Chelsea Salomone

The matching reindeer suits were a huge hit in the early 90s, I'm sure. Also note, it must have taken my mom hours and a 1/2 inch barrel curling iron to acheive that hair style.

This morning I told my fourth graders that I would be gone the rest of the week because my grandfather passed away. We spent our entire morning block (an hour!) discussing this. The entire discussion went like this:

"Well, this one time... when I was like... one or zero years old, my grandpa died too."

(Five hands go up.)

"This one time, my grandma died, except I never knew her. But I did have a dog that died when I was a baby. And also when I was a baby we moved to Texas from Colorado."

(Six more hands shoot up.)

"Well I never had a dog that died, but this one time, my cat did run away and when I was six I had to get stitches."

(All hands go up.)

"This one time my brother had to get stitches because he slipped and fell had this bad cut."

And so on, and on, and on. If you'll notice ALL nine and ten year old's stories begin with "this one time." They make me laugh!

The bright spot in all of this has been the amazing support we have received from our friends. The sweet text messages, emails, phone calls, and comments left on my blog have been so touching. My friend Tammie at work made Nick and I a delicious pan of lasagne, and Natalie and David sent us an edible bouquet.

Natalie's card read:
May you take comfort in knowing there is one more angel in heaven above us. Praying for you now and always.

I always knew Natalie was practially perfect in every way. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Early this morning Papa passed away peacefully in his sleep. My dad didn't make it back in time, but we did get a hold of him tonight. (He woke up early this morning with a feeling something wasn't right and they needed to leave.) Everyone is doing fine and a HUGE wave of relief has come over everyone. It was obviously hard for my dad, but they are en route. We had a really, really good day today. Everyone was over at my grandma's and we were looking at old pictures and telling stories about Papa. A lot of people came by to bring food and join in on the story telling. Visitation will be Thursday night and services on Friday, so Nick and I are planning to take off Thursday and Friday to go to Cleburne and be with everyone. Papa is already up in heaven taking care of us. We can all feel it.

Yesterday afternoon Nick and I were relaxing on the couch after work, and my aunt called and said we needed to come down to Cleburne right away. My grandpa's bloodpressure had dropped really low and the doctors didn't know if he would make it through the night. A 45 minute car ride has never seemed to go on for so long.

So we spent last night at Papa's bedside with my brother, my grandma and my aunt. Without my dad. Still can't get a hold of him. Papa was pretty lucid last night- in and out. He knew us and was able to sustain a conversation for a minute or so.

We left the hospital with my aunt around 10 and stayed at her house so we would be close by. All night I had a huge knot in my stomach. I was so worried my grandma would call in the middle of the night. I worried about my dad getting there. I worried about my brother. Around 7 we got up and went back to the hospital.

Today was harder than last night. My grandpa had no idea who anyone was. He looked worse than last night and couldn't even drink water anymore. He was thrashing and yelling and tearing off his clothes and blankets. He talked and talked but not to us... When the nurse was trying to force him to eat a vitamin in pudding, and the doctor told her to just throw it away it hit me. Then they unhooked his IV and his oxygen.

Papa's friends and some other family came by to say goodbye. My mom even came by to be with us last night and again today. Also today, I think my brother realized the reality of the situation for the first time. He and Nick and I went to breakfast and had a nice, long talk. When we got back to the hospital the doctors decided he needed to be moved to hospice and my grandma, my brother and I cried together. But we knew it was the best thing. And still nothing from my dad. He has no idea any of this is going on. Nick called the Forest Service in Montana and I don't know who all... but they are trying to find my dad.

Now he is resting somewhat comfortably in hospice. We all think/hope that he is just waiting for my dad. They gave him a sedative to help him relax and gave him a sucker so he wouldn't be so thirsty. Nick and I came back home because there's nothing more we can do. And honestly, we need a break.

It's just so weird to me. Obviously this is my first experience with death. Yesterday it seemed like Papa was here with us but maybe a little bit "on the other side." But today, it was so strange because I felt like he was more "on the other side" and just a little bit here. All day he kept reaching up toward the sky. The hospice nurse said patients usually do that in the end- the thrashing and everything. She said they're taking care of things here so they can move on. Weird.

