A Great End to '09

I had two wonderful experiences this past December. The first was the Stevi and I held our "Third Annual Crochet for a Cure" event! It was so amazing. Every year it has gotten better and better and this year it really surpassed all my expectations. Our first sale we donated $215 and our second sale we donated $333. This year, we raised an amazing $754.50! What was even more amazing was The American Cancer Society was running a special event with matching donations, so our donation was doubled to $1509. We held the sale this year at Stevi and Joe's new house and the flow of people in and out of the sale was incredible. We had over 40 people attend the sale including a lot of newcomers. There were people who Stevi works with who came all the way from the city, Tom's family was incredibly supportive and a large part of the Stidd clan attended. There were also a lot of loyal supporters like Eric, my dad, Paige, Kathleen, Andrea, Jenna, Bryan, Teri, and Ripley, my co-workers (Karen, Katie, and Diana), and more. Overall, people from all aspects of my life really came through and showed their love and support for my mom and I. So thank you everyone who played a role in this year's Crochet for a Cure. I plan to make next year even bigger and better.

But before I move on to my second big December event, I need to take a moment and acknowledge all that Stevi did for this year's sale. Not only did she host it at her house, she made a ton of items for the sale. The amount of time and effort she put into everything she created I can't even begin to describe. She even took days off from work to crochet, she made all the price tags, and overall she just supported me throughout the entire process. Stevi is a once in a lifetime friend and I will be forever grateful for all that she does to support me in this cause. I will never forget giving her a huge hug with tears in our eyes when we realized we raised over $1.000.

My second great moment in December (as you all already know) is that Tom proposed to me! I want to have it down in writing because it truly was the greatest moment of my life. The day after Christmas, December 26, 2009 Tom and I officially became engaged. It is so amazing to me how wonderful falling in love has been. I truly love him more and more everyday and will never forget the effort he put into making his proposal so special for me. So here is the story (once again, haha). Tom told me weeks ago that his family was having a suprise party for his uncle the day after Christmas. We were leaving to go to Pennsylvania for a few days on the 27th and that coupled with this supposed suprise party, I never considered the 26th as a possibility for when he might propose. So all day Tom was supposedly picking stuff up and helping his family get ready for the suprise party. He even dropped me off to get my nails done which I wanted to do before our trip (because that is when I was convinced the proposal was going to occur. Clearly I was wrong). So we both got dressed nice to go to the "party" and we headed out. His dad left before us and then called to say he forgot his uncle's present back at the house. Really he was calling to check in with Tom about the proposal plan. Tom pretended he couldn't find his glasses (which wouldn't be a shock, haha) to waste a little more time. Tom's dad called him while we were on our way to tell Tom that the party was being pushed back a little bit so we should try to kill some time. Tom said he wanted to drive past the restaurant to make sure he knew where it was. Then he suggested we stop by the Shrine in Manorville since it was right near the restaurant. We like it there and he said we could see how they decorated it for Christmas. So we drove in and we looked at the nativity which was really nice. Then Tom suggested we get out and look at the stations of the cross. It was drizzling but I am easy going and being the gentleman that he is Tom met me at my side of his truck with an umbrella. We walked up to the first station and Tom said "Oh great they only shoveled up to the first station. Well, I guess we could just look at that one." Little did I know that he was the one who shoveled that pathway. As we got closer he pointed out a tree filled with sparkly snowflakes. He said "Oh look they decorated." I thought it looked so pretty and I said "That's just like what we want to do for our wedding theme." Again, oblivious me didn't realize Tom and his dad had put those there earlier in the day. One of them had writing engraved on it and Tom asked me if I could read what it said. I assumed that it was probably one of those "In memory of ______" kind of things but when I got closer I read that it said "Will you marry me?" When I turned around Tom was down on his knee and started saying all these beautiful things to me. As much as I would love to share that with you, I know Tom would want that to be just between us , hahah. But I will say that it was incredibly sweet and romantic and he said the nicest things I have ever heard. When he first started talking, I actually said "Are you serious right now?" I was so shocked! Trust me I had been trying to get information out of Tom for weeks but I honestly never expected it when it was actually happening. So he finished saying what he had to say with "Jamie Vita Mauro, will you marry me?" Of course I jumped into his arms and said "Yes Yes!" He also pointed out a tree that was behind our snowflake tree. As soon as I saw it I knew why he picked that spot. You see my parents took a picture on their wedding day at Belmont Lake by a tree that was shaped like a V. The photographer had them put their heads through it. On their 25th anniversary they went back to try and find the same tree. I told Tom about this over the summer when we went to Belmont Lake and I told him how I wanted us to have special places too. So the tree where Tom proposed had that same V shape and it was truly perfect. That's when the tears started to flow but it was such a beautiful moment. He spun me all around and then brought me back to his truck since it was raining. He went to retrive the snowflakes and then he drove me to a romantic dinner. Afterwards, we made a lot of phone calls and tried to show as many people as we could. Oh and I absolutely love my ring! Tom truly got me exactly what I would have wanted. Tom and I had tried rings on and he had started to buy one. But after Tom had already started the process, my dad offered Tom my mom's ring if we wanted it. We decided to put my mom's stone in the setting we liked, and it truly is beautiful. And it has so much meaning for me because it connects the two people I love most in the whole world! Overall, I will never forget the day Tom proposed to me! Afterwards we spend some time in Lancaster Pennsylvania and just relaxed and enjoyed our time together. Before we went back to work this week we booked our wedding reception. It is Decemeber 23rd, 2011 at Vineyard Caterers in Aquebogue. It is so beautiful and we are going to have a wonderful snowflake wedding! Ultimately, I couldn't ask for more, Tom truly has made my dreams come true and I am so excited that we are going to have a lifetime of happiness together.

