The weather here in Southwest Virginia is something that I love about the area.  It’s not warm year round, nor is it cold and we typically have four very defined seasons.

That is very important to me as when it’s July, I want to be hot, wearing my capris (I don’t wear shorts hardly ever) a tank top and any kind of open toed shoes that I can find.  When it’s December, I’m expecting to be all bundled up because it’s cold outside.  And Spring and Fall should be the transition phases in between and serve as a reminder of the season before and the season approaching.

The first time I moved to Roanoke, I was Samara’s age.  I was getting ready to enter the fifth grade and we moved here from Fort Drum, New York (near Watertown… about 45 minutes from Syracuse) and it was commonly referred to as the arm pit of the world.  I don’t know if it’s gotten any better in the last twenty-two years but it sucked then.

After living in upstate New York, having arrived there from Texas, I had gotten used to the cold temperatures and all of the snow.  Summer lasted for two weeks and spring and fall were fairly short as well.  It was just winter.  At least, that’s how I remember it in my mind.  For someone who despises being cold, it was horrible.

The snow drifts were bad as well and I can remember many afternoons that my younger brother and I would step off of the bus into a driveway that was clear when we left for school that had now drifted over and I would have to help him get into the house.  The driveway wasn’t that big, but big enough that a 9 and 7 year old thought they were trekking through the frozen tundra just to get into the warmth of the house where our mother would hang up our snow gear, provide a snack and ask us how our day was.

So after a winter of over 230 inches of snow, we moved to Roanoke shortly before school started.  The very first day school was cancelled due to a hurricane that had blown through, or rather, just the wind and the rain left over from one.

When my brother and I figured this out, that they cancelled school for rain, we were estatic.  Even though there were hundreds of inches in New York, we managed to miss only a half day of school.  This was going to be great.

And Roanoke is still like that.  The threat of snow will often close the schools and send everyone on a mad dash to the grocery store.  It’s almost as if they can’t handle the snow here, but we’ve gotten used to it since I’ve now lived here off and on for the past 22 years.

We’ve also gotten used to the mountainous terrain that will cause some areas to be a little more icy or covered with snow than others and since the counties shut down, if one school has to be closed, they all do.  We’ve had to watch for school closings and delays even if there is no snow in our front yard.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent my children to the bus stop to wait only to learn that the mountain was hit harder and schools were closed.

They are not happy to have stood in the cold waiting for the bus, but enjoy the time off.

As a child I enjoyed the snow days and delays and still today, I look forward to them.  I guess I should say that since I started working from home, I’ve enjoyed them.  Now, I’m just like a little kid when the snow starts in the early afternoon or evening and we’re glued to the TV to see if the county will be cancelled before bed.  If it is, that means that we can all sleep in.

So last night, when they called for snow, all of us got a little excited.  It’s rare for us to have snow before the first of the year and it’s been decades since we’ve had a white Christmas, but this morning when we woke up, there was snow on the cars, the rooftops and the yard.

“But the roads are clear mom,” Matthew said with a frown on his face.  Knowing that I needed to go and wake the sleeping beast also known as Samara I looked at him, somewhat hopeful.

“Well maybe the mountain got more.  Check the closings.”  And then I shot up a prayer.  I really didn’t want to deal with Samara this morning so a closing, or even a delay would have been wonderful.  She’s not a morning person, nor am I, however I can hold it together a little bit better than her.

The TV had many closings listed across the top of it’s screen while Matt, Ann, Al, and Meredith reported from the Ends of the Earth, and we waited patiently as the closings were scrolling.  Alphabetically listed, when we hit Pocohontas and Pulaski we knew that if Roanoke was affected it would be soon and both Matthew and I were on the edge of our seats, hopeful that we could just chill out for a little longer this morning.

Yes, it was a long shot, but if we were going to get snow this early in the year, it would be nice to reap a reward from it other than how pretty it looks covering the exterior of the house.

Sadly, we went right from Radford to Smyth with no mention of Roanoke so Matthew and I both arose from the couch and headed to take care of what we needed, I to wake the beast and he to get in the shower.

