Thinking of you and all your church family, @ScoutTN. Please do let us know if there is anything tangible we can do. It's beyond awful, and I'm just so sad and sickened over it.

Same here.

I appreciate you moving the topic away from Scout's thread; I think that was very thoughtful. I also agree with Murphy.....it feels we've talked it to death. I don't know what else to say on the topic. I rearranged my co-op classroom today, because I realized my line of sight to the door wasn't great. I shouldn't have to think of stuff like that, but there I am, rehearsing in my head every time I walk in the room what I'd do to get the kids out safely, just in case. Because the likelihood of it happening "to me" is low....until it isn't. And if we count the fact I "know" Scout from here, that's three people I know, personally, directly, who are employed at places where this has happened. Which seems alarmingly high to me. Which maybe drives home the "it *can* happen to you" side of things for me. It's happened in places where people I know worked. It can, indeed, happen to me. I changed my voting on this along time ago. I changed how I speak about it not as long ago. I changed the frequency with which I talk about it in the past year or so. I don't know what else to do.

Oh, @ScoutTN; I saw it on the news and had no idea it was your church/school. I've been praying since I saw it. I am so deeply, deeply sorry. Please know I'm praying for all of you, all of the families, all of everyone. If there's anything tangible we can do to help, please let me know.

Picked up DS from his friend's house, grabbed the groceries, came home, had dinner, watched UH lose abysmally, got the fencing stuff ready for the tournament, DH did prep work on food for the kids for tomorrow, took my shower, and I am done for the night. DH and the guys are going to video game, I am going to veg out and pack as soon as my stuff comes out of the dryer.

Did all the cutting/stapling for the little books I was going to use with 1st Grade (bought on TPT) and there are a few typos; I need to check them over and see how many I find & decide if I'll use them or not after all. Emailed for more info on the coaching fees; that apparently got passed from the emailing coach to the one actually going, so she's going to call later and discuss it. I am dreading that phone call. ETA: Okay, she called, it's all fine, and we can (& will) opt out with no hard feelings. Whew. But, I think I'm done for the day with things, so going to quilt I think. I never did get to quilt....maybe tonight? the guys are requesting more video game time, so.....

Did school with DS, got through all we needed to - yay! Took a nap His friend arrived half an hour early to pick him up, so just sent him off and sorted details for us picking him up later Got an invoice from our fencing club, presumably for the strip coaching fee....it's a lot higher than I expected, so debating what to do there...we were signed up for this tournament well before the coach mentioned she was going to be there available as a coach, and never explicitly agreed to make use of her services.....on the other hand, we do want to support the club, etc., but still. Ugh. Did the dishes Need to tidy up downstairs, run at least one more load of laundry, and then pack. We leave 1st thing in the morning to run our fencing club's booth at a homeschool expo, then straight from there to Dallas (well, Arlington) for a tournament and won't be home until super late on Sunday.

coffee is done emailed a fellow teacher to let her know I can't help with our STEAM night this year got in touch with the tutor student, I was right, I wasn't supposed to come today anyway, so that's good had breakfast, did a few other electronic chores DH got the stuff in the wash before me, so that's in the dryer, I'll pull it out when it's done DH is heading out for a meeting, so I am heading up to do school with DS

Good morning! Praying for a good day today, @TravelingChris. My day today: ...coffee ...let the tutor student know I need to skip today (I don't think I'm actually scheduled, b/c they are having work done on the house, but just in case they forgot to tell me to come, I need to let them know I'm not coming...) ...get more school stuff done with DS this morning, so he can go to his friend's house this afternoon ...decide how much I need to pre-cut for 1st Grade's history project Monday, do that ...grocery store w/DH at some point, unless he goes solo on his way home from a work meeting ...laundry for the weekend ...pack for the weekend ...quilt???? ...pick DS up from his friend's house this evening ...dinner/veg out

dinner is done dishes are done did chem homework w/DS, minus 3 problems we didn't understand - DH can look at it tomorrow w/him everything is ready for fencing, so as soon as DH/Middle get home, we'll eat and go

Had lunch and a nap, tried to do more school with DS -- he was falling asleep. This is a common occurence with him. :sigh: I sent him for a nap, and instructions to find me when he's awake. Meanwhile, I convinced my printer to keep printing with the "exhausted" black cartridge, so have finished prepping for 1st now too, so that's good Figured out a plan (-ish) for dinner and have that getting ready Do not feel like sewing, although I should, so going to watch some TV while I wait on DS, after I check my list and make sure I'm done

Or, darn you making me go look for shoelaces, there are also these if you want an amazing pattern instead......I kind of low-key want a pair in every pattern now, dang it. https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/7314CEDC-7896-4F4A-BC32-A9913627ED31?ingress=2&visitId=10ab740e-2beb-4067-ba61-e7625c83a3aa&ref_=ast_bln

