Candice & Todd's blog: Today is day 96 of the war on Ukraine. But there's another war raging here in the US...

It is just unfathomable the amount of losses and destruction that this once-beautiful country has experienced. I was exploring architectural styles with one of my classes and stumbled across this beauty of a prairie style house which was built in a suburb of Kiev in 2017. I wonder if it's still there?

From a report I found online Friday - here what is happening on day 93, Friday May 27:

4031 civilians have been killed. another 4735 have been wounded. 231 of those killed have been children. 475 of those wounded were children. So far the economic toll on the Ukraine is between 560 - 600 billion dollars. There is a city that has been almost completely surrounded: Sievierodonetsk.

One family that our kids go to school with has welcomed their neice into their home for more than a month while the girl's parents are still in the Ukraine. I cannot imagine how scary it is to live in the Ukraine during all of this. But, I also cannot imagine the relief of having left / having some normalcy... and at the same time.... feeling the fear of having left parents and family behind.

The war on Ukraine has dragged on for 3 months and this article says it could continue through the end of the year.

There is a war on America that has been going on much longer: mass shootings including attacks on children in schools. Earlier this week, an 18 year old went into an elementary school in Uvalde Texas and killed 19 children + 2 teachers. The country is mourning. Many in the country are arguing over gun control VS arming teachers VS building up mental health supports VS waiting periods and background checks. Honestly these things have been debated for decades. Nothing is being done. Tragedy after tragedy is happening and it's absolutely devastating.. heart-breaking. The last couple of days in my classroom, I have just been processing and de-compressing when I reach the school. (We haven't talked with Isabella about all of this, nor can watch the news with her there.) 19 families did not get to celebrate "last day" of school festivities.

It feels almost wrong to post about our "last days" but - this is a reminder to REALLY appreciate the small things. ALL of the small things.

We were FORTUNTAE to be able to celebrate Mercer and Isabella's last days of school.

On Tuesday, we went to Isabella's 3rd grade awards presentation. She made the all-A's honor roll and was presented with a special award from the technology teacher. Her MILE (gifted) teacher sent home an award she presented in her class - Isabella's "Creative Thinking" and "Musical Interest." Her 3rd grade teacher sent home a certificate for being a Terrific Helper.

The MILE teacher was retiring this year after close to 40 years in the classroom (not all at this school since it's a new-ish school model)... but - she sent an email specific to Isabella thanking her for attending and helping with the balloon set-up (yep - we helped with this!) at her retirement party. She also said that Isabella is a "spirited and talented young lady" and it was a joy to have her in the classroom. whew!

The MILE students made "constellations" for the retiring teacher and had blue and gold decorations. It was a cute theme. Here is Isabella's constellation.

My favorite photos from this day: Isabella outside on the playground at school -- hanging upside down. She said she needed to "frown" to make a smile. :)

And a couple of random photos of something she made in MILE class... something I'd like because it had geometric shapes on it.

Mercer's "last day" consisted of a Rite of Passage -- a TWO MILE walk from the Middle School to the High School!

I learned that this is a new-ish tradition maybe only 4 or 5 years old. Todd took off of work and positioned himself along the road mid-way / caught some pics.

I was stations at the high school with a couple of other moms who were welcoming their sons.

Todd was holding up a "fat head" sign that we had made by a local business -- as many of the parents had made. (here we've stuck it in our yard afterwards)

I went to a neighbor's house. She and I made poster board signs with baby pictures. Her husband came in and talked about how all of the mom-hormones were flowing. Yep. They were! It was a major trip down memory lane pulling these together!

He saw the signs, saw me and kept walking. (OF COURSE!)

There was a pep rally in the gym as the Middle School principal "handed over" the students to the High School principal.

There were activities like bounce houses (Mercer said he didn't really do anything / partake in the events).

They ate lunch and they went home early - the busses taking them home mid-day.

Us teachers had to go back to class to welcome our students who were arriving for their own half-day of school -- the last half of the day in their case -- as they had "finals week"

I did not have a final in my class. My students had final projects earlier in the month - but it took forever to grade! Here are a few pics from my classroom of the grading tunnel I was stuck in for the last several weeks!

But - I finished grading Friday.... have 2 more days of wrap-up in the classroom.... and my summer begins in early June!

Lots of other things have happened since the previous post.

Baseball has ended for SOME teams....

This top photo is the ENTIRE JV team. It's huge.