Tom and I on the day we got engaged!

Dear Mom,

November 12, 2009
Dear Mom,

I wish we could have had this conversation in person. A few days ago, Tom talked with his dad about how much he loves me and how he wants to ask me to marry him as soon as possible. I would have loved to have had a similar conversation with you. You see mom, Tom truly is the love of my life. He is my best friend and I tell him anything and everything. I know from the depths of my soul that he is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I know we will have an amazing future together. He spent a lot of time talking to his dad about why he loves me and then they discussed how to put our future plans into action. So now mom, it is my turn to tell you why I love Thomas Barton Stidd.

If you ask Tom his goal in life he would tell you it is to make me happy and keep me safe. Even though I would never let him, Tom has mentioned putting his prized procession his Sonoma truck up for sale so he could buy me an engagement ring. When I had a cold last week, Tom went above and beyond to help me get better. Between getting me soup, orange juice, and making me rest I was better within a few days. Tom listens to all the stories about my Kindergartners and even though he has never met them, I am convinced that he loves that as much as I do. Tom’s family means everything to him and I am so honored that I am going to get to be a part of his family someday. His love for his dad and sister is so evident and watching him with his nephew convinces me that he will be an amazing father someday. Mom you know how much of a stressed out person I can be. But since I have been with Tom, my stress level has decreased beyond belief. Little things that use to drive me crazy barely faze me these days. I know Tom will always be on my side, and we know that if we communicate and work as a team, we can conquer anything. Mom I couldn’t ask for a better partner in life than what I have found in Tom. He is kind, sweet, generous, genuine, and loving. I know he would do anything for me and he makes me feel like he is so lucky to be with me. But in reality, I am the lucky one. Tom is the kind of guy who would never look at another girl. He tells me I am beautiful whether I am dressed up for a wedding, or in my pajamas with my glasses on and my retainer in. There are not a lot of guys out there like that. He is a true gentleman inside and out. And mom, I know you would have loved to have had Tom as your son-in-law. Look down on us, guide and protect us as we journey on together. Sometime in the near future, Tom is going to ask Daddy if he can marry me. My only wish is that he could have gotten to ask both of you…but I already know what your answer would have been.

I love you,
Jamie

Tom and I all dressed up for Kathleen's Wedding.

Tom, his nephew Alex (the world's cutest 2 year old) and I at Thomas the Tank Engine.

Tom and Jamie: Part 1 of Many...

I am sorry I have been so absent from my blog this summer, my dear blog friends. I guess it is because I have been having the summer of my life. As I am sure you all know I met my boyfriend Tom this summer. Quick recap: We started talking within one day of my joining match.com, starting hanging out, and have officially been a couple since August 1st. At this point, I see him every single day and miss him when he is not with me. He really has become my best friend and we can tell each other anything and everything.



