I'm a (major) sucker!

Now, I am the proud mother of two boys who each have their very own Chinese Dwarf Hamster to make up for the one that was stolen from our school.

Eddie had it right when he said that the hardest lesson for John would be that not all people are nice. He's right. Ethan is still pretty innocent, but he seems to understand deep down that you can't assign your personal motives to others. John struggles with a more black and white understanding of the world and he is so deeply hurt when others are not as genuinely kind or honest as he tries to be. Ultimately, both boys have lost a piece of their innocence today.

There is nothing sadder than a jaded 10 year old. Except maybe a near-homicidal Mom!

Mad Mama!

Some days, it's easy to feel like you have been kicked. But, it's so much worse when I think that someone has kicked one of my boys!

Some disreputable person has broken into my oldest child's classroom and stolen their prized posession, a 3 week old baby hamster named Yogi. They are all heartbroken and angry. To make matters worse, this is a special needs class with kids that often have very little to look forward to academically, but love having this special pet.

I am mad. Really mad. Okay, I'll say it: seriously pissed!

$675 and counting

Wow! About the time that I tell myself not to get disapointed when I go to the mailbox and don't get a donation, I find that even more folks are behind my efforts. Today, Kim and West Gary made an online donation while Edd and Carolyn Pruett have sent a check from Tennessee. Edd sent a lovely note and in it he explained that Carolyn is a 25 year breast cancer survivor (I had no idea). She asked if I would walk for her. Of course I will.

Carolyn may just be our very first honorary team member! How could I not honor such a request? Breast cancer has caused enough pain. Time to kick butt!

Thanks everyone! I made my $500 goal plus!

Wow! I am bowled over by the support that I have received from so many wonderful people as I have tried to meet my initial 60 day fundraising goal. Since my last post, Linda Boucher, Bill Hatchett, and Maggie Parrish have all sent in generous donations. I guess I have some thank you notes to write :-)

The weather is beautiful this week and with only one more work week until spring break, I see training walks resuming very soon. My rash is almost gone. I am ready to get back to it and keep it going. It's just a few weeks until I have to actually adhere to a training schedule and not just "wing it." Of course, my winging it has kept me right on target with the recommended training schedule for 24 weeks, so I don't feel like I have been lazy about it.

Of course, it wouldn't break my heart if I could lose another size or two before the end of the school year. Hmmm.

I'm at $470!

Wow! I am so totally overwhelmed today by the responses that I have gotten from my latest round of 3-Day Walk fundraising letters. The latest is from Julian Mohr, Sr., the owner of the company that Eddie works for.

I guess I am extra tickled that each of the donations has come with a really nice note of support. I am keeping them to make a scrapbook of the event one day.

At least if I can't work out until this rash is completely gone, then at least I am making headway on the fundraising front!

Inching toward $500.00

When I signed up for the 3-day walk for breast cancer in February, I was at an Orientation meeting. The instructor challenged us all to raise $500 in our first 60 days. Well, last weekend, I sat down and mailed out some fundraising letters. Already two generous souls that work with Eddie have donated. Donna Ray and Julian Mohr, Jr. have each donated $1 for each of the 60 miles that I will walk on event in October. That puts me up to $410 and getting, oh, so close to my initial goal. I am mailing in the checks tomorrow and it will be a couple of weeks or so before the money shows up on my website, but I wanted to publicly acknowledge them for their help and generosity.

I have had a minor setback. I developed an awful, itchy rash on my face and had to go to the doctor. I got a fanny full of steroids and some prescriptions. But, I can't work out until the rash goes away. It feels funny to be sitting at the computer at 8:39 pm, instead of riding the elliptical like there was no tomorrow. Ugh. Hopes it goes away fast. Other than the shot, none of it is too bad: new sunscreen, new cleanser, new moisturizer, no makeup for awhile. Oh well.

Angry!

I have been loosely following the news concerning the abduction and death of 6 year old Christopher Barrios in Brunswick, Georgia. He was molested, killed, and his body dumped in a black trash bag. It makes me sick.

It makes me angry. The D.A. is asking for the death penalty for the known sex offender who did this and the parents that he lived with. Good. Hope he gets it.

This murderous pig lived across the street from this kid's grandparents and shockingly close to the bus stop where Christopher caught the school bus to go to kindergarten each day.

Georgia passed a law that said that known sex offenders can't live that close to a bus stop--but some judge intervened and the law didn't go into effect. I guess we Georgians just don't want to be nice enough to the scum of the Earth (oops, I meant known sex offenders). We'd rather be nice to beautiful, innocent children, like Christopher Barrios.

Perhaps this case particularly bothers me because I was born in Brunswick, Georgia when my dad was stationed at GlynnCo Naval Base. My parents have friends who still live nearby where poor Christopher was last seen. It's sickening.

Maybe it is because my "Mom-Sense" is tingling because of the love I have for my 3rd and 5th graders who are probably very much like the sweet child who stares from the picture on cnn.com.

Maybe it is because today was Spring Picture Day at our school and the little kindergarten kids all showed up in their Sunday best, starched, and sprayed, and afraid to move until the pictures were taken, lest they mess up their clothes. Maybe it is because I saw those babies (waving silently from their strictly maintained straight line) today and they are the same age as Christopher. Did Christopher's school have pictures today? Will he be remembered?

Okay, why do our souls cry out for justice for kids that become victims? Individuals may truly feel outrage, but the general public finds joy in forgetting these kids. Look at our laws. Look at the lenient sentences that child molesters get. Look at how judges will intervene in our laws designed to save our most vulnerable. There is no punishment that will bring Christopher back, but I'd be willing to create a deterrent by trying.

Forgiveness is divine, but how can we forgive someone who only shows remorse over being caught, not over exploiting an innocent child.

Fry them.