The photo below is the starting line-up for the final game. (Mercer is #20)

Mercer's Marietta High JV experience was not fantastic, but... he did get a tiny bit of play as an 8th grader. Out of the 24 games, he pitched in 5. He did so-so... as they NEVER practiced bullpens! His last game, they also moved him to 1st base after he pitched. He contributed to that game with fielding / outs but also made his 1st hit of the season.

The team only had 1 win -- yikes it was hard! (Isabella had many activities that conflicted, so she and I missed a bunch of games toward the end of the season but Todd was there for EVERY game!)

It was hard to see Mercer sitting on the bench the majority of the time. Especially when his teammates were making some really bad plays / errors. But - he stuck it through.

At the end-of-the-season banquet, it was announced that the head coach was stepping down. (And one of the other coaches was leaving too.) Since the banquet in early May, a NEW head coach has been hired.

Todd is happy for some new blood to coarse through the program !!!) see this GIANT team? No wonder there was quite a bit of bench time!!

And... below are some photos of ANOTHER two teams that also wrapped up in May! (It was a BUSY BUSY baseball season -- juggling between 4 teams.... no lie !!)

Since we heard from an 8th grade baseball parent last year that M wouldn't get much play time, Todd signed him up for his Rec League - East Marietta Little League at his league age (14u)... he played on a team called the Sod Poodles. (yellow and black)

He also played on the "travel team" pulled together from the rec league - but he played on BOTH the 14u Spikes and the 15u Spikes - burgundy uniform #1 for the 14u and #2 for the 15u teams. (Todd was helping to coach the 15u... and Mercer's old coach - Alan - asked him if he would play on the 14u since he was still age-eligible.) UGH!

So - that's how a kid ends up on 4 teams! (Marietta, Sod Poodles, Spikes 14u and Spikes 15u)

For the Sod Poodles, official "Little League" team -- they did very well. There was another team at EM - the Emeralds that was competitive with the Sod Poodles. But - Smyrna Red and Smyrna Blue 14u Little League teams who they also played (b/c they're in the same region), were NOT competitive. The 4 teams would play inter-league games just for variety.

The Sod Poodles won all but 2 games (both losses through the season were to the East Marietta Emeralds -- once in regular season play and once in the playoff.) Mercer hit a home run during the playoffs. Here's a video link of that homer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=h8STbcAgNWk

As has happened for the last several years, the regional championship games have come down to two East Marietta Teams. Same this year.

These final games were fun because all of these boys know each other / like each other / many have played together for years. (and - the East Marietta Emeralds was coached by his Spikes 14u coach - Alan.)

So, it's good that the final games were all in the family! (For instance - one of the boys hit a home run... on his birthday.... and we're ALL cheering for him even though he's on the other team! The mom jokingly said she'd give him $100 if he hit a homer on his birthday... guess she has to pay up!! :) Thankfully we've never offered M money for his home runs. So far in his little league career, he's hit 13 during games... we'd go broke. ha!

Scattered here are photos from his Sod Poodle's championship (Regional Little League) win and ceremony.

It's all about the bling! He wants rings now instead of medals and trophies.

This one looks pretty nice!

This ended on a Thursday night. The next day - Friday - practice for Spikes.

Then, there was a tournament for the Spikes (14u) Saturday and Sunday -- their final one for the season. (The Spikes season had been going on throughout the rec league season).

The blended team from both the Emeralds and Sod Poodles came together to win their 1st "travel team" tournament! Over the years with the "pulled together" rec-league team led by volunteer dads competing against (expensive, coach-paid) travel teams.... it's been tough to compete. Every now and then they'd win a game. They came in 2nd place once at a tournament.

This is a WIN for the whole tournament. And - it was the last game... last tournament. Coach Alan doesn't think that he would continue on with coaching his son in a 15u Spikes team the next year. He - and Todd and another dad are coaching the East Marietta All-Stars 14u team which will be starting up soon. So, technically, his coaching gig is not done with yet - he's going to be the head coach for the All-Stars this summer.

But, it was a nice way for THAT season to end!!

