Christmas Letter 2008

Merry Christmas!  I don’t have the physical addresses of all my online friends, so I’ll post a blog version of my Christmas letter.  First, my two fine sons smiling down on us:

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2008 has been an eventful year for our family.  Last December, I finished my Master’s in Library and Information Science.  I got to march in graduation on my birthday in June, exactly 21 years from the day I marched for my Master’s in Math.

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By February, I was a full-time Children’s Librarian (okay, “Youth Services Manager”) at Herndon Fortnightly Library — the very closest public library to my home.

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Timothy is 14, and a Freshman in high school.  His big event of the year was being accepted to the local magnet high school, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.  TJ was rated the Number One high school in the nation by US News & World Report.  It’s an amazing school, and we are so blessed that Tim gets to go there.  It’s a public school, so it’s free, and they even provide bus transportation.  His favorite class for first semester is Film Study, perhaps influenced by his brother.

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Josh, at 20 years old, finished his Bachelor’s degree in Film from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida.  We got to go see him graduate and visited some amusement parks while we were at it.  Now Josh is out in Los Angeles, staying with my parents, and looking for jobs in the film industry.  So far, he loves LA, particularly all the independent theaters.  Kind of funny — he’s near his birthplace (Anaheim), and I’m near mine (Washington, DC).  The circle of life?

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I spent the year facing the “reality” that, like it or not, I’d be divorced this year.  About a week before our first court date in November, our lawyers finally reached an agreement.  A few days later, I learned that Steve had a dispute with his lawyer, would not sign the agreement, and was dropping the case!  (For now, anyway.)

So, we are still married.  And I have no idea what God is up to in our lives.  This is what I do know:

— God is good, and God is faithful.  He is filling my life with things to be joyful about.

— Being a “career woman” is fun!  I really do love being a children’s librarian.

— I love connecting people and books.  My website of book reviews, http://www.sonderbooks.com/, is going strong.

— I’m writing again!  And that also feels wonderful.  I have a book out there being considered by a publisher.

— I am part of a loving, caring community at Gateway Community Church.  New and old friends there have been my lifeline.

— Northern Virginia is beautiful!  I’m enjoying walking in the woods.  I still love taking pictures.

I’m afraid I spend a lot of time online!  I’ve gotten a real kick out of connecting with friends from all the different phases of my life via Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=753450664&ref=profile

I’m enjoying posting on three blogs:

This one:  www.sonderbooks.com/sonderjourneys  A standard blog, musing about life.

www.sonderbooks.com/sonderquotes Quotes from all the great books I’m reading and things I’m learning.

www.sonderbooks.com/sonderblessings A little way to count my blessings and to remember to be joyful.

May you all have a blessed Christmas!

Wishing you much joy,

Sondy Eklund

An Evening Walk

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It was a lovely summer evening after a full day of work.  I asked my son to take a walk with me, and he agreed!  There’s a little creek and waterfall at an abandoned corner about a five minutes’ walk from our home.  It’s nice to walk over and just hear the water above the sound of cars rushing past.  There is a bridge across the busy street, so we don’t have to deal with traffic and can get a little lull of time in the woods.  I don’t go there nearly often enough.

I’m still reviewing my summer from the pictures I took.  This was early in the summer.  One thing I reflect about it was that I sure enjoy my son’s company.  It’s just the two of us now, but I am so thankful that he is such good company.

Tim’s Library

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Last week, my son brought home his artwork from 8th grade Art class.  I was especially tickled with his Library Scene.  It was all done with cut construction paper.  The assignment was to make a scene with at least three people.

I especially like the READ poster.  Tim said, “It’s not a library without a READ poster!”

I HAD to bring this picture in to work.  It occupies the proud place of honor on the wall above my cubicle.  I like it a lot!  Tim has certainly spent a lot of time in libraries, so it seems very appropriate.  I also like the kid using a laptop.  (Yes, libraries offer wireless internet, too!)

That’s My Boy, Too!

Friday, I got word that my younger son was accepted to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology!

This school was recently ranked by US News and World Report as the Number One high school in the nation!  They have support from many of the tech companies in the area, and have things like a neuroscience lab and a satellite up in orbit that was programmed by TJ students.

The school is public, and they bus from all over Northern Virginia, but the process of getting in is hugely competitive.  First there is a test, with an essay portion.  Semifinalists, who do well enough on the test, must submit teacher recommendations and a personal statement and another application.  They choose less than 500 students, out of more than 1600 semifinalists.

So–I’m very excited that my son was selected!  And very proud, too!  What a wonderful opportunity!

That’s My Boy!

My son told me a story the other night that makes me smile with fondness and pride.

First, you have to realize his background.  He went to high school at an American school in Germany.  The ONE class that really took advantage of their being in Europe was AP Art History.  The class had a fabulous teacher, Kathleen Hellmann, who really taught the material well, and she took the class on a trip to Florence so they could really see some of the work they were discussing.

