One Definition of Rally:

One definition of rally..."To summon up (one's strength, spirits, etc) or (of a person's health, strength, or spirits) to revive or recover."



If you'd like to know how you can help, please email to juntunenfamily@msn.com

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Grey Matters in May!

We can finally consider it spring.  We had our first day of 70 degrees on Friday and another today!  Oh, that felt wonderful!  It's been a very long winter.  Last year, at this time, we'd already had many warm days and Aly's pool was being installed.  This year, we don't even have the cover off yet.  It sounds like the 70 degree days are going to change into cold days, once again, this week.  We were hoping that a couple of days driving to  Lincoln, NE and back would keep us in the warmth, but it sounds like NE is also going to cool down.  We are going to pick up Tom, from college, on Wednesday and coming back Thursday.  Nothing like 2 days in the car!  He has completed year one.  I can't believe how that flew by.  Like all new college students he experienced some ups and some downs, but for the most part it seemed to go good.  I think it is hard to go wrong when you are studying something you love and are required to play in golf tournaments as part of your program!  He will return home and quickly start working at Medina Golf Club next Monday.  Also, a part of his program is an internship at a golf course, every summer!  Again, there should be no complaining there!

Moving on to May...May is BRAIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.  I am still in the process of raising funds for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation's, Ride for Kids that will take place in July.  My goal is $500, not much when looking at the great scheme of things.  Please consider donating.  No donation is too small, if you can spare a single dollar, I'd appreciate it.  Here is the link to the donations page I have set up.  (Thank you to those who have already made contributions!!!)  

http://pbtf.convio.net/site/TR/2013RideforKids/General?px=1186085&pg=personal&fr_id=1220#.UXyEGxwRQY5

With the change of seasons, Aly has come down with either a cold or seasonal allergies.  She was feeling a bit miserable and stuffed up today.  Her mood has also been a challenge.  She is still feeling down in the dumps about friends.  She had a great time on her birthday.  She took a couple of new friends to a place where you can paint resin figures and we also went out for dinner.  The following week she had time with her cousins and aunts.  She's also had time with another new friend, some neighbor friends and she's reconnected with another girl, whom we met through cancer.  She is back on the swim team with Aly and they chat a lot during swimming.  It is nice to see, and I hope they can continue to get reconnected and talking.  Even with these events, she has her moments of sadness and worries that kids are trying to avoid her.  Sometimes, I can see why she feels that way, but other times she needs reminding that she's had time with friends and I keep pushing her to call the newer friends. Today, I was doing some spring cleaning and she came and sat down in the kitchen.  She was clutching her favorite monkey, Tiny, and she had this sad expression on her face.  It was obvious she was upset, so I asked what was wrong.  First, it was "nothing", then it was, "I don't know" (several times), and finally, as I was ready to give up asking, she says, "I feel like kids are avoiding me."  This after she had spent a couple of hours talking and hanging out with a couple of neighbor girls.  They had other things going on, so Aly was left on her own later in the day, and there was really no one else home today.  Sometimes, she is set by the boundaries of the neighborhood and doesn't think of picking up the phone.  The new friends are not that far away and can be picked up in a short time.  She just forgets to think outside the box sometimes.  Other times I think she worries, now, that she is going to do something to make these friends go away.  She still needs time to get over what happened recently.  It is still a fresh memory so it seems.

I hate seeing the worry and frustration.  I'm feeling like a failure, like I'm not doing all that I can to help her and keep her happy.  She is busy.  She has something going on every day of the week, but somehow all she keeps seeing is the quiet times when she is alone.  Me, being the major introvert, I like and cherish my alone time, so it is not easy for me to always sympathize.  I have dug every pre-teen/teenage problematic story out of my own life to give comparisons to her.  It is not an easy time for any kid.  I just wish I could figure out how to make it easier for her...    




1 comment:

  1. Jayney,,,,,,,,,,,,,I don't want to hear anything about failure. There couldn't be a better Mother than you,,,,,I know that and Aly knows that. You have been everything for Aly, including being her best friend. These mid-youth years can be difficult for every child and in Aly's case they have been extremely difficult and challenging. She is a wonderful and strong young lady that other children could take lessons from. I love this quote..."ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL QUALITIES OF TRUE FRIENDSHIP IS TO UNDERSTAND AND TO BE UNDERSTOOD". Unfortunately, there are many who will never understand. All my love,,,Dad

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