And through all this, there's still been a little bit of Papa sprinkled in the moments. Like when he tried to sell his nurse a car. (He used to own a car dealership.) Or when he reached in his "pocket" to hand my brother money like he always did. Or even lying there on his deathbed, practically unconsious he cussed at himself.

When we were leaving tonight, my brother was standing beside Papa and his eyes were wide open. He asked Papa, "Can you see me?" Papa paused for a long time and then said, "Now I can." Where was he? What was he seeing before? I think I know. Maybe he can just stay in that place a little longer and my dad can get here in time.

LOVING the cooler weather. We've been eating dinner outside the last few nights.

School is good but busy.

My grandpa is sick(er) again and back in the hospital. Nick and I took a half day off of work on Tuesday and spent the day at the hospital sitting with my grandma. We were supposed to go to Lubbock this weekend for the Tech game, but we're going to stay so we can spend some more time with them. The bad part is, my dad has been hunting in Montana all week so we've had no way to get a hold of him. My brother and I are trying to do as much as we can for my grandma. When my grandpa is well enough they're going to move him to an Assisted Living Facility. That will relieve my grandma of a lot of stress, but it kind of sucks to think about someone you love living in a place like that. I'm doing okay and am fine with the situation. It is what it is.

Tonight I was browsing around My Documents and stumbled upon some pretty interesting things- old recipes, incoheret substitute plans typed when I was sick in the middle of the night, my resume, a bar graph from February of 2006 charting my workout minutes... but the BEST thing of all I uncovered was a journal typed in Word chronicling my first semester teaching and my tumultous yet fabulous (or so I thought) dating life. HA!! It was the first time I'd ever been completely on my own. My first job, a new city... I was excited yet so overwhelemed and alone. I was trying to find who I wanted to become. Nick was just a figment of my imagination.


I had game.

...All of my friends back together!!
The hostesses
Jill's dog Roscoe whom I am obsessed with
The hubby

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of... I'll stop. Really.

Email #1 (aka. worst of times):

Dear Chelsea,

Thank you for sending The Gift of the Stork. Unfortunately I am not interested in pursuing this story. We only publish two books per year so I need to be extremely selective, and this does not feel like a good fit for our line.

I wish you much success finding the right publisher for your story.

All the best,
Shari
Flashlight Press Publishing

Nooo!! Shari, WHY, after you got my hopes up so high...
October to-do list: find more publishers and resubmit
However, in my inbox, just below that email, I found the single best e-mail EVER. Of all time.

Email #2 (aka. best of times):

Dear Mrs. Salomone:

I just want to take a brief moment to say "thank you" for your wonderful influence on my child, ---. She is so excited about coming to your class every day, and she tells us so many positive things.

"Mrs. Salomone actually makes math fun!" was her excited explanation about class the other day. Tonight, we were all treated to Mrs. Salomone's song for remembering the places of the digits and commas in long numerals. (And a "TREAT" that was I'm sure.) She told us that you lead the class and jump right along with them. (Secret's out.)

This is what excites the children and --- responds so favorably to your style and enthusiasm. We feel blessed to have you in our lives this year, and I look forward to helping you out in whatever ways you need.

Thank you for being an intelligent, friendly, honorable role model for our children. Because of you, --- will further develop her passion for learning and teaching others.

Warmly,
---

Wow. Seriously, wow. That means SOOOO MUCH to me, and I seriously needed that this week. It means more than I can ever tell her. Reason 14C WHY I DO IT.

This weekend we went to Lubbock for Tech's opening weekend. If you don't know Nick, he lives and breathes for Tech football. We even have season tickets. And yes, I love my husband so I force myself to wear a Tech shirt ONLY if they're not playing A&M. We had a good time tailgating and hanging out with his college buddies and their wives/fiancees/girlfriends. Monday Nick and I played golf. We had a really good time, and I am slowly getting better. Kind of.
I needed to post this picture just to balance things out and make myself feel a little better about that red jersey. If this doesn't prove I'm an Aggie, nothing will. This was our junior year when Casey, Erin, Natalie and I dunked our rings at Northgate. It was a proud moment for us all as we each drank an entire pitcher of beer in meer seconds while our parents and friends cheered us on. (Although as you can tell, a great majority of the beer is on Erin's and my shirt.) Ah... the good ol' days.