This teacher spent a good solid four hours discussing the Mona Lisa.  It was huge in the world of art and affected art tremendously.  She told the students that they would certainly be asked, “So why is the Mona Lisa important?” and she made sure they would be able to answer that question, at length.

Fast forward to this past month.  Josh is in college, at a school that will remain nameless for this post.  They do not give AP credit, and did not let him test out of Art History, since it is supposedly a class in his major (Film).  This particular month is Josh’s turn to take Art History.  It only lasts four weeks, but for quite a few hours each day.

Josh was already frustrated with the class.  The teacher is focusing on things like which saints are pictured in which paintings, rather than the actual history of art.

He was already frustrated that they didn’t cover some of his favorite artists.  He told me, “Mom, they didn’t even cover Rafael!  Rafael was a Ninja Turtle!  He was the coolest Ninja Turtle!”  (Sure enough, it brought me right back to when Josh was 3 years old and his favorite character to pretend to be was Rafael….  But I digress.)

Then they came to the Mona Lisa.  The teacher talked about issues like who might have been the model, and was ready to move on.  A student raised his hand and asked, “I don’t get it.  Why is the Mona Lisa so famous?  What’s the big deal about it?”

The teacher didn’t really answer the question.  She even said something along the lines of “maybe it’s a mystery.”  Josh couldn’t contain himself any longer.

He raised his hand.  When the teacher called on him, he stood up.  Then he addressed the class, beginning with the words, “Here’s why the Mona Lisa is important:”

He talked for fifteen minutes.  Knowing my son, I bet he was clear, detailed, dramatic, and passionate. 

When he sat down, he was shaking.  The classroom burst into applause.  Lengthy applause.

A sad note:  He heard someone ask behind him, “Should we be writing this down?”

Now, as a Mom, part of me isn’t quite sure I should approve of this incident.  He can’t really have won the heart of his teacher!  But knowing what a wonderful teacher Ms. Hellmann was, knowing how well she taught Josh Art History, and knowing that Josh had been containing his frustration like a model student for the rest of the time — I’m giving in to my stronger impulse, which is to be proud of him!  Way to go, Josh!

He has two weeks of class left to go.  I hope he can stick it out!  Meanwhile, it’s making him really appreciate Ms. Hellmann for the awesome teacher she was!

And I’m really appreciating what an awesome son I have!

School Schedules

It was easier to have a kid in school when I wasn’t working.

Tonight I got the school schedule for my son starting 8th grade.  In the first month, there are already four days where I will have to move around my work hours to accommodate school stuff.  Urghh!

Math Counts is the only after school activity which I have the faintest hope of getting my son to participate in.  Fortunately, this year the Math Counts coach knows about him–so I’m hoping she can keep him from skipping it and saying, “I forgot.”  🙂  He’s completed Geometry and is good at Math, so I think he could enjoy this.  But they start September 19th–and the late buses don’t start until October–so there are 2 times I will need to reschedule my work hours.

Back to School Night is held at 7 pm, so working parents should be able to go.  Unfortunately, they picked Thursday night, which is the one night per week that I work.

Then, the first Wednesday in October, they’ve scheduled a parent information meeting about the local magnet high school.  It’s supposed to be strong in science and technology, and so might be just the thing for my Nerdfighter son.  The meeting’s from 3 to 4:30, however.

Still, I only work half-time, and my boss is very supportive and accommodating.

And the truth is, when I think back to last year, even though I wasn’t working, things were a whole lot more stressful.  We weren’t in our apartment yet and didn’t have our household goods, but were living in my friend’s basement–so we had to register as Homeless!  We had to buy all new school supplies.  I was trying to get my older son ready to start college in Florida.  I was trying to get myself ready to start online graduate school.

Yeah, okay, I’d rather be settled in and working!

Two Teenagers

Today my younger son turns 13.  So from now until next March 19, I am the proud mother of two teenagers.

I’ve got it easy–the older one is off at college and has already moved out, so I’m not actually living with two teenagers.  But I do have two teenage sons, and I’m bursting with pride in them.

Timothy’s Dad sent him a Wii for his birthday.  I like the way it makes playing video games a more physical experience!  I’m going to have to try it some time myself–I could use some exercise.

Tim also has a thing for donuts.  When he was very small, we had Dilbert’s Desktop Games on our computer.  He’s the only 3-year-old I’ve ever heard of who pretended to be “Techno-Bill.”  In the game, the characters would chant, “Gotta get more donuts!  Gotta get more donuts!”  I am convinced that phrase is hard-wired deep in Timothy’s brain.

So–in his online searches, he discovered the intriguing donut shop, The Fractured Prune.  It looks like there’s one near a local comic book shop, so we will make a pilgrimage today or tomorrow.  I think he’ll have a fun birthday.