I found out that I get a discount at Barnes and Noble. Yay! Yay-yay-yay-ya-ay-yay!

Then I found out that I get a discount at Starbucks!! Who’s cool?!? Oh, yeah! Who’s cooler than I am? Yeah, yeah, yeah, YEAH!

I was late getting in last night because 4 kids had parents who didn’t pick them up on time, but I took the last one home myself (she’s a favorite, and her mom is great–adopted from Cambodia when her mom could have retired comfortably instead). That’s probably against the law somehow, but what are they going to do, fire me? It was good to see Greg and settle in at my nest at KR–it feels like home. Mine, not Joe’s. That’s recent. Talked to my Ian and my Mombo. Up early this a.m. to drive to Danville. This was Joe’s fishing time of year, so maybe John is right in that I must cast my line in many different directions with varied baits and see if anything bites. Left a resume, somewhat fortuitously I hope, and headed back to St. Mark to start packing up my room. Went there and who’s waiting but 8 of my graduates from years past–it was senior skip day at Central and exam day at Catholic, and they came to help me pack up instead. They were awesome. They had already gone through my books and separated the ones with Dixon, Adkins, or Wood inside the covers. They knew the room like the backs of their hands. It was their realm for three years. They didn’t mention that I’m fired or that they’re sorry or that they love me. They were just there, and they cared, and God couldn’t have given me a better message. Their strong bodies easily hefted the boxes into their cars and into my car (and one of my “bad boys” asked if I trusted him to drive it to 4th St. and I told him it’s Caitlan’s, so be careful or she’d kill him.) Soon they left having accomplished much and hugged me goodby. Some will graduate tomorrow, and I reminded them that I’m always there for them and that my email won’t change in case they need recommendations or advice. I didn’t cry in front of them, thank goodness.

Then my KK came to help me more, and I was interrupted by our P.E. teacher who is one of my moms, and who has also been discarded during “spring cleaning.” She went on her first trip with us this week and loved it. She is one of the most faith-filled people I know. When we left Cincy to come back yesterday, we looked out the window to our left and saw a double rainbow. It was the most pefect rainbow I’ve ever seen–it literally went from one end of the sky to the other, just like in the coloring books. We were all telling each other to look, and calling the other bus and telling them to look, and just watching it until we couldn’t anymore. So today she came into my room just to say, “Joan, that rainbow was a promise to us. Rainbows are promises. We may not know what it means right now, but I know that’s what God was saying to us. It had to be.” She’s one of the ones who could move mountains.

We finished for the day at about 7:30, and I was ready to leave when I remembered that I should check my email, and lo and behold, yet another message from the powers that be disallowing several more little requests that the 8th graders had for making the occasion of their graduation their own. I replied that we would do as we were told, but could I please have some reasons to bring to them when I tell them about the changes. I will get no response.

I went to 4th St. to get Greg and found a letter in the mailbox. I’m not supposed to get mail there, but somehow I got the letter from the other diocesan school to whom I applied telling me that the position was filled. I applied for any position in the whole school. I liked the principal. She could have called. It’s not paranoid–they aren’t going to let me teach this diocese. Maybe not in any diocese. Maybe the rainbow was promising something else.

KK and I went to Annie and Steve’s for cold pizza, salad, and magaritas (not KK). Annie–my first friend in Richmond. I taught with her at Montessori, and then we went to St. Mark together. She started and built up the preschool program there to be the best in the county. There was always a waiting list. She took special needs kids that became a part of our school community and are protected and nurtured by every kid in the school (she has both early childhood and special ed. background). She is part of the spring cleaning. I taught two of Annie’s 5 kids. Now she and Steve are grandparents 3 times with another on the way. Steve was Joe’s favorite of my friends. They would have deep conversations about life and meaning and God-stuff. Annie and Steve are the good guys. We’ll always be friends. We talked and drank margaritas and looked at our futures and talked about our faith. Steve said he could probably get me a low paying job at the water company where I would take bills from one of those sucking up tubes at a drive-up and could read my books all day. That might be the rainbow.

We get into the St. Mark parking lot at 9:00 p.m., and most of the parents are waiting for us. I don’t get off the bus right away because I don’t want to face the crowd, some of them gushing with thanks about how gracious of me it was to make this opportunity possible for their kids, and others with accusing eyes that won’t meet mine who think I’ve done something bad and that’s why my contract wasn’t renewed. Confronting them doesn’t work. They only believe her more. So I stay on the bus and check for discarded candy wrappers that the kids were supposed to pick up and bide my time. I turn to exit, and one of my dads who has been on 3 trips with his first daughter and 2 with his second, who is a big bear of a man with a teddy bear heart, who has built an airplane, a thrust stage, and a canoe for our plays is standing in the aisle looking at me and crying and saying, “It’s been great,” and for the first time when he hugs me, I can cry about this.

I won’t be writing for a few days because I am going on our middle school trip to Indianapolis and Cincinnati. So say some “Michaels” for me and I will, too. I’ll leave behind my KK on her week off before she starts her internship at the Georgetown News Graphic. And I’ll leave behind my Gregory H. Brown (his middle name is Herman and he doesn’t like it so he just goes by Greg Brown). He’s missed us a lot lately. Summer’s comin’ soon, Buddy.

“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring—it was peace.”
Milan Kundera

First I slept for 12 straight hours (from 6:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.). I think the last time I did that was before Brendan was born.

