April 2023

 April started with CJ going with Connor's family to see him do some military competition.  It was funny that she texted me and told me that they would not be back until late.  This was after she told me that they would be back by 2:00.  She kept telling me this over and over.  I just had to do the I told you so.  I know that she would not be back so we could go to bingo and do Graduation pictures.  Jay and I told her just to be home by her curfew at 10:00.  Jay and I then decided to go out to dinner with Beth and Jason.  It was such a nice dinner with friends.

For the next week, I really did not see much of CJ.  With play practice, Hebrew school, choir practice, and spending time with Connor she was very busy.  She came home and told us that the YMCA told her that they were going to lay her off if she did not come back to work and work over the summer.  So she decided to quit before she was fired.  I told her not to worry about getting another job but that is not CJ she wanted to get another job that would work around her schedule.  So she started to apply for jobs in the food industry. She got called back for a couple of interviews and Tropical Smoothy said that they would work around her schedule and hire her.  She would start her new job after we get back from our trip.

On Wednesday, CJ got to attend the Special Olympics with her Peer Tutoring class. She said that she had fun but one of the kids got upset and tried to hit her.  She loves her peer tutoring kids but it has made her not want to go into teaching.  

CJ and I started getting ready for our trip.  I realized that I did not have a swimsuit for the trip so we had to run and shop.  Saturday we went and had a manicure and pedicure for our trip.  Then came home and got ready.  We had to finish packing and get ready to go see Cats that night.  Cats were a good play but it is so weird and hard to get.  Rebecca's dad told me that sometimes you just need to see a weird play with good music and dancing and not to worry about what it all means.  I liked that thought.  

The next day we got up and at 10:00 we headed over to Millie's to leave for the Cruise.  The drive to Florida was not bad and we get there just in time for dinner and to get a good night's sleep before we got on the boat in the morning.  

The next morning we got to the ship and checked in early.  We then went to lunch on the ship and walked around to see what was around.  It was very windy and a little cold but there were plenty of people (mostly kids) in the pool.  We went to the pool area and relaxed for a while before we could get into our room. 

The whole week was amazing.  I loved all the food.  the first night we were on the trip there was a storm and the boat was rocking so much it made it hard to walk.  I was glad that was only one night  When we first got on the boat we went to this spa giveaway. I could not believe that I won a gift card to the spa for $75.  I was so excited until I found not that I could only use it for a premier service that started at over $200.  There was nothing that I could use the gift card for and was not spending that much money when at home I could get it for so much less. It was very disappointing so I just told them that they could keep the gift card and give it to someone else.  They told me that is what the other lady that won told them to do.  Well, that should tell them something.  I think that put a bad taste in my mouth.    During the daytime, there was not much for adults to do but sit by the pool.  They had so much for kids, lots of activities and games.  Elinor and I sat by the pool and tanned most days.  After dinner it was run, run, run to all the shows and activities.  It was so much fun.  

On the second day of the trip, we went to Cozumel and got to see the Mayan Ruins.  It was an amazing day.  I got a little overheated and got a migraine because of it.  Luckily I just took a bunch of meds and dosed off on the bus ride to get rid of it and get back to normal.  We had the best tour guide.  He was a Mayan descendant and had so much knowledge it was great.  The time went so fast.  We wanted to do some shopping but we only had a few minutes so we rushed the shopping.  

The food on the Cruise was amazing.  It was fun to get dressed up each night for a wonderful meal in the dining room.  The waiters got to know us and shared about their lives off the ship.  Where they were from and what they want to do with their life after working on the cruise ship.  They were amazing. They also took care of CJ.  One night she was having a low and we had to go to the dining room early.  I had to leave her to find Elinor and they watched her for me and made sure that she got the juice to get her low up.  Another night in a different dining area CJ was having a low and I was not there.  She did not know how to tell the lady want she needed so she just told her she was having a low.  The lady put 2 cookies and pizza on a plate and told her to sit down close to her until she was better.  It was so nice to not have to worry about CJ's diabetes.

On our last day, we went to Coco Cay which was an island for swimming and tanning.  We laid on the beach for a while and then went to lunch.  We then went back to the boat.  They had a water park on the island but it cost more and was more for children. It was a good end to the trip.

The next morning we got off the boat and headed home.  We had to get back to reality. While we were on the boat Jay thought that we had docked in Fort Lauderdale which had a flood.  He even went to our insurance company worried that the car was flooded and we would not make it home.  We were docked in Cape Canaveral, so we were ok. After spring break CJ only had one week until opening night for the play.  So that week she had practice late every night and we did not see her except when she came home, but then we went right to bed.

Tuesday I had my second DKG meeting and I really like this group.  At the meeting, we reviewed the grant application and decided who would win the grant.  It was just fun and nice to know that we are helping other teachers.

Friday was CJ's First show.  Jay and I went to see the show.  They did a great job like always.  I am not sure if Jay liked the show but he loved seeing his baby girl having fun and killing it. We had seats right up front and I think Jay was very uncomfortable.  He thought the seats were smaller.

On night two of the show, Jay and I took CJ's tickets to "To Kill a Mocking Bird" This was Jay's first time going to the theater to see a play with me.  I was supposed to go with a friend from work but she could not attend with me so Jay took me.   I know that he did not look how high up the seats were but we had a very nice time watching the show together and all the people and everything else did not matter.  We were very surprised that we have to search and go through a metal detector.  That has never happened before.  It was because a famous actor was performing in the play.

Sunday I went to help with tickets for the play.  I really enjoyed helping and it was so nice getting to know some of the other parents.  I have missed that since CJ drives herself everywhere.  The young girls from Choir come to see her show and then we went out to eat after.  Again I really enjoyed talking with Charma and just having fun.

During the week, Jay took CJ out to take some senior pictures with her cap and gown that I hoped would be better than the rush ones that I did earlier.  Some of them turned out really nice.

CJ started her new job at Tropical Smoothie.  She said that she really liked it and that it was so much better than working and the daycare.

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I help with ticket sales for the play. Friday Beth came to the show.  It was so cute she had found some old pictures of CJ and her girls and kept sending them to me.  I could not believe how fast CJ has grown up.

Saturday, Connor came to see CJ's show.  At intermission, I tried to find him.  He told me that he had a panic attack and left the play at the beginning of the show and had not seen much of it. I told him that he could come to sit with me in the back.  CJ told me later that he does not like plays because he had a bad experience with it at his school. Theather means so much to CJ.  It was sad that he did that.  After intermission, he sat with me and was on his phone the whole time.  I was a little disappointed.  After the show, Connor was going to take CJ to his Prom.  CJ changed quickly into her prom dress and they took off. When CJ got home she told me that they meet with Connor friends downtown Greenville but did not go to his Prom.  They just hung out together.  I was disappointed that they had said they were going to Prom and then never did.  I wonder if he was even planning on taking her.  It was such a weird night.

Sunday was the close of CJ's show. The choir came to see her.  She did great during the first half of the show.  Intermission came and just as they were to start the show again all the lights went out.  A powerline in the area was hit and the school was in the area that lost power.  We waited around to find out what they were going to do.  They found out that the show was going to be postponed for a couple of hours because they were told that the power would not come back on until 7:00.  So we all went home.

By 5:00 they posted that the show was going to have to not continue until the next day because the power was not going to come back on until 4:00 in the morning.  All the kids were very sad and having the how postponed was hard.  They told everyone that the show on Monday would be free and they that were sorry about having to conceal the show.