January 2021

 January 1 CJ woke all of her friends up with a pillow fright.  All the girls got up and had breakfast.  Jay and I made them caramel rolls, hashbrowns, eggs, and bacon.  They were very happy.  CJ had the girls make vision boards for the new year before they all went home.  CJ was so happy to start the new year with friends.

Saturday CJ took her Alive at 25 class, she said that most of the information was what she had to learn to take her drive test, and most of the stuff that they were talking about she would never do.  I told her that drives are not always careful. That she was taking the class so that she could get a parking permit at school but others were taking the class before they were in an accident or got caught drinking and driving.  So think after she realized that not everyone in the class was teens it was helpful and she was less annoyed by the class. I also reminded her that all of her friends had to take the class as well.  

Sunday Jay and I went to give blood, we are liking this so that we can get a COVID antibody test.  I could not give blood because my blood pressure was too high and Jay could not give blood because they could not get any blood out of his arm.  We were both very upset because it was a waste of our time.  

Monday we started back to school.  CJ was very happy to go back to school.  She stated that she loves being at school and she is really starting to make friends this year.  She is getting into reading and has found friends that are reading the same books as she is.  All CJ wants to do these days is read.  

For me school, this last week was so weird.  I decided to go to work with a better attitude and try to not worry so much about the behavior of my students and trying to get them to learn.  I just needed to try and find something to love about them and worry about teaching later.  But as the week went on all my bad students started to get sick and had to go home or were being quarantined because a family member got COVID.  By the end of the week, I only had 2 or 3 students left in class.  Also, they started to quarantine the teachers in my hall. By the end of the week had 9 teachers out.  We have no substitute teachers so the teachers that were left we had to cover their classes.  It was so crazy.  I do not know what they are going to do.

Jay and I decided that the first of the year we would start eating better and I started walking again to help build strength in my leg.  In the first week, Jay lost 8 pounds and I lost 6.  CJ was disappointed because she did not lose anything but she forgets with her diabetes it is hard because she has to be so careful not to go low.  I told her it will take time and not to worry. 

CJ decided to try out again for "America's Got Talent"  She said that she knows that she will not get in but that she needed to not give up and try again.  She said that she knows that she does not have the look that they are looking for.  She is going to try out for the school musical where she knows that her voice will matter.

On Saturday they had an in-person Havdalah service at the temple.  It was so cold and it was outside.  But we were so glad just to be able to go to the temple for something.  I was glad it was short just because it was so cold.

For Martin Luther King day we did not have school so CJ and I went to lunch with Millie and her mom.  CJ wanted to get her hair dyed again and I had made an appointment for her.  She wanted her ended dyed and I really wanted her to get something different so Elinor and I all through lunch showed her pictures of chunky highlights instead of just ends dyed.  Tuesday she walked from school to the hairdresser and get her hair done.  I meet her later and had a great time talking to CJ's hairdresser's mom.  She was also a special education teacher.  I was glad that CJ went with the highlights.  It was more expensive so I told CJ that I would cover the extra cost because that is what I wanted that style.

On Thursday CJ tried out for the school play.  When I picked her up after school she told me that she thinks she had found her people.  She really hopes that she gets a part.  On Friday she got an email stated that she was getting a call back for a big part in the music.  She was so excited about it that she spent all weekend practicing the song that she had to sing for the callback.

CJ got to go to a birthday party for a friend.  I could not believe that the bowling alley was open and that no one was wearing masks.  Not even a sign on the door saying that you had to wear a mask.  CJ had a lot of fun with her friends and Jay and I got to have a date night dinner.  It was so nice to have a normal night out.  Even though CJ want very low while she was at the bowling alley and it worried me so much, but she took care of it and everything was ok.  But I did have to come into the bowling alley and check on her. 

CJ got a call back for the school play.  It was for one of the lead roles.  She was so excited about it but worried that she would not get the part that she wanted.  During the audition, after singing her song the students watching her gave her a standing ovation. When she told me that, I know that she got the part.  On Wednesday when her friend texted her telling her that she got the part she was so excited jumping up for joy.  Then she said that she was sad because her friend really wanted that part too and she felt really bad for her.  I told her it was good to have empathy for her friend but it was ok to be happy that she got the part. Forget "America's got Talent"  she will be a star right here in Williamston.

This year she will be in the school play and started the Debate team at her school.  The teacher that she got to sponsor the team stated that this year they will focus on getting the team started and next year they will join competitions.  February 16th will be their first debate team meeting.  So CJ is busy learning songs and lines, plus making posters and announcements to get the debate time started.

For the play during the last scene, she will have to roller skate.  I took one of her friends who are in the play and CJ roller skating so CJ could practice because even those she says that she can roller skate she really can not.  It was weird just dropping her off at the roller rink and not staying with her.  She really enjoyed it being just her and her friend.  It is so hard with her growing up.

To end the month CJ and I were to go to a Tu' B Shevat service at the temple but it was canceled so we went and spend the afternoon with Ms. Margy.  We had not seen her since Hanukkah and before that since before the COVID shut down.  She had the COVID vaccine and is planning to move closer to her children.  She said that at 91 years old she needs to be close to her children.  I am so sad because I will miss her so much but at the same time, she is so happy about the move.  I understand I do not know what I would do being away from CJ.