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Monday, June 15, 2009

Hope is an Action


That's the name of my twelve year old son's History Day project on the legacy of Father Damien. 

His project that just made it into the finals!

WAHOOOOOO!

But don't be jealous!  History Day Mom's have it rough.  We are required to donate one tenth of our time, $$$, and energy to support our children's History Day habits and addictions. 

And we have to donate one tenth of our courage too. You have to be brave to stay in the dorms at the University of Maryland. They may look like St. Elmo's fire on the outside, but have you ever heard of Brick Oven?  It's so hot that if you sprinkled a little cheese and tomato sauce on us we'd make a nice Hawaiian pizza.    

That's not meant to be funny.  

In fact there's nothing funny about History Day, or the fact that we have to stay in the Brick Oven dorms and shower in public bathrooms with a bunch of  tweenagers who don't give a rip if you saw the Jonas brothers in person.  

It's not funny that my hub has to shower in the women's bathroom and I have to shower in the men's bathroom. 

And it's not funny that getting the right configurations of hot and cold water in the shower is like cracking the DaVinci code.  Not to mention that the configurations are in a state of constant flux as people flush the toilet.  I have been both severely scalded and turned into a human pizza popsicle all in one shower.  

Luckily my hub and I got to be roomates so we pushed our coated crib mattresses together, spread our starchy sheet out across the crunchy plastic and went to bed.  

My hub, who tries to look on the bright side of life said, "Let's pretend we're in a Sauna."

We've already lost 5 lbs pretending we're in a sauna. 

So that's what I've been doing, pretending I'm in a sauna.  Oh, and I've also been ironing, which makes pretending you're in a sauna that much more authentic.  But that's why History Day mom's do. They iron.  And when you have 2 kids doing group performances you iron and you iron and your iron.  

So my son competes against the top 14 in the junior division tomorrow night.  

My daughter begins her senior division competition tomorrow morning (which means more ironing).

Please send all of your positive vibes to her via the universe that she might be blessed with the opportunity to do a happy dance on her social studies teacher's face.

If she wins first place, I promise I'll shave her social studies teacher's head.  

(Insert evil mad scientist laugh here)
  

14 comments:

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

Oh my how lucky am i

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

Wow is it sad that I laughed when you said it was not funny? Because well I guess we can now stop feeling green with envy because I hate saunas and ironing. This probably explains why I am not or ever will be a history day mom. But hey I am OK with that. So it is all good in the neighborhood.

Hope your daughter rock the world tomorrow. I am sure she will.

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

Where is everybody? Probably leading exciting and relaxing summers. Hmm wonder why I am not doing the same.

Jami said...

You get a shiny badge for Best History Day Mom of the Year! ('Course it's shiny from your own sweat, but don't get picky.)

Martha said...

By the time you get back you'll be 15 pounds skinnier. Good luck to T & Z in the finals.

Perry bought me a father's day present today. Guess what it is? Since we buy each other things we want ourselves he bought me a dirt bike! Just what I wanted. Since Mother's Day and my birthday have already passed he decided it was for Father's Day.

I borrowed your bleach and I will try to get some back to you before you come back. Maybe you won't even notice.

MakingChanges said...

That is most excellent (except for the part about being a pizza).

Good luck to your offspring.

springrose said...

Sending prayers your daughters way, we all want to hear that evil laugh and have the teachers head on a plate! And when you are hot and thinking of being in a sauna, you at least have your NYC memories to sustain you! Good luck to you all!

Barbaloot said...

I'm not even joking when I tell you I wish I could go watch that. I love history---and the competition looks awesome. Good luck to your kids! And have fun enjoying the 5 sauna lbs you lost:)

TisforTonya said...

sending all my good vibes to NY...

wait, just 98.6% of them, I've gotta keep a few for emergencies.

Amanda said...

congratulations!!! Hope things go well, today. And let me know if you have a free hour or two...we could meet up at a museum.

There were 2 women at church on Sunday who were here for history day, too...made me think of you and the kids so I started sending positive competition vibes on Sunday :)

lori said...

Congratulations and good luck!

Mariko said...

Why do I think I would be roped into such a plot?

Your kids are so talented. I think they have an unfair genetic advantage.

The Songer said...

Oh.... Lucky your kids have a mom who can Iron!

Good luck T & Z!

Have fun Getting your ironing on!

Homer and Queen said...

Ya know...I could be a perfect mom like you if the kids would just cooperate! PPPFFFTTTTT!

Good luck to the kids!!