The Thompson Trials and Travels

I was flipping through channels last night and landed upon "the Kennedy Assassination" marathon. I watched all of the events that happened that day...I watched people tell about what they remembered. I didn't realize it was the 44th anniversary until later. I remember that day, too. They had just moved me from the third grade to the fourth grade (I hated it...no friends)...I was in Mrs. Estes' class. I was 8 years old. All of a sudden Mrs. Estes started screaming and crying and yelling at us to get out of the building. There was panic and chaos. Everyone outside the classrom was running and pushing and crying and screaming... and I had no idea what was going on. All I knew was that I was scared to death and alone...and that something bad was wrong. I remember trying to get to the front door but I kept getting pushed aside by the bigger kids (it was a 1st through 8th grade school). I didn't know if the world was coming to an end...if Russia had finally attacked us ...

Kind of an eye opening experience this week. Don and I spent Thanksgiving together without any family...just us. It was the first time in my life that I didn't have a house full of people but you know what...it was kind of nice. No arguing...no fighting...no hysteria...just a calm day of thanks. The kids called. Kyle is in New Mexico skiing and Jase spent the day with Zeke and Nat and Nat's family. Zeke called today and gave me his list of things he wants for Christmas. He wants the Sponge Bob lego set... and then said, "I really don't want anything, Grandma Robin. I have everything." For a four year old to make that statement...I guess he does have everything. I gave thanks...that I have the family that I do...that I have a husband who has managed to love me inspite of myself, that I have two children whom I love, that I have a Grandchild whom I adore and that they all love me back. Life couldn't be any better.

Highlight of my day...Jason called. Zeke got to select TWO prizes from the awards box at school. One for being the most well behaved child and one for being the most independent child. His teacher said she was using him as the example of what a good student should be. With all that Zeke has been through over the past few years...Jason and Natalie have done an excellent job in raising a good...good child. It is amazing to me that he is so content and happy and well adjusted. Someone is definitely smiling down on him. Jason started a new job as a restaurant manager. He finally seems happy and content...and is making more money than he did as a graphic designer. He probably could do well as a graphic artist in another city but he will not move and leave Zeke. Sometimes you just have to make difficult choices...and in this case, often times it works out for the best. As for the fam...Chris has made about 5 phone calls to Jason wanting to know where the family christening gown was. She call...

I've been in Chicago for a week...with a cold. It was freezing and windy and the people seem to become more rude with the bad weather. I did take my team out, Wednesday night, for a celebratory dinner at Japonais...my favorite restaurant. That was the highlight of my week. The event? Standing all day until you would pay someone to cut your legs off...smiling a fake smile until your face cracks... People envy my position but it isn't fun...at all. You wake up in a different city and have to look at the phone book to realize where you are. Nope...not fun. Jase brought Zeke up this weekend. He, Jason not Zeke, needed to do laundry and his apartment doesn't have a w/d hook up. His w/d are sitting in our storage unit. Whatever the reason... I was glad to see the kid. He's grown so much over the past few months. He's a little man now. He said he needed to tell me a "secret" and crawled up into my lap. He whispered, "Grandma Robin, I'm sorry you don...