Merry Christmas from Us To You!

We are so blessed to be happy, healthy, and surrounded by loved ones!

Tonight, Matthew will be playing clarinet in the 6th Grade Holiday Concert at John Bassett Moore Intermediate School. Jim and I are so very proud of him!

My mother, Susan Addicott, will be visiting with us during the week of Christmas, and then it's back to work for a few days before we celebrate New Years at First Night in Dover, Delaware.

Matt and I send you our love and friendship. May the new year find you and yours comfort and joy!

Santa Claus' comes to Smyrna

Saturday morning, I woke up quickly and quickly got myself ready to make my way down to the Smyrna Opera House. The night before I had spent an evening there watching a performance from CoroAllegro, Delaware's premier chamber choir from Wilmington. They sung beautiful a series of mostly uncommonly heard holiday songs, but all in A Cappella. I was pleasantly surprised by the performance. It only enhanced my feelings that I had when I saw Santa and Mrs. Claus enter the Smyrna Opera House! Initially, I had told myself how nice it would be to see the young children react to Santa. After all, Matt was spending time with his dad, and has outgrown the visits with Santa. I arrived just in time to make my way up to the third floor art gallery where I could help make a table up with crafts for the 75 children scheduled for the morning. I found a few Smyrna's high school art students that looked familiar and gave them all hugs. We spoke of the spring musical yet to be organized, and gave the tables a quick look over and the kids filtered in. All the children had their parents, brothers, and sisters and some grandparents. Quietly, to my surprise, they found the crafts they were interested in and went to work. Ten minutes later Santa comes through the door! I found that I was first in line to see him? It took a few moments for me to realize I wasn't 8 years old and that I should move aside! I thought, "Gee, I even know Santa personally, and I'm still excited!" I took lots of photos to be submitted to the local paper. After the craft, and a visit on Santa's lap, the children walked downstairs to the second floor where the theatre stage is located. We all had a sing-a-long with Mrs. Claus until Santa arrived for the final song "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer." He told us all that he hoped we wouldn't be awake when he visited for he had lots of work to do. Off he went out the side door. Next the audience watched "Rudolph" the movie - our first showing at the SOH since the 50s.

Saturday evening, the same night, I went to dinner and then a high school play. I picked up a church girlfriend, and we went to the new "improved" Smyrna Diner and in came....you guessed it.....A REAL Mr. & Mrs. Claus. It just started snowing, when they came in dressed in red velvet, and Mrs. Claus had on a white fur coat. He had a real beard, and she had real white hair. I couldn't believe they were dining just across from us. I tried not to stare, but I couldn't help it. As they made their way to pay their bill, all the children noticed Santa a ran out of their seats to surround him. He was so delighted. It was a scene that just made my heart burst. I was so emotional, that I was afraid Santa would see my tears, so I turned to my friend and went outside to get air! Pulling myself together, I came inside to quickly to say Merry Christmas to Santa and then he disappeared...

The performance at the high school was well done! It was a who-dunnit called "I Bet Your Life." As I drove home in the cold snow-flurried weather, I was thinking what a wonderful life I have and how good it feels to still feel young!

Holiday fun at DNREC

Let the festivities begin! As an employee with DNREC, I love the fun things we do throughout the year. We have fundraising drives for local charities, and employee appreciation day and Department awards ceremonies, and holiday celebrations! Our IT Help Desk Section received a Team Award this year. There are several different Divisions within DNREC, and I belong to the Office of the Secretary. Every December we celebrate the holidays and our section's employee recognition by attending a luncheon. For the last 3 years, I've played the piano during the event to give it a little more spirit. This year, I asked the committee if I could put together a fun game "know your music". I was lucky to find a co-worker that volunteered to come to my home and pick up the piano. The piano at the Sheraton was $500 to rent for 4 hours? Now, I needed to find a good game show host. Luckily, DNREC is full of fun and creative people. I knew Scott Lynch would be perfect for Dover. Also, I'm going to do this for the New Castle folks for their Holiday luncheon, but with a different host.

