Ima Go Huggle A Puppy Now

I am trying desperately not to complain about this everlasting snow and cold. I have fought a good fight and pretty much come out the victor. Weather happens. I can't control it by whining. I do not have the right to make everyone around me miserable with my negativity over it. But people, The Weather is treading thin ice here.

That is not a pun. There is nothing thin about the ice. Anywhere.

Here's the deal. We live in a snow belt here on top of the Allegheny Mountains. At our elevations, plus the fact that we can learn from history, we know that our kids will miss school due to weather. This is a given. Because of this, the school builds in snow make-up days during the calendar year. Things like spring break were something I only heard about growing up. I never had one. Neither did my kids. Nor will they ever. We go to school during what should be spring break because we're off on January 8th, 20th, 31st, February 3rd and 15th. Sometimes we're also off December 18th but that's rare to be off before the calendar changes over to a new year. On a rare occasion we'll also be off March 2nd, but generally things have tamed down once March rolls around.

March is 2 days away. We are so close. SO CLOSE.

But close is never enough to win a race. And second place is not winning.

Here's the deal, people. I am flying to Texas to photograph a wedding in June. Way back when I booked the flight I had no idea that a June 14th wedding would be an issue with my kids still in school. I mean, who WOULD think it would be an issue? Not me, that's who. And really, I can (and will) leave if my kids are in school because it'll actually be easier to not have to worry about Micah being watched round the clock. School can keep an eye on that boy quite well. It would be a relief to me knowing that most of the day someone competent would be watching him.

But the school is kind of making me pull my hair out with the whole "we haven't set a date for graduation yet." I'm not sure why this is such a huge issue. I've heard rumor that graduation is generally held the night before school lets out, but the school is not divulging any information on a date at this point. It makes no sense. Just pick a date, for crying out loud. And if it really is the night before school lets out then say that, because as of now school lets out June 10th. That would make graduation June 9th. But that's all hypothetical, of course. And the calendar on the school's website is as mum as the staff.

My nephew graduates this year. We think of him as one of our own kids. There is no way I'm going to miss his graduation, because of all the events in a lifetime that someone should never miss, graduation probably ranks right up there with the top 5. Or less. Maybe the top 3.

I have a plane ticket to fly out of here on June 11th. School lets out June 10th. The rumor mill would have graduation on the 9th. So really, if the rumors can be believed, the kids can miss one more day of school before I am going to have to spend a whole lot of money to rearrange flights to accommodate this ridiculous weather. And if that happens, all that "I have refrained from complaining about the weather" stuff will be right out the window. I fear the whole world is going to hear me roar over this stupid snow that is messing with things in June.

The school called this evening. The kids have a 2 hour delay tomorrow.

I'm grateful that I have puppies. It's a documented fact that puppies lower blood pressure. See how happy that boy is just because he's holding a wee fat pup? I need me some of that.