The Wedding / and an Update

Wow! What a wedding Ralph and I went to this week! Fascinating...and beautiful! The setting was the NM Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum which has the backdrop of the gorgeous Organ Mountains at sunset. The color theme was "hot pink" and black. Each table was adorned with a very long elegant vase with an arrangement of "hot pink" roses. The chairs and table linen had the same color theme. The wedding ceremony was a combination of Lakota Native American, Hispanic, and Christian traditions. The Lakota part of it was the most fascinating to me - it included flute music, a peace pipe, symbolic gifts, and water. The celebration also included a dinner and dance. Both Ralph and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the wedding ceremony. I also felt honored to be invited to such an occasion. However, I should add that not only did Dr. V and I work together to create and develop a successful program at the university, but we also became good friends. He has also offered to come to the high school to speak to my students (his own story is one they can relate to since he grew up in a very large and very poor Puerto Rican family in southside Chicago).

The Associate Dean of the College of Ed. was also there and when I introduced him to Ralph, he told him that my leaving was a great loss to the program. I had had my exit interview with him and let him know of my concerns regarding the changes in leadership and direction of the program. He had expressed regret about my leaving and had also asked if there was anything that would help me reconsider my decision. I had already interviewed at Gadsden and had made up my mind that I wanted to return to teaching. On that subject, I've now completed my first two weeks in the classroom and I do feel I've made the right decision. Of course, there are always some students who will attempt to challenge any new teacher - but what they don't seem to realize is that though I may be new to Gadsden, I'm actually a very seasoned educator! LOL

Mom is doing OK - and seems to be getting used to Petra being with her daily. She still has her moodiness, however, and when that happens, she "shuts down" - simply doesn't want to talk. We're hoping that once she feels more comfortable with Petra, that she will start confiding in her about her true feelings of the situation she is in. The main thing is she is no longer spending days of being isolated and alone. Though she fought the idea of this change in her life, we're hoping that she will become more and more accepting of the caregiver being with her.

Selim called this week and asked if we could all meet in San Antonio to be with Deniz during Labor Day Weekend. He even offered to pay for Ralph and my plane ticket!! So we will be taking a short trip to S.A. at the end of this month - it will be a nice break for us. I worked it out with Pat - they will be here that weekend and will be going with the Blettes to Gila Nat'l Park on the weekend of Sept. 20. Our next trip will be the week of October 12 since I have a week off from school (Fall Holiday). We may take the RV to Fort Davis State Park. If we go, it will be the sixth anniversary of our first trip there - in fact, it was the first trip we ever took together and was very much the event that cemented our relationship!

Sure would like to hear from all of you - this family BLOG has been way too quiet lately! : )