While love is a new thing for me, I can truly say I am in love. Now I realize the timing of all of this is short, so some might say I am still in the infatuation stage and only think I am in love. But I would hope that all of you know me well enough to know that I am not the type to just jump into things. I am a cautious and rational person and so is Tom. Despite that, I know what I have with him is real and it is amazing. I am incredibly happy and feel in the depths of my heart that I have found my soul mate. Tom is such an open book and I really feel like I know him inside and out. He is who he says he is so I know there are not going to be any crazy sides to his personality that are going to suddenly surface. He treats me like gold and tells me daily how much he loves and adores me. I know I will never find someone better than Tom and I really, really mean that.


Last night I had a long conversation with my dad. This transition of me having another man in my life has been an adjustment for us both. I always felt my relationship with my dad got blurred after my mom passed away. We became this mix of father/daughter and husband/wife out of necessity. We share household responsibilities and rely on each other a lot. So when Tom came into my life, I think it was hard for my dad to see me so much less and watch me rely on someone other than him. So last night we spoke a lot about my relationship. My dad repeatedly emphasized that while he misses having me around, he is genuinely happy for me. He said he hasn’t seen me this happy since before my mom passed away and I could not agree more. I honestly never thought I would never allow myself to be this happy again after losing my mom. I was not planning on telling my dad that I love Tom until some more time had passed but for some reason last night I really felt compelled to tell him. He was honestly so much more receptive to it than I ever could have imagined. I told him I not going to come home from Vegas married to Tom tomorrow or anything. However, I truly believe that I will have a future with him. I told him how Tom and I have discussed a “three-year plan” to get engaged and married. Not only is that socially acceptable, but that gives us time to get everything in order. Again, my dad was so understanding of this. My parents were married after dating for two and a half years. They were originally supposed to get married a year earlier, but my dad had cold feet. So technically us being together for three years was fine with him. Honestly, my dad’s reaction to my announcing that I love Tom and want to spend my life with him only reinforced what I already know. His support and lack of resistance only showed me even clearer that Tom is the one for me. Having Tom in my life has only enhanced my relationship with my dad because it has deepened it and increased our ability to be completely honest with one another.



Now I will tell you some reasons why I love Tom since most of you have not really gotten to know him yet. But you will as we work towards our three year plan.

1. He has an incredible work-ethic. Even though he is not positive which direction to take with his engineering aspirations, I am so confident that he will figure it out. He truly wants to be successful in a field that he loves.

2. He makes me feel like the most amazing and beautiful woman he has ever known. He tells me this constantly and makes me feel like he is honored to be with me. While this is flattering, it is so much more than that. He truly loves the person that I am completely so I feel like I can totally be myself.

3. I really feel like we get one another. We are so compatible and have had so many similar experiences that we truly get where the other person is coming from.

4. I can tell him anything. He knows all my secrets and everything about me. There is nothing that I am afraid to tell him. Even though I may seem to be an open-book to a lot of people, there are things I have told Tom that I have never told anyone else.

5. He is really supportive of my career. He helped me in my classroom and he takes the passion that I have for my job seriously. He built me a bookshelf, helps me laminate, and basically would do anything he could to make my job easier.

6. He loves the domestic side of me which is a big part of who I am. He loves how I cook and clean, and he actually enjoys watching me crochet. Overall, he loves all the “girly” things that I can do.

7. I miss him anytime he is not around, even if I am just waiting for him to get out of work and come see me. When I went to Providence with Stevi to visit Kate, I really missed him. Even though I was with my two best girls, I thought about him a lot. This is not to say that I want him to be the only person in my life, and forget about everybody else. Absolutely not, but I never had that “I miss my other half” feeling before.

8. He lets me re-create the memory of my mom for him. We talk about my mom all the time, we looked at my parents wedding album, and we visit places my parents use to go. We even slowed danced by Belmont Lake which was a special place for my parents.

9. He treats his family so well. He respects and honors his dad so much and I can see how much his dad has shaped the man that he is. He is also amazingly supportive of his sister. He talks to her daily and I can tell he is genuinely interested in her life. I can tell by how he treats them how much he values family.

10. We have had some really deep conversations about our faiths. We were both raised Catholic and our faiths deepened for both of us after we went through some tough times. I love how he has been coming to church with me and I see us being very supportive of one another’s faith development.



