whatsoever community center

So today I met with one of the directors at the Whatsoever Community Center. (The center is in an old school on 12th St, not far from I-435. They have been around nearly 100 years...yes, a century of community based social services.) I had responded to a Craig's List posting for an early childhood teacher working with infants to 18 month olds. I thought it might be a nice way to be around babies. The director had emailed to set up an appointment and suggested that they might have another position for me to consider.

Anyway, the other job is a hybrid of GED teacher (more like case manager/tutor), job skills/computer skills trainer, and ESL teacher. I am so excited about the possibility! I have wanted to work in ESL for a long time, but have never had the right opportunity. Plus the educational and counseling elements are a great fit. I really think I would love working with this team and could put my all of my assets to good use!

I'll be meeting with the executive director and youth services director some time this week. Keep us in your thoughts. It isn't easy being unemployed!

Our new Prez in his new ride

Streaming inauguration

Hulu is offering steaming, live online coverage of the inauguration on Tuesday. Check it here or on Hulu's Web site:

the big part-ay

Monday night we were the guests of our friend, State Representative Trent Skaggs, at the Missouri Governor's Inaugural Ball in Jefferson City. It was a blast. The building is magnificent and was packed out with people dressed to the nines. Offices line the perimeter of the first two floors and tables full of food and drinks lined the halls. Here's a little pictorial sampler of our night.

the beatles

ray has successfully passed on his love of the beatles to titus, who now goes to sleep every night being serenaded by the fab four. last night, when putting him to bed, titus said to me. "mom, every time i see cate or ella i start singing this song." want to guess what it was? "I Want to Hold Your Hand". he's got it bad.

bffsmias

The daily ritual goes something like this. "How was your day?" "Great. I stayed on red." "Good job buddy. What was the best part of your day?" "Recess/music/that we had pizza for lunch." But not today.

"How was your day?" "Uh, I'm so mad at Kylie. She told everything I said to everybody." "She told everybody?" "Well, no. Just Cate." "What did she tell Cate?" "That she's not my bffsm." "Your bff...s..m?" "Yeah, Cate was my bffsm but now Ella is and Kylie kept trying to hear everything she wasn't supposed to hear and then she told Cate and then Cate got mad at me because I said she isn't my bffsm." "What's a bffsm?" "Best friend forever sister marry." "Sister marry?" "Yeah, s, you love like a sister; m, you want to marry them. So ever since Ella invited me to the ball she is my bffsm and Kylie told Cate and she wasn't supposed to."

Then there were feeble attempts to try to get Titus to see that he's only six and that lovers' triangles are confusing entanglements that are best avoided by appreciating the outstanding qualities of individuals and that labels such as BFF, BF, BFFSM, BFFS...although purposeful, really can end up hurting people's feelings. Even though none of that hurts yours.

And then came a few more minutes of clarity. "So, mom, how many people can you marry?" "Only one at a time, but you can love as many people as you want. I thought Cate was the nicest person you've ever met." "She is. That's why she's my bffs...but I think I'll make her a bffsm too."

"And what about Grace Middleton?" "Just a minute. (At this point, Titus ducked down in the back seat for about 30 seconds and then returned to his perch on the console by my driver's seat.) She's my bffias. Bffias? Yeah, my best friend forever in another state."

I guess my advice about labels will need more time to soak in.

inauguration

so this will be the only year in history that we have two official inaugural letters at our place - one saying we have tickets to the presidential inauguration and one saying we are invited to the missouri governor's ball and inauguration festivities in jeff city.

kind of cool. but here's the best part. we'll get to party with our friends trent & amanda and their kiddos - ella, cora, and levi. ella and titus have been classmates for the past two years. we try very hard not to marry off our 6 year olds. the little master needed some fancy duds. it's nice that at age 6 you can get fancy duds for $20.

recently ella asked titus if he thought that going to the ball with her was kind of like a date. he said yes. she said, well it's not. all i can say is get used to it son...there is life time of confusion ahead!