This Last Year

This Last school year has been a real roller coaster. It has been filled with so many ups and downs. 

Last August my Daddy got sick.  He got into some mulch that had some serious mold or something and ended up with a really bad case of pneumonia.  It all looked pretty good, but with his diabetes anything can be pretty serious.  So we start the school year, with my husbands dragon of a boss and a sick Dad.  I had a great staff in my kitchen so day to day was pretty cool.  I also had some pretty groovy kids at my school.  (little rascals!) 
 


Then October 1st I get a phone call at 5:00am.  Hmm. my husband's phone (he often leaves for work as early as 4:00am) only it's a woman.  "Is this Beth Sipos?" she asks.  "yes it is," I answer going from groggy to alert in a split second. " My name is (Lady X) and I am a nurse...I was driving to work this morning and found the accident." she says.  My husband was driving to work in his car, and a driver in a truck did not stop at the red light and T-boned my husband.  Oh, God!  He was trapped in his car and she stayed on the scene untill emergency personnel could arrive.  (Thank  You Lord.)  I met up with him moments after he arrived at the hospital.  A concussion, stitches and a few x-rays we leave the hospital.  His story doesn't stop there.  We find later that the hospital who told me that morning, that he did not have a concussion (BULL), also missed glass in his ear and 4 fractured vertebrae in his lower back.  It was and sometimes still is a struggle.  He very well could have died that day!  It took the firefighters more than 30 minutes to cut him out of the car. 

By now the middle of October my Daddy is home from the hospital.  We all soldier through and make it to Thanksgiving.  My Dad is home with the family, my husband is healing nicely.  I am surrounded my family.  My daughter who is in 8th grade, has been cast in the school play and her theater teacher tells her she should apply at the Arts Magnet school...So we start going to the Magnet fair.  These schools are not in our district but accept students from outside of district after they fill their slots with kids from within district.  So. ok, I'll bite and we will look into it.  Never let it be said that I'm not supportive.  We are at the fair learning what are chances are that she will be the next Meryl Streep.  We get lost in the biggest high school of all the Greater Dallas Area,  (wishing I had a flair gun!)  When we turn a corner trying to find the exit and see a small group starting to pack up.  It is the TaG Magnet.  (Talented and Gifted)  Now, I'm not bragging, but my kids are bright.  My oldest takes her grades and education very seriously.  (I'm sure Meryl Streep did too.)  She is very impressed with the staff and principal and the students who came as well.  We almost had to drag her away from them kicking and screaming.  So we decide to apply.  Ok Magnet schools here we come.

Then, the day after Black Friday, my Dad has a relapse.  It's back to the emergency room and the CCU in the next town. 

December comes and there is hope that Papa will be home for Christmas...he doesn't make it home.  As it turns out pneumonia was the least of his worries.  He has advanced emphyzema, and Pulmonary Fibrosis.  He cannot come home, because they cannot provide him enough oxygen at home.  So we decorate his hospital room for Christmas and New Year.  We have the final weeks of Savannah's application process where we have to pay to have her tested and she has to write a timed essay, and do a project and a resume and ....Her final paperwork is due January 31st.  I take the day off work, to drive her file down to the school 1 hour away.  I'm there, and have her all squared away and getting back in my car to drive the hour home when I get the call.  You need to come to the hospital today.  Dad's condition has been getting progressively worse.  He is weak and there is nothing that anyone can do for him anymore except keep him comfortable.  He has been talking over the past couple of weeks about having the doctors remove all aid from him and let him go.  He wants me to come there so he can tell me and my brothers of his decision.  The very next day, February 1st my Father, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren goes on to Glory!  I had the very great honor and privilege to be at his side holding his hand.  We laughed that day, we cried, we sang praise to the Lord, but mostly we prayed for his journey to be peaceful. 

A few short weeks later we find out the my daughter has qualified for the TaG Magnet but is put on the wait-list since we are Out Of District.  We were gearing up for a much needed vacation over Spring Break to Disney World when my Mother-in-Law has a heart attack.  We almost had to postpone our trip for the 3rd time (we were supposed to go in the Fall but couldn't due to wreck, then over Christmas, but didn't due to Father's  illness).  My Mother-in-law rallied  and insisted that we go visit Mickey!  We did and it was wonderful! 


By Mid May, about two months later, we get notification that Savannah has made it into TaG.   Days later we find out that TaG was ranked #2 High School in the Nation by Newsweek and 2 days later ranked #1 by US News and World Report.  Either way you look at it, it's a Great school.  It was the topping on the cake.  Just what we needed, some great news to end our year.  In many ways, this was a rough year, however I feel we are stronger for having persevered through our trials and found triumph.  We have grown closer as a family and hope and pray for a Happy year from here on out.