Yesterday was a really rough day. It was my Mom's 64th birthday. God kept me busy so that I'd keep it together. Friends of my Mom had a mass said for her at church, then I went to work, then I had class, then I took M. for a haircut because pictures are today (oops, forgot!), then to a friend's house to pick up a few insects, then we came home and worked on her school project until 11, then my computer crashed.

The project was to collect, mount and label 20 different insects. We had 19 we could identify and 6 we couldn't (despite many a web page searched). Every one would have been to bed a lot earlier if we could have nailed the identification part earlier. Finally we went with the ladybug that we hoped was not a repeat of the Asian beetle. It looked more red before it went into the freezer of doom....

The project turned out SUPER cool. We made a soccer field with the bugs as the players, the chalk lines were made with white medical tape on a green foam board field, each insect was mounted onto an elevated numbered jersey, a roster listed the bugs by team and jersey number. M executed it beautifully (she liked gluing down the bugs). Yes we supervised, but she DID it (yes, with detailed direction). We didn't have to do the soccer field, we could have gone the plain route, but that would not have been nearly as much fun! Also, this project is the big deal of 4th grade -- you should see some of these things! I've seen football fields, movie theatres and restaurants of insects. Apparently people around here need less free time.... or maybe to be less competitive? M. enjoyed doing something different and she needs more proud moments academically so we went for it! Today I celebrate that I no longer have ANY dead bugs stored in my freezer!!!

I am so happy yesterday is OVER! Today is my Dad's birthday -- he is golfing with an old friend this morning and I'm happy for him. Tonight he is going out to dinner with some friends. We actually connected yesterday afternoon.

I love my Dad and I know he loves me, but I have a hard time connecting with him (as compared with the way I could talk to my Mom forever). So yesterday I told him how sorry I was that I couldn't take him to dinner because I have stuff I'm responsible for every week night (with kid's practices, my class). He totally got it. He told me not to worry about it as my eyes brimmed with tears. His eyes filled too. I told him that I was sad too about Mom's birthday and that I loved him and wished I could make it better. He asked me not to cry, I told him I couldn't help it and that I loved him. It was a really good moment. It was nice to have him know how much I care and how hard it is for me to not always be available. At least now I know he knows -- somehow that is a huge comfort. Hopefully it will be easier to talk to him. I want to try harder. He is a great guy and I respect him more than I can say. I just wish we were closer.

Hug your Dad today!