VMI Cadets

We had 11 VMI cadets at our house today..........watching football, napping and eating dinner. We loved having them and really hated to see them go back. 10 are lacrosse players and one is a football player...........such great young men, including the one we call son.

Tucker is 2nd from the left!

Saw T. for the first time since we dropped him off

VMI and the battle of New Market yesterday was amazing!!! I can't tell you how wonderful Tucker looked and was. His eyes are clear, his back is straight..............we were so honored to see he was chosen by the cadre to carry the flag during the charge. The General spoke and we had a great picnic. While we were sitting there visiting, a man came up to Tucker from the class of 74 and sat by him to tell him how proud he was of him and how this would affect his whole life.........the class of 84..........only 200 ended up graduating.....just gave VMI 2 million dollars..........VMI alumni give more money to VMI than any other alumni at any school in the country. The whole thing is just so interesting and so steeped in history. He has to tip his hat at every female he meets and he had to escort Emily Perrin on his arm if he was on the post (campus).........We saw his rat class march in the parade and I am telling you...........those are the best looking boys........they are so amazing......specially after seeing the beer bellied UVA frat boys at the game on Sat. One sad thing though that I am so glad I didn't now about. Division one athletics is so new to me...........and one recruit ( who I loved his family) and 6 upper classmen (one senior) got cut from the lacrosse team this past week.......AFTER 5 PRACTICES!!!! They cut players!!!! I did NOT know this could happen, but Emily Perrin says it happens in soccer too..........they can cut you if they bring somebody better in........I very naively thought if you got on the team initially you were on it!!!!! Just glad Tucker is still on...........he says it is so intense and fast moving...........but he loves it..........I was laughing because the coach said at one practice.............."Poe here played for the worst high school team in the country and had to dodge and play for everybody, he was a one man team..............but Poe!!! You are on a team with other guys who can play so pass the damn ball".........he thought that was funny. You should see them enter the barracks........they have to strain and walk at 90 degree angles.......so funny. He had so many "war" stories that were hilarious!! But I won't bore you with all of them. He said that one of his corporals saw one of his tattoos and said , "Poe, that thing is on the dollar bill.........Poe, are you a dollar bill? Do you want to be a dollar bill? He caught a ton of crap for that. He loves his dyke (big brother ) and his uncle dykes.........and one of his roommates is from Louisville, KY and he adores him. When they answer upperclass men or talk they can't say, "I would like" they have to say "this rat would like" etc................Yesterday on the bus they had to sit on the front 6 inches of the seat at attention...........eventually on the way back, the cadre told them to sit back and close their little rat eyes and go to sleep, but they had to dream about New Market and the cadets who died their during the civil war.............when they woke up and arrived back at Lexington, one of the cadre called on this big football player rat and said, Johnson, what did you dream about...........and he answered "puppies".........and the cadre guy answered back without missing a step, "97% of all serial killers dream about infant animals".........he had 1000's of stories like this.........Chris and I feel much better.........He hugged and kissed me a million times before we left and thanked us for coming..........the transformation already was amazing...now I will try to post some pictures.....

VMI Matriculation

Big weekend for us! We took T. to VMI and left him at hell week. I posted the video of the march off and lots of pics on facebook if you are interested to see. In the picture above he is signing the matriculation book.............the VMI website has a webcams. Hoping to see the cadets and their training a bit today......life's changes are good, but bittersweet!

45.......and counting!

Ok, I haven't blogged in ages..........strange summer here and very busy. Today though is my 45th birthday.......ugh! and I am off work today and will hopefully enjoy the pool and whatever kids happen to be here. We leave in 2 weeks to take T. to VMI. I think we are all ready. I grieved him leaving all last year, but really he has mentally already left us. I know that is natural, but so is childbirth and that hurts. Anyway, lots of work and walking the dog and driving children and telling T. he can't sleep all day and stay up all night............and oh yes, I got my haircut (way too short) yesterday and started a diet on Monday............I have lost 5 lbs. and will take a break from that tonight to have a glass of birthday red wine. Maybe I'll take my camera........haven't had it out all summer since vacation........not good. But that is just life..........

What can I say?

I am incredibly organized in all parts of my life right now..........so much so that I don't have time for the computer and posting. I will try to include it though a bit better in my day. I decided this summer that with working so much and the kids being home and such, I needed to take better care of myself or I was going to have a coronary. I have been to yoga 8 times, body pump 5 times and have had 7 huge walks in the past 3 weeks. That is 20 things in 21 days..............a few times I did all three in one day, so I have had a few days off, but I am really tired yet energized at the same time. I have NEVER been able to touch my toes..........even as a child..........I have no flexibility and so yoga is a challenge for me. Last nights class was especially hard, but today I feel really great for having done it. You know when you feel completely stretched out and loose.............so rare for me. The minute I decided to take some time and workout, J had a coronary himself. I also find that my work needs me or some crisis comes up just as I am leaving for the gym. It is really hard to commit to yourself and just do it.

We also have some new friends that I am really enjoying from down the street. He is European and so different from anybody I know. She is a former model and was on the cover of Vogue and Elle...............she is exactly my age and still looks like a barbie doll................I told her this and it offended her..........she is so down to earth and not at all like I would have thought. We sit by our pool for hours in the evenings and have so much fun................I have teased them it is the "Kuttner summer".....(their last name)....

I also am reading a novel with one of the kids I work with. A 16 year old boy that I think has never been read to in his life.............we are both loving it and I must say it may be the most important thing I have done all year............we in education spend too much time in meetings and presentations and not enough time with kids themselves..........I need to get my camera out more.............my yard is blooming and so are my kids...........here is a pic. of my family from the beach this summer.