But the beauty of snow is that all I have to do is tell Samara that it snowed and she bolts out of bed to see what it looks like outside and to run to the TV to see if her presence is required at the elementary school.

Just like I expected, she sprang from the bed and raced to her window.  Her face lit up when her eyes focused long enough to realize that yes, it was white outside, and she flew past me to the living room to check the listings.

“You’re not delayed or closed, Sam.  Go get dressed.” I said.

“This stinks,” she said as she sulked back to her room.  But it didn’t matter, she was at least awake.

So even if we didn’t get to sleep in this morning due to the wintery weather, the morning wasn’t quite as bad as I was expecting.

Until next time…

Yes, I know I promised you the story of the kid that got left behind, and I swear I’ll tell it.  It’s probably not as funny to you all as it was to us, but never the less, I told you that I would share it and I will.  Eventually.  If I remember.  You know how scatter brained I am.

But today is Veteran’s Day which means alot to me who comes from a long line of military.  I know that I have mentioned several times the heart that I have for those men and women serving and their family members whether they’ve ever set foot on the battleground or not.  I have a huge love for my country and will tear up at just about anything that involves our country.

Today was no different as I sat through my fifth Veteran’s Day Program at the elementary school.  This one was a little different as it was the first that I wasn’t watching both of my kids perform.

But I was still looking out for two kids and trying to snap as many pictures as I could, although they are horrible.  I’ve never gotten good pictures at these performances because the kids are always singing to the Veteran’s on the stage.  This is the one show where they are not performing for the parents.

But as I sat there, in the front row, (and please don’t think I’m one of those mothers that gets there early to get a good seat so that I can take awesome pictures.  I’m not.  I’m far from it.  I’m the mother that is flying around the house trying to get dressed 15 minutes before it starts and calling her friend to ask her to save her a seat because I’m running late… again.  I have awesome friends), I started thinking about the way my life has changed from where it was awhile ago.

The boy has his kids full time.  Therefore, I’ve been able to spend lots of time with his kids and he with mine and in turn, they’ve spent alot of time together.  So as I was sitting there, I was looking out for my youngest and the boy’s oldest.  It’s so convenient that they both go to the same school, don’t you think?

Things are going well with the boy so I can’t help but think futuristically.  Don’t worry, I’m not getting ahead of myself, but I firmly believe that if you can’t imagine a future with someone that you shouldn’t be dating, so I’m always thinking ahead making sure that I like what I’m picturing, and it’s no secret, I like it.  This weekend was a huge glimpse into the future and I didn’t run for the hills, nor did he, so that’s a good sign.

But as I was thinking about the age ranges of our children, the oldest 11, almost 12, and the youngest having just turned four, it dawned on me that if this continues to go well, I’m not washing my hands of the elementary school next year as I had originally planned.  For the past five years, I’ve looked at the year 2010 as my last year of elementary school as an elementary school parent.

However, it’s highly possible that I’m going to be in that school until 2016, which, if you’re not good with math, is another seven years.  It’s also a year after my oldest graduates from high school and I’m having trouble even imagining that.  I mean, he’s only in his first year of middle school now.

So it’s highly possible that I’m going to watch, over the course of my lifetime, a minimum of twelve Veteran’s Day programs.  Seeings how I already know the format and all of the songs by heart, I’m hoping they change it up a bit in the future years.  But they did add a new song this year, so we’re at least moving in the right direction.

And through the course of all this math that I’ve been doing in my head, and once I got confused enough, I sat down and mapped it out in a nice, tidy excel spreadsheet, because apparently I feel as if I have nothing better to do today, and realized that the youngest of the four will graduate from high school in 2023.

In 2023, I’m going to be 46.  Ok, so that’s not so bad because I was going to be 40 when Samara graduated, but I always saw 40 to be young enough to have my fun.  Of course, I had also resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn’t really date or get serious with anyone until after the kids were grown and gone.  Oh my God has a sense of humor.  Always changing things up on me right as I get comfortable with things.

