Martinez Family Journal

Well, the end of school came, and it was quite bittersweet. It was so very sad to say goodbye to our close relationship with these superb teachers that we grew close to this year: Mrs. Garcia, Matty's lead teacher, Mrs. Nicole Rivera who left in February on maternity leave, Mrs. Tammy Breeden who came on the scene in February and was such a delight, and Mrs. Adams who I so hoped would be Drew's teacher for fifth. I was elated when he was assigned to her. Her reputation scared Drew to death for the first month or two or three, but then he felt comfortable, and even grew to like her and appreciate her wild sense of humor. She even jokes with him about it now, how she used to scare him half to death, with her monstrous punishments of writing lines of a very long nature for punishments. But, she has been just a wonderful teacher for him.

Matty's teachers have been true blessings for him, too, but it was simply joyous to see the very upbeat and happy, happy, happy Mrs. Garcia daily. Wow, she was just what I needed to start out MY day! I would have been pleased if she taught him all 13 years at Hope. Each morning, she would bend down and joyfully tough his double dimples in amazement. He learned to read better, to write his name and short sentences, many Bible verses (the short ones, manners and songs, rhymes. He had blast there, and told us all the time who got in trouble that day. We never asked, but he would elaborate on that, it was on his mind, and who wiggled in quiet time, who talked out of turn – kind of funny what 5 year olds will choose to share with you about their day. I would ask the children at the end of each school day what the highlight of the day was and invariably Matty would tell me "playing at recess with ________________."

Matthew has begun to listen and repeat all that I say to Drew, as often as possible in his defense. I often tell Drew pleadingly, 'Drew, but that is what 5 year olds are supposed to do" when he is getting very impatient and annoyed with his little brother. Well, now Matty has begun smartly repeating my words to Drew when appropriate. Today, the first full day of summer vacation, I heard it quite a bit as they had the whole day to play and do chores together.
I heard it over and over: "Drew, but that is what 5 year olds are supposed to do!" is what he tells Drew when he repeats what Drew has said and chatters on constantly, or does other 5-isms. It is so cute to see him so appropriately sticking up for himself.

I played an instrumental CD full of TV hit themes from the 70s and 80s, today, containing the theme from the show "Shaft". wow, does that song ever take you back to a different era, a whole other culture. Anyhow, Drew declared that it sounded like chickens seizing or having convulsions. But I loved it.

Mary

Recently my friend Jennifer told me of a nurse opening for the week the kids (Drew and his friend, Alex) will be at week-long camp in CO, at the same adventure camp with white water rafting near pagosa Springs, CO. She told me I might consider being the camp nurse. We signed up the boys in February to go together in July for a week. Sounds likle a blast and at the time I was miffed I couldn't go and told them that. Horseback riding, swimming, rock climbing, white water rafting.......who wouldn't want to go?
So I was intrigued when she told me that the camp indeed needs a nurse that week. If a nurse mom is hired, then her child goes free. So I asked Drew today what he would think if I went along to be the camp nurse, (and possibly saved that week of camp from being canceled due to not having a nurse on site). He didn't hesitate to answer me. "Well, Mom, no offense, but…you don't really (know how to) deal with injuries (at work, where I am now) and besides, the kids at this camp have no brain diseases." He knows full well what I do at work currently, working with those suffering from dementia and that I do not deal with camp-like injuries frequently. He has no idea that I have training in all kinds of nursing and that the knowledge would come back to me if I needed it. I burst out laughing, I had no idea he would respond with these thoughts. I think once I was laughing, we all had a good laugh, he, Matty and I. When I laugh heartily these days, or the boys do, Rory gets a bit frightened, and he barks loudly. So it was quite loud here!

Matt is not exactly "committed" to playing soccer – the games are more like social events for him than competition. That's just the way Matt is, but it can be funny to watch sometimes. At one of the games a few weeks ago, the other team was about to kick the ball after Matt's team had scored. Matt, however, had no time for that, he was too busy chatting with a girl on his team who was standing next to him. When the whistle blew and the ball was kicked, it went right past both of them as they kept jabbering away! The third kid from their team was basically alone on the field until they eventually noticed they were standing by themselves in the center of the field!

In today's game, Matt didn't confine himself to only fellow team members. I saw him talking up one of the kids on the other team while they waited for a corner kick by Matt's team. Neither of them paid much attention to what else was going on around them! Matt is fortunate enough to never take things too seriously, which can be aggravating for anyone around him who is not so casual about things, but at least he knows how to have a good time!