One more suggestion in case the others don't work out -- search "cheer shoes" or "cheer & tumbling" at an athletic store. I got some recently (for fencing), but they are a cute sillouhette I'd be willing to wear with dresses. Especially if you swapped the laces out for something fun/dressy. Well, and that would work for any you pick, swap for a ribbon shoe lace, or similar, if you plan on it being always a "shoe to wear with dresses" vs. an athletic shoe. Something like these: https://www.amazon.com/Sneakers-Ribbon-Shoelaces-Sneaker-Shoestrings/dp/B07YZ6XWNT/ref=sr_1_24?crid=QFO6TBO6ES29&keywords=ribbon+shoe+laces&qid=1679593827&sprefix=ribbon+shoe+laces%2Caps%2C107&sr=8-24

Did the make-up gov't tests/supervised those with DS DH reminded me we can register one of the other boys for the class we want DS to take, if he doesn't get the TSI test in time, and then drop/add them later heading for an early nap, b/c we were up super early, and then will tackle the rest of this stuff

Egads - in looking up info on the TSI test DS needs to take to go to the local comm. college for dual credit, I stumbled on their registration dates for the fall -- it opens *april 5th*!!!! crap. So, sent off an email to try and secure him a testing appt before then (I cannot make heads or tails of their test schedule, so just requested "next available on a Tues/Thurs/Fri" - ha! we'll see what they say...) -- the class we want him to take, fills up usually the first *hour* that registration is open. I did not realize registration would be this soon. Gulp. Also - I hope like heck he passes the stupid test. I have no clue how he'll do (he's my severely dyslexic kiddo....) we'll do some practice tests the next few weeks. His math should be good; his English (which is the part he needs to pass...).....?

emailed the families about the supply fee ate breakfast, still hungry.... making my list of all of DS's missing work so we can start working on all of that

cartridge ordered, will be here tomorrow (our local places that carry this cartridge have closed/move farther away, so ordering on amazon is really my only viable option usually)

Well, K is mostly done, need to order a printer cartridge. Oof.

Shoot, just remembered - also, do all my K & 1st school prep, b/c we'll be gone all weekend either way.....so, getting dressed (my stripey pajamas make me dizzy/give me a headache if I stay in them) and then will get to work on that....

Good morning! Today I have: ....coffee ...school with DS -- I thought we were all caught up with stuff from when he was out sick, but he asked *on the way out the door yesterday morning*, "oh, did we look at that gov't test?" Huh??? (we did not). So, sit down, figure out what all we have to do, start doing it/make a plan so it's all done by next week ....come up with some ideas/thoughts/plans re: middle, following advice of the therapist we're all seeing (she says it's time to start making life uncomfortable for him, so he'll be motivated to begin moving forward in life....DH & I need to figure out how to do that) ...plan for and cook dinner ...touch base with fencing coach, see if we are/aren't subbing for her at a homeschool expo on Sat before we head up to a tournament ...quilt the borders of the quilt??? ...send the emails about the supply fees for the newly registered (giving up on using the software to do it, and will send the one I was sending before they started invoicing through there) ...go to fencing tonight, come home, go to bed ...remember before that to touch base with DS's friend's mom about a gathering tomorrow (time to drop off/pick up) ...I think that's all......? Have a great day, everyone!

home from the store putting groceries away, cooking dinner, unloading dishwasher, and prepping for fencing - DH says yes, let's go

finished the other school stuff, heading to the store, then will hopefully have some sewing time left....

chemistry done took a nap/ate lunch/fed the people making sure Middle is up, then onto the gov't homework

dinner is planned -- sausages in hot dog buns (DH is trying like mad to use some up that we got free, and I'm sick of "foods that don't go in hot dog buns, served in hot dog buns" for dinner, so....food that *does* go in hot dog buns....); baked beans & box mac & cheese as sides probably 2nd Grade is all planned and prepped, including for extra kids visiting tomorrow (email sent & confirmed) emailed assignments from yesterday to those who missed enjoying watching the birds this morning - blue jays, woodpeckers, hummingbird, little wrens or something....fun stuff gonna go quilt the border, I think, and then do school with DS (or if he's up, do school now and quilt later)

Good morning! Today I have: ...coffee ...prep for 2nd grade tomorrow ...school with DS -- supervise chemistry test (help him study first?), gov't homework, possibly some more chem reading after that ...sew - quilt the borders on the big quilt ...decide on dinner, prep, cook that when it's time ...fencing?? DH has a *very* long day and may not be up to it, so we'll see ...figure out about sending invoices for supply fee for new students that registered ...possibly a run to the store - DH needs socks, DS needs underwear, and I'd like to get stuff to hang a few things up (doubt I will have time for this, but just in case...) ...come home, veg out (or, stay home, veg out) I think that's about it...