Overall, I am incredibly happy as you can probably tell. Please do not advise me to take things slow because again nothing is happening immediately. Sometimes it takes people years before they know if they have found the one and others know almost immediately. The timing really is not all that important as long as you find someone who enhances your life and makes you the best you can be. Someone who you can share all of life’s ups and downs with and make it through together. Overall, I just wanted to share with the world that I am happy and in love. So please trust me and share in my happiness. If my dad is able to accept me being in love, I trust that the rest of my world can to. Look forward to future blog entries on the Tom and Jamie story to be continued…

Jubin and Jonathan's Wedding

If anyone wants to renew their Christian faith, I suggest spending some time with some Indian Christians. Jubin's Christian denomination is called Brethren. Basically, it is a Christian faith who uses the Bible as a guide, but that has a deep spiritual connection to God as individuals. The pastor at Jubin's wedding said as wedding guests we should be honored to be in attendance because we would be witnessing something incredibly, and those words jumped around my heart the entire time I was at the wedding. It was an honor and a privilege for me to be a part of this wedding, because I was probably one of ten non-Indians in attendance, and a member of the bridal party. Jubin and Jon were kind enough to invite my dad too, who was truly touched by the ceremony.

This wedding was unlike the average American wedding. The reoccurring theme throughout the church portion was the uniting of three: Jubin, Jonathan, and Jesus Christ. It was mesmerizing listening to the singers, readers, and speakers all re-emphasize this. Even though Jon and Jubin only knew one another a year (again an exception to the norm), they have such confidence that God united them. The main speaker explained how being married isn't easy. They will have good times and bad. But if they have one another and God to lean on, they can come through anything. They will be husband and wife, best friends, supporters, and more and God will be there to support them on their journey. It was emotional at points when the congregation was reminded that it was time for the couple to leave their families and start their own. The ceremony was absolutely amazing because the focus wasn't on the flowers, the white dress, or the tuxedos, which were wonderful. It was really all about love: love they have for one another, love for family and friends, and the love shown to all of us from God.

The reception was also like no other wedding I have ever been too. There was music playing, but it was mostly Christian music. The only exception was when the bridal party was being announced, and we came out to contemporary music. Funny fact: The guy I walked in with and I had to come out to Vanilla Ice’s “Ice, Ice, Baby.” Jubin and Jon thought that would be funny since we were obviously the white minorities. More speakers came up and said blessings for the newlyweds, as well as some other singers. The food was delicious, we were at Villa Lombardis after all, and everyone was enjoying one another’s company. There wasn’t any dancing, but one cool thing that we did was we played bridal party Family Fued. We had to answer questions and tell funny and embarrassing memories we had with either Jon or Jubin. Our answers were shared in front of everyone, so it was hysterical. I told a story about Jubin attempting to curl her hair as a child. She wet her hair, and got a round brush stuck in so bad; her mom had to cut it out of her hair, leaving her slightly bald in the front. One of my favorite parts was when Jubin and Jonathan, followed by their fathers thanked everyone and God for this special day. There were over 400 people in attendance, but I can tell you it wasn’t to put on a show. Their thank yous were so sincere; they just really wanted to share their special day with all of their friends and family. The dad thank yous were really touching. Both men, born in India, spoke in broken English and their love for their children and God just poured out of them.

Overall, being a part of Jubin and Jonathan’s wedding was so rewarding for me. I have witnessed their journey from when they first met up until the wedding. Even though in person they only saw one another a handful of times, they truly knew they were meant for one another. There relationship developed over the phone and the times that they were able to get together, and it is so wonderful to watch them learn about one another. One of the sweetest things that happened at the wedding was Jubin was not happy about the processional music for when everyone walked down the aisle. However, Jubin said she wasn’t going to worry about such a small detail. Secretly, Jon hired a string trio to play and it was such a nice surprise for Jubin, who loves the violin. Another thing that I admired about Jubin on her wedding day was she was her usual humble self, without a hint of being a bridezilla. At one point, someone asked her if she wanted to borrow a mirror, and Jubin’s response was, “No thanks. I would rather not look at myself too much, because it is not about that today. It is about me marrying Jonathan, not my appearance.” Amazing, right? Overall, Jubin, Jonathan, and their family and friends are some of the most genuine Christians I know. It truly radiates from them, without being condescending. Remember, the majority of India is Hindu, so the fact that they are Christians is pretty amazing. They value their faith and this country so much, because they know what it is like to live somewhere else. They pray throughout the day and read the Bible daily, not to be self-righteous, not to gain points with God, but because it truly feeds their souls. So like I said at the beginning if you ever want to refresh your faith…

Congratulations to the newlyweds, my friends:
Jonathan & Jubin Matthews June 27, 2009

Getting my hair done at 4a.m.

