Mother's day + other news in the world...

Good morning.  happy mother's day!

Here, it's rainy, so we did not get to go out to do anything other than a movie.  It was just another "regular" day.  I have grading to do.  Todd has work at his office. I will get out of having to make dinner.  haha! 

Since the last blog post... the big news out in the world: 

Pope Francis died.  He was a kind man - one who valued social justice and looking out for people who were marginalized and vulnerable.  He openly condemned the immigration policy of our new administration.  He was criticized for being too liberal by some.  What we remember is his compassion towards others.

A new Pope was appointed: an American -- this is the first time that there's an American Pope.  Isabella asked me who was more powerful:  our president or the Pope?  We looked it up - there are about 3.4 million Americans.  There are 1.4 billion Catholics that the new Pope has "influence" over.  I don't know that there's an easy answer to this question since the Pope cannot change direct laws??  

The process is so fascinating - conducting a conclave of the world's Cardinals. They come together to pray over and to vote on the new religious leader.  (And it's held in a beautiful place - the Sistine Chapel.)  From the AP News Source:  

Its name, literally “with a key,” was used in the 13th century to describe the process of locking up the cardinals until the election is completed. It must begin no more than 20 days after the death or resignation of a pope. The electors are sequestered from all outsiders for the duration; the last three popes were chosen within days. 

If you're a cardinal over 80 - you can't vote.  Their votes are all in secrecy -- I heard where they even have to disguise their handwriting when casting their daily votes?  A chimney is installed in the chapel roof by fire-fighters. (how do they remove the roof tile to vent the chimney?!) 

After each vote, the ballots are burned with cartridges (that create different colors of smoke) signaling to those waiting anxiously outside of the chapel if there is a new Pope or not.  

After each round of voting in the Sistine Chapel, the ballots are burned in a special furnace to indicate the outcome to the outside world. 

If no pope is chosen, the ballots are mixed with cartridges containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene (a component of coal tar), and sulfur to produce black smoke.  But if there is a winner, the burning ballots are mixed with potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin to produce the white smoke. Bells also are rung to further signal there is a new pope. 

The press reported this as a "short" conclave, but that the last 3 Popes were selected within 2-3 days.

The new Pope is the first American to be elected. Born in Chicago - Robert Francis Prevost - chose the name Pope Leo XIV in honor of the previous Pope Leo who was committed to social issues and workers' rights.  It will be interesting to see how his leadership will either continue what Pope Francis had put into place... or change it.  

Here at home - we celebrated Isabella's 12th adoption day.  We got her a gift of something  that she really wanted ("polish pop" nail-related) and we took her out to dinner. 

She also asked that we have a game night when we got home from dinner.  We stayed up really really late, but both kids seemed to have a bit of fun - Isabella especially.

Easter was that same weekend.  (The Easter bunny came and we watched church online.  It was pretty low-key.) 

The dogs got a basket too -- Saffy loved her "tough chewer" carrot.... which is still holding up 2 weeks later, thankfully.

Our church did a thing:  we contacted a company and then coordinated with the city to bring a big purple dumpster to our back parking lot in order to allow the community to recycle glass.  There was a thing in the paper about it. (Lots of people were excited because the city stopped recycling glass due to it mixing up / contaminating the other products.

This company will make brown glass and fiberglass insulation out of what they collect!)  The timing was in honor of Earth Day -- but we talk about "Creation Care" in our church -- taking care of God's creation.

(this is our green team)

We have had a bit of end-of-year stuff this past week.  My after-school AIAS club had their final meeting.  The next day I hosted a meeting for my architecture advisory committee -- with members of the community there, architects, retired professor and a student who presented an independent capstone project -- his parents and a grandparent (who used to be a neighbor) were also there. It was a big "event" where there's networking, light food, presentations from me and others, etc.  It's a lot to coordinate. Always glad when it's over!  

