The Latest from JC

It seems like we've been pretty busy lately. Every day of every weekend in May is full and June is starting to look the same way.

Hannah is winding down the last days of kindergarten. I can't believe how much she has changed this year. Of course, she has grown - at last check she was 4'2" already. That's tall enough to ride all the rides at Six Flags except for Batman. (She'll need 4 more inches for that one.) And she is growing her hair out (so she can look like a princess), so it's longer than it's ever been. And, to me anyway, it seems like she has slimmed down some. Her face, particularly when her hair is pulled back into a ponytail, just looks more mature. It kind of makes me sad. But yesterday she wore her hair in pigtails, and it was just so cute that it made me smile everytime I looked at her. Of course, I didn't get any pictures. But we'll be taking lots of pictures on vacation, and I'm sure she'll wear her hair that way a lot to keep her cool.

You can tell Hannah has been spending more time with girls her age as she is developing more girly interests. She is very into Hannah Montana and likes to dance around to her CDs in her room pretending she's a rock star. She also likes to talk about boys. (Poor David has no idea what he's in for.) She continues to be very artistic. In kindergarten they did LOTS of artsy type things and sang everyday. Unfortunately, in first grade they only have art class and music class once a week. I'm afraid she will miss it. She really enjoys school, and is doing great. Her only problem is she is such a chatterbox.

David has been busy building a cabinet for our bathroom so Hannah and I can separate our hair and makeup items from each other. With her hair getting longer, we have a lot more hair implements - headbands, clips, ponytail holders, barrettes, etc. Also, she is into nail polish and lip gloss. Hopefully, the cabinet will help us get more organized so we can find what we need in the mornings. Oh, and she wants me to curl her hair with a curling iron. Well, I've never used a curling iron and would have no idea even where to start. Maybe one of her aunts has some pointers for us?

David has also been helping my dad a lot lately. Dad has really been feeling his age lately. (He's 76.) He worked construction most of his life, and his body is really starting to show wear and tear. It's nice that we are so close, as David has been helping him with projects around their house quite a bit.

An update on my family:
- Mom and Dad keep as busy as ever - they will be traveling to Nova Scotia in June.
- My sister Karen just earned her Masters in Education after much hard work. She will be teaching 1st grade next year and leaving behind the dreaded 5th grade. Unfortunately, her husband, Jay, is being deployed to Kosovo in June for 13 months.
- My sister Susan and her husband Mark are anxiously awaiting the return of the twins (Christopher and Thomas) who have spent the semester studying abroad in Europe (Dublin and London, respectively). We missed celebrating their 21st birthday with them on May 5. And we won't see them this summer as they both have internships (in Chicago and at Notre Dame, respectively). We are hoping to drive to Chicago one weekend this summer and see them both. If not, they will both be home for a couple of weeks in August before they go back for their senior year - hard to believe. Stephen will be turning 16 in June and has been practicing his driving. He has also been lifting weights to bulk up for football. Of course, he's 6'2" and weighs 135 lbs so he has a ways to go. He also placed 3rd in state in the individual competition of Academic Team! Susan and Mark's youngest, Matthew is 12 and finishing up 6th grade. He is the athlete of the family and is currently playing both basketball and baseball.

I've been slowly adjusting to working again. I still get off work in time to pick up Hannah each day, which is very nice. That way we can have her homework done and supper ready by the time David gets home so we can spend the evening together as a family. If the Board of Curators approves it, I will stay on permanently - working 36 hours a week with benefits. Since Lincoln University is a public university, the retirement plan is the same as the State of Missouri (where I'm already vested), so I can just pick up where I left off. That's the great thing about it. The bad thing is being away from Hannah so much during the summer. One of my (many) cousins has two girls (15 & 13) who are going to watch Hannah while I'm at work. They also have two younger sisters (9 & 6) to be playmates for her. I think Hannah will have a great time, but I'll still miss being with her. Fortunately, LU is closed on Fridays during the summer, so I'll be home with her then.

With the additional funds coming in from my working, we've been able to splurge a little more. Our big splurge this summer is going to Disney World! We're leaving on May 21 - Hannah's last day of school. First we're going to St. Augustine and then to Orlando to visit Sea World, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Disney's Hollywood Studios. We're driving, so we will be gone for 12 days. Whew! Hannah can't hardly stand the anticipation, and frankly, neither can I. Supposedly, my parents took us to Disney World when I was around 2, but I have no recollection of this, so it doesn't count. And David hasn't been either. Of course, he is not as excited about it as we are, but he's a good sport about these things, and I know he'll enjoy it. We've got some special dining experiences set up - a 50s mom & pop cafe; a Japanese restaurant where you sit around the grill and watch them cook your food; the Coral Reef where there are HUGE aquariums with sharks and such; a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with Goofy and friends, and (shh - this one is a surprise for Hannah), a breakfast with the princesses. I'm getting excited just thinking about it!

We are planning on going to the farm this Sunday to spend Mother's Day. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at Susan and Ben's party. David just hates that he will not be there. (He has to be in Kansas City for a roundabout conference/training. For those of you who haven't heard, David and his boss are deteremined to make JC the roundabout capital of the world - per capita anyway. They have 11 of them in the works!) But Hannah and I will be there and are staying at Mary's and would love to go to the zoo on Saturday with any and all who are interested.

Sorry this has been such a long post. I guess I had a lot to say today. Love to all!