Archive for January, 2009
January 16th, 2009, 12:57 pm by Michelle Reese
 The Nielson Family The Nie Nie Dialogues’ author has returned.
I couldn’t read the words fast enough as I clicked on the blog today. There they were. Stephanie was back at work in front of a computer and sharing a bit with all of us.
Stephanie Nielson, formerly of Mesa, and her husband, Christian, were critically injured Aug. 16 in a plane crash in St. Johns. After word of the crash came out through her sister through Stephanie’s popular blog - the Nie Nie Dialogues – readers and people who would become readers poured out financial support and prayers to the Nielsons and their four young children.
Today, Stephanie posted her first writing since the crash.
“Its true.
I am alive.
I look different.
I walk slow…and type slower.
But its good to be back!!” she writes.
During the past few months, I’ve had the opportunitye to talk with Christian’s family and a few family friends about what the Nielsons have gone through. Christian suffered burns over 30 percent of his body. Stephanie endured burns to more than 80 percent of her body. Doctors at the Arizona Burn Center kept her in a medically induced coma while her body healed and she underwent skin grafts.
Christian’s family was humbled by all the support they received from complete strangers from around the world. Last fall they invited myself and a Tribune photographer into their Mesa home and showed us dozens of cards - well wishes from people they had never heard from before, and they expressed their thanks.
When Christian was well enough, he moved back in with his parents. Last Halloween, he and his son, in town from Utah where he was being cared for by an aunt, got to go trick-or-treating. Oliver went as Luke Skywalker. Daddy was, who else, Darth Vadar - complete in costume.
After Stephanie awoke and was stable enough, the family decided to move closer to Stephanie’s sisters, who were caring for their four children in Utah. Stephanie was transferred to a hospital at the University of Utah right before Thanksgiving and the family set up residence.
“How can I thank you all,” she continues on her blog. “I don’t think I can…letters, e-mails, stories, toys for the kids, clothes artwork, dolls, love, donations and all your prayers!!”
In November, her husband gave his on thanks, in the form of a video.
To read more of her blog, see http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/. To learn more about the fundraising efforts, see www.nierecovery.com.
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January 16th, 2009, 11:50 am by Michelle Reese
Not to alarm anyone, but …
I looked at the school calendar for my son and realized I better start putting spring break plans in motion. I’ve received notices already from Gilbert and Mesa parks and recreation departments about options, as well as private groups. We haven’t decided on vacation plans for this year yet, though I have requested the week off work, I may be in need of a camp for him. And I want to make it memorable (he still asks every weekend to go to the camp he attended during winter break).
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January 15th, 2009, 3:14 pm by Michelle Reese
During the holidays, I adopted the idea of doing one simple activity every day to bring a little of the season’s magic into the season.
I’m beginning to think I need to keep that mentality and process going and wondered: What do you do in your own lives with busy families to keep life simple? Do you keep a daily chore routine? Do you have a special place to write “dream” activites? Do you have an easy way to reward the kids for helping?
In the last year, both my husband and I have had chest pain due to stress. Thankfully, it’s never been more serious. Probably the adoption of more exercise in our daily routine would help. And I so enjoyed just BEING on Sunday, resting under a tree in our neighborhood park. I want to do more of that. And I want to kids to have more time at the park and with their friends.
In our two-parent, both working family, we do have a set daily schedule: get up, get dressed, eat, get out the door! Evening is almost as set: get home, get fed, get bathed, read a book or do some “school” activity, play, pray, go to bed. And I crash just about the same time the kids do. Maybe I should be more flexible. Adding something during the week might be a possibility - but more likely the weekend is better.
But it’s not that I want to add - I want to simplify! Ok, so I’ve given up folding clothes that go into drawers (seriously! I have!) and I’ll confess, I’ve given up some weekly/monthly chores around the house (sweep? no one will notice the dust in the carpet, or the blinds). And I’ve started to donate unused items - so that cleans the clutter. Any other thoughts?
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January 15th, 2009, 12:06 pm by Michelle Reese
This news came into the Tribune today:
At a time when an unprecedented number of Americans are struggling to save and pay for the ever-rising cost of college tuition, Upromise, a Sallie Mae company, is doubling financial support for its annual scholarship program. This year, the Upromise Scholarship will award a total of $500,000 in college aid to 200 students. Based on merit and need, the Upromise Scholarship was created to help Upromise members pursue a college education and is made possible by many of America’s leading brands, including lead sponsors, Bank of America and Bed Bath & Beyond®, and support from Canon U.S.A., Inc.’s eStore.com, Kaplan, Rewards NetworkSM and Sallie Mae.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the cost of college has more than doubled since 1990, with the average tuition, room and board at a four-year private college or university costing roughly $38,400 per academic year. With today’s economic challenges and more than 18.4 million students expected to attend the nation’s colleges and universities this fall, American demand for financial scholarships will be considerable.
“In these difficult economic times, Americans need all the help they can get to save and pay for college.” said David Rochon, president, Upromise. “This year, through the generosity of Upromise partners, we are delighted to double the Upromise Scholarship Fund and support twice as many students in their higher education dreams.”
“As Upromise members, my parents have received money for college tuition when they shop for groceries, clothing and even when they fill up on gas,” said Krista Grill, a senior at Baldwin Wallace College and recipient of the 2008 Upromise Scholarship. “Those savings combined with winning the scholarship made a big difference in helping my family and I pay for college this past year.”
To apply for this year’s Upromise Scholarship, students can visit upromise.com/scholarship and apply online by February 28, 2009. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
· Be a Upromise member or child of a Upromise member (joining is free at www.upromise.com)
· Have a household income of $65,000 or less
· Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent)
· Be a high school senior or graduate who plans to enroll during the 2009-2010 academic year, or a student already enrolled in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university or vocational-technical school
· Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident residing in one of the 50 U.S states or Washington, D.C.
Complete eligibility guidelines can be found at upromise.com/scholarship.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Education is currently accepting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov, which is crucial for students to complete to be eligible for federal financial aid for college. To help with college planning, Upromise.com offers free tools including links to Sallie Mae’s scholarship search, college savings plan options and tips on how to earn more Upromise college savings rewards.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • education news | Post a Comment »
January 14th, 2009, 2:30 pm by Michelle Reese
This news came into the Tribune today;
Director Steve Owens is reminding students, teachers and parents that Friday, Feb. 6, is the deadline for Arizona high school seniors to apply for ADEQ’s Arizona Recycling Scholarship Program, which provides scholarship funds for seniors interested in environmental issues.
Under the Recycling Scholarship Program, ADEQ will award 10 scholarships of $1,000 each to high school seniors to be used for expenses at a college or university in Arizona.
To apply, students must submit a proposal outlining a waste reduction or recycling project in their school or community to be implemented during March 2009. All Arizona high school students in their senior year are eligible to apply for the scholarship. The 10 scholarship recipients will be selected by ADEQ based on the proposals submitted.
“This is a very exciting program that encourages Arizona students to think about ways to protect the environment while helping them meet the escalating costs of college,” Owens said. “We initiated this program in 2006 to promote awareness of the three R’s - Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
- and the response has been tremendous every year since because of the keen interest among students in the environment and the high quality of the proposals we have seen. Seniors interested in applying for the scholarships need to remember to do so before the Feb. 6 deadline.”
Owens said ADEQ developed the scholarship program to encourage school recycling activities throughout the state and to get high school students involved in protecting the environment. Funding for the scholarship program will come through the ADEQ Recycling Grant Program.
Proposals must be received by ADEQ no later than Feb. 6, and the scholarship winners will be announced Feb. 20. The winning projects will be in March. ADