The Blessing of Baking and Cooking

I was lucky enough growing up to have learned the trade of baking and cooking - from my Mom, my neighbors, etc. Although my hectic schedule does not always allow me the luxury to cook the way I want to, I do indulge myself on occasion because I just think it is good for the soul.

This week offered me two opportunities to use my skill sets:
(1) One of the guys that I work with has become the proud father of two Weimeraner puppies. He was picking them up today. Of course, he needed some candy-dipped and pink-sprinkled Milk Bones to welcome Minni and Bell.

(2) I was on the contributor list for the potluck breakfast for our Leadership Meeting. I decided my contribution of choice was going to be a homemade Cinnamon Roll. From scratch. You see - I think there is something very real about working the magic of a dough - a real dough. The kind where you dissolve the yeast and add the flour and hope it rises - and then hope it rises again - you know what I mean. I broke all cardinal rules about cooking for others - I tried a recipe for the first time and was planning to serve it. I knew I had a safety net, though - I could always stop at Shipley's on the way to work. One picture to the left is them before they went in the oven - the other is them after baking. They were so pretty - and they were very good!

And the best part is - these little activities fed puppies, our team of leaders, and Joanne's soul. Talk about a return on investment! Take that, Wall Street.

Welcome 2010

The holidays are past and now it's time to embark on a brand new year. A year filled with who-knows-what, but a year nonetheless that one would think would have to be better than its predecessor, right?

So, maybe it's time to reflect on some highlights of 2009:

1. This year, we lost the last of my Dad's generation of Guzewicz's, good old Uncle Ed. He got to heaven to wish my Dad his 5 year anniversary there, and we all imagine that the reunion of that spectacular family was pretty awesome within St. Peter's walls. Can't wait to see them again someday.
2. I attended my second Guzewicz Thanksgiving in Rhode Island / CT. Loved seeing my cousins and their families - I hope we keep that tradition going. I love being around people who miss and love my Dad as much as me, and they will be an important part of helping to convey to my children who my Dad was. The good news is, both kids possess so much of my Dad inside them, it won't be hard to tell them what Dad was like.
3. We inaugurated our first African-American President. Awesome.
4. I attended a scrapbooking weekend in Blanco with great friends, and began what I hope is a yearly tradition. I like being away for the weekend and getting to nap, relax, scrapbook, cook, laugh, etc. And guess what? We didn't even turn the TV on. Unheard of!
5. Debbie T. - this one is for you: My beautiful son was diagnosed this spring with PDD-NOS, which is a mild autism spectrum disorder. It was a long journey of people putting this kid under the microscope and coming out the other side saying that yes, he qualifies for extra support. To this ex-teacher, those words are golden. God has seen it fit to put me here in Humble, Texas, where I have a phenomenal school district who has supported him all year with a beautiful teacher and a curriculum designed just for kids like him, and a world-class medical center where the best neuro-developmental pediatrician I could find did his assessment. And the short story is, most people either don't know or would be very surprised by that dx, because is so seemingly "normal", but this year of support has been tremendous in terms of helping him with his social delays. I had VERY supportive friends along the way who let me cry and worry and laugh and be relieved - and never judged or made light of it. And, guess what? I think that little boy is perfect. Just perfect.
(All right Debbie - I have officially "come out". :))
6. This year, I have learned more about being a leader, about being humble, about reading a chapter or two from books that I myself have written, and about just how precious those around me really are. Who could ask for anything more?
7. My gorgeous little blond girl has allowed me to watch my son learn social skills every day in the house, and has provided me and her Dad one more angel to make us laugh and realize just how blessed we are. I can't imagine what life would be like without her.

Hope your 2009 reflection brings you satisfaction and joy, and I certainly hope that 2010 brings you everything to make your life exactly what you want it to be.

Happy Birthday Dad

Dear Dad,

Tomorrow marks the day that you would have turned 85. If you are listening, I have a couple of things to tell you:

• First, foremost, and most importantly - God, I miss you. Every. Single. Day. I know you are with our heavenly Father, living the life you always dreamed of living, but it's not the same without you. And some days, I still spill over with sadness about it.
• Your grandson is really something special. He has your universal appeal and your heart. A little piece of you dwells within him and I see it all the time. Please watch over him and when I can't be with him, keep him in your loving care.
• Your granddaughter is my little Polish girl and you would love her. Love. Her. She is spunky and fun and giggly and bossy and she loves full body hugs. She's a real Guzewicz and I hope she stays that way. She loves her brother and they have so much fun together. It's really a beautiful thing. Please protect her as well, and when I can't be with her, keep her in your loving care.
• When I was at a golf tournament this past weekend, I shared the shuttle with a man who reminded me so much of you. He was with his own daughter who was taking him out for the day to the tournament. He was so happy to be getting out to see the "old guys" play and to walk the course. I told his daughter to treasure every day that she had with him, because she had no idea just how much she will miss him someday. He was precious and meeting him was the highlight of my day.

