If there is one thing we, as a family, have tried to hold strong to these last five years, it’s been to roll with the punches. Depending on what happens any given day, it’s easy to find yourself experiencing a plethora of emotions.

I am not saying that it’s not okay to be angry, annoyed or frustrated with things that happen. What I am saying is that you deal with it, and you move on. You can always revisit it if you need to but try not to dwell on it. Last night Jack was boycotting sleep. He woke up at midnight and didn’t want to head back to dream land. Steve and I struggled with him all night and both got very little sleep. Were we cranky as hell this morning? Sure. Did we deal with it? Yes.

Today Ella was supposed to have her final assistive technology evaluation down in Westchester. I thought it was weird that I had not gotten a phone call or email confirming, so I reached out to them yesterday to make sure we were good to go. As of ten this morning I still had not heard, so I called again. Radio silence. I made the executive decision to call back one last time and cancel the appointment. The weather wasn’t great and it’s a long way to go to be told it wasn’t happening. Also, Ella woke up in a weird mood. I wasn’t sure how productive she was going to be.

Was I disappointed? Sure. We had been waiting since March for this appointment. It’s one more thing, on a long list of things, that needs to be checked off for Ella. I want to make sure they know we are coming and that Ella is happy and ready to participate. If that means we have to wait, that means we have to wait.

Instead I took my case of the rainy day blues right over to the Chevy dealership to finally start my quest for a new automobile. I was able to test drive both the Suburban and Traverse. I must admit, I loved the Suburban. I even single handily negotiated the trade in amount for my Highlander, where I wanted it to be. We can’t afford a new Suburban though, and even going used the payments are slightly over where we feel comfortable. We would have to get one with higher miles, and I wasn’t too excited about that. So, the Traverse is my new top contender, and the search will continue.

I further tried to cheer myself up with a delicious dinner from Cafe Fiesta! After finishing my Mexican feast, I was lucky enough to get a call from an old co-worker of mine. While she didn’t call with the greatest news, it was exactly what I needed to end my night on a high note.

Yesterday it was announced that several local Catholic schools were closing or merging come the fall. This news completely blindsided the faculty, parents, and communities involved. One of those schools was the school that I “retired” from the year that I had Jack. My heart breaks for these teachers and families. Some of the faculty is being relocated, but many are losing their jobs.

A select few of these woman will always hold a special place in my heart. Tonight I got to catch up with one of the best. When I arrived at the school six months pregnant with CJ, ready to start my first year, I had come from a school that closed. The staff in the building was very close knit, and at first extremely standoffish. This special lady opened her door, and heart, to me. I will never forget that kindness.

Since my “retirement” we touch base as often as we need to. Tonight was a time for catching up. We didn’t talk too much about the closure, but rather about life in general. Where we had been. Where we are going. What the future looks like. We are never lacking laugher, and she always shares her wisdom with me. I used to joke she was my work mother, and in many ways I still look to her for advice and guidance. She has been through a lot and her experiences offer a new perspective.

Even in the wake of her school closing, and uncertain future, she still remains thankful for all that she has in her life. I echo the same feelings. There will be bad days, but they will hopefully be far less in numbers than the good days. Try not to let the troubles from yesterday ruin the goodness of tomorrow.

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