Stephanie's Back!!

Mom would be sooo happy!!

Stephanie Edwards has signed a two-year contract with KTLA to announce the Rose Parade with Bob Eubanks... from the booth! Yea!!!

Phew!

Hurricane Ike veered north yesterday, and as I write this, is slamming Galveston on the way to Houston. I'm sure Sammy is getting rain and wind, but not at all what was expected. Weather forecast says a chance of thunderstorms and only 30-50% chance of precipitation.

It also helped that he called home tonight. We talked for only 5 minutes before he had to let the next kid talk, but was able to tell me he was OK with all of the PT except the running (a mile every morning); he was able to now have his iPod at school (maybe in November); and Geometry and Algebra 2 together is not an easy task. His bunkmate is also a senior newbie, so that is good. He is now finished with his Plebe period (hence the phone call), but the graduation ceremonies are delayed until next weekend.

He would love mail and said to tell everyone hello... He did sound good and upbeat on the phone, he said that he was liking it so far. Sounded much better than he looks in this photo: http://www.mma-tx.org/whatsnew/SchlYear0809/FBMMALyford/pages/_MG_1859_jpg.htm

Went to back to school night for Jacob and Matt last night as well. We know that third grade is the 'make or break' year, but it looks like Matt's probably going to breeze through this year. Jacob has science camp to look forward to this year, along with bunches of sixth-grade only activities.

Kevin said he wanted to try out for football again this fall, and his schedule has changed twice since school started. He decided he would rather be the PE teachers aide rather than be in drama. Hey, why not take an easy 'A' where you can get it? We'll have back to school night for him in a couple weeks, he should be in full swing by then.

September 10

School is back in full swing, and we have settled back into a normal school year routine. Well, if you call only having three kids to wake up in the morning (yea!), three kids at the dinner table (yea!), infinitely less band committments (yea!), and one kid smack in the path of a Category 3 hurricane "normal" (huh?!?). Lots of paperwork, money needed for lunches, school pictures, and school supplies. Many, many emails from TX, not one from my kid.

Yes, MMA is smack in the middle of the path of Hurricane Ike. Yes, I am aware of that. Yes, they are allowing parents to evacuate their sons if desired.

We are leaving him there.

I know, we must be crazy. After a lot of slow, deep breathing, and lots of thought, we are keeping him there. The thought of bringing him home after only being there 11 days, along with a pile of homework and schoolwork, and then getting him back on a plane just didn't appeal to me. It would be totally harder than getting him on the plane the first time, since now he has a taste of things. On the one hand, I feel totally guilty. On the other, I have full confidence that they know what they are doing and he will be safe, evacuated or not. Now to hold my breath until Sunday.

http://www.mma-tx.org/whatsnew/SchlYear0809/FallPlebeTrng/pages/1ST%20MESS2F_jpg.htm

Pre Labor Day Weekend

Aaaahh, summer. The time when you have BBQ, fresh fruit and vegetables, and corn-on-the-cob for dinners.

The time of year you have to make sure your cat doesn't snag the cob from your plate...

Sam and I went on a "date" last night down to the Block. No, we didn't go to the Vans skatepark, and we didn't shop in Tillys. We went and bowled a couple games and then popped over to Dave & Busters to play some video games. They had a portrait booth where we captured his mug, hair and all. Cause he's only going to have it for about 48 hours longer...

How do you like this really expensive senior portrait?
Today we took one last jaunt down to the beach. We did happen to go a couple weeks ago when it was nice and sunny, but alas, today we got hit with a marine layer that didn't quite burn off completely. The sun never peeked through the clouds until almost 2pm. Like I said before, that never stops the boys from getting into the water or having a good time.

Kevin and Sam took a break from the waves and decided to dig a hole. Kevin never seems to want to SMILE, #*!(#@!!, but always insists on giving me some goofy grin.

When we buried Sam in it, we gave him the body he always dreamed of. . . Jacob jumped in next, he looks a little more decapitated here than buried. . .
The boys also spent awhile throwing sand at each other. Why? I dunno. . . cause it's there?? Who knows why that is such rip-roaring fun. Jacob and Sam's friend Ricardo had a grand ol' time splatting each other with sand. Maybe SPLAT is the key word to the fun.

Some Last Random Days...

So I played softball again this summer, in all-girls work league (You know you're over 30 when... you don't want to play against a bunch of drunk guys who always want to shove a line drive down your throat). While it was great that some of us were in that over 30-range, we were playing against other teams of girls who were still in their 20's. I had to stop at third one time, while being waved home. I told the base coach "are you friggin' kidding? I ain't running another 90 feet!!" The home run wasn't worth it.

We had a great time, but there was one team that beat us the three times we played them during the season. The type of team that is ahead by 20 runs, and won't slow down cause they must prove their dominance by winning by at least 25 runs. As it turned out, we played them on the last night for the championship title, second game of a double-header for us, and we WON! Totally sweet victory, and 'nuff said about that ~

Random picture of Rebecca and Matt. She's a great kid from the high school that the kids get along great with. We drug her along with us to the beach one time. The one time that the sun came along, too.

First day of school for Jacob and Matt. Jacob is finally the BMOC as a sixth grader, which means for him a year of fundraisers and science camp. One last year of one teacher only and after school daycare.

Matt is going into the third grade, his last year of "lower-graders". Last night he was talking about some friends of his who went off to jr. high. What?? Has been to birthday parties this summer for a kid two years older than him, and one of a kid two years younger than him. I guess that either means he is very comfortable socializing with kids of any age, that kid, or he has figured out the birthday party scene.

Last Random picture for today, with Sam at LAX right before his flight last week.

Pictures of their registration are at http://www.mma-tx.org/whatsnew.htm. Lots of pictures, I haven't combed through all of them yet to find him sans hair.

Letters are welcomed and encouraged, and I'm sure he would love to hear from anyone he can. You can write him at:

Marine Military Academy

Echo Company

320 Iwo Jima Blvd

Harlingen, TX 78550