Have a wonderful birthday, Daddy. Until we meet again, I will count on the Holy Spirit, wisdom of the God Most High, Guiding Creator of power and love, to teach me to walk in the paths of knowledge, health, safety, and a powerful will to improve.

Love,

Joanne

Is it really tomorrow?

Will I really be walking my 4 1/2 year old into a big school tomorrow for his first day?

The funny thing is, I have no qualms about leaving him there. I got such good vibes on open school night and he is so excited about it that I think it will be fantastic.

I am just reflecting about all that it represents. It represents his first journey of what will be at least 14 years of schooling (if you include this one). It reminds me that he is eligible for this program because of the delays that he has, and it makes me prayerful that he will overcome them. It makes me realize that this is the first step in really letting go and letting him continue to grow into the wonderful kid that he is and is destined to be.

So I am allowing myself to indulge in him and all of the wonderful things about him. I laugh about Mallory and how badly she will want to go with her "bubbas" because she wants to do everything, absolutely everything, that he does. I look at the two of them and realize just how blessed we are. And I will be the one losing sleep tonight.

Meet the Teacher

What a great day we had. After school, we went to Lakeshore Elementary, where Christopher's pre-K program is and met his teacher, Mrs. Price. She was so nice and the classroom was so cute. Christopher LOVED it. Mallory did too. :) Here he is with the mascot, the Leopard.







Here's Mallory having a great time in Bubba's classroom.

















Then we went to Carino's for dinner - also very nice. We rounded out the two for $20 meals with the mini dessert - delicious chocolate cake with ice cream. Two people at the table thought it was particularly good.

May 28th??

Seriously? That's the last time I wrote here? For shame. Can you say, "Full-time-working-mother-of-two-small-kids?" I thought so.

The summer has absolutely flown by - every 100 degree day of it. Our summer has been filled with day care fun (including Christopher's snow cone making once a week and at least one painted project a week), swimming lessons at Lifetime Fitness (that's whole story by itself) and hanging at our neighborhood pool on the weekend evenings. During the day, we were thankful for air conditioning, Dora the Explorer, and Sid the Science Kid. Who could ask for anything more? I got some scrapbooking in which is my indulgence, so life is good.

And now, it's time for the school year. Christopher is starting a PreK program in the school district - he will have one year before Kindergarten. I am very excited about it - he has some developmental gaps that this program will help. It's a big school - a regular elementary school with a real gym and cafeteria, etc. He will be going for 1/2 days. They will bus him to his regular daycare after that.

We will be meeting his teacher tomorrow night. I can't wait. He can't wait. Grab the kleenex and make sure the camera is charged.

Mallory will be at the Learning Tree (where she is now) and will be in their 2 year old room. How time flies.

And today, I am tired and thankful. Tired from the working, kids, school, karate, swimming lessons. Thankful that my life is enriched in such a way that enables me to do all those things with my beautiful family. And, it just doesn't get any better than that.

At night at the Crosslands

My nightly routine with Christopher invariably includes reading a short book about Transformers (not on the NY Times bestseller list, but definitely on the Christopher Michael Crossland bestseller list), and then just laying in bed, singing and talking.

First, I sing him a song that my Dad used to sing to us when we were kids. I even think he was the songwriter on it:
"Oh it's time to go to bed, and get a good night's sleep, so we can get up tomorrow morning, and have a lot of fun. We had a good day, we want a good night, so please, Dear God, bless us all tonight." I realize not having the melody makes the song a little hard to truly envision, but work with it. Put your own melody to it. That's what my Dad would do.

Then, he sings me a song that his music teacher taught him for Mother's Day:
"Your Mom's a special lady, so hug her every day. She gives you lots of food to eat and takes you out to play. Your Mommy reads you stories and buys you sneakers too, Aren't you happy that you have a Mama who loves you?" Very very cute. Makes me tear up almost every night. Even the random line about buying you sneakers . . . . :)

Then, I ask him what the best part of his day was. Here's where it gets good.

Back in March, we went to the rodeo, and there was a carnival there. On that day, when I asked him that question, he said, "Going to the rodeo and the carnival." Very appropriate.

What is funny as hell is that every single night since then, when I ask him what his favorite part of his day is, he says, "Going to the rodeo and the carnival." and then bursts out laughing. Even sometimes when I start asking the question, he starts smirking . . . . "Going to the rodeo and the carnival." We get a good laugh. And sometimes I cannot get him to tell me any other part of his day because he is laughing so hard.

What a nut. Fits right into this family.