It's been a couple of tough weeks....

In north Georgia (3 counties east of where we live), there was a mass shooting at a high school.  2 teachers and 2 students were killed.  9 others were hurt, but are all expected to make a (physical) recovery.  Emotionally - there will be hundreds and hundreds of students (if not all 1900+) who will not be OK.  The community is small -- about 20,000 people. They're bigger than our (city) school district -- they have 3 high schools in their system, but are apparently all very class. The 14 year old who committed this heinous crime had made online threats the previous year.  And - for some reason - his dad "gifted" him an automatic rifle this past Christmas?!  Both are being tried for murder. 

We teachers at my school (at least those that I talked to in our "open glass" building)... we were all VERY impacted by this. Our administration did not say anything to us the following morning. Students didn't talk about it.  Some of my upper level students -- I asked how they were doing -- and some of them said that they were used to it.  That this was "normal" to them.  Which is REALLY REALLY disturbing.  Really really sad that they are de-sensitized to this.  It is NOT OK. 

The previous week - there was a celebration of life for a former MHS student (who graduated more than a decade ago) - a police officer in the county north of us who was killed in the line of duty.  There was heaviness around our school the previous week as well (especially with the teachers and staff who have been teaching there for a long time. His family's restaurant (close to the high school) always supports student's sports teams and student events there. We have been there for baseball banquets and dinners.  We don't know their family personally - although a lot of folks we know are friends of theirs.  There was funeral procession that started in the county above ours (Paulding Co) / and ended at the cemetery across the street from our school.  There was a celebration of life at the family restaurant near our school a few days later.  Members from the City of Marietta + Paulding Co community flooded both. (the mayor was there.... but the biggest "celebrity" in our town in the police-dog, Barney. 

He's an emotional support animal that is a part of the city school system.  I love that he (and his owner - a MPD officer) went to the celebration of life! 

We didn't do either of those, but took a meal to his family this past weekend.

And - also that week, there was a SNAKE in my room.  Seriously!!  

Luckily, it was a full-grown (single) snake... not a snake baby with lots of siblings and a bigger mama.  eek.

On happier news, we celebrated Mercer's adoption day this week.  16 years ago we went to court to finalize his adoption!  

He had his 1st baseball practice with a new team + Isabella had an appointment, so we all met back up for dinner (orange chicken for him) from a local schezwan restaurant that we ALL like (so it's a treat for us too) + a strawberry cake from a local bakery which is delicious (another treat for ALL of us as well! ha ha!) 

We didn't really do a gift this year, like we normally do - so I ordered some clothes (with his input) that will arrive soon.

So - his 1st practice was this week (Thursday) and the team played in a tournament this weekend !! 

With only 1 practice under their belt?  Not cool.  They didn't do that well on the 1st day.  Isabella and I didn't go, but it sounds like he didn't play much.

They did better (and won a game) on the 2nd day.  (Isabella and I went to this one... it was a BEAUTIFUL day!)  Mercer - personally - had a better day on day 2 of the tournament and the team did pretty well overall too.  Mercer played in the whole game and he looked like he was having fun.

Mercer in his new (blue and white) Wahoo's jersey. 

(This is the name / logo from a minor league team in Pensacola, FL that is on their jersey and hat for this local 17u travel team.)

Last weekend was Labor Day weekend. We were home - doing projects around the house.  Todd cranked on the falling garage.  He had ordered wood to build temporary walls to make sure that the thing 1 - doesn't fall down in general + 2 - doesn't fall down while he's working inside!  I was working in the yard or doing grading (under a tent!) to sit outside and make sure to be there in case something did happen. 

Luckily, nothing did! 

But - that is just PART 1 of the re-build... stabilizing the thing. PART 2 will be to re-build one wall.  PART 3 to re-build another wall.  PART 4 will be for re-siding & painting the whole thing. 

It's going to be a long, long process - as Todd will be working around baseball now to work through the different phases. 

ugh

I took a mini-trip to north Georgia that weekend (when Todd was NOT working on the garage) - a friend of ours sold their house in Atlanta and moved to the mountains.  It was a bit of driving but, it was nice to get away for a few hours... and to do "something" over the holiday weekend.  I didn't take any pictures (were hoping to see bears that she keeps reporting seeing, but didn't see any.)  It's OK. 

The only other "thing" we did that was an adventure over Labor Day weekend, Isabella and I went on a quest for goat cheese (for her - I don't like the stuff) and olives to "re-create" something she tried and liked this summer at VBS.  We tried to visit a couple of nearby goat farms, but didn't have cheese anymore or weren't open, so we ended up at Whole Foods and spent time in the cheese department with the cheesemonger who entertained us with samples and suggestions.  He thought it was cute that an 11 year old was this into cheese and olives!  that's our girl~ 

This past weekend, we went to pick up plants from someone in our community to add to her collection in her room... and we went to an Asian market (that we drove by on the way to the plants) to pick up some dragon fruit + we picked up a couple of other unusual things / had fun looking at all of the unusual varieties of fruits & veggies / the fish on ice / live fish in the market.  She is definitely adventurous! 

Isabella and I are doing the caterpillar / butterfly release thing again this summer (which goes into the fall).  

The butterflies flew away too quick once she opened the cage to get a photo.  Only "in progress" of release photos so far.

But - we have 21 new baby caterpillars which hatched on a leaf that was in our garden that -- hopefully -- we'll get some nice butterfly releases from in a month or so!  (thumbnail included in the photo for scale / size of the tiny tiny caterpillars!!)  so tiny!

I love the last 2 photos in this series of some full-sized caterpillars that she was playing with earlier this week.  Of course, she put a caterpillar on her nose... 

in this picture there is pure JOY.  

In the next, she is cringing because it tickles so much!

And.... a few more funny / cute photos from the past couple of weeks...

And a wrap with the closing of the Paralympics in Paris.  We watched a tiny bit of this - it was not on the main TV channel - you had to go seek it out (which is commentary on what the TV channels think is important).

We watched a little bit of wheelchair rugby, blind soccer, and high jump by an athlete who was an amputee.

All of the athletes have amazing stories of perseverance.  One of the stories that sticks with me from these past couple of weeks:  an archer from India with no arms shooting a bullseye in the opening round of her sport!

From a reporter writing about this story:  

The strenuous efforts and the utmost excellence exhibited by the Olympic athletes have always baffled the world. But what's more awe-inspiring is how people with physical challenges become living proofs of fortitude and eminence in the Paralympics. 

Yes - it's true.  I wish that it got more viewer-ship because it does rise to the top of how to keep going even if life does not go the way you want it to!