Jubin and I after we had our hair and makeup ready to go!

Bridesmaids waiting to walk down the aisle.

Jubin walking down with her dad. Look at that smile!

The Newlyweds!

Mr. and Mrs. Mathews

Full bridal party

Jon perfomed a song he wrote for Jubin. Isn't that sweet?

Time to cut the cake!

Me and the happy couple. My face is all red, because Daddy made me sad when he told them not to move away from me. I hope they live on Long Island!

There they are!

Me wearing the sari. Don't I look a little Indian?

My hair which I loved!

Classic Linus shot. He is squrming all over the place!

A Circle of Love

So I am less than three weeks away from completing my first year as a teacher. I have mixed emotions as this amazing year of my life nears its end. On the one hand, I am tired, very tired. The exhaustion of a first year teacher is incredible. You literally must prepare everything that you do because you have nothing created from past years. Not to mention I have had a cold on an approximately two to three week rotating schedule (yes I feel like one might be coming on as I type this).

That being said, not matter how worn out I might be, I am incredibly sad that this school year is ending. Anyone who knows me knows that I am terrible at goodbyes. I have cried at every job I have ever left (except for when Paige rescued me from the physical therapy office.) I cry at sad movies, sad songs, and anything sad at all. Now I know I am not leaving this school and I will still see my class in the hallway. But for 180 days, for 1080 hours, I have been teacher, mother, nurse, and companion to those children. We have had our good days and our bad. They have frustrated me when they talk too much or don’t follow directions. But on the whole, I can genuinely say I love all 18 of those kids. And now the time has come for me to pass them along to 3rd grade. I know they are ready. We have worked so hard to make them ready. And yet, I am going to miss seeing their shining faces, each and every day.

Here are the notable highlights for each of my students this year: (They were randomly assigned a letter to keep them anonymous).

Z- Entered as a kid who felt like nobody paid attention to him/her because of the special needs of his/her sibling. Left feeling confident and cared about, while sharing his/her Ripley’s Believe or not book with me at lunchtime.

H- Entered as a kid who was fearful of teachers who yelled and were mean. Left knowing there was a teacher who would hug her on a daily basis (then I wonder why I got so many colds).

L- Entered as a kid who tried to hide his/her journal because he hated to write. Left as a kid who received an autographed letter from his favorite football player and now reminds me what days journals are due.

P- Entered as a kid whose history of academic failure caused him/her to break his/her pencil points and rip the pages out of books to avoid reading and writing. Left asking if he/she can read aloud to me every morning which we do for fifteen minutes a day.

W- Entered as a kid who felt torn between his/her mom and step-mom. Left as a kid who learned it was ok to love them both, but opted to make three mother’s day cards, with one for me included.

O- Entered as a kid who was great student, but too quiet when called on. Left as a kid who gave a dynamic oral report for the science fair and now knows how to use his/her biggest, loudest voice.

A- Entered as a kid who knew how to make everyone laugh, but knew when it was appropriate to do so. Left as kid who made the teacher laugh, especially one my toughest days.

Y- Entered as a kid who liked to push and shove to get attention. Let as a kid who uses handshakes and smiles to settle differences.

R- Entered as a kid who was terrified that he/she got the “new teacher.” Left as a student who wants me to move in with her and her family, or at least next door.

T- Entered as a kid who was so nervous when his/her parent had serious surgery. Left as a kid who learned that homemade cards and stickers can make a big difference.

D- Entered as a kid who thought being silly and babyish was the best way to get attention. Left as a kid who learned that people will still love us even as we get older.

C- Entered as a kid who truly was a great student and person. Left as a kid who soaked up all of second grade like a sponge.

X- Entered as a kid who missed his/her best friend because he/she was assigned to the other second grade. Left as a kid who has become friends with everyone.

E- Entered as a kid who was incredibly messy and disorganized. Left as a kid who still needs to work at being neat, but now understands the benefits of organization.