Scott (from the Energy Office) is intelligent, fun, creative, and mostly not afraid of going over the top! We'd talked about his recent involvement with our own Parks "Who done it?" in the state owned mansions so I knew he'd play the part well! Since are songs are mainly from the 80s, he decided to enter as Tom Cruise in "Risky Business" wearing shorts, long white socks, and shades....with "Old Time Rock n Roll-Bob Seger" playing as his entrance music. The audience loved it! We also put together facts and hints into a jeopardy-type projected board. The table to pick the question and answer got the points. Categories were: Movies, TV Shows, Beatles, Country, and Disney. Half of the questions, I played a measure of music as the hint. We even got the Secretary, John Hughes to sing M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! Everyone had a blast and told us how fun it was. Scott and I look forward to coming up with new categories and questions for next year! We agreed that this is just the beginning of our beautiful creative collaborative friendship!

Next week, I can't wait to see the response of the 40 or more folks up in New Castle! How exciting!

Mr. McGuigan is Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year!

Matt and I are so proud of Jim. This is the article in the Smyrna Sun-Times Fri Nov 14, 2008.

The Smyrna School District received another honor in October, when Wal-Mart named Jim McGuigan Teacher of the Year. Jim McGuigan, a fifth grade teacher at John Bassett Moore (JBM) Intermediate School, started his teaching career in 2001 at North Elementary School. McGuigan was named North Elementary’s Teacher of the Year in 2002, an honor from the school district for which the school staff selects the teacher. The Wal-Mart Teacher of the Year award is a local award that has been presented to deserving teachers since 1995. Parents fill out nomination forms to nominate teachers then Wal-Mart calls the principal of the school where the teacher works to confirm that the teacher is a good candidate. Nationwide Wal-Mart has contributed $29 million to schools directly. They give a $1000 grant to the school of the winning teacher to do what they need. John Bassett Moore Intermediate School is putting the money into the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The teacher gets $100 for class supplies or whatever resources are needed for the classroom. Parents fill out an anonymous form, writing the teacher’s name, reason for nominating the teacher, and the school where the teacher works. The parents look at how fun the learning environment is and what the teacher has done for the school community. There are usually approximately 25 nominees. McGuigan thinks fun and learning go hand-in-hand and encouragement is essential. “I want them to be learning in a positive atmosphere,” he said. “If a parent tells me, ‘My child really likes it here,’ that made my whole day because they’re happy.” Jackie Batts, the Community Coordinator for the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Smyrna, said there were many nominations for Jim McGuigan and he is a well deserving recipient. “They [the students] participate in his class,” Batts said. “He takes a hands-on approach. He’s developing them into being mature adults by giving them responsibility. He went beyond what he had to do.” McGuigan said it was very generous of Wal-Mart to give money to JBM as a whole. “For them to give $1000 to JBM on my behalf, that was a great, great feeling,” he said. More than the financial significance, though, McGuigan said the award is very meaningful to him personally. “I was nominated by parents and that was the greatest gift,” he said. “When you have kids who are happy in the classroom you have parents who are happy. For parents to reach out and say ‘great job,’ it really means the world to me. My kids are thrilled too. Being taught by teacher of the year is a big deal. It’s because of them that we do what we do. I’m honored that my parents thought enough to do this.” McGuigan said he loves waking up every morning and going to a job he loves. “Next to my son, teaching is the most important thing to me, my students especially,” he said. “I love every moment of it. I look forward to coming in every day. There’s never I day I wake up and say I don’t feel like working today.” McGuigan said he tries to make the classroom a fun and comfortable learning setting. “When the kids come home they don’t have horror stories about their day,” McGuigan said. “It really makes for happy parents. I don’t want my kids to look back and say, ‘I hated fifth grade.’ The most important thing is learning in a safe and fun environment doing things at their own pace.” If teachers lecture the entire class time instead of finding activities to do, the kids may not absorb the information as well, he said. “I know what this kid needs; I have an idea how to get in this kid’s head,” he said. “That’s what I love about being self contained. We have all day. We do all the subjects every day, and I won’t stop until all my kids get it.” JBM Intermediate School Principal Derek Prillaman said McGuigan was a deserving candidate for the award. “Jim’s a great teacher,” Prillaman said. “It’s hard to mask all of the good work he does. The parents and the kids see it. We’re very blessed to have him.” “To me the main thing is the kids,” McGuigan said. “Academics come second simply because if the kids aren’t happy the academics don’t matter. Motivating the kids and loving them, making sure they know that they can trust me, and that they’re safe is important.” McGuigan said the important thing is that the kids know they can trust him and know that they work as a team in the classroom. “We have a community in here,” McGuigan said. “When we have a problem we handle it as a community. We take care of it right here together. I want to make sure they’re happy and they’re safe because when kids are happy they’ll move a mountain for you and you won’t even realize they’re working.”

