunami double-punch on Japan was unreal. 


But when one stays home, the world is much smaller. Here is my version of the top stories of 2011 ... 


Kindergarten ... Will started "real" school in September and I vastly underestimated how much it would change our lives. From getting him there on time five days a week to a whole new system of rules/regulations to follow, it was a big transition for him and me. But after about two months, we both got the hang of our new routine. Though, I will admit not expecting how much I would miss seeing Will. He's gone all day! I wish I was a fly on the wall and could watch over him. But I've just got to trust that he's with good people and he's a good kid so it's out of my hands now.


Parents Day Out ... Just because Will graduated from PDO, doesn't mean we've left the building. Joseph started his stint at AUMC PDO in January. The last couple of months has seen some crying at drop off, but he loves playing with his "peoples" Henry, Cash, Woodrow, Wales, Odetta and more. His class is full of the cutest kids! Now, I'm not a room mom this year but I am PTA president. Which is just a fancy way of calling me head volunteer. 


Back to work ... Crazily, I signed up for not one, not two but THREE paying part-time jobs in the fall. Plus a fourth really-big volunteer project. One job was really fun, a little stressful, but mostly fun — I was the substitute in the PDO nursery for six weeks while the real teacher was on maternity leave. They paid me to hold babies! The volunteer project is putting together the yearbook for Will's school. It's a big project but thankfully, I've got another mom to help pull it off.


Legos ... are just about all we do! I have lost track of how many sets we've put together this last week. Will had a Lego-themed birthday party back in April. We give Legos as birthday gifts to our fellow Lego-lovin' friends. They recognize us at the Lego store. Joseph loves driving his cars through the Legos and dumping them all over the place. So fun for everyone! (Except the dumping, I hate the dumping.)


Medical mystery ... for three weeks in September, the right side of my body slowly went, I don't know how to describe it, maybe asleep? (You know, that tingling feeling you get when your foot falls asleep). It started with two fingers and slowly spread up my arm and down to my feet. Then just as slowly, the condition reversed. I had our general doctor baffled. I made an appointment to see a neurologist but didn't go when my body started regaining feeling. The most likely explanation is that the numbness was caused by something going wrong when I gave blood two days before the symptoms started. I'm all better now so no need to worry. There are tons of people who get bad health news daily. I am thankful that this was not my turn.

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