catching up

Sunday, I cooked a BIG pot of jambalaya and I texted Jessica (Tom's cousin that I officially claim as my own) to come try some. We talked for hours. I just love her so much. She turned 26 that day. She was an awesome child and she has grown into an outstanding young lady....don't believe what you read in the local media because they don't know squat. I let Brittanie borrow my vacuum cleaner, carpet shampooer, broom, mop, bucket, etc. to clean her apartment and Joanie is coming tomorrow to clean our house to I needed everything but the shampooer back. So I asked Jessica to ride out there with me to pick up my stuff and she did....and even drove for me cuz I hate to drive. I had another great night with her. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Jenny and I make beautiful children. hehehe

In case you haven't been keeping up with Brittanie's blog, she was doing great in ROTC....till Monday. Monday, she had PT and was doing great, staying in the middle of the formation during the warm up run and never dropping behind and even felt like she could have ran more. When they broke off into ability groups, she ended up dropping behind. LTC Hale (her recruiter) and LTC Jameson (her instructor) both felt the need to remind her that if she doesn't pass PT test by Christmas she will lose her scholarship. She is fully aware of that, which is why she does PT on the required Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, signed up and has been attending remedial PT on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and even signed up for flag football, which starts Friday. But they don't think she is really trying, which really discouraged her because it is obvious that she has made progress because she was able to stay in the middle of the formation during the entire warm up run, which is something she couldn't have done just two weeks ago. But since they don't think that she is progressing fast enough, she is going to sign up for an additional PT class that is on Monday and Wednesday at the same time as the regular PT class that will help her get ready faster. The problem is that registration is closed. So she has to get the instructor for that class to sign a form allowing her to join that class and he is off this week. So she won't be able to start the new class till next week. She was upset when she called me after her talk with Jameson but I told her that she just has to prove her wrong. Major Norton didn't think she would be a good battalion commander in JROTC. He was outvoted by 1SG and MSG and Major Norton ended up eating his words and admitting that she was the best BC they have ever had. She is determined to prove Jameson and Hale wrong too.

Brittanie is doing well in her classes. She loves her English class and is seriously considering changing her minor to journalism. Her professor is awesome. She is doing great in Music Appreciation. She said Miss Ewart at Grace was an outstanding music teacher and taught them more than she learned in high school and in this college music class. Tom and I went to PCC with Miss Ewart when she was a grad student. PCC has an outstanding music department. Grace is lucky to have her! Brittanie still hates her University Studies class and can't wait to be done with it. Once a month you are required to go to a seminar during your lunch hour on campus and the theme is different every month. They do feed you. This month was pizza. Brittanie said "Great! I have to listen to that crap and watch everyone eat pizza all around me while I eat my Lean Cuisine!" This month's theme was gangs. She wasn't quite sure which side they were taking on the subject because they started off giving the reasons people join a gang....to get money, a car, brotherhood, dates, etc. They taught them about gang signs. She found that part hilarious. But she has never been interested in gangs so it was a waste of her time. The seminar was over at 1 but her next class in Sumter wasn't till 5 and with gas at $3.55 a gallon, she didn't want to drive back to Columbia and then back to Sumter. So she did homework and decided to take a nap in her car. She must have been sleeping pretty hard because she was awakened by a guy with a "freaked out" look on his face. She rolled her window down (yes even though we southerners have electric windows, we still ROLL them down!), and the guy was relieved. He thought she was dead! She sleeps VERY hard. But she got a kick out of scaring that poor guy!

Katie is loving K5. Mrs Kizzire used to teach Brittanie when she was in Jr High at Grace. She is wonderful with the little ones too. Katie is very excited that Mrs. Webster (one of the K4 teachers) is teaching piano to K5 students. It is a program called Music for Little Mozarts. They sent home a form for you to fill out if you are interested. She has been dying to learn piano and I had been telling her Grace didn't offer lessons until 3rd grade. Well they have lowered it to 2nd grade now and have this special class for K5....and hopefully 1st grade next year! So I signed the form and sent it back. She can't wait to start. She also asked me when Awana (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) Club starts. She LOVES Awana. I will have to find that out but she is very excited that it will be soon.

That's about it for now.