All About Raven

Yesterday turned out so wonderfully.  Registration for Raven went really well.  After the paperwork part we went into the gym where they had information booths set up and stations for the kids to do stuff and things.  I found out that they serve breakfast for FREE at the school, even to the afternoon kindergarten class, which is what Raven will more than likely end up doing, especially IF I do get that new job. Kindergarten classes only last for a few hours, apparently.  I thought they were longer than that.  No matter.

The stations were set up to evaluate the kids' abilities, which I am proud to say that Raven aced 3/4 activities.  She could write her name like a champ, knows all her letters, knows how to rhyme.  She had only slight difficulty with her numbers, but I know that she knows them.  I think she was just excited to be in a new place.  The staff kept saying how ready she was for kindergarten.  The sad thing is that she will be almost 6 by the time the school year starts.  Her birthday is in December, so she missed the cut off date this past year.  Oh well.  She'll be ready no matter what.

I got the chance to meet some of the teachers and other staff members.  They were really nice.  I think that this will be a good school for Raven to be in.  She is so excited.

I got the chance to catch up on my Soldiers' Angels stuff.  I joined a new team, the Ladies of Liberty, and I signed up for three names a month.  That doesn't seem like a whole lot, but I decided on a monthly thing instead of a weekly thing as I am already on the LWT and signed up for three names per week.  I decided that if I had their names for the whole month, I could write them once a week and send a mini care package once during the month.  I caught up on my LWT names as well as the TLC names I picked up.  I often wonder if I am spreading myself too thin.  I will get new LWT names next week.

I have started sending something small in each of my letters that I do write.  I started with clippings of the Sunday Funnies.  Who doesn't want to smile once in a while?  That got to be very expensive, so I decided that I would go to Barnes and Noble and see if they had any comic book books.. I managed to find a three-pack of Garfield comic books.  I've decided to cut the pages and send a few to each of my soldiers. In their letters.  Sacrilege to cut up a book?  Perhaps, but if it brings that many more smiles, then I am all for it.  I've sent Calvin and Hobbs comic books to both of my soldiers with bookmarks.  I haven't heard if they liked them or not.  Hopefully, they did.

I managed to talk to Vile  yesterday about my trip.  He is all for me coming down in April like we had originally planned.  So, I just need to save up a few more bucks before the trip.  I will also get paid while I'm there.  Thank the higher powers for direct deposit!  He is looking forward to me and Raven coming down.  I am looking forward to the vacation.  Although, again this depends on if I get that new job.  I haven't yet gotten a call for an interview, but I am confident that I will get the call soon.  And, if I don't, no big deal.

Some of you have asked for a little more information about my daughter, Raven.  First, I will say that Raven IS her middle name.  She is a beautiful girl who turned 5 this past December.  She is very independent, willful, and sometimes as stubborn as her biodad, Vile.  She walked at 11 months, but she didn't talk until much later.  I had her in speech therapy for about six months, and that seemed to help a great deal.  Even my mother noticed a huge difference when talking to Raven on the phone. Raven is a very active little girl, but she enjoys art very much.  She loves to color, and play with play-doh and use water colors.  This past Christmas, I purchased a 5-in-1 princess easel for her.  She loves it.

She loves animals and has been begging me for an orange cat named Ponytail for many months.  I told her if she could keep her room clean I would consider getting one.  Well, she's kept up her end of the deal really well.  I guess it is time for me to keep my end.  (I'm not so much an animal person.)

Here is a picture that was taken just after her fifth birthday:

Photo by Heidi

Today I am just back to my old schedule.  That means that I'll be working 12 hours tomorrow.  What I wouldn't give for that new job.  No more working 12 hours on the weekend.  No more working weekends period!!

I'm rather screwed this weekend for someone to watch Raven for me.  My weekend sitter is going out of town and my backup is busy with Girl Scouts and stuff.  I'm sure that I'll find someone to help me out soon.  

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings for today.  I'm sure I'll be back soon with more pointless information about the one who is otherwise known as Onyx of DarkLite.

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