Funny How Life Works

Funny how life works. Natalie just accepted a job teaching music at a three-year old start up K-8 school for gifted children. Where I got my ILD was a school for gifted children started by an amazing woman named Karen, who was a visionary. Her research on what should be included for a school of that specific population began with interviewing Nobel Prize winners. Clearly gifted humans. What was good about their childhood and education? What was missing? From there, she developed an entire program to address a lot of issues gifted children have including: learning to interact with other people, learning about themselves and how they fit into the world, learning to take a chance and maybe failing, learning to work hard instead of avoiding things that are difficult. You get the idea.

When I began working at the school, the head at that time was Anabel. She currently is highly respected in the field, teaches at a local college and heads another interesting organization. The relatively new school, who just hired Natalie, is owned by Karen and run by Anabel.

I am thrilled that she will be surrounded and supported by these amazing woman. I also know that this relationship will be a longtime one as Natalie is capable of designing an entire music program that can be grown and eventually passed down as she retires years from now.

Funny how life works. Mom has been having fun in her new life but has missed having relationships with her contemporaries. That is changing. I was amazed when we are just walking from her place to my car, four people stopped to say hello to her. There was a posted notice near the mailbox that a group was looking for a fourth for Bridge, she joined, they loved her and she was relieved that she played well at their first meeting. They invited her to join them for dinner afterwards on every Tuesday. She is making friends.

She also volunteers in the children's section at the local Main Branch of her city's library. She is getting to know several children who come in every week. This Wednesday, a seven year old asked her if she danced. Mom replied that she was probably the worse dancer on earth. The young girl said, "That's okay. Stand up and just follow me!" And there they were, dancing together in the library.

Funny how life works: Michael came home last night around 10:00, crawled into bed and asked, "Do you still love me?" Where did that come from? He had been to Stacey's house-warming get together with Wayne and Shawn. Stacey's wife decided she didn't want to be married anymore. Shawn's wife, a friend of Stacy's wife, also decided she didn't want to be married anymore around the same time. The wives were friends. The vision was that they would both get spousal support, child support, money from the sale of the houses, they could live together and continue not to have jobs. Well, it didn't quite work out that way. Reality happened.

Stacey tried to stay in the house to help with his children and finances but it was difficult supporting everyone. The house is being taken over by the bank. They all have to move. He rented a house in our former neighborhood while his ex-wife is going to live in a much cheaper and more rural area well south of town. The children want to live with him. He wants the children with him. The conversation all evening was about Stacey's and Shawn's divorces and their attempts to date. It was ugly. Michael came home so thrilled he was in a nice home with a happy wife who adores him.