There was an advisory committee meeting Wednesday for the architecture teachers I zoom with. (I only had to prepare 1 slide to present, but that was not a big deal.)  That same evening, Mercer had his end-of-season baseball banquet, but we did not go.  We told him we were supporting him... we just didn't approve of how coach treated him and refused to go to support the program.   (since we didn't get a photo of him there, we got one of him all dressed up for the banquet instead. He picked out his clothes!)

My final grades were due at KSU that evening too (well, really 12 noon the next day, but since I work during the day I had to get them done).   I survived my 1st semester of teaching college.  Whew. It was SO MUCH.   I held office hours a couple of days before grades were due and then cut out the lights to the lecture room one last time.

The next evening was Isabella's end-of-year concert.  The band played some song and the orchestra played others.  They took turns.  She did well - from what we could tell (there were some other euphoniums (or euphonia?)  in the band, so they all kind of blended together.) I went to a murder mystery later that evening and then pretty much collapsed on Friday! 

There was something pretty much EVERY night!  whew.

 

Todd and had a going-away event for someone at our church this past weekend AND a graduation party for a KSU student who works with him that just graduated.  

The apartment complex where he lived had a phenomenal event space in the back... photo was really for documenting part of that without looking strange! (so got Todd playing a game that was mounted to the wall)  The kids would not have enjoyed it, so I'm glad we went on our own!

I spent 30 hours grading the previous weekend for KSU (I had a "helper" grading - Saffy is such a lap dog!!!) 

So, this weekend (now) - I didn't grade at all!  - plus it was mother's day weekend, so... decided to knock out a quick blog post before all my grades are due for MHS later this week and get too busy!

I believe the next blog post will be after school is DONE... and we're officially in summer.  2 more weeks!! 

wow. It's been so long since the last post~

 Well, I am VERY busy trying to stay afloat at both the high school and the college... so that's probably why it's been so long since the last post!

Bad stuff first: in his first 90 days in office, the new president and a team of appointed business people have created a task force to cut waste in the government.  That's understandable, however, the manner in which layoffs are happening -- not even investigating in each department where the waste is...  Just slashing jobs.  

We know people at the National Park Service and the CDC that have been affected.... and they were doing real work!  In the national parks, we know someone who was visiting and said there was no one to collect the fees on one side of the park - just went in because the gates weren't manned.  But when leaving, the lines to get in the other side were a mile long - cars waiting because there was only one person at the gate on that side instead of multiple like in the past. There has been homesteading in some parks because there is no one to enforce campers to leave.  There is no one to clean the rest rooms.  etc etc etc.   (Found this picture of a park in Utah online.)  Our national parks are a treasure... or they were.  :/

We've heard that things are really bad in Washington DC where many dual-government job households are turned upside down because both earners have lost their jobs/ they will likely lose their housing.... according to a friend who travels to DC every week and talks to his (old) constituents.  

The federal government is dismantling the Department of Education - not sure what will happen with my job, honestly. Will probably be OK??  but a potential job change I was thinking about making (to benefit our children and me) is not going to happen

 because of all of the uncertainty.  That district has frozen hiring.  

Todd's job will be impacted probably closer to the end of this year and next year because of tariffs on building materials. I'm going to keep working myself to death working at the college and the high school I guess while I can.... maybe taking on a side project or two during the summer to "bank" what we can while we can. 

I am not sure what will happen at the college level. There have been emails about DEI. There have been emails about ICE and protocol of what to do if someone comes into the classroom for a student.  :(  Will people be able to afford tuition and housing?! 

I went to a jobsite visit to a VA facility last month. The contractors said there were "delays" they were trying to work around (There were major cuts there in the Veteran's administration as well - people who had served our country - losing services.  (In the case of this jobsite -- (insert sarcasm) this is a good use of taxpayer money - the contractors were 2 months away from finishing, but the project halted.  Let an almost complete building sit empty while the VA office is paying rent elsewhere.  

