The GGs arrive on the scene

I tell you what, Grandmom and Grandad McClain are movers and shakers. They moved and shook themselves all the way to Rochester from Louisville by car and kept busy the entire time they were here! Jackson calls them GGmom and GGdad (Greatgrandmom and Greatgrandad), hence the nickname, "The GGs." There were two things on my "I love you Grandad, will you please fix this?" List. That morphed into about 6 things, as he busied himself around our house: purchasing and using WD40 for all the squeeky doors, repairing a blind that had gotten wopperjawed, fixing the wiring so that a lamp would work, replacing the spray mechanism to two of our faucets, fixing the knob and handle to our front door, and working on a drain.

Meanwhile, Grandmom wouldn't sit down before she tidied Jackson's toys any chance she got, helped cooking and cleaning dishes, tended to Lilly's food and water, helped me organize all of my winter wear, sewed on a button and got out a stain from a coat, and motivated my quest to research winter wear options for my upcoming Minnesota WINTER.

Geez. Will I be that productive when I'm that age? I hope so. Enjoy the pics below. We had a blast. Thanks GGs!!! The Arthur's love and appreciate you!
We made a trip to an outlying town of Redwing, known for the shoe store and its pretty awesome pottery... this was at a park outlooking the area (jackson is playing in the street...err, I mean, waiting in the car)
GGmom does not let anything stop her! Here she is on hands and knees building blocks with Jackson! (Grandma Lynette, look at that great outfit you purchased Jackson!!!)
At one of Mayo's facilities, this is the crew during the tour Scott gave. Surprise, Jackson wanted down.
A breather in one of Mayo's BEAUTIFUL outside courtyards...
Jackson studying the floral landscaping.

Something has changed

Remember how I always describe my child as good-natured, low-maintanence, and generally content? Jackson chose the weekend GGdad and GGdad (Great Grandmom and Great Grandad) came into town to show the colors of a more hyper, vocally expressive, easily irritated, and awnry side we had not seen before. Quite crazy how he went to bed Friday night one kid and woke up Saturday morning another! At first, we discounted his hard-to-satisfy-ness as feeling icky from his 15 months shots, which happened Friday late afternoon.

But the reality is - since this behavior has continued for a few days - I think we're in a phase. Strolling him during the tour Scott gave the GGs of Mayo and enduring his outbreaks at a nice restaurant prove to be challenges now... they once were effortless endeavors. Once he realizes that his mother has no sympathy for whining or uncooperative behavior, he will become that angel again (yeah right!).

Pray for short phase. Pray for short phase. Pray for short phase.

Opposite of Love - FEAR

Oh, I was so angry today at school, I coulda rung a couple kids' necks. I seriously think my 7th grade study hall class could have seen steam coming out of my ears, if they'd looked hard enough.

I was SO lucky going through school. I have NO IDEA how I escaped the cruel and unfair manifestation of "cool" kids doing everything in their power to maintain that status, at the expense of those they deem "uncool." I was neither. Good ole, middle-of-the-ground Tricia.

But I remember watching it happen. And, now that I am adult, I have watched too much news, read too many articles, and learned too much about school shootings/violence to allow for ANY kind of intolerance of others to exist in MY classroom. I forbid it. I work desperately hard to set a culture and climate in my room that allows for love (OK, middle schoolers wouldn't call it that - but that's what it is... dropping the masks, letting go of defining "cool" and "not cool," and being the nicest versions of themselves). It's amazing, when it happens.

During my last class of the morning today, which I only have every other day, and which is just a study hall (so I really don't INTERACT or have a chance to build that same climate because they don't know me and I don't know them), I observed two students openly laughing about a story about a fellow student. Making fun. LOUDLY. Right in front of me. Right in front of those who had already gathered in the room. LIKE IT WAS OK. These two students are pretty funny kids, well-liked, witty - the kind of kids that have a natural leadership power that makes people listen. "Cool," I suppose.

I just let them finish their little mascarade. The period started. And then I called them to my desk. And I LET THEM HAVE IT.
It was so out of character for me that I think they were literally SCARED of me. Good. Let them know the wrath of Mrs. Arthur.

FEAR. It's a horribly debilitating entity in this world. It keeps those who FEAR losing their "cool" status maintaining that divide between themselves and those different from them. It prevents those with the "uncool" status from living into their amazing potential, for FEAR of the wrath they might receive by being themselves.

Yesterday I was watching the 5:00 news and the big story was how a high school in Minneapolis had a repeat outbreak of hate messages in the school. Messages on lockers and bathroom walls reading "All niggers should die." Are you kidding me?

Hate might be confused as the opposite of love. But give me one act of hate that isn't motivated by FEAR.

Ugh, nasty fear. I say it's the evil working in our world.

PS. I know this is so heavy, but I am SO glad I am working with young people. Think about what power teachers have to turn some of these habits upside down? As far as I'm concerned, math is secondary to that lesson of life.