Tough Week

Good Morning,

I’ve had a tough week.  I am missing Martha on a level that I can’t explain.  Jim and the kids are being very supportive and I am talking with a counselor.  I’m told that everything I am going through is normal, but boy does it suck. 

I’m helping Connor with his college applications.  I was lucky to get into community college and so I never went through this application process.  Jim only applied to two schools, hoping not to get into either. Well, he was accepted by both and decided to attend Tulane.  I know the process of applying has drastically changed over the years. 

The colleges consider Connor to be an average student with a 3.77 gpa and 1930 sat.  His senior year schedule is Honors English, AP Government, Honors Calculus, Honors Anatomy& Physiology, French 3, and two electives.  So, his schedule bumps him out of the community college experience and into the Universities.  Rutgers is $20 and the most expensive school we are looking at costs $50.  Yes, this is in thousands. 

Most schools use the common application, but some schools have their own app.  Each University requires Connor to write essays.  Each school wants letters of recommendation.  So, Connor had to create a resume to give to the teachers who agreed to write the letter.  Plus they need a self addressed stamp envelope.  Then we need to send his SAT scores.  Then we need to give the Guidance Department an envelope so they can send Connor’s transcript and school profile.  And don’t forget we are trying to get this done while Connor is keeping up his school work, running cross country, and making college visits.  It is a crazy process. 

I am thankful that we live in a town where education is important, but I wonder about the long-term affects of all of this pressure to perform. 

I started this entry because of something that happened last night.  When Connor came home, he told me that he had some really bad news.  He then explained that one of his buddies was kicked off the cross country team.  I was shocked when I learned who this person is.  He is a senior who has been on the team for four years.  He is a good kid.  Like Connor, no partying, good grades, polite, just all round nice guy.  Well, when his group went on a run the other day they goofed off.  He was with some underclassmen and he decided to trespass onto someone’s property to play on their backyard children’s play “castle”.  Some how the coach found out and now he is off the team.  Off the team!  I have too many thoughts to write, but this seems too severe.

Last night, I also learned that in 1987 Christine O’Donnell graduated from the same high school that my kids attend.  You should look her up on Wikipedia.  Maybe this is what happens to a person when you raise kids in a pressure cooker. 

Well the sun is shinning and it is 52 degrees.  Brian is off at crew practice, Mary is sleeping late, Connor is getting up to study for the SAT (he is taking the test again this month, hoping to score higher), and Jim and I are taking the dogs for a walk. 

I would love to hear about your week.  I assume it was better than mine and I could use a little cheering up. 

Love you,

Pam