Y- Entered as a kid who was argumentative and angry. Left as a kid who now smiles and worked hard to become student of the month, something he/she never thought possible.

V- Entered as a kid who felt he/she was the smarter than the rest of the class. Left as a kid who learned everyone has strengths and weaknesses and that is a great thing.

Q- Entered as a kid who hated to read because it was so hard. Left as a kid who wants to read aloud to everyone he/she meets.

G- Entered as a kid who had so many academic struggles. Left as a kid who will finally be receiving special education services after a long hard fight, but more importantly has gained so much confidence.


I entered as a fresh out of college teacher who was nervous about her abilities as a teacher. I left with a whole lot of love in my heart as I watched each of my students blossom. I left as a teacher who now knows that she can teach and I feel I have the greatest career in the world!

And now for your reading enjoyment…. Some funny real moments from my students!

Funny Moments in Class 2A

~ Miss. Mauro: “Will your Mom be home today after school today? I need to call her.” Student: “Yes, she always is. Unless she goes to Target.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “Can anyone use the word load in a sentence?” Student: “I took a big load in the toilet.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “Oh Student, you are always tripping and falling.” Student: “I know….” as he trips over a lunchbox and falls again. Miss. Mauro: “I was just telling your sister yesterday how you are always falling.” Student: “Trust me, she knows.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “Who can name the four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly?” Student: “Egg, Larva, I think the “Poop-a”, and Adult.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “It’s important to learn so that you can grow up, get a job, and live on your own.” Student: “I’m not going to be a virgin.” Miss. Mauro: “What?” Student: “I am not going to be a virgin. I won’t be alone because I am going to get married and live with my wife.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “So tomorrow we are going to try much harder to have better behavior at recess. Any questions or comments?” Student: “Did I ever tell you that you’re beautiful?”

~ Miss. Mauro: “How are Student A and I both the same?” Student: “You’re both teenagers.” Miss. Mauro: “Well no, neither of us are teenagers.” Student: “Yes you are, you just graduated high school.”

~ Miss. Mauro: “After we take our test, I will announce the new student of the week.” Student: “Miss. Mauro, please do not say student of the week until you are ready to tell us who it is.” Miss. Mauro: “Sure Student, but why?” Student: “Every time you say student of the week, my heart skips a beat, I want to be it so badly.”

~ Student: “See that picture of Frankenstein? That is what my dad looks like when he yells at me to go to my room.”

~ Student: "My mom does medical transcription, so she types like a million words a second."

~ Student: “Did you see that show on the Disney channel.” Student: “Oh those Disney people, they’re filthy rich I tell ya, filthy rich.”

~ Student: “This is for you.” Miss. Mauro “Oh Halloween earrings! Thank you, I love them.” Student: “You can even keep the box.”

~ Students: “Who did you vote for Miss. Mauro?” Miss. Mauro: “I’m not saying because remember who you vote for is a secret.” Student: “Well, then don’t tell us who you voted for. Just tell us if you were happy or sad when you woke up this morning.”

~ Students: “Miss Mauro, Miss Mauro, Miss Mauro!” Miss Mauro: “Please wait with your hands raised, I am coming over to help you.” Students: “Miss Mauro, Miss Mauro.” Miss Mauro: “Hold on. I hear all of you calling my name in my sleep.” Everyone laughs. Student: “Didn’t you know that was going to happen when you became a teacher?”

~ Student: “Miss Mauro, I want that floam for mystery prize so badly, I dreamed about it last night.”

~ Student: “Here’s the magazines my mom told me to bring in. And don’t worry, there’s nothing inappropriate in there like muscle men.”

~ While cutting out pictures from magazines for the Christmas presents for our dads. Student: “Is this one of the people on the beach ok?” Miss Mauro: “Let’s skip that one, just because of all the people are wearing bathing suits.” Student: “Why it’s inappropriate?” Miss Mauro: “Well, let’s just see what else we can find that your dads might like.” Student: “My dad would have liked that one of the lady in the bathing suit.

~ Student: “I really wanted to go to the Olive Garden for Valentine’s Day but my mom said no.” Miss. Mauro: “Why?” Student: “Because every time we go my dad never knows how to order just one thing, and then it costs us a lot of money.”

