Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!

So it's Mother's Day again...that day when we all do our best to show our mommies how much they mean to us and how much we care about them. My mother is such a giving, caring person. I just with other people would nurture her as much as she nurtures all of us.

She's taken care of all her students for decades. She's taken care of Dad and the house(s) for decades. She's taken care of pets for decades (she was the one who usually fed them, cleaned up their accidents, took them to the vet, and took them to the vet that heartbreaking last time). And perhaps most difficult of all, she took care of my brother and I for decades. Now we're grown up and off on our own, but she still gives us love and support.

We don't do enough to show her what she means to us, or how much we care. Maybe it's because what she does for us is so amazing, we know what we could do would never match up. But I'm trying: trying to call more, and to listen more. Trying to tell her I love her and appreciate her whenever it comes to mind. I haven't gotten there yet, though. If I really did that, I'd be calling her every day.

Mom, I love you, and you've done so much for me. You've been my mother, my inspiration and my friend. And isn't this 1970s photo of you adorable? I took a digital picture of it when I found it in Grandma Carol's album this summer. I think you should consider giving this haircut another try. It's flattering and back in style. P.S. What happened to your hand? Also, do you still have that watch? If so, I want to borrow it because it's adorable.

The good of this week: Tom and I got together Wednesday for gorgeous Cuban food. He was in the city for a delegates' assembly (he's a United Federation of Teachers union delegate). The Cuban food was relatively inexpensive with big portions. I tried a great dish called Pernil. YUM! There was enough food that I ate a bunch that night, more Thursday night, and the rest for lunch today. Friday Tom and I went out for really yummy burgers in Brooklyn.

Saturday we got together in the city. We went to the vegetarian restaurant, Zen Palate. They have these peanut basil rolls that are mouth-wateringly good. They used to have this puffed pecan dish that was scrumptious, but they don't serve it anymore. (Pout.) The dish I got instead was alright... At least the basil rolls didn't disappoint. After lunch we went to see the movie Grindhouse, which is crazy, gory fun. Warning: if you didn't like Kill Bill, you won't like this. If you don't fondly remember (or do research on) grindhouse movies, you will think it is just an aweful flick. It's bad on purpose. It's awesomely bad (Think Evil Dead II, but a little less campy and a little more gross). Then he headed back to Brooklyn and I met my girlfriends for dinner. I love hanging out with them, but I was sleepy and went home to bed before Carolina joined the group for drinks. Oh, well. Maybe next weekend...although that's going to be a busy weekend! Dawn Dorland is coming to visit and I'm graduating...if I manage to get a robe. More on that later.

In other news, my job is so horrible that I want to quit every day, and it's only the idea of a summer full of paychecks that prevents me from doing so. I HATE MY BOSS! I know that's not a Christian thing to think or write but she's just so mean and I've turned the other cheek several times and all I ended up with was another slap in the face. I'm kind of at a loss here. I've tried treating her as I'd like to be treated, but she continues to treat me like something stinky that she stepped in and that is now stuck to the bottom of her shoe. She walks all over me, and acts like it's a bother to do so.

I just keep repeating to myself, "All you can do is the best you can do." I do my best to keep my classroom nice, plan and execute my lessons, and grade papers. I try my best to reach my students. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but I can't control everything. It reminds me of the Serenity Prayer, which I found at http://www.cptryon.org/prayer/special/serenity.html. People usually only quote the first stanza. Now you have a chance to check out the full text, along with the calendarific photo the blogger posted with the poem. I especially like the part about hardships being the pathway to peace.

Path

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr


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