And for those of you who are over 40, it’s not that I think 46 is old.  I don’t.  When I was 15, I thought 46 was old, but it’s not really old.  I just pictured myself different at 46 a few months ago, before my world got turned upside down.

And after I realized that we were going to have years where at least one of them was in every school level and that there would be years where they would span from elementary school to college, I realized that should they all go to college?  That’s twelve years of college tuition, four of those years, there will be two in college at the same time.  And seeings how we all know how much college is going to cost by the time that rolls around, and how long it takes to pay off loans, I can see a tuition payment happening every month until I’m dead.  Not that it wouldn’t be worth it, because it would be.  It’s not like I’m going to pray that none of them go to college, however, perhaps I won’t push as hard for any of them to be doctor’s or lawyers unless I can find some rich family to marry them into.  (You know that I’m kidding, right?  Good.)

Perhaps I can pay off my student loan before I have to start paying on Matthew’s.  And I’m beginning to think that there’s never going to be any money for me to go back and get my master’s.  Not that I need it, I just want it.

The Lord will provide a way, though, should it be what He wants me to do.  Truth be told, getting a master’s degree served no other purpose than to challenge me in different ways and to prove that I could do it.  It’s just one of those things that I’ve always wanted to do, for me.  Not to enhance my job, not to make more money, although with twelve years of college tuition, maybe I should think about that… heh.

Anywho, I share this because I thought you might get a kick out of it.  A few have asked me to share more about the boy, and I will, over time.  If I shared everything about the boy that I wanted to share, you all would get grossed out and get sick of hearing about the boy.  Because I could easily take this blog from my ramblings and insanity and make it all about the boy.

But the really funny part about all of this, the looking that far down the road to see what I’m getting myself into, is that I am so not freaking out.

I am, however, making plans for all four of them to start working now.

Until next time..

The boy and I are taking a little road trip…

…with ALL the kids.

…all four of them.

…in a van.

…for three hours.

And while I think that I should be freaking out right about now, knowing that in just 7 hours, I’m going to be in a car with 5 other people, in the passenger seat instead of driving, and maintaining the entertainment of four as opposed to two, I’m not.

I’m actually really looking forward to it.

We’re going to his sister’s house where there are two more kids.

For those of you who struggle with math, that’s SIX kids… all under the age of 11.

When people learn of this, the first question they ask is “Are you crazy?”

And I smile because yes. Yes, I am.

Until next time…

Doesn’t look like a kid who just won the Super Bowl, does it?

That’s because it’s not.

We lost.

14-8

And I can’t imagine how the boys felt.  I know there were tears.  LOTS and LOTS of tears.

Shoot, I even cried.  This loss was just as hard for them as it was for us parents.  We’ve spent the last 3 and a half months shuttling them everywhere, washing game pants, cheering in the hot and the cold, watching them go undefeated, watching them win 12 other games, waiting in anticipation to see if we were going all the way, only to get there, and go home in second place.

Yes, I realize that we are the regular season champs and that no other team finished undefeated.  I know that they won 12 games to even get where they were, but any way you look at it, there were 32 boys on Saturday and a slew of parents that shed tears.  Some boys won’t be returning next year, including Matthew, so this was it.  There is no “we’ll get ‘em next years”.  This was it.

But all in all, they played a good game.  They made some mistakes and we made some mistakes, but this was a football game.  The other team brought it.  And so did we.

And in the end, there can only be one winner, and it wasn’t us.  But that’s okay.

The boys are still winners.

And the day after?

Matthew is still wearing his medal.

He wore it to school today with his jersey.

And I get my life back.

But I’d gladly trade my life for another week, another chance, for these boys to do it again…

Until next time…

I’m sitting here waiting to leave to go pick up my daughter and drop her off with a friend so that she can make her last soccer game and banquet.

I have amazing friends as this is the same friend who kept my children and shuttled them around to practice until their father got off a work while I was gone this week.

I mentioned that I was trying to arrange Samara’s rides and she just said, “I’ll take her!”

