Today was one of the best of my life! Filled with simple things...
Today I had the chance to be a "helper" in Tommy's pre-school class. It was just the BEST! There are 12 kids in the class with Tommy. A great bunch of happy little faces. I felt a little akward for the first 15 minutes or so - not sure what to do or how to act. Then things loosened up. When it was playtime, I was the star attraction... doing silly little magic tricks for the kids and just playing with them. Never had so many little smiling faces all wanting my attention (Me next, me next)! Then there was more learning to do, and finally time to read a book as a class before time to go home. About every kid in the class wanted to sit right next to me. So sweet! Tommy got to sit in my lap - so he was very happy too! It was a great experience - and I got a little more appreciation for what moms and teachers do everyday. So next time your wife is cranky - give her a hug and let it slide! Kids can definitely wear you out, even when they're good!
So then I took Tommy out for a little lunch treat afterwards. Just the two of us. As he grinned from behind his little hamburger, I asked him what he liked best about school today... he said "YOU!" and I actually got choked up. It meant a lot to him to have Dad there with him today, and it meant a lot to me too! We played around for a while at lunch... then finally made our way home.
With Tommy in bed for a deserved nap and Andy at school, Amy and I had some "quiet time" together. That was very nice... nothing special, but just the two of us in a quiet house, happy. I love this woman... after almost 17 years of being with her - I never tire of her! We've been through some real ups and downs with what life has tried to throw at us (4 years trying to have our first son, me getting laid off after turning down a relocation to Massachusetts) but we keep it in perspective, and know that getting frustrated or pissed won't change reality - so we have to do our best to roll with it, make the best, and know life isn't perfect! Works for us - really well!!
Late in the afternoon, it was time for my weekly track workout. Met Mike there. It was clear, sunny, but with a really strong wind - cold as hell! This was my first track workout since the race, where I determined my "VDOT" score to have moved up. Good news is that I'm getting fitter and faster... "bad" news is that my workout paces have to get faster now! I was running 1200M intervals in 4:36 (6:08/mi pace)... 5 of them today, with 400m recovery laps between. Ran a 3.5M warm up and a 3M cool down too... for about 11M total.
The Lake Ridge Acadamy track team was starting their workout on the track while we were there. They didn't mind us being on the track too. Plent of room for everyone. Mike ran by the group as the coach was explaining the workout to them... they were going to do 200s... (meaning 200 meters = 1/8 mile = 1/2 lap) a newbie in the group exclaimed "200 laps" and was about to quit!! Big laughter at his expense... rookies.
Mike and I each had good workouts and some good conversation before parting ways. Before he left - Mike gave me 17 BOXES of Cliff Bars from his nutrition store - that were now past date (but safe to eat - we think!). What a guy! THANKS MIKEY DONUTS!!
When I got home, the boys were goofing around, Amy was making her awesome meatballs for dinner... Murphy is back to his spunky self -and I actually was able to take him for a walk after dinner! Missed our walks at night. Was good to get him back out there!
Andy is the furthest along in "math facts" in his 2nd grade class. Finished all of addition and subtraction. His teacher asked us if it was OK to start him on multiplication. Of course we said "yes"... Andy, though, was weird about it, said he didn't want to, etc... But, he started Monday and has all the x2 mastered, and could handle any single digit multiplication problems i could throw at him - in his head tonight! I was just BLOWN AWAY! The kid's a freakin' calculator! It's great! His handwriting and grammar skills still need lots of work though... he's so much like his dad was at this age - it's spooky!
Night ended with Amy and I dipping Oreos into glasses of milk before bed...
Like I said - simple pleasures, but one of the happiest days of my life!
I am still searching for a new job - have had two "second round" interviews in the past week, with a first round scheduled for Thursday, and another to be scheduled. Got 5 calls for positions in the past 24 hours - after a week of silence! Go figure! It's a numbers game... as my friend Mike likes to remind me... and lately, thankfully, the numbers are really picking up!
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