A Different Color

Today while teaching 3rd grade summer school, I had my cell phone out on the table, as I was using it for the stopwatch for running records. A picture of Diva is displayed as my wallpaper. One of my students looked down at the picture on the phone....

Student: Is that your daughter?
Me: Yes, it is.
Student: She's a different color than you.
Me: Yes, she is.


That's as far as the conversation went. I could see the little girl trying to comprehend. I guess I could have elaborated, but it really took me by surprise. Most of the time I don't even think about the fact that Diva's skin is darker than mine. She's just my Diva. After class, I looked at the picture again, thinking to myself, "Really? Is it really that obvious that Diva is "a different color?" Of course it is obvious to the naked eye, but she's not just a "different color", she's my baby. When I look at her, I see the brightness in her eyes (that are a deep brown like D's but shaped like mine). I see the perfect combination of mine and D's nose, and I see my chin. I see D's long eyelashes and distinguished eyebrows. But most of all, I see the precious little person who I am blessed to call my daughter. I guess it's just another reminder that we all see things differently.

Meal Plan Monday

Okay, getting back into the swing of things. This week we are eating

Italian sausages and potato salad
Grilled tilapia, summer squash, and rice
Bbq chicken (in the crock pot), mashed potatoes, tossed salad
Swedish meatballs (in the crock pot) over wide egg noodles
Salsa chicken (in the crock pot)


There's a whole lot of crock potting going on here this week!

Happy Monday!

Random on a Sunday

*I am about to finish my summer school teaching stint, and when it is done, I am officically jobless. I am still trying HARD to find a position for this school year. No luck so far. It is making us take a hard look at things, and we are trying to figure out our next step.

*With my job situation up in the air, The Diva finished up at the home daycare she had been attending since we moved to Vermont. She'll be hanging with me until I find a job, and then we will find her a preschool for her to attend. I can't believe she only has one more year before kindergarten. Time just slips right by us. Sometimes I try to cradle her in my arms like I did when she was a newborn, but it's super awkward. She hasn't grown out of general cuddling yet, for which I am grateful. I don't know what I will do when she stops climbing into my lap, throwing her arms around me and laying her head on my shoulder.

*I found out yesterday that my 1st grade boyfriend was killed in a car accident. We were good friends through elementary and middle school, lived down the street from me, stole his moms earrings to give me as a gift (my mom made me return them). A lot of my younger day memories include him. I haven't seen or spoken to him in years, but my heart goes out to his family.

Friday night, we had a family date night. We did dinner at Pizzeria Uno, and went bowling. Bowling is kind of becoming our family "thing". We've gone twice. But seriously, we enjoyed ourselves both times and plan to keep bowling a part of our family fun. I am a terrible, terrible bowler. More than once, a stranger has felt the need to come over from their lane to try to help me with my lame skills. That hasn't happened since I met D, but I'm still lousy. D likes to laugh at me, and Diva actually beat me (without bumpers) the first time we went bowling as a family. I am proud to say I actually beat my darling husband and daughter on Friday night! Go me!

I am working on a grocery list, so I am hoping to get meal plan Monday up and running again. I hope all is well in your worlds, and here's to a great week ahead!