Sue Matthews sings a tribute to Ella

Saturday night, I attended a Jazz performance at the Smyrna Opera House. "Sue Sings Ella" at the Smyrna Opera House, Smyrna, Delaware - with: Robert Redd (pianist), Steve Abshire (Guitarist) James King, Steve Larrance (drums) and John Jenson (trombone). I was in heaven! Afterwards, the performers did a meet and great with the remaining audience. All of the performers are local AND have recorded or performed with other artists that worked with Ella. They told wonderful stories, shook hands, and chatted with me as if I had played right along side them. They agreed with me how honest jazz is to its admirers.

One of my favorite all time female singers is Ella Fitzgerald. The first lady of song! Have you ever heard any of her songbooks Series: Cole Porter Songbook, Duke Ellington Songbook, Irving Berlin Songbook, Johnny Mercer Songbook, Rodgers and Hart Songbook, Jerome Kern Songbook?

Of all the different styles of music, Jazz speaks to my soul. I'm talking about the Great American Songbook that contains Broadway musical theater, the Hollywood musical, and Tin Pan Alley, in a period that begins roughly in the 1920s and tapers off around 1960. In some cases, the version of a song that becomes a jazz standard is a re-harmonized or altered version of the original song. Jazz musicians also include a wide range of 1950s and 1960s Bebop (Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie) and Hard Bop (Clifford Brown/Miles Davis) tunes in their standards. Jazz artist love to incorporate the songs of this period as "Jazz Standards". They improvise the music over in familiar chord changes during jam sessions with other musicians that they have just met.

My first "real-live" experience when my mother gave me my first NYC whirlwind weekend. We went by cab into the in Greenwich Village, NY. I went to two clubs that performed their jazz standard repertoire. In one club (drumsticks), we were in a backstreet in the cellar of a seedy bar as small as my trailer! I sat one table away from the piano. I was speechless, it was perfect and music was all improvised on the fly. The second club I sat further away but in view of all the instruments - a more rehearsed sound, but great nonetheless. Gone are the days where most towns could go to their local bar or lounge to enjoy the Jazz experience. Supper clubs, if any, play 50s to present music. Every once in a while, you'll hear a Frank Sinatra or Elvis tribute.

As I sit at the piano, alone for hours, playing the notes and reading the lyrics of these wonderful standards my spirit changes. I am no longer alone, and the music comforts me and lifts me. It puts my mind, my worries and my fears to bed. The music searches out my most intimate thoughts and feelings. I find myself transported in time as the air that surrounds the singers and instrumentalists that perform their way into the hearts and souls of the melancholy: returned war soldier, jilted lover, innocent youth, or aspiring performer.

Halloween at work, Good Times! Good Times!

This year I am in New Castle for the Annual Halloween Celebration at work. We dress in costume for 1/2 day, order pizza, guess the amount in the candy jar, and then play Bocci Ball (with Osage Oranges - big green fruit that looks like brains already fallen to the ground this time of year). It was a brilliant bright fall day (50F) with a steady breeze coming from the Delaware River. Everyone had a great time! I won the candy count. My guess was 350 pcs. out of 357. I've never won a count of anything. Boy, will Matthew be happy! Candy corn, mini-snickers and Kit Kat's, Yum! After lunch we change out of the NOW hot costumes and head outdoors for some recreation.

Cubs go to DNREC

Last Wednesday evening, I had the opportunity to introduce the boys and their parents to my Environmental Response and Enforcement co-workers. Protection Officer Sgt. David Moyer and Responder Jamie Bethard opened the command central building and invited our cubscouts to see what their offices looked like, how they used their equipment on their vehicles, and the cool stuff they use in environmental emergency situations.

I arrived at the building with Matt about 6:40 to see if I could help setup for the outreach session. I knew that if an emergency happened these men would lock up, jump in their vehicles, and we'd call it off for the evening. Luckily, no overturned gas trucks, oil spill, hazardous railroad car issues this evening. At 7pm in the evening it was windy and cold (low 50s). As soon as Jamie arrived (after attending an all day conference in Baltimore, MD) he started up the big trucks and ran their lights! Sgt. Moyers (being sick as a dog and loosing his voice) began pulling out some equipment inside. I was getting excited and really felt so proud to give our cubs an opportunity to see these guys in action! I love helping them with their computers, because I get to climb in their vehicles and talk shop with them about what emergencies have occurred!

