catching up

Wow it has been awhile!
First off I was really sick and it was really awful. It was about three weeks of the sore throat and then it was just awful. That said I missed two of my games and have not been as consistent at the gym.
Now I will do all the updates- First there is Joelle
Her math is not good. She really struggles with it and she does not like to listen to me or get help. We are going to have her join an after school study group session on Mon and Wed. I have given her three weeks to get her grades up or she will be seeing the tutor. Her English and Social Studies on the other had are great. In social studies her whole class did quite poorly on a test and then had to retake it. This happened while Jo was out sick- she only took the test once and got 112%. Yes there was extra credit on it. So i guess we know who she takes after. Mitch is the math wiz and I am the social science one.
Soccer is going well. She has been playing indoor and she is playing well. She has been thinking and talking about leaving her team- I know mom and dad saw some practices so they know what the whole situation is and Jackie is pretty well informed. Of all the teams and ll the coaches she has had this was the first year I picked her up at practice and she cried on the way home because of what a coach had said. That alone should seal the deal for me, but there is more too. She has been thinking about trying out for her friend Hailey's team next year-the vipers. The coach knows who Jo is and her style of play (which has not been the best fit with her current team). He has invited her to play with his team for the spring- HB is not doing any spring soccer so she is open and she is excited. This is a great chance for her to play for him and with the team to see if she really wants to tryout. If not that then we will be thinking Jadee's team. Jadee is a great coach and likes Joelle/would want her on his team. Mom and dad her was the younger coach at the practice and I know what you thought.
Next there is Joelle's love life- LOL. I know I shouldn't tease her but it is just funny to hear about the crushes on her when she could really care less about boys! That is good I want her to focus on MATH!
She got her hair cut this week and looks so much older. It was going to just be a trim but then she went for the layering thing.
Next there is Mitch- I think he is catching the bug. He is a bit nervous about UPS. Things are going well for him- but there was a pay freeze there too. Now he has heard rumors of a salary cut and that really has him worried. (me too) He has been working our and playing basketball and overall is doing well.
Me--- for starters I guess I am mad. The usual challenges at work- nothing I should be too upset about but I am kinda thinking just a few more year of this and then subbing. It all depends on the economy though. I like teaching - hate lesson planning. I am really sick and tried of the parents. I think you guys know about my student that is about two years behind- you know didn't know letter sounds and all that. The one that is on his own program- I give him different homework- he has different textbooks and all that- it is like teaching two classes for one student. I meet with him one and one and on and on. Then there is no follow through and he does not turn in his work. In fact I have sent things home for him to complete and had it come back signed still not done. So it is like this big time vacuum. I am expending all this energy and then nothing. For example of the last 24 school days he has been absent or tardy 15 times. How the heck can I teach him? Then the mom has the gall to say he has not learned that much this year? errrrr

Sprouting

Joelle has been growing. She is number five. Not sure if you can tell in this, but her tummy is gone. She is about an inch shorter than me and wears size 9 in vans now. I am not sure what she weighs, but she is getting taller everyday.

Her team had a game today- it was one of those must win games. Her team lost, but Joelle played the best game I have ever seen her play. She started- which is always a bit of a boost for her. The ball went loose and she did a two step smack and it went up in a beautiful arch straight to the goal- the goalie jumped up and batted it away. One of our forwards was right there, but couldn't capitalize on it. It was the first shot on goal of the game. She also had two more beautiful strikes in the second half from again about the 30- they went farpost- but about a foot too wide. They were playing in a stadium so we were on bleachers behind the team and when the coach subbed her out everyone was cheering for her- some of the parents even stood and clapped. Two minutes later the opposing team scored. The girl that went in for Joelle didn't mark her player and got beat. Joelle went back in the game. Then the other team got a breakaway and put in another goal- 2-0 at the half. Th second half she was incredible- tearing it up getting her head on it, her body in the game and all over the place- quick as all get out. Again the ball is played- we get a corner. the ball is bouncing around and pops out- Joelle slams it back and it goes farpost- again everyone starts cheering from our angle it looked like a sure goal- only to roll slightly wide. Joelle keeps playing well and then they sub again. This time the parents around us are actually mad- they all cheer for Jo- but one of the dad's actually says what the hell are they thinking Joelle is the only one on fire this game. So Jo gets a drink and proceeds to pace around the bench- not sitting with the other girls under a blanket, She plops down next to the coach. About five minutes later she goes back in and everyone cheers for her- again she plays great and again a near miss- she was so close. She makes a great pass to our forward who pops it in and now it is 2-1. The time runs out about five minutes later and the game ends- we lost. The parents all seemed happy as the team played hard- Everyone tells Joelle how great she played and what a game she had- the coaches tell her it was the best game she ever played and tell Mitch how hard it was to even sub her out at all. Her team mates are telling her how she played great. Hard to be disappointed about a loss when you play so well. She did everything she was supposed to do and couldn't have done better- if only one of those three shots would have gone in. They weren't shots she could have passed- it was under pressure and a quick one touch smack. It looks like her team is out of the tournament-unless by some miracle they take second in their bracket. So that as our Saturday road trip to Tacoma. She plays indoor tomorrow.
Nothing much eles going on. Our auction is next weekend and I have an open house Tues night- So pissed I miss the State of the union. I am thrilled with our new president- ok that is a huge understatement- the inauguration was incredible to watch and so far it looks like he is coming through with things- I just feel so optimistic. Oh and it is snowing here! The photo was taken at last weekend's game and now it is snowing- weird strange weather.