I Was Just Thinking About...: Relationships

School Registration Hell!!

Mon, 22 Aug 2005 20:29:15 GMT

Today is going down as the worse Monday on record for me. If anyone out there has ever tried to register their child for school in the state of Maryland my heartfelt sympathies go out to you. I am the single mother of three children who, because me and my ex husband both were military, have moved around quite a bit. I have NEVER been so angry and frustrated as I was today trying to register my youngest for school today.

The only person who was sympathetic to the fact that I had just moved to Maryland and didn't have the ridiculous paperwork they asked me to reproduce was his teacher. I am SO THANKFUL he was in that office today because I was ready to KILL BILL and everybody else in that office!

My ex-husband and I have been divorced for 13 yrs but they wanted me to show proof that I had custody of my 16 yr old son. Unbelievable. Not to mention that they actually wanted to SEE my son during registration. It's almost like they didn't really think he existed. Yes, that's right, I'm that maniac mother who is going around to different schools in the state of Maryland trying to register a fictitious son. Yep! That's me allright! Better call 911!

I am so glad I am at home right now with a glass of wine, sitting in front of my computer getting this all out of my system. Before I left for the day his teacher called me to say that he got a waiver for me for 30 days. Meaning I had 30 days to get some kind of proof that I indeed had custody of my son. He really is a good person but trying to track down my ex-husband is not something I look forward to. I am thankful that my daughter is still at home and will be able to take care of this for me.

I pray tomorrow will be a better day. School starts next Monday. Hopefully my son will be there on the first day.

Burning Bridges

Tue, 12 Jul 2005 13:38:03 GMT

Well, I'm feeling very melancholy today. This is my last week of work. I've been here 3 years and have grown quite close to the people that I work with. This is really my first experience with being so fond of the people I work with every day that I want to hang out with them after work! This is a good thing though. I will miss them and will stay in touch.

Unfortunately I don't feel the same way about the people I have known my whole life. How can this be? I really can not figure this out and believe me I have tried. I truly do believe that unrequited love has got to be the most painful experience one can go through in life. I have loved these people forever and no matter how much love and concern I show them I received none of the same in return.

I have to mention the few people who I love dearly and who I would have died long ago if it was not for the love they showed me and my children while we were here. Kitzi - you know you will always be my sister. Vickie, you are another person who has always been a light of hope in my life. I want to thank both of you for your support. Sandy, Donna and Pam - thanks for the laughs and for always making me feel that nothing has changed between us. I love you. Debby - I know you will never read this but I wish I could take you with me.

For these 6 years I have been back here I have been trying to live in a dying place. The downtown area has completely diminished from the thriving business area it used to be. I was told by one of the merchants that the price to rent a place down there is just too high for the mom and pop businesses to make it. All this town cares about now is the car shows that start in April and end in late August. Oh and the WalMart Super Center didn't help the situation either. I often wonder how the senior citizens of our community get by with no public transportation. I miss my grandparents dearly but if there were alive now they would be suffering and I would be too because I would become a taxi service for them and their friends. It's depressing.

I have gone to too many funerals in these last 6 years. Most of the people who died were victims of years of alcohol and drug abuse. They never found happiness. They chose to stay here because their families were here and because they were afraid.

I never had that fear. My family always instilled in me as I was growing up that there was "something else out there". And they didn't want me to end up like many of their friends did when they chose to stay here. Every summer my grandmother would ship me off to either Philly or New York. I love her for that. I learned so much about life and about how other cultures lived. I couldn't wait until I graduated from high school. ;-) I've been moving around ever since ;-)

So now I'm off again to another adventure. I'm really getting too old for this stuff now though but there is nothing like the excitement you feel when you are about to move to a new place. Time for me to let go of all of those painful experiences and look forward to making new friends and learning how to survive in a new place.

Flame on!

Letting Go

Mon, 13 Jun 2005 12:48:26 GMT

Hey Family!

I grew up in a home filled with love. I didn't have any brothers or sisters but my cousins and school friends made up for that. Because I didn't have any siblings I tend to hold on to my friends a little too tightly.

Unconditional love is the only kind of love I know. I firmly believe that is why I still have the friends I made back in high school today. I never judged them no matter what deep, dark secret they revealed to me. I still loved them anyway because I loved them BEFORE I knew the secret.

The two times I did go to my high school class reunion what I normally heard after speaking to someone I knew wa-a-ay back when is always - "Theresa, you haven't changed a bit!" and then they proceed to tell me the most intimate details of their lives. It is such a compliment when someone trusts you enough to tell you private things about their lives. After our conversation they made me promise to keep in touch. I do love my friends and cherish their friendship.

Loving my friends from a distance is something that has taken me years to learn. One of my closest and dearest friends remarked to me one night years ago - "Theresa! Everyone is not like you!" She made that comment after I complained that after sending her cards and letters that I never received one from her. Of course, this hurt my feelings terribly but she was right. We tend to judge others on how we behave and that is wrong. We set ourselves up to be hurt every time. We also make this same mistake with our children.

So, I still keep in touch with my friends as much as I can. It is important to me that they know that I am thinking of them and that I love them. When I do see them they are so grateful for the little reminders I send to them throughout the year. Their gratitude makes my effort worthwhile.

If you haven't spoken to someone in a long time please send them an email or a post card to let them know that they are in your thoughts. It really means so much!

Single

Tue, 31 May 2005 11:34:58 GMT

Hey Fam!

French actress Jeanne Moreau was interviewed on NPR last week. She said something very interestiing that touched me deeply and I had to share it with you. As soon as she said it I immediately wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it The interviewer asked her what she liked about living alone and being single after years and years of one relationship after another. She said she now loved having "the freedom to ask someone to share my solitude". Wow! That's deep ain't it? Solitude, I even love the sound of that word. Whoever I finally decide to settle down with that is what he will have to learn how to share. I've had enough adventures and drama in my life. How about you? Feel me?

I know ya do

Hey! Make sure you check out my new photo album on our trip to Virginia Beach last weekend. I was so glad that my dad decided to go. He really needed to get away for a little while and be surrounded by family after the death of his brother last week. The weather was beautiful and we had a great time.