Mosquito and other things.....

As a child, I was mosquito bait.  As an adult, the same.  Then cancer hit.....chemo takes care of that.  I have not had a mosquito bite in eight years.  Then, on July 4th, we were blowing up stuff outside and I was like, "What are those annoying little bugs?  OUCH!"  Apparently, chemo wears off in TWO YEARS.  That they need to bottle.

Times has been flying by...lots of things have happened, but there are two notable stories that you may enjoy.  One Today......

Parental Joy(?)

I emailed the following to the teachers and staff that were involved with Mason this year.  He had a big year of growth emotionally and I thought they should know....

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In September of 2014, a boy named Mason stared the 4th grade in Mrs. Swenning's class.  This year, like all the others, Mason's Mom warned Mrs. Swenning that his tenderness is his best, and most challenging, quality.  Pleasing his teachers and his parents is his goal and in that order - anything less turns to tears. 

Mason was not afraid of computers, he loved them, and learn to hunt and peck the year before with testing.  His access was more limited than he would like, but those were Mom's rules.  He met a woman named Ms. Thompson who showed him more about the Internet he had ever known which he told him Mom all about.....all the time.  Ms. Thompson this, Ms. Thompson that and, "MOM!  Mrs. Swenning said we are doing Hack-a-thon!"  Hack-a-thon would become an entire being in our house, Ms. Kelley would ask if Mason could skip a doctor's appointment (Mason would NEVER think to ask this) because "Hack-a-thon" was there that day.  The Doctor's office was like, "That sounds fun - sure!"  (No fee.  No penalty.  WHO DOES THAT?!?!?!?!)  But it was the joy on Mason's face when his Mom told him he could go back to class that took her breath away.  What just happened?

Mason's was voted onto Student Council and by some small miracle, he went to his Mom and asked if he could spend $10 of his own money on a "Team Tonya" shirt.  "You (the Mom) took her to chemo.  The least I can do is wear a T-shirt. ( Mom bought not only a t-shirt for him, but for herself also.)  He learned about hunger in our own back yard and while he complained in the fall about being tired at NW Harvest, he and all the other students, did not complain once on June 10th when they went again (although some water breaks were quite long....).  Wow, what happened?

Mason was Captain of the 4th Grade Boy's Track Team.  Mr. Furukawa talked to him and later to his Mom about his sensitivity and how, as a leader, you have keep it together and NO TEARS.  Choir was running at the same time and then baseball started.  Last year was the first year that the players pitched to each other.  Mason was a mess.  Yet this year.......oh my gosh, this year, he was relaxed and confident like a version of him his Mom always knew was there, but never saw.  He allowed one man on base each inning (they only have three), struck out the others and it was a shut out game 13-0.  The parents all congratulated him and ask his Mom, "What happened?!?!?!" 

But here is the kicker....the one that made me share this will all of you.  Mason came home and got the Surface (Santa brought the family a Surface 2 which he told me was not as good as the Surface Pro that he had at school), and started typing away.  Then the questions....

"Mom, can you take me to school early on a regular basis?"
"Sure."
"Really?"
"Sure, I can." (I have no idea what he is doing.  I thought it was homework.)
"Can you take me to performances?"
"Sure." (Starting to clue in.)
"Can you carry instruments?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, Mason I am quite sure."

pause.....pause......pause

"Mason?"
"Mom, this is just REALLY important and you have to be sure that you can do all this and I have to be sure you can too!"

pause........pause.......pause

"Mason, I will get you to all of it."
"Sure?"
"Sure."

The DRUM Application was then "keyboarded" entirely by him, printed by him (and HP), attached to the application with arguments about why he should be chosen to join DRUM, and slipped into his backpack. 

"Would you like me to check it?"
"Nope, I got it."

What just happened???????

Neely did. 

There is nothing I can do to thank you enough.  You can helped create a beautiful boy that is growing up to be a responsible, caring, beautiful young adult.

Forever your fan,

Mason's Mom

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Awesome, right?!?!?!  The clouds parted, the sun came down and the angels were singing.  RIGHT after I hit send, Nolan came into my office and proclaimed, 

"Mummy!  I am going to write a petition to stop all homework.  It hurts the environment because we have to cut down trees and trees make air.  It also makes you sit a lot and that causes cancer.  I am going to talk to Mr. Regnart about it tomorrow!"  

Angels stopped singing.  Sun went away.  Clouds rolled over and I think it even started raining.

My head went to my keyboard and said, "Of course you are Nolan......" 

Story Two Tomorrow - "Nolan, we are not blending!"

Happy Wednesday!  Ang