I Can Breathe Again

Last Thursday I joined the board of our children's school.  Oh, and at the meeting that night (unbenownst to me in advance) we were presented with the final proposals of two builders/general contractors that represented the culmination of six years work finding a relocation/build solution for our school.  Also, we were to take a vote right now on which proposal to select and don't forget that you are deciding on the school's future in one of the most pivotal decisions in the school's history.  But no pressure or anything.   Welcome to the board.

The vote was postponed until the next day at five, and then for another reason was postopned again to Monday as we all headed off on our Easter vacations.   Emails flew back and forth.  Phone calls and passionate, concerned discussions ensued as we all struggled with this pivotal decision and our cumulative desire to make the best and "right" choice.

So I developed acne.  I also acquired two cancre sores in the depths of my mouth.  Coincidence or stress?  Honestly, I don't know.  There certainly was pressure I put on myself to make the best decision I could for our school with my one vote.  But was it so much that I was manifesting actual physical symptoms?

I don't know.   I get acne from time to time and I've got this irritating dry cough that only occurs when I'm laying down which causes my husband difficulty in sleeping and that could be a factor.  So it could have been sheer coincidence.  I can say though, that that proverbial, "mantle of responsibility" felt as if it were made of lead and dropped from a seven story building onto my shoulders when I walked into that meeting.

But in the whole process, I have gotten to know the other board members and my respect for them has grown.  I am also impressed with the overall process the board followed to get to the point of this final vote.   After a third vote extension, we cast our final votes by five today to the board secretary and at five-twenty a decision was made by two-thirds majority. 

I rather felt like I was holding my breath for six days, hoping we would as a group make a majority decision that indicated we all agreed on a clear choice of one option over the other.  It is now done and we have all the work ahead of us.  When I think about the fundraising requirements, the tight time-frame for construction and all the challenges we face in our imminent future, I'm not sure I should be breathing comfortably yet...

The Big Boy Update:  Disney Ovedrive.  Some of the family went to Disney yesterday.  My son got up at six-ish and was so geared up for Disney that he didn't nap and didn't get cranky what with all the Mickey Mousing, Movie Cars exhibiting, Finding Nemo riding, visiting with his Aunt Kelly, Uncle Eric and cousin's Kyle and Nicole until he got back into the car after eight at night.  Today, he was more testy than usual.  Was it because he was catching up from his lack of sleep from yesterday or just that none of us can live up to Disney for excitement or entertainment?

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Please?  We didn't know she knew the word, "please" or how to say it until this morning at breakfast when we asked her to say please if she wanted more.  She said, "please" in the tiniest little voice you can imagine and then grinned at us all. 

Someone Once Said:   Anytime a wife thinks she has won an argument, she has lost it.