Random things

• Will knows the Pledge of Allegiance now, thanks to saying it every day at school. He feels the need to say it anytime he sees a flag. We had to take time to do this today at the Post Office when it was raining. :)
• Raleigh did his spelling homework on my Smartboard at school today. When he was finished, Will announced that it was his turn to use the Smartboard because he is smart!
• A few weeks ago I went to the store and spent $21.00 while saving $72.00. This included the Senior Citizen discount that the guy gave me. When I later discovered it, Ral told me, "Mom, you need to go back to the store! You're not old!" Not old enough for a discount, that's true...but smart enough to appreciate any kind of discount!
• Last week we had the Scholastic Book Fair at school. I spent way too much money but love that my boys want books! Will kept telling me it was the Buh-lastic Book Fair.
• There is a store in town called Peabody's Wine and Beer. Ral read the sign the other day and said he wanted to go there sometime because, "I like beer and you like wine, Mom!" For the record, Raleigh drinks ROOT BEER and I have bottles of wine that have been in my fridge for ages. Will kept saying that he wanted to go to Pee-Potty's too!

If Raleigh were principal

Raleigh wrote a paper on what he would do if he were principal. Can you tell he is the son of Mike Combs??:) (copied as written)

If I were Principal...I wood macke myself a coach and coach Thee Ohio State buckeyes
We will win ever game. We may lose sum games.

Hurricanes

Ral has been learning about hurricanes in school this week. I have been impressed with his knowledge of hurricane names, categories, and paths. Yesterday he sounded just like a Weather Channel meteorologist when he was explaining the storm - even using some toy blocks to demonstrate the hurricane hitting Puerto Rico and NC.

I reminded him that Grandma Mary lives on the NC coast, so when the hurricane is over he can talk to her about it and what it was like. (Ral wanted to go to the Outer Banks this weekend b/c he REALLY wants to see a hurricane! Ummm..no. We're not becoming storm chasers, Ral!)

Last night Ral was on the phone with my mama telling her all about the storm and what to expect. She told me that he sounded like the weather guy from Channel 3 in Wilmington! Raleigh told my mama that since she would not be safe in Wilmington b/c of Earl, she should come to Mtn. City. I thought the conversation would end like it normally does when Mama says no b/c of her wheelchair and the kids accept that answer.

Not this time.
Not when there is a hurricane involved.

Ral continued asking her to come up here. He told her she would be nice and safe in beautiful Mtn. City. When she continued to turn him down he even offered for us to come down and get her! She must have said something about her wheelchair not being able to fit in the house but he assured her, "We'll make it work, Grandma Mary!" He even offered her a massage if she would come to Mtn. City to escape Hurricane Earl :)

My sweet Raleigh. I LOVE his compassion. I love his persistance.

Oh how I WISH that Grandma Mary could come here during the Hurricane. In fact, I WISH that she could come for regular visits and get to enjoy all of the grandma things she always talked about. I WISH my kids could know my mama like she was - before the wheelchair. Her paralysis and it's limitations are "normal" to my kids - and to me now. Last night's conversation just made me WISH that our normal was different...