And after I drop Samara off, I’ll head to Salem Stadium.

For the Big Game.

The Super Bowl.

What we’ve been waiting for all year.

What we’ve worked so hard for all year.

The weather couldn’t be nicer.

The company in the stands couldn’t be greater as there will be several people with me to help cheer them on.

And I’m insanely nervous.

Insanely.

This is it.

This is everything.

If they do lose, it will be hard to look at a perfect regular season.  It will be hard to look at an overall record of 12-1.  It will be hard to walk away from there as the 1st place loser.

But these boys need to be proud regardless of what happens.

And so do I.

And I am.

I just hope my kid realizes the history that he’s a part of today.

And I hope we beat the pants off of the other guys.  We did it once before.  It’s time to do it again.

Let’s go Titans!!!

Until next time…

It’s 6:50pm Central time.

I’m still at the office.  There are still a few people here, but not many and no one on the second floor.  I saw everyone say their goodbyes, their see you in the mornings, and leave.

All with someone to go home to.

The cleaning people were here, cleaned around me, and left.

And here I sit.

Working after hours isn’t new when I’m on a business trip.  There’s nothing much else to do, so I work, but I typically work back at the condo.

Yes, my company has a 2 bedroom condo that I stay at when I’m here.  And I love it.  It’s the kind of place that if I were single with no kids, that I would live in.

I like it alot.  I like staying there.  I like the peacefulness.  I like being able to walk into a kitchen that has countertops and no dishes in the sink.  I like walking through the living room and not tripping over any toys or bookbags.

But for whatever reason, we’re lacking internet at the condo this week.

It’s being worked on.

I hate that it’s not even wireless, but even wired is something.  Shoot, even dial-up is something.

Do you know that there are still people on dial-up?  Amazing isn’t it?

Anywho, there’s no internet which really sucks because I had a lot planned this week while I was to be sitting at the condo in peace and quiet.

But since there’s no internet, I’m not working in the evenings and while I’m staying at the office late, there’s only so long that I can stay here.

And so I’m left to think while I’m there all by my lonesome.  Think while I watch my television programs at the time they air and not on by way of DVR and not with my children interrupting me eleventy bajillion times.

People keep telling me that it must be nice to have the break, and I guess, in a way, it is.

But I hate it.

I miss home.

I miss my desk.  I miss my computer.  I miss my dog.  I miss my kids.  I miss taking Matthew to practice and picking him up.  I miss the comfort in knowing that I’m part of what’s going on.  And yes, sappy, but I miss the boy too. 

Just keeping it real.

I like living on my island and working 800+ miles away from the office.  I like not getting sucked into the drama.  I like knowing what I need to know and nothing else.

But at the same time, I like the interaction with people.  I like having adult conversations.  I like going to lunch with people and escaping for an hour.

But I still miss home.

And the internet.

Until next time…

Ladies and Gentleman…

Boys and Girls…

Readers who are so sick about hearing about me blabber on and on and on about football…

It is my pleasure to tell you, at 3:53 IN THE MORNING, while I should be getting ready to head to the airport, that my son, Matthew “Bite Me” Jacobson will be playing in the Junior League Super Bowl next Saturday afternoon.

We pounded Franklin County, 30-8 (and might I add, we beat them both times before 30-8) and I’m not counting their eight because they were on their own 10.  Gotta love that slaughter rule.

Gotta love the fact that you miss the snap on purpose, so that you don’t get the extra point, just so you can play a real game of football.

No pictures this time, just one happy child.

And one extremely proud mama.

Super Bowl Baby!!!!!!

And now I must go finish getting ready because I have a 6:30am flight and an hour drive ahead of me to get there…

Until next time…

Ladies and Gentleman, we’re headed to the semi-finals on Saturday.

My boy resumed the Pound Cake role as he played defense last night and I’ve never been so proud.

The final score was 30-8 however, I’m not counting the 8.  The slaughter rule went into effect allowing the other team to start on their 10.  They scored.  Bah.