I awoke, took a great shower at Brendan and Maria’s apartment where they have an awesome shower head.

Read my magazine and checked my mail on line.

Had a cup of Republic of Tea Ginger Peach.

Ate a fine Brendan made breakfast of waffles topped with strawberries and chocolate mousse with Brendan, Ian, Caitlan, and Kyle.

Went to church with them at Cathedral of the Assumption, was sung to (The Lord Bless You and Keep You) by the choir and given a red carnation.

My mother’s day present was a beautiful card and a U of L hockey hoodie.

We called the grandmas (Mombo, Mam-maw, and Betty Jo) and wished them “Happy Mother’s Day.”

I played Mario Party with BCA, ICA, and KM and lost.

I got a call from Steve at Barnes and Noble, and I start my training next Saturday.

I watched my first episode of FIREFLY.

I went to dinner at Brendan’s favorite Mexican restaurant and ate chicken flautas and guacamole.

But then it wasn’t a perfect day any more because I had to kiss my Ian Chase Adkins the Punky Doodle Adkins good-by at the airport and send him back to L.A. I miss you Son-shine. Thanks for coming home.

Caitlan Claire and Nicholas James both graduated today–KK from Georgetown and Nic from Bellarmine. Both will carry on their educations–Nic at Auburn pursuing an academic adventure in veterinary medicine and KK at Oxford experiencing an educational endeavor involving political science and economics. Admission into either of these programs is no small potatoes! It was absolutely unforgettable to see these young people in their element with family and friends, smiling, praying, posing, and thanking. Everyone there was busting with pride for them. Friendly rivalry appeared when KK showed Nic all her honor cords and medals (more than any other G-town grad and done in three years), but he outdid her because he had a HOOD! Then she gave him a graduation owl which marched to POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE and then did the CHICKEN DANCE (UJ had to keep it from dancing off the table). There were pictures with parents, godparents, and Grammo as well as a big group picture under the giant horse. KK’s bes’beau Kyle was there, her bes’frens Christie and Melissa, aunts, uncles, and cousins galore, and those who also helped raise her up–Pat, Verla, Andrew, Alice and Michele. How kind of them all to come. Thanks is an inadequate word. Mombo just gloried in it all, and it was a joy to sing HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to her a day early.

When people mention to me that KK and I are so much alike or “you two look like clones,” I want to correct them immediately–certainly she is the new and improved version! Then I think of Wayne and his infinite love for his little girl, and I know that she is unmistakably HIS daughter. They didn’t have each other for long in this life, but I am sure that he was there today. His love impacted her forever. He was busting with pride, too. So was Joe, who wanted so much to love and care for her as his own. Perhaps her likeness to me is not only genetic but environmental. Nature and nurture, both playing a part in her being and mine, both of us loved unconditionally by daddies in whose eyes we did no wrong and who believed we could accomplish anything we set out to do. But it was our moms who stuck with us, who will always be there for us. At least that is my hope. . .and prayer. How truly, truly blessed I am to have mother and daughter presence in my life. I love you both with all my heart.

After a particularly hectic day at school (we are getting ready for our three day middle school trip to Indy/Cincy), Ian and I ventured to G-town College for a senior banquet with Caitlan. The food wasn’t great, but KK looked beautiful. I was glad Ian was with us. Baccalaureate was in the chapel. Our speaker was an Episcopalian priest which I thought was pretty cool at a Baptist college, but needless to say his talk didn’t knock my socks off–I dozed through most of it. At the end, though, Ian and I were able to sing a rousing rendition of ODE TO JOY, and that woke me up. I had forgotten what a good voice my son had. Seeing Caitlan in her black cap and gown with ropes, tassels, and medals, was moving. I thought of how her dad looked, for some reason. Then back to KK’s dorm where we met up with Kyle and Brendan just in from Louisville. Kyle stayed to help her pack up her room, and the boys and I headed back to Kelley Ridge. Having them here is a blessing.

Papaleno’s was our place to group tonight. There were 6 of us since Patti and Jim joined us. I had eaten a lot at the potluck at First Baptist where our kids sang for the senior citizens so I only had clam chowder and the best garlic bread in the world. It was a good grouping—we talked about writing articles about health with a spiritual connection and what a church community is and why we miss it and how a normal person can read an encyclical (in a group—aloud—with discussion), and then Martha and I went out to the car and I realized I had locked my keys inside. So I called Cingular because I have roadside assistance and they could get me in and Martha and I drank coffee and talked while we waited. Things could be worse that spending time with a good friend and hazelnut decaf while waiting for Todd’s Towing.

Today I was told that a beautiful choral reading of 1st Corinthians 13 by middle schoolers is not appropriate for Mass. But then they sang THERE IS A REDEEMER at our rehearsal for our performance at First Baptist tomorrow and made me cry and I knew what God thought about what’s appropriate and what Jesus thought when the disciples wouldn’t let the children come to him.

Ian came to Kelley Ridge today. He says he likes what we have done. I do too. The problem is the debt. When he asked me if I had a mortgage on KR, I had to admit that I did now, due to the completion of construction on the first floor. The he asked if 4th Street was still mortgaged, and I had to admit it was. I’m glad he didn’t ask about credit card debt. Bitter words from a woman who preached a debt free lifestyle. Then we ate strawberry shortcake and watched HOUSE and tried to forget all about it.