News stories are sensationalizing things, of course, almost causing panic talking about toys that cost 29.99 will now cost 64.00 for Christmas. Shoes that were 150 are now closer to 300. (Isabella asked if she was going to get presents for Christmas after she heard that story.  I told her I'm not sure what December will look liks. (Cars, food, electronic gadgets, wine & alcohol, toys, make-up, clothes, etc are all also being tariffed -- anywhere between 10% up to over 100%.)  

I do feel that this will be true:  we will be in a major recession -- worse than what we saw in 2008 and 2020.  And - we're pissing off a lot of allies in the world.  I am seriously concerned.  We know a lot of people who have lost a LOT of money as the stock market already, as the DOW is reacting and tanking (although there was a small up-tick as tariffs were put on hold for a bit).   It just ALL seems like A LOT in this first 3 months of office and we have 45 more months to go.  

Recently (on the 5th of this month) there were protests all across the country. Several people I know and I went to the square to be a part of it.  There were lots of signs "Hands Off of our 401ks"  "Hands off of National Parks"  "Hands off our children's Education"  -- there were many many many more.  I took a few pictures of signs that spoke to me.  

I liked this "math" shirt!  Get it?!  There were maybe 500 - 1000 people on the square last Saturday. 

In downtown Atlanta there were predicted 30,000.  In DC over 100,000.  There were millions of people protesting at more than 1300 events across the nation.  

I liked this sign too - the woman said her priest found out she was coming to the square and printed these for her to "represent."

I asked Isabella if she wanted to go with me to the Square, but she didn't. I wish she could have seen the (mostly older) people there who were in support of her future.  

Mercer went to his 1st protest in the movement surrounding George Floyd when he had just finished 6th grade.  It was a peaceful protest - as was this one.  

When feeling helpless it just feels right to be a part of "something."  It was the 1st day of our spring break - so - yeah... why not?!

We didn't really do anything over break, sadly. I had to teach classes on Monday & Wednesday. Mercer had baseball Wednesday / Thursday / Friday.  So - we didn't get a chance to go anywhere.  

The day before break (on the last day of school) there was a pep rally.  They always announce sports teams at this event.  Mercer and a handful of teammates went out to the floor to represent baseball.   Not sure where the rest of the team was, but the day before a break is always lighter - people leaving early for their trips... so perhaps that's why it was not as crowded.

He's been to countless pep rallies and glad he finally got his moment on the floor!  (the guy in the striped overalls is his 1st baseball coach - he always dresses up and tries to get the crowd going... like some sort of tradition.)  But that coach used to put Mercer in the games!  :/ 

Later that evening, Mercer actually (FINALLY) got to play.  His varsity debut:  2 at-bats.  He got on base one of the two times so his on base percentage is high @ .500 -- haha.  

It was a game played against teammates from his old little league.  Two of those boys were at the 16u summer tournament that he went to last July representing East Marietta and the state of Georgia.  Good people!

We did little things here & there.  A couple of appointments, of course. (We've gotta try to get those during break - especially for Isabella, as she missed SO MUCH school this year -- and she was sick again in March missing almost 7 days in the previous 2 weeks before break!)

The highlight of her break was 3 hours of dog-sitting and getting PAID.  She got $10 to play with a corgi puppy and a corgi. The woman gave her ice cream and she got to watch TV. He "job" was to keep the puppy busy and get her worn out while the lady who owned the house painted a closet.  Isabella said it was her dream job. 

(the photos of her with the dogs was from a previous visit where the woman got the idea that Isabella could help her.  

I worked Isabella MUCH much harder here at home for not much more money - she was aerating part of the yard where we were missing grass so I can sprinkle in some seed and hope for some coverage in patches 'til we can really seed this fall. 

Isabella got new glasses last month after an appointment with the optometrist at the previous break.  What a statement they make!  

Yes - that's a guitar. She hasn't seen the music teacher lately, but she switched instruments again...

And - she was being goofy / not letting me take real photos of her. (I can't remember if I posted about her getting bangs back in January?!) 