I need to apologize in advance.  I’ve not been around.  And I probably won’t be.  I’ve been insanely busy with work, wordpress installs that I’m way far behind on, and football.

And I have something to share with you but I can’t yet because I don’t want to jinx it.  It’s almost like being pregnant and wanting to wait until you pass the first trimester to share it with everyone else.

But don’t worry, I’m not pregnant. You have to have sex to get pregnant and unless the Lord has chosen me to carry the next Messiah, it’s not happening.

Don’t you hate when I do that?  I know.  I do, too.  I’m DYING to share with you, DYING I tell you.  But I can’t.  Because I have to first make sure that it’s something that’s share worthy and ask permission.  Because while it involves me, it involves someone else.  And there are a few more people that have to be in the know before I can publically display it for all the world to see.

However, if you leave a comment, I might share it with you privately.  Maybe.  I don’t know.  I’ll think about it.

So I’m off.  I have work to do.  And I’m sure that I’ll be popping in from time to time to update you on Bite Me and the Junior League Titans because as much as I’m so ready for football to be over so my life can return to normal?

I want to win the Super Bowl more.

Until next time…

Four weeks ago, he looked like this…

An ear that was bangadged and bleeding…

But last night, on the eve of their first playoff game, after finishing the regular season undefeated, he looked like this…

all sweaty, nasty and tired from football practice.

Yes, Bite Me is back.

And I have never been more excited.

The Water Boy gig was getting old.

Wish us luck.  We play tonight and if we win tonight, we’ll play on Saturday.  If we win then, we’re going to the Super Bowl.  No team in the history of the Junior Titans has ever won the Super Bowl and we want it.

Until next time…

I’d love to type something phenominal and funny for you but the fact it, I’ve been way too busy… so we’re going to be bulleting some quick updates for you…

Heh.. I said “we’re” as if there is anyone else behind this blog… nope, just me.

So here we go..

• Matthew and I have to be at the surgical center at 6:30 IN THE MORNING Monday morning so we can make his dumbo ear normal again.  Prayers appreciated.. specifically for a sense of calm and peace for Matthew… he’s kinda freaking out over this… and more specifically that we won’t oversleep.
• Had Sam’s follow up appointment for her finger today… it’s healing, but not healed… she’s mad because she can’t be the goalie for 3 more weeks…
• If you haven’t been already, please go visit these blogs… because I worked hard on them… and they are uber cool…

• I Should Be Folding Laundry
• Daily Mish Mash
• Mrs. 007
• Sweetnicks

• I’m hopping over at Desperately Seeking WordPress… not with the posts though, I’ve been too busy… they are coming, I promise…. but there was a new one today, in honor of Speak Like a Pirate Day…
• Even though there was a whole day devoted to speaking like a Pirate, not once did I participate.. I know, I’m a slacker.
• I have written two more reviews at the new review site.. and you should totally read them because I’m talking about how I hate lack of communication and how smart my mother is…
• Speaking of the review blog… there are just a few more hours left to enter to win the 39 Clues gift pack.  Matthew can’t put the book down…  and there will be a new giveaway on Monday… promise…
• I got my car back today.  It’s been three weeks.  Hottie was at the counter when I returned it.  I think he was flirting, but I was in too much of a rush to reciprocate.  I don’t like the car.  It’s not the same as before I wrecked it, but I’ll get over it.  It’s back and I can now jam to the New Kids with the sun roof open again…
• Alpha Mom has a new feature called the Alpha Mom’s Guide to Everything in 5 Simple Steps… You should check it out… and sometime soon, you’ll see my contribution… I’ll let you know when it’s up…
• Steph had Ivy and now I want another baby.
• On Twitter and in the Roanoke area?  Tweetup on October 9th… email me for info…

I think that’s all… at least I’m tired of talking in bullets.  The kids are gone with their dad and I have lots of work to do to make blogs beautiful… :D  And I have to catch up on my TV… and the new season hasn’t officially started yet…

I’m doomed…

Have an AWESOME weekend…

Until next time…