The Environmental Protection Officer (EPO) is a sworn trained policeman that enforces our environmental regulations. He can also give you a speeding ticket and is armed! The Enviromental Responder has an amazing knowledge of hazardous materials/substances and can react quickly to get the public out of harms way. Jamie is also a fireman when not working! I love and respect this specific team. There are 12 EPOs and 3 ERs for the entire state of Delaware.

After the talk inside, we were chomping at the bit to see the vehicles. We looked in side all the drawers, side panels, and behind the wheel! Better yet, we got a ride around the parking lot and in and out of the ditches in the all terrain vehicle. I felt like a cubscout by then end of the night!

A More Upbeat Hymn Discovered from 140 Years Ago

A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief

Deseret NewsPublished: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008PROVO, Utah

-- New research has recovered the more upbeat tune John Taylor used when he sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" to Joseph Smith just before the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was murdered on June 27, 1844.

The tune had been lost to history. For 140 years, church members have sung the song to a different tune, one commissioned by Taylor himself.

Read the interesting story, download a copy of the original music with all seven (7) verses, AND hear it!

http://mormontimes.com/studies_doctrine/church_history/?id=4102

Compare it to the present version in our hymnals - Plug in Hymn #29

http://www.lds.org/cm/display/0,17631,4996-1,00.html

Time Out for Women, Philadelphia Oct.12, 2008

Deseret Book's sponsored this day that was filled with messages of inspiration from respected authors Douglas E. Brinley, Jane Clayson Johnson, Chris Stewart, Emily Watts, and Carolyn Rasmus,as well as music artist Hilary Weeks. As I "huddled" with my sisters we cried and felt so spiritually lifted. Ever need a day to catch your breath, recover, relax, enjoy, and renew? I did it this weekend with the wonderful close and fun sisters/girlfriends from church at the Philadelphia Convention Center. We gathered at 6:20 am and spent the day together roughly until 7:30 pm.

As lunch broke we headed across the street to the Reading Terminal Market which is known for its mouth-watering aromas. Produce fresh from the field. Amish specialties. Fresh meats, seafood, and poultry. Unique, hand-made pottery, jewelry and crafts from around the world. Maria and I found pulled pork sandwiches and grabbed a seat in the center of the building. An elderly man played the piano as our group were finding a delicacy of their own.

During our speaker and lunch breaks we perused the various books, music, food storage, memory albums, posters, etc. You name it, they had it. Perhaps more than 1000 women both LDS members and non-members from around the country in one place. I could feel the spirit there pouring into my body as I met the light in the eyes and love surrounding each and everyone I met.

As we made our way home, we stopped to find the new location of the Philadelphia Temple which will be erected in Center City Philadelphia on the northeast corner of Broad Street and Noble Street across from the Philadelphia School District headquarters. How exciting!

Homecoming &125th graduating class of SHS!!

Matt and I had a great time this past Friday, October 3rd at 2008 Homecoming game Smyrna Eagles vs. Polytech Panthers. We won, but I can't remember the score because I was to engrossed in the band. Matt & I sat right next to them, midway up the bleachers.

Jessica Ganska (HS Band Director), Me in the middle, and Jamie DeLoach
(HS Drama/Bandfront Coordinator) on right.

I felt like a high school girl again, jumping around from the front of the bleachers to catch up with the band/bandfront directors, back up with Matt watching the game, and giggling with the flag twirlers, percussion section, and other alumni and their families. I love that the school has not lost its spirit and the students are very proud of their school.

The Regiment of Red has brand new uniforms. It starts with a pullover jacket with flaired shoulders and the SHS stitched logo, red color in front and black back. The legs are a ski pant overall style and black helmet with a white plume! The floats were colorful and inventive - nothing like our floats from 25 years ago. They had moving parts and everything! The marching band has worked hard the summer. They are well organized and the music is from the 80s. Some of the songs played: Total Eclipse of the Heart, Take on Me, 99 Red balloons, and Open Arms.

Check out the video:

Food for Thought

Food for Thought: illustrations connecting food and land

There are days when you are inspired by others and their talent. Martha Pileggi is one of many 800 talented people I get to rub elbows with at work. By day she an Administrative Assistant; after 5pm she is an Ar-tist! In the last 6 months she painted over 50 amazing pieces for a show using oils, watercolors and etchings.

She works on up to 6 paintings at a time. It was so exciting to have her stop by almost every week and update me on what she was working on and how it made her feel. She talked about her own perspective on how she was painting her subjects: eggs, cows, eggplant, grapevines, and the country landscapes.

