Day Six: Thankful for P-Momma

                                     

Moving right along with the people I love and that mean very much to me, today is all about P-Momma.  For anyone that hasn't been reading very long, and has been wondering what on earth "P-Momma" means, I'll end your suffering right now.  P-Momma is short for Pseudo Mother-in-Law.  She's not my "real" mother-in-law, but I think of her like a mom.  She treats me like a daughter, and my kids know her as their "Grammy".

In the eight years I've known P-Momma, she has been nothing but kind, loving, and supportive of me.  She has always opened up her home to me and the kids whenever we need a P-Momma fix, and one of my most favorite ways to spend a day over the weekend is sitting with her at her table sharing what we've been up to since we last saw each other.  

I don't get to see her near as often as I'd like, and it can sometimes be several weeks before I'm able to make the trip to her house to see her.  But, no matter how long it is between visits, we pick up right where we left off from the last time.

This woman has done so much for me over the years, from attending my college graduations, being one of the first people I called when I got my teaching job, to attending my kids' special assemblies and graduations.  She's also the person I call when I just need someone to talk to, some words of inspiration and support, or to share some exciting news.  It doesn't matter what it is, I know that she'll be at the other end of the phone for me.

On top of being a very important person to me, my kids also adore her.  She is their grandmother.  They ask me all the time to go and see her, because they enjoy their visits to her house as much as I do.  Peanut enjoys talking with her and I, Butter enjoys playing video games or playing outside with P-Momma's granddaughter, and Jelly just loves being anywhere near her.  P-Momma spoils them rotten, and they love every minute of it.

While Peanut and Butter both love P-Momma very much, her biggest fan is definitely Jelly.  That girl cherishes the ground her Grammy walks on.  Not a weekend goes by that Jelly doesn't ask me to take her to see P-Momma, and we can spend the entire day there and Jelly still won't be satisfied.  She will complain that she doesn't want to go home.  And their relationship means so much to me.  Being that Jelly never really built much of a relationship with my own mother, it's very important to me that she looks to P-Momma as being her Grammy.  And P-Momma has never disappointed Jelly.  Ever.  

P-Momma is the kind of person that would give the clothes off of her back to help us out or be there for us.  I always know that I can call on her if I am in need.  She has gladly taken all three kids when Hubby and I need some alone time, she bought us brand new furniture when we moved in to our new house, and she has given us some of the most amazing gifts anyone could ever ask for.  Peanut will tell you that her very fancy hair straightener she received last Christmas and the  brand new laptop she received for her 8th grade graduation are two of the best gifts she's ever received in her life.  Butter will tell you that the RC helicopter he's wanted for YEARS, that his dad and I both told him we'd never buy for him, was one of the greatest gifts Grammy ever bought for him.  And Jelly will tell you that the Fur-Real Monkey she received last year has slept with her every single night, because she loves it like a real baby.  

Yet, one of the things I am most happy about is the fact my kids and I will all tell you that none of those gifts have any impact on how much we adore and love her.  It isn't about the gifts, or the way she helps us out, it's ALL about the fact that she is one of the most supportive and loving people in our lives.

I am the kind of person that likes some motivation and support.  I need to be told that I'm doing a good job or that someone is proud of me.  That may be because that type of support has always been in short supply my whole life.  I can't tell you when I've really ever been told how proud I've made someone or how happy someone is for me with what I've accomplished in my life.. until I met P-Momma.  

The words of encouragement and support she's bestowed on me over the years have had such an impact on me and my life.  When I first started my college career, she told me how proud she was of me for doing it.  While I was going through school, working, and raising my little family, she was never in short supply of telling me how proud she was of me working so hard to make a better life for my family.  And again when I graduated college.  She cried with me on the phone when I called her to tell her that I'd finally found a teaching job, and she told me how wonderful I'd be and how she couldn't wait to hear all of my teaching stories.  She fully supported and encouraged me to start the process of getting my Master's Degree.  And with everything I've been through with my mother, P-Momma has ALWAYS been there to give me what I was missing most:  Love, pride, and acceptance.  

I just can't do justice in words with how thankful I am for this amazing woman.  She is my mother.  She is the person that is always there for me and my children.  And I just don't know what I'd do without her.  I will never be able to repay her the kindness and love that she's shown me, so all I can do is be thankful each and every day that she's in my life and that I'm lucky enough to know her and be apart of her family.

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

Weekend Fun & Games

I hate Daylight Savings Time.  There.  I said it. 

I hate the fact that I'm sitting here looking at my iPad clock, and it says 9:12, but I know it's only 8:12.  Not cool.  It's Sunday.  Why on earth I'm getting up at 8AM is beyond me...even if it really is 9AM.

But, oh well.  Not much I can do about it.  

What I can do is spend my Sunday having a little fun, and getting out with the kiddos to see one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.  I'm WAY overdue for a visit to P-Momma's house.  It was one of my resolutions to get over there to see her more, but thanks to the snow we've had (that's the excuse I'm going to use) I didn't see her the ENTIRE month of February.

I spent my Saturday having some fun, also.  I finally downloaded Minecraft on to my iPad and on to my PS3.  Neither are the exact same as what I'll be doing in my classroom, but I figure if I'm going to be using it as a teaching tool I'd better get acquainted with the game.

Jumping in to a project like the one I'm taking on without knowing SOMETHING about the game would be like me trying to teach Spanish.  I'd be able to give them a few words that I know, but then I'd be counting on my Spanish speaking kids to basically take over and do the rest.  

I've never been to a Spanish speaking country.  I've never taken a Spanish class.  So, I'd basically be trying to teach a class on stuff I've heard other people use, but have absolutely no idea what any of it means.

So, I loaded up the game and took off.

It didn't take me long to realize that the iPad version would do me absolutely NO good until I've played some of the full PS3 version.  The iPad version is the "lite" version so it comes with no tutorial, no instruction... just dumps you in a world and expects you to do whatever it is you're supposed to do in Minecraft.  An extension of the game, I'm sure they assume, has been played on another device.  Which, again, I had absolutely no idea what to do other than I had to put blocks down to build stuff.

The PS3 version was SOOOO much better, and I ended up playing the game for several hours even though I barely completed the tutorial and just started up my own world.

What I did discover, however, is that I understand the appeal.  I understand why kids would go so crazy over the game.  Because they are at the complete controls.  Nobody telling them what to do.  Nobody telling them how to do it.  Just complete and utter freedom to explore, create, gather supplies, and build their fantasy worlds.

There are absolutely no threats, except for a few spiders and ill-looking Lego guys that come out after dark if you haven't build a secure shelter to protect yourself in.  Plus, they have the option of playing the Survival Mode or Creative Mode.  Survival Mode starts out with the player having NOTHING.  No materials, no tools, no food...nothing.  The player has to collect materials to craft their own materials so that they can make their own shelter.  Plus, they have to gather and create their own food supply in order to survive.  Creative Mode gives the player endless supplies so that the player can design and create basically anything they want.  

I had a go at both options, and I was much more interested in the Survival Mode simply because there was so form of challenge thrown my way.

And, as I was playing my inner child was getting all giddy with excitement.  But, it didn't take long for my adult version to yell out in frustration because there were no instructions, no rules, no guidance on what I'm supposed to do, no actual "game play" that involved missions or levels.  I knew I had to create materials in order to survive, but there was no map guiding me to where I could find my materials.  There was no clock telling me how much time I had in order to do whatever it was that I was planning on doing, and night falling meaning that spiders and monsters would soon be attacking me.  Yet, I just couldn't stop playing. 

And, that was probably the most important realization I could have while trying out the game.

As I move in to developing this project, I have to keep all that in mind.  I can't take away the heart of the appeal to the game.

My original plan was to create a world in which the students would have to complete set assignments and challenges that I created.  The Minecraft EDU platform gives me that power.  I can lock the game down to only allowing the students to do what I ask them to do, and how I want them to do it.

But, now that I've spent just a small amount of time playing the game, I realized that I can't take that heart of the game away.  Why stifle them?  Why make them follow a set line of rules?  Why give them assignments?  Why NOT let them create what they want to create, with a few guidelines, and then have them defend and present WHY they chose the creations they did?  Let them make their own decisions, but just explain WHY they made the decisions.  Isn't that what we want our students doing, anyway? Critical thinking.  Decisive thinking.  Defending their own thinking and ideas.

Sure, I can throw in a few challenges here and there... a few mini projects I want them to complete... but the overall experience has to be about them being the commanders of their own worlds and their own choices.

They need shelter.  They need food.  But, they also need to figure out how to acquire those things.  There isn't always going to be someone doing all that stuff for them. 

And honestly?  I can't wait to play a little more.  Dig a little deeper.  Create a few more things.  

So, if I'm feeling that way, I just KNOW that the kids are going to have an absolute blast.  Especially the few kiddos that haven't had the chance to play before.

But, before I think about spending any more time playing, I get to have even more fun with my P-Momma.  And that's what I'm excited about today.

Before I get to her house, though, I have to go and pick up Peanut from her friend's house.  

Then, Sunday Funday can completely commence.

So, just a short one today.  Figure I'll spend my day DOING more than EXPLAINING.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!!

Day Fifteen: Thankful for My P-Momma

                   

I'm halfway through my Thirty Days of Thankful, and I have made this list in no order of importance.  Had that been the case, this picture would have appeared MUCH sooner...like in the first 3 days.  Because the woman in that picture is WAY up there as being someone I am truly thankful for.  

From the first day I met this lady a little over 8 years ago, I have felt a connection to her.  During Hubby's teen years, she was a mother figure to him.  As I have become very close to some of Peanut's friends, and have unofficially adopted some of them...she did the same for Hubby.  And to this day, even though he loves his mom, he thinks of P-Momma as another mom to him.

Hubby lived with her for a couple of years during his late teens, as he was best friends with P-Momma's son.  She took him in when he needed somewhere to stay.  She helped him get on his feet. She was there for him.

And ever since I met her, she has done the same for me.  Taken me in, figuratively, helped me get on my feet many times, and has always been there for me.

It's so hard to really put in to words how much P-Momma means to me.  In her eyes, I'm her daughter.  Period.  My kids are her grandchildren.  There's no need for explanation of her claiming us as her family, she just does.  

I can't even begin to share all the times that P-Momma has been there for me.  Anytime I needed a shoulder to cry on, an ear to vent to, a person to celebrate with...she's been there.  I can call her up pretty much anytime and go over to see her.  If she is busy, she always makes a point of making other arrangements for us to get together, because it's important to her that I know she's never too busy for me.. she just needs a little time to adjust her schedule so that she can make it work.

My kids absolutely adore her.  They ask pretty much all the time if we can go over to see her.  Jelly has a very strong connection to her "Grammy" and doesn't like there to be too much of a time lapse in between visits.  It's the one place Jelly will gladly stay, regardless of whether or not P-Momma's granddaughter is there to keep Jelly company.  Jelly is perfectly content just spending time with P-Momma.

P-Momma's granddaughter is basically my niece.  She has grown up with my kids, and they all get along as if they were truly family.  Which they are.  Blood doesn't need to be shared in this situation.  Our bond is strong enough.

Every minute that I get to spend with P-Momma is meaningful.  We can, and do, talk for hours.  Well, I talk...most of the time.  She will sit and listen as I vent, share, gab on and on about anything and everything that's been going on in my life.  I often wonder what runs through P-Momma's head after I leave....wonder whether or not she's exhausted just from listening to me talk so much.  HA!

But, for quite a while, I haven't really had anyone else to talk to.  Not really.  Sometimes I just want let out feelings of stress and excitement that aren't completely taken care of or can't  be shared on my blog.  I know that in those moments, I can call on P-Momma and she will take care of helping with those feelings.  Either banishing the bad, or encouraging and being supportive of the good.  

