MOXIE MOM on Life & Kids
New Moon Mania
My daughter banned me from seeing New Moon with her and her buddy. Unequivocally, no question, mom not welcome.
I get it—my daughter is differentiating, and that’s okay. Necessary, in fact. But dang, the mania around these movies is so fun. And funny. I couldn’t help feeling like I was missing out. Last year I took Leah and another friend to Twilight—back when she would be seen with me—and the best part was watching them stamp their feet on the floor in anticipation as the opening credits rolled.
This year, I had to content myself with the movie lobby, which, when I arrived back from my various errands, contained no shortage of activity. I was there for a 6:00pm pickup and the place was flooded with people queuing for the 7:30 show, and others arriving for the 8:00 show. With Fandango tickets in hand, mind you. Sheesh. (The 3:40 matinee seemed like a good time to go—the girls only waited half an hour in the theater and easily got seats together.)
One group of women ranging in age from about 45 to 10 were dressed in Team Edward shirts. A couple of cute teen-age girls wore black sweat pants with “La Push” across their bums in bright red letters. I’m guessing this is the most press La Push will ever get.
Me, I had to content myself with the latest Star Trek movie just released on DVD. Which, honestly, is good enough for me. I’ll take hotties on the Enterprise any day. But maybe, just maybe, when Eclipse comes out in June, Leah won’t mind if I go with her. Maybe if I offer to sit in the back?
1 commentCommunity Support
Last night, Whatcom Middle School parents and students gathered in the Bellingham High School theater to hear about where we go from here with the sudden loss of our middle school to fire.
We heard Principal Jeff Coulter’s voice crack as he gave an emotional address to remind us that we’ll be okay, all of us, the kids, the teachers, the parents. We listened to district officials give details about the decision-making process behind where our kids are placed (Leah will be traveling to Fairhaven Middle School), as well as transportation details (two-thirds of the school will be traveling by bus to schools outside our zone), as well as the district hopes for Whatcom’s restoration. Time will tell.
I have never seen so many parents–about 800–gathered in one venue, and it was a reminder of just how many of us are in this together. Not only us, but also students, teachers, and staff from Bellingham High, Geneva Elementary, and Fairhaven Middle, many of whom are scrambling as I write this to relocate their classrooms and make room for Whatcom teachers and students. Coulter told us last night he is humbled by the community support. I am, too.
I saw it firsthand yesterday at BHS. Leah and I went to help with the classroom moves and to unload cardboard boxes from parents’ vehicles, boxes designated for the collection of school supplies. The BHS teachers and students had already been moving the contents of their classrooms for much of the day to make room in one wing of the school for Whatcom’s eighth graders. Not only do the kids get their own wing, the high school students have welcomed them into it with “Whatcom Wildcats” signs and posters.
Two nights ago, I met, by chance, a Fairhaven Middle School student who positively glowed at the prospect of welcoming Whatcom students into her school. She wanted to know my daughter’s name.
I know I can speak for all Whatcom parents when I say thank you to all. We are so grateful, and we live in an amazing community.
Today’s Bellingham Herald gives details of last night’s meeting. If you want to help, you can find a list of ways here.
leave a comment!Last Night’s Fire
I have been processing the news of Whatcom Middle School, my daughter’s school, all morning, since about 6:20am when Curt woke me to tell me the news.
“What?” My mind felt so fuzzy.
Undoubtedly, you’ve heard by now the school was ravaged by fire. Our household, along with hundreds of others, is spinning. After getting Ty out the door to elementary school—how weird is that to send one out the door but not the other—Leah and I decided to go get breakfast at the Bagelry. Sounds odd, maybe, but I thought it would be okay.
I was doing fine holding it together until we were eating our eggs and someone leaned over from the neighboring table to say, “Are you a Whatcom Middle School family? I’m so sorry for your loss.”
And then it really sank in, my throat closed up, and my eyes filled with tears. It is a loss, and to have an unknown community member acknowledge it out loud brought it all home. There are 580 kids and their teachers and staff and principal without a school.
Teachers have lost years of lesson plans, materials, and resources. Class schedules, upcoming sports, current sports, a daily routine—it’s all gone for the foreseeable future, at least as Whatcom Middle School. All this after dealing with the disruption of the seismic retrofit since last January, truly no picnic, and nearly complete at last.
We’re all waiting to hear how everyone will be accommodated.
Leah and I drove past the school on the way home. Some of the upper windows are blown out, the window shades contorted and bent, the sky visible through those windows where the roof caved in, the top of the building blackened along the roof line. The water damage is exensive, though it’s invisible from the street. From one day to the next, we’ve gone from a vibrant, functioning building to a shell.
You can catch the latest here at the Herald if you haven’t already. Here are the gallery photos.
And thanks for sending your good thoughts out to everyone affected.
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