One particular day, she told me she was driving past a farm in a snowstorm and it was so gorgeous she had to get a picture so she could paint it later. So while driving 60 mph, not wanting to slow in the snow, she kept one hand on the steering wheel and one on her digital camera, shooting through the window. Passion!

I love her because of her passion, her talent, and the world's view through her eyes. Last night I went to her opening and slowly studied the paintings she had talked about. It certainly made me appreciate the lovely paintings ever so more!!

Strummin' with his fingers!

This month was here and now almost gone!! Love the back to school memories and watching them being replayed through your children's eyes! 6th grade, baseball, band, and .......


Monday, Matt FINALLY had is first guitar lesson with Mr. Koska. He has been so patient (2 years). He wrote down songs and artists he's interested in learning to play. Musically, he's a natural and learns quickly. He plays clarinet as well.

Mr. Koska and I worked together, and fell deeply, madly, and affectionately in friendship with each other. He is an amazing and talented man with a musical passion. In fact, he refers to me as his DIVA and I'm never to allow anyone to play guitar behind me ...EVER! I received an email from him after sending him this picture of the two of them in the "Koska studio"

He really, really seems to have the "Passion" for this guitar thing. If I can keep him on track and interested in playing...he's gonna be a MONSTER on guitar by the time he hits high school.

However, if he eventually wants to drop out of school and join Pearl Jam on the road...it will not be my fault...well, actually it will be partially my fault..and I'm OK with that guilt!

Koz

A Perfect Day!

I think I've only mowed the lawn - maybe - 5 times this summer. It has been so very dry! This past Saturday, after spending a nice relaxing morning with Matt, I got out and spent about three hours in my yard mowing, trimming, and weeding. Next thing I know, it's 3:30pm. and we still haven't had lunch! Matt calls me from the window and tells me I have a phone call. Monika, a friend from the Smyrna Opera House (SOH), says it's beautiful and can she stop over. She arrives in a electric blue 1967 Skylark convertible with the top down, of course! Matt was so excited. He'd never been in a convertible. We picked up some KFC, and headed out to Woodland Beach. Before the 20th century, vacationers skirted this beach in steamers, on their way to Cape May from Baltimore, across the Chesapeake Bay to Chestertown and on to Bombay Hook Landing, just south of here. It is where the Delaware River becomes the upper Delaware Bay.

We pulled up to the parking lot at high tide. The view was of local folks with crab nets, and fishing poles walking up and down the new steel fishing pier, 5 or 6 families on the small beach taking in the next to last day of summer sun, and a strange man playing with a limbless tree that had washed ashore.

He was wearing a crotchet budweiser hat, t-shirt, long pants, and no shoes. We sat and watched while we were feeling the breeze and nice warm sun on our faces. Finally, the man scooted the tree across the sand, and mounted it in the water. What on earth? He found another floating board and used it as a paddle. He skirted the shoreline and proudly where he should be saddled on the thing! We were perplexed and started towards the cement boat ramp when Matt yelled out to him! "How's the water?" The stranger answered, "Fine, come on it - no wait, I'll come to you!" At first look, I thought, how I was witnessing a spontaneous moment in this man's life! I secretly wished I had done it first! I reminded Matt that he had a sore throat, and being in the cold water is probably not a good idea. Matt agreed, and looked at me as if he was thinking...."Yeah, I'm 12 now, not 8." A few seconds later, a married couple from the town warned us about his mental capacity, but that he was harmless.

I'm not sure if it because I'm 43, that skydiving and paddling a tree into the water isn't so crazy! It seems to me that it would make me feel more alive. I don't like feeling grey, I want to feel colorful!

A birthday evening of fun, family and friends

Grace and I grabbed some salads at our local restaurant, picked up the Snickers Ice Cream Cake and a huge birthday balloon. When we arrived we silently creeped up Jim's house steps and yelled surprise. Matt was happy that it was a small group of people as he still was feverish with a sore throat. He was happy to get the guitar, and his extended family friends that love him.

Grace spent the evening teaching us adults some fun sign language. She eminates such a pure loving spirit that it becomes contagious. I swear the room seems brighter and I can feel her joy and happiness. She speaks very well and has an incredible talent for reading lips. We are blessed to have her in our lives.

Happy 12th Birthday Matt!

Happy 12th Birthday Matt!