For the past few years, one of the kids (and mine) most favorite Christmas traditions has been spending Christmas Eve with P-Momma.  She prepares a Christmas Eve dinner, and we go over for presents and food and laughter and fun.  In fact, the kids have been completely content with pushing out our other Christmas Eve tradition of baking cookies for Santa and watching a Christmas movie before bed if it means getting to spend a little more time with P-Momma.  They aren't all excited about going home and getting ready for Christmas morning, they are perfectly fine staying at P-Momma's to whatever hour we decide to head home.  We can spend 8 hours with her, yet the minute I say it's time to go home...they whine about "just getting there". 

She means the world to me and the kids.  She really is my "mom away from mom".  There isn't anything I wouldn't do for her.  I know that there really isn't anything she wouldn't do for me...or she'd at least do everything in her power to do what she could.  She probably has no idea how much of the impact or role that she has played in my life since first meeting her.  

The countless times she's opened up her home for us.  The important events that she's always attended.  The times I really needed someone to talk to, someone in my corner.  The kindness and love she's always shown my children.  The kindness and love she's always shown me.  The advice she's given.  The willingness to drop everything she's doing to help us out for some reason.  And I could go on and on and on.

Today I am truly thankful for a woman that, for no rhyme or reason, took me in as her daughter.  Has always treated me as a daughter.  Has always been like a mother to me.

Thankful is really an understatement.  I was truly blessed on the first day I got to meet this amazingly wonderful woman.  And each and every day I am beyond thankful for her being a part of my life.  

Postponing and Rescheduling

At this very moment, I should be walking out the door... kids in tow... to head out to the new water park that we were going to be visiting today, and to meet up with P-Momma for a day of fun in the sun.

Unfortunately, P-Momma got called to work at the last minute, and so our plans have been delayed.

I could have gone without her.  Could have still loaded up the kids and headed over there for a day in the sun with just the kids... but it wouldn't be the same.  This was supposed to be a P-Momma day out, and without P-Momma no one wanted to go.

So, we postponed until next Friday.  

Cause my kids and I love P-Momma too much to not go with her.  The park will be open next Friday, when P-Momma can be there... and that's totally OK with us.

I totally adore the fact that the minute the kids heard that P-Momma couldn't go, they didn't want to go.  How many kids do you know that would be that way?  When we're actually at the park, I doubt that any of the kids will spend that much time with us... besides Jelly who has to so that I can supervise her.  They'll be off enjoying the slides and pools and leaving P-Momma and myself to enjoy our own quiet time.  

But, that's just how much she means to them.  Knowing that she can't be there... even if she'd just be sitting with me or swimming with me or watching the kids have a good time... is enough for them to say - No P-Momma?  No Go!

My heart grows about three sizes when something like this happens.  I'm not going to lie, there are times when my kids can all be pretty selfish or ungrateful or just think about themselves and nobody else.  Rare occasions, but they still happen.  And I honestly thought that this would be one of those times.  When they'd gotten all excited to go and find out that a key member of the party wasn't going anymore....they'd just say "oh well, we're still going right?"  But, they managed to surprise me in the best of ways.

My brother came over yesterday for the specific reason of going to the water park today.  My sister was also going to come, but had to work last night... so she was going to head over after work.  When the plans changed, my sister decided to stay home - but my brother decided he's still going to stay.  

And that's another couple of kids P-Momma can add to her fan club.

My little brother and sister.

My sister is 17 and my brother is 16.  Even though they are my siblings, P-Momma still refers to herself as "Grammy" to them.  They were invited to the park by P-Momma.  She has been a part of their lives for the past 8 years... when they were younger than my kids are now.  And they were also very quick on the money of the "if she's not going, neither are we" train.  

And it all makes me feel all warm and gooey inside.

So, no water park until next Friday.  Which is fine by everyone in the household.

But, that also means I've got to come up with something else to amuse the kids with today.

They are still sleeping, because they stayed up very late playing video games.  That's fine by me.. the longer they stay in bed, the less time I have to amuse them.  

I already have an idea about what to do today.  We're going to go do some bargain hunting.  My brother loves going to pawn shops and thrift stores in search of treasures... so being that it's so hot outside, that sounds like a great plan to me.

We'll make a day of it.  Have a good time.  And see what bargains we can find.

Alright, I'm out...

Jo