I OWN A REAL IN GROUND POOL!!!

Today I became the proud owner of a cool in ground pool with diving board and slide. Along with about 135 other people. I bought a bond to the neighborhood pool. heehee. It is so that My Little Girl can quit hanging out on the steps and baby pool.

Last year during swim lessons they were required to jump off the diving board. Well, she hesitated a little and one of the assistants pushed her. After day three of ten lessons, it was pretty much all over. Although, I did make her finish. I told her tell the girl not to push you; that you can do it yourself.

And boy did she tell that girl how it was going to be. At the top of her lungs she turned around and yelled "DON'T PUSH ME! I CAN DO IT MYSELF!"

I was so proud of her :)

So this summer we are going to be taking swim lessons again, but will also be working on our tans together. Oh and having a swimming birthday bash!

Happy Graduation

Last Friday on the 22nd My Little Girl graduation from KINDERGARTEN!!!! It was so cool. They came in to the gym in their church uniforms and blue caps with white yarn tassles, and marched in two lines around the perimeter to the middle of the back of the court. They proceeded to come down the middle of the sets of rows as little couples holding hands. It was super cute! Many of them as they walked had to keep checking on their cap to make sure it was still steady on their head, and I could not help but giggle at the boys with pants that are now way too short with the bottoms no where near the tops of their shoes.

They sang three adorable songs and presented gifts to teachers, aids, room mothers, superintendents, principals, etc. (yes it was a very long list..25ish) They presented their paper mache candle jar in groups of two's holding hands and hugging the recipients.

Then they received their diplomas from The Sister. Little scrolls. heehee so, again, cute! And of course found their parents and posed for pictures real quick.

Finally they presented us with their books that they had published of pictures and stories/answers to questions they told their teachers. She was 47" tall at the beginning of the school year, and is now 49" tall at the end. Mommy is 22 years old and, well Daddy is 42 years old. (I have such a great kid!)And for the first time, she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. cjh - no longer does she aspire to be a basket. Yippie!

Afterwards one of her classmates hosted a pool party, at maybe the coolest home pool I have ever been to. It was salt water with a snazzy water fall from the not hot hot tub.

So it was a great day. MLG is growing up! Sniff, sniff. AAAAAAAaaaand, with all that hand holding and hugging, I now know why my kiddo is so huggy, huggy with everyone.

Pissed...Confused...And will never understand...

I feel that most of what I write about these days is just all sad and terrible. I am like the nightly news that only focuses on the negative things in life. Unfortunately it does not stop; at least not today.

I am very angry. Thursday morning a close family friend of mine who was only 19 was found on the side of the road at 4:30am. Dead. Shot in the chest. By another teen. Over a girl from what we know so far.

This boy was a good kid. He endured an unstable childhood of being bounced around from one family to another but was making something of himself. I saw him like a nephew. He would come down during the summer and holidays from Yorktown to go to church camp, and earn a little money from me, MLG's dad, and other family members. He was a skateboarder that I gave a hard time about his long hair, lip piercing, and his girl friend. He looked rugged, but had a heart of gold.

So why am I not only sad? It is because I do not understand how someone has the faculties to do what was done. I do not understand how a person can be so messed up to come up with these ideas. I do not understand how a person can hurt a person physically this way. I barely understand how someone hurts someone deliberately emotionally.

Fore warned...the next part is graphic.

A friend of mine in Yorktown over heard a lady telling someone what the murderer told her that night, but the police have not confirmed this story since the investigation is ongoing. He was beaten. His teeth were knocked out. He was drug behind a vehicle for a mile or so. Then he was shot in the chest and dumped on the side of the road.

I am pissed that his life was ended at such a young age, that just last year this month I was at his high school graduation. I am pissed that his mother and brother are having to go through this. I am pissed that I have to figure out a way to explain to My Little Girl, who loved him so much and looks fwd to him staying with us, that he is no longer here. I am pissed that the murderer was not raised better. I am pissed that I will never ever really understand why or how even though I will know facts.

I am glad that they have already caught the murderer, that he has confessed, that he led the police to the gun, and that his bail is set at $400,000. But I am pissed that I question my initial thoughts on the death penalty. Because I and everyone else that knew and love him hurt, I want this stupid boy to hurt too. I want him to feel the pain that he felt. But I am pissed that then this boy's innocent family would hurt, too.

I am also pissed that I am scared of what the world is coming to and that MLG is growing up in it. How do I protect her from people like this? That simply because you go to dinner with a group of friends and a particular person is present, you kill them because of jealousy. How can I control this?

So now instead of understanding, rest in peace Matt. We love you and are going to miss you!!!