Day before his birthday, Matt got his physical for baseball (overdue). The doctor announced that he was due for his 12 year old shots. Matt simply turned to me and said, "Nice birthday gift Mom." He was very brave as he received 4 shots; 2 for each arm (Hepatitus, Chicken Pox, Tetanus, and Menengitis). On his birthday, he had a sore throat, fever, and cold symptoms. Needless to say, his birthday was quiet. Luckily, before his birthday, he didn't want a big celebration. He got what he wanted and has been waiting for almost 2 years!

See his Guitar interview below!

b. September 18, 1996

You light up my life!

It only takes a few notes......and I'm taken away!

Last night after cub scouts, I was driving by the high school with the windows rolled down in my car. I heard a few snare drum rolls followed by a trumpet and then other instruments joined in. Could it be? I had actually caught the end of high school marching band's rehearsal? I jerked the car and pulled into the back parking lot near the football field. I explained to Matt that I couldn't go home just yet, until we heard the band. We parked the car and saw the band director (Jessica) along with the band front director (Jamie) high up on the bleachers as they were shouting out directions to the band. They weren't on the field as they should be, but on the parking lot behind the bleachers instead. We quickly made a bee-line to the bleachers, climbed up and stood on the top riser facing the lot. The air was crisp with a nice steady slow breeze. We got a bird's eye view of the band. After a few positions were corrected, they did the full run-through. I was lucky to see the program that they were going to do for this Friday nights game! Another adventure in music! Can't wait to "hang out" and sit with the band on Friday. Go Eagles!

My connection with the high school is through the Drama program. However, after the last song was played last night, I found myself picking out the return students from last year and tears came to my eyes. The band director(s) invited me to say hello to them. I am so proud and lucky to have a connection with these young people. They have so much to offer and are growing by leaps and bounds. I love each and every one of them.

Baseball is berry berry good!

I'm an official baseball mom! Who woulda thunk? Me, a theatre, music, churchy nut? Matt, Jim and I are involved with our local theatre (Smyrna Opera House) since 2003. My son has been exposed to mostly the Arts. Through scouting and school he's played team sports at recess or with a few friends, but mostly he's been an Artsy Kid! Our Kid!

Amazingly, he's picked a team sport! This past summer, I believe he was influenced by his coach. His coach, happens to be a former band member and underclassman from my high school. It's a small town! He owns a video store. It was suggested by a co-worker to check out the new automated video store. There he was, 25 years later, playing guitar and talking about baseball with my son. That's all it took! He's a good coach too!

Who thinks that a theatre buff or musician can't play sports?!!! Huh? I have to say, however, that watching the game is entertaining. Some of the boys moves remind me of several choreographed musicals I've seen!

I Love Cub Scouts!

I just love cub scouting! I got involved with the program when my son turned 9. As a girl, I was a Brownie for a short while (and only remember one meeting). I thought it would fun for Matt to learn about country, citizenship, family responsibility, and outdoor fun. As an only child, he could meet other boys his age.

When I purchased his Wolf handbook, I was hooked. First, it was the excitement of checking off each achievement. Next it was the beads, patches, and arrows earned. We were having fun and both learning at the same time. We were a team! He advanced to Bear, and a new leadership formed. I full-time participating parent in all the meetings. They got me hook, line, and sinker. Matt's last year of scouting became my first year in a leadership position. I watched all the boys grow and learn as they advanced into new levels. Three Pinewood Derby cars and Raingutter Regatta boats, 8 fireside pack meetings, 2 overnight scouting campground events, 3 Blue & Gold Banquets, and over 36 den meetings later..... I'm still ready for more. This year, I'm a Webelos Den Leader and Cub Scout Committee Member.

Being a Single Co-Parent!

My parents divorce was ugly and painful. They didn't speak to each other for almost to 20 years. They both immediately remarried and tried to move on with their lives. As a child of divorce, I had feelings of anger, loss, resentment, and dissertion. When my ex-husband and I divorced, I vowed to myself that I would never put my child through the same pain.

Jim and I were best friends and high school sweethearts. We've known each other since we were 16! How can you throw away a lifetime friendship? Not only am I lucky because we've remained good friends, but he is an excellent father and a good human being. When we split, we had no discussion about what went wrong in our marriage, but only what was in the best interest of our son, Matthew. Our son WAS the best thing that we ever did!

How do your raise a child in separate households and still maintain a family unit? We constantly connect and communicate about his daily events, interests, thoughts, and progress. Matt knows that we are a team and that we love him. When I think of my family, I think of us as a unit.