(there will be, of course, photos of All-Stars to come next month as that gears up)

Todd and I are both getting shots here in case trying to figure out how to get the up-close and the far-away at hte same time! :)

Since this ended last weekend.... At THIS moment.... there is now only one team! (15u Spikes)

During one of Mercer's practices earlier this month - May 3rd, something bad happened: he had a seizure (grand mal seizure... generalized tonic-clonic). It wasn't too hot, but Todd thinks maybe he was dehydrated? Todd said the seizure and convulsions lasted for under a minute. He did lose consciousness. When he came-to he did not know what happened / was confused and he did vomit (but luckily he did not lose any of his other faculties during the seizure in front of his teammates). :/ He went to the ER in an ambulance from the field. By the time Isabella and I made it up to the baseball field, we passed the ambulance in the parking lot on their way out. (She really wanted to see him.) Todd followed him down to the children's hospital and they were at the ER 'til the wee hours of the night running tests. Everything came back normal: bloodwork, EKG (heart scan), cat scan. The ER doc said "everyone gets one *FREE* seizure." Meaning - if it happens again, something's going on. The fact that one happened could just be a fluke. One of his legs was hurting for a few days and - the scariest part - he did lose some memory for a few days. It took awhile for him to be back to "normal." And, yes, he did take a break from baseball.

The next day he wanted to go play by mom said no -- which was later backed up by the ER doc who said he needed to take some time. But, he dressed out and went / cheered on his team the next day. Todd called him the league's biggest bat-boy! Look at that smile. He must love it!

Since then, we have talked to a lot of people who have had just fluke one-time-seizures as kids and now they're adults / never had another. So... that IS a possibility!! fingers crossed!

A couple of weeks ago, we were able to snag an appointment with a pediatric neurologist. She checked him out - she looked at his ER records and did an observation. She said he looks good, but she wants him to have an EEG (brain scan) to double-check. They're going to try to re-create a prime situation where he may have another seizure in a controlled environment. That is scheduled for late June. In the meantime, we now have a "seizure action plan" for him / passed along to the school / notified the athletic trainer at the high school / notified youth director at church / etc. Anywhere he may be. He also has a seizure nasal spray for if a seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes - someone needs to administer it.

It's been a busy busy month. (People call it May Madness or May-hem.) it's true. So much going on!

One more thing to report for Mercer.... but this one is good: he was confirmed in the church! He had - along with the baseball tournaments - been juggling 10 weeks of confirmation classes on Sunday mornings. His official confirmation was on Sunday May 1st (a couple of days before the seizure).

He had to prepare a faith statement. (And - us parents had to meet as a group / develop a faith statement for the cohort of confirmands.) Somehow I was tasked with taking all of the notes and developing that.

We went in for an "in-person" church service instead of our usual online service and he was presented with a new Bible after he confirmed his faith. The faith statements were taped into the Bible and the pastors and staff / mentors who led many of the classes also write messages and their favorite passages into the Bible as well.

Confirmation is a follow-up that HE agrees to participate in following the Baptism that we had scheduled for him when we joined the church when he was 2. Above are photos from the two different days.

Mercer looks so handsome when dressed up!!

(He won't let us touch the hair!!) ha!

I had to gussy-up this spring too to chaperone prom (again). Actually we have to choose prom or homecoming. I have been choosing prom instead. There are older, more mature students that go. Enough said?! :)

They had a 360 photo stand (the round thing behind me) and a selfie photo booth (picture below).

These are a couple of ladies on my Career Tech team. We were trying out the selfie station before students arrived. :)

But - when the students got there... well... it's sort of magical!

It's so nice to see them dressed up having good, clean fun! They looked so beautiful and so handsome!!

Speaking of looking beautiful - check out Ms. Isabella getting ready for her school dance. She wanted to have her hair "done" at a salon. Um... ?... how about mom just straighten it for you instead? That seemed to satisfy the hair request. :)

At first, she said she was sad because no one asked her to the dance. Um.... that I can't solve except to say -- don't worry about that yet!!! It's not that kind of dance. And she seemed OK with that too. whew! (not ready for that!!)

I chaperoned that dance not many days after chaperoning prom (both were about a month ago). Luckily, I got to hang out in the garden area outside instead of the loud, hot, stuffy gym! These kids were running around hepped up on waaaay too much sugar (there was a blue-colored candy-bar inside!)

At the end of the night, the hair still looked good. Even with balloons on top!

(Just noticed - this is the same dress she chose to wear at her awards day earlier this week - just with shorts and a collar shirt under it. so versatile! ha!) It is sooo soft and currently her FAVORITE piece of clothing! I'm sure it will be making more appearances in future blogs!

One final thing happened in May - but it's not really blog-worthy. We went on a hike for mother's day, however.... the little one pitched a fit the WHOLE time. It was no fun.

But we checked out a place downtown that I've heard about where people make art from the found items on the property and it was kind of interesting.

There was a sign about the elevated walk being "out" so we didn't get to see too much of the lake / nature along the water. We did get to hit a small portion of the boardwalk... and I can see where it would look beautiful early early in the morning!