Back to School 2022

The new school year was stepped into this year with some reluctance, excitement, and hope, plus a fair helping of anxiety. I have learned to try to get things sorted prior to the start of the year, but also to entrust it all to God's care.

Johanna and I bought her school supplies the first week of August and they were all piled ready to go, with the reusable items from years past. The smell of crayons filtered into the scent of lead shavings as I pre-sharpened her pencils and despite having the supplies all together I know it wouldn't be enough to gently transition Johanna into 4th grade. Johanna does not transition gently. So I braced myself for the intensity. Johanna has had a good but intense first week. She is in the 4th grade at St. Mark, and she got the teacher she had been hoping for: Ms. Middleton. Johanna reread the note Ms. Middleton sent out over and over again, and Johanna was full throttle as we did the "Classroom Visit" day. Johanna sought out familiar faces and greeted all of her classmates by name. 

Monday morning came early and it was still dark out when I first said "Good Morning". We are getting back into the swing of the routine, with a few bumps, a few tears, more hugs and erratic appetites. But we are looking forward to the new year and all of the opportunities to learn and grow.

Bridget is at Catonsville High School in the 10th grade. She is looking forward to a stable, more predictable year, and more art classes. I took her shopping for clothes a few weeks ahead of time and we picked up a curling iron. We also scheduled a haircut, which turned out fantastic and Bridget says it feels great too. She was asked to manage the JV volleyball team, which started up before school. She has a few friends on the team, and when the coach found out she was Megan's sister, they were excited to have Bridget. Bridget laughed and said isn't nepotism great. The team provided a good transition to schedules and interacting with friends. I still have to contact all of her teachers to make sure they have her IEP info, and hopefully start on a good foot. Jim drops her off in the mornings and she rides the school bus home in the afternoons.

Megan and I sat down in July and went through all of the college to-dos. She scheduled her advising meeting and we were not at all impressed with the process. Finally she got one scheduled (virtual), but the advisor didn't show. It was stressful.  I sat down with her and we went through Nursing program pre-requisites. We weren't very adept at the system but we nailed down a solid schedule that included condensed versions of the two of the nursing program pre-reqs. That schedule would allow her to apply to the nursing program in Jan and complete the nursing program in 2 years. She and I discussed it and because she took most of these classes during senior year she felt like she was ready and could handle it. the schedule also gave her off on Friday. She was asked by her high school AP Bio teacher to nanny for her 6 month old, Hazel. The schedule would mean that she could nanny on Fridays.

Then 6 days before the semester started she got a call and an email saying that the condensed classes were canceled due to low enrollment. The well-made plans were junked and she was stressed and demoralized after some discouraging email back and forths with CCBC. She and I sat down and reworked her schedule getting into the few classes that were still open. When it all settled the schedule turned out doable and opened up her Mondays. She is now nannying for Hazel on Mondays and Fridays. The new schedule does mean that the ambitious 2 year RN goal is probably not possible anymore, but we put it in God's hands.

Rachael gets an apartment

Gaining independence during a pandemic is a challenge, and Rachael was one of thousands of college students trying to make headway into adulthood when we shut down. Rachael pushed through the barriers and searched for apartments online and worked with friends in similar situations. Finally in October after months of socially distant planning, she found a 3 bedroom/1 bath townhouse with a basement that allows for cats and got to the paperwork. The apartment is within walking distance of UMBC, so if it turns out to be a good place, she can stay here until the end of college. Lease paperwork was a hassle with 3 first time renters and 3 co-signers but finally it got submitted and accepted.  The move-in date was set for Halloween.

Rachael had to work that weekend and we weren't available to help, so Rachael slept over on Halloween after work and we set her move-in to be on Tuesday, which also happened to be election day. Moving was a great distraction from politics.

Rachael's first night was a fitting pizza and moving boxes vibe, but spiced up with Rachael's Halloween costume, Kyoshi Warrior. she asked me if I would bless the new place, so I brought over holy water and offered a house blessing when I dropped her off.

On Tuesday Jim had off and Emma came down to help. We packed up the van and got the twin bed, that Emma had used and had been stored in our garage, over to the townhouse. While the sisters put the bed together, Papa, Bridget and I went over to my Dad's house and picked up the white dresser and mirror and cabinet, that I had in middle school and moved those over as well. About 2 weeks prior we went to an estate sale around the corner and found a kitchen table and a bunch of kitchen wares.  Between those items, lots of personal items, and Aunt Mickey's brown dishes the only thing missing was a sofa and coffee tables.  That night I took her grocery shopping and we stocked her pantry cabinets and fridge. 

I found a free sofa on Facebook Marketplace, so on my birthday, Jim went with Rachael to pick it up and move it into her place. It was really heavy and was a physical undertaking, but they did it, and immediately it felt more like a home. Leia, Rachael's cat, took a few days to get settled but she was more relaxed once the place was furnished. The next day I grabbed her a bookshelf from online. I feel like Rachael is set up for success and I look forward to seeing her grow in her independence.

O heavenly Father, Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to bless and sanctify this house and all who dwell therein and everything else in it, and do Thou vouchsafe to fill it with all good things; grant to them, O Lord, the abundance of heavenly blessings and from the richness of the earth every substance necessary for life, and finally direct their desires to the fruits of Thy mercy. At our entrance, therefore, deign to bless and sanctify this house as Thou didst deign to bless the house of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; and may the angels of Thy light, dwelling within the walk of this house, protect it and those who dwell therein. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

It's Decision Time

It is coming down to the final weeks of this process. By the end of the month we need to finalize the decision for Emma's college. She applied to 4 colleges and was accepted to all four colleges. She was also awarded scholarships at all four schools. We visited campuses and then went back again for Decision Day events. It was fun and exciting to walk campuses and envision Emma embarking on new adventures. Then as it got closer to the decision deadline and we had to consider the finances of every increasing tuition and lack of federal aid, the joy for me got sucked out of the journey. Emma has been avoiding conversations about college decisions and I think the money aspect is weighing on her as well. Now we are reviewing the financial aid packages and discussing the debt / value of each option. We have contacted the schools in a hope that they can put some more aid together and now we wait.

Please join us in praying for discernment in the right path for Emma. Please ask God to provide the finances for the path he wants her to take.