Almost all of the break (after my KSU classes were done) I was working on de-weeding and spreading a giant mound of mulch that I had arranged for the city to bring (for free).

I was clearing out some area at the back wall and laying down weed fabric / laying a thick layer of mulch in an area to create a new flower bed and help manage the invasive plants and weeds along back wall that we struggle with each year. 

This is what the whole back wall looked like.  (Now, it only looks like that in the corners, as I didn't finish.... 

....but as seen here, most of the wall has been cleared out and weed barrier / mulch has been laid down.  Hopefully on an upcoming weekend, I can tackle one corner, then the other?? 

Since we took out the kid stuff from the arbor, I mulched it too, then had Mercer help me move the Adirondack chairs and table under it. We also had these garden beds (shown above) in the garage. We bought a set of 4 before the kids were born!  We only used 2 way back then... and eventually joined the community garden, so we never used the other 2.  Now, since we're no longer members of the community garden anymore, we're setting up garden beds in our own back yard again!

One day when I was working & prepping for KSU, I "bribed" the kids to put puzzles together - whoever finished first would get ice cream. (of course they both got ice cream - or Boba tea - their choice)

I think we're going to frame the succulent puzzle and put in Isabella's room!  (hard to photograph without glare)  It goes with her new theme. Todd joked... cool - plants that DON'T need watering.  haha. 

Mercer and I went to a college in North Georgia to check out a program there (although this school is not offering his original major) - he seemed to really like it.  There are only 600 kids on campus. I can see him on a small campus like this honestly. 

And - unlike a couple of other colleges we've visited, this one is only 1 1/2 - 2 hours away.

I am not sure why he was so interested in checking it out, however, they do have a nice baseball field.

The only other thing the kids did over break:  went to a movie without mom and dad!  The kids wanted to see the Minecraft movie (we didn't really care to).  So, we sent them!  They both enjoyed it and Todd/ I were honestly glad that we didn't have to sit through it.  ha!

 Other happenings since the last post:

Of note: my mom celebrated her 80th birthday!  (We couldn't be there with her, but sent some special things up to send her "warm" wishes!)  

Todd and I celebrated our anniversary last month too.  27 years!?  we went to a new (fancy) restaurant on the square. 

I went on a "self-care" weekend last month at an event space not far from our house. (I was at home each night - it was not overnight.) There's a historic house on a site + "out buildings" + a modern art gallery with art classrooms. The event was held in all of the buildings on the site.

It was interesting.  I got to do some art therapy, went to some health-ful lectures, attend a sound bath session, meditation and stretching, and I finally got to do some pottery! (not wheel, but slab - which was fun.) 

 as I'm writing this, I remembered that I forgot pick up the finished piece after the teacher fired it.  Will have to go pick that up and post later!  

Here are some other random photos since the previous blog post.  

Saffy is a dog that likes car rides and sticking her head out of the window!  (HipHop is not!) 

Maybe he was bored?  Mercer stacked pillows on the dog. She was sleeping  and didn't even notice.

Isabella hanging out with the dog sleeping on her - living her best life while playing a game.  (again - a goofy face when she's posing for photos now!)

The kids really REALLY love our new dog.  We have to remind them to give HipHop attention too!

There's been a lot of cool things going on up in the sky.  There was a point when 5 planets lined up and you could see them all in one night!  I thought I saw something unusual and pulled out my SkyMap app -- it was Saturn!  :)

"In February 2025, five bright planets  (Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury and Saturn) will be visible in the evening sky, along with the fainter Uranus and Neptune. While all seven planets can be seen, Uranus and Neptune require a telescope or powerful binoculars to spot."  The text description + the image above was from February 28th and pulled off the web, obviously!

There was a lunar eclipse in the middle of the night - on a school night!  And I thought - why not?! 

after the eclipse was over, I tried to get some sleep, but the moon was SO SO bright!

Not a ton of exciting stuff, but just grinding through the days and working hard.