~ Student: “Have you ever heard of the snuggie?” Miss. Mauro: “Yes, I have one.” Student: “Oh my goodness, you do? What color?” Miss. Mauro: “Blue.” Student: “Me too. Don’t you love it, isn’t it so warm.” Student: “I want the snuggie.” Student: “Tell me you got the free book light?” Miss. Mauro: “Yes I did!”

~ Miss. Mauro: “So, we are going to keep practicing for Communion as much as we can.” Student: “Are we going to practice drinking the booze, too?”

~ Student: “Is Sister old enough to be a nun?” Miss. Mauro, “Yes, she is.” Student: “Well, even if she is old enough, I still can’t picture her wearing that black and white thing.”

~ Student: “My dad found a T-rex fossil in our backyard.” Miss. Mauro: “So should I call your dad and ask him to bring it in?” Student: “Well, he would have, but we already donated it to a museum.”


The reason I titled this blog entry a Circle of Love is because that is one of the songs that the second graders sang at the end of our special Communion mass. It was the cutest song ever with lots of uncoordinated arm movements. Part of the lyrics are: “A circle of love, yes a circle of love. Each hand in a hand, a circle of friends. A circle of love, that is open to all. We open the circle and welcome each one you in.” That is exactly what these children did for me. I was new to the school and they fully welcomed me in. They made me feel like a part of this school and a part of their worlds. And I am so thankful to have had them in my life….

Lacy white curtains

I can't believe I haven't blogged in a month! This last month was a little crazy. Eric and I went to Florida for a few days and Linus is a little wild man, so I guess my blogging has suffered, haha. I will include pictures of both at the end of this blog, but there is something else I want to write about today.

Today was my last Teachers New to the Diocese meeting. I could not be prouder that I almost finished my first year as a teacher. Even though there are so many uncertainties about next year, I am proud to say I did it! I am a real teacher and I absolutely love every second of it.

After the meeting, I went to visit my Aunt Anna in Bayshore. She asked me when I saw her a few weeks ago if I could buy her new curtains. Anyone who knows my aunt knows that she does not ask for much and that little things bring her a lot of joy. In her usual unassuming way, she asked me not to rush, but that she would love some new curtains for her bedroom. Lacy white ones. Let me explain why this has special meaning for me. You see, my mom and I use to visit Aunt Anna every Friday in the summers when I was off from school and she was off from work. So one of the last times my mom and I went to visit her together, she asked us if we could get her lacy, white curtains for her bedroom. She was tired of her old curtains and wanted to brighten up her bedroom. So my mom and I went to the curtain store and picked out curtains for her. The next time we went, my mom and I each stood on a chair, one of us on each side and took down Aunt Anna's old curtains. Then, we hung up the new ones for her. Well, Aunt Anna absolutely loved them! The three of us stood back and admired them. She kept saying how pretty they looked and how nice they made her bedroom look. After that, she would mention how when people would come to visit her, she would point out her new beloved curtains.

Well, my Aunt has had those same curtains hanging up for the last 4 years. She hasn't changed them since we put them up for her. In fact, I honestly don't remember if Aunt Anna saw my mom again after that day we hung up the curtains for her. So a few weeks ago, she told me that she would love new bedroom curtains. Lacy white ones. She loved the ones she had hanging up, but they were so dusty after four years. She said if I could get her one more set, (whenever I had the chance), she could wash the other ones, and than alternate between the two. She wanted me to be the one to get them from her because my mom and I were the ones who had gotten them for her the last time. She figured I could find something similar. So I went out after we returned from Florida and went to the curtain store and found some that I hoped she would like. I've honestly never bought curtains alone before, and hoped that I had picked up the right ones. I didn't want to mess up what I considered an honor to be able to do for my aunt. I went today and took down the old curtains. I hung them up and together we admired them. She said how pretty they looked and how nice they made her bedroom look. It brought back such a happy memory for me. There we were with Aunt Anna's lacy white curtains. The only difference this time was there was only one chair which I stood on by myself...

Pictures from Florida

Lizard in the poolroom

Pompano ducks

Out for pizza

New Linus Pictures

Linus

Eric and I have often discussed how we divide our lives based on B.M.D and A.M.D which translates to "Before Mommy Died" or "After Mommy Died." We honestly feel like we are living two separate lives in one lifetime. For me, all of high school was B.M.D. and most of college, including graduation, was A.M.D. My job in admissions, my 2nd grade class, and my frienship with Stevi and Joe, all fall into the after category. Very few things left in my life have been a part of both my "lives." Certain friends, like Kate, Ellen, or Paige have known me in both. My greatest tie to my two lives was Ashley. She was with us from the time I was 7 to the time I was 22. So she had 12 years in B.M.D. and 3 years in A.M.D. That is why I always felt losing Ashley would be so devestating, and trust me it was and still is. I loved that cat for most of elementary school through my college years. Ashley was a friend to me through all I can remember of both lives.

Every so often there is an event that occurs that connects my B.M.D. life to my A.M.D life. It does not happen a lot, but when it does there is a special feeling that I get. It's a feeling that I undeniable know is God guiding my life, with a kiss from my mom. For example, when Eric recently went to visit a friend of his who had been in a horrible car accident. His friend was being treated at Stonybrook, which is where we ultimately lost our mom. While we have both been to Stonybrook the school, neither of us have been to the hospital. Eric mentioned the eeriness of the parking garage and all the emotions it sent flooding back through him. Moments like that are like a time machine and suddenly you are re-watching a horror scene, but from your own life. He finished visiting his friend (who is still in the hospital recovering, but doing well. He has a long road ahead of him, but he will fine), and headed out to his car. He looked down at his parking ticket that he was given when he came in. What did the number on his ticket say? 0616 The date immediately looked familar because Mommy passed away on June 16th. Eric being the math brain that he is said the odds of that number occuring were in the millions. A kiss from our mom.

Well, today was another day that we knew she was with us. When my beloved Ashley passed away, I quickly wanted another cat. I was shocked by my own desire for another cat so soon, because I am horrible with things changing, especially in my A.M.D life. Yet, I felt so lonely, especially being in my house alone. In the past when the boys weren't home, I always had Ashley following me around. But when she was gone, I was truly alone in our house a lot. Initially, Eric wasn't ready for another cat and when he explained why it was too painful for him, I knew not to push him on it. Yesterday, was my 23rd birthday and I wanted nothing more than to get a new cat. When I finished opening my gifts, my heart sank a little as there seemed to be no mention of a kitten. Eric left the room and came back with one more gift bag. He told me my last gift was inside. Inside was a few papers stapled together. The first was a picture of my dad's car, a Ford Focus. My dad hates my car and how its always breaking down. He often mentions trading cars with me so my first thought was he was giving me his car. The next page showed driving directions. I hate to drive so this didn't seem like much of a gift. The next page said North Shore Animal League on it. The last page showed three kittens! My wish had come true. My eyes filled with tears as the boys told me they were ready to go get a kitten the next day.

So we headed off for North Shore Animal League, which is where we had gotten Ashley and Graycie many years ago. We walked into the kitten center... and they only had 4, the youngest of which was close to a year old. We were told it wasn't kitten season and to try back in a month or so. We were disappointed, but determined. They gave us a list of other shelters and we started driving and calling around. We were given the same answer everywhere, that it wasn't time for kittens just yet. We didn't even know a kitten season existed and it was so upsetting. Jenna happened to call us as our hopes were depleting. She mentioned an adoption center called Save a Pet, in Port Jeff. We called there... and they had kittens! It took us about an hour to get there. They had 8 kittens, 4 boys and 4 girls. The girls weren't ready to be adopted yet, so we looked at the boys. The litter actually looked a lot like Graycie. We instantly found ourselves drawn to one with dark gray fur, with black and brown swirls. Flashback to 1993, my parents and 10 year old Eric and myself at 7 fell in love with two gray cats. You know how animal shelters put names on the cages to keep track of the animals. Well, the names on Ashley and Graycie's cage read "Linus and Lucy." We laughed about those names, especially because they were two girls, but we never forgot it said that. Back to the present time, as we stood in front of the cage with the four boy kittens, we read the names on their cage. They had given them all "L" names. We read the first name, "Louis." We glanced at the second name and what did it say but "Linus!" The woman working there asked if there was one we liked. We pointed to the darker one with the swirls and asked out of curiosity, which name is his. She told us that he was Linus. We knew then and there, he was the cat for us. And how could we even consider naming him anything else, than the name that God, Mommy, Graycie, and Ashley had intended him to have. A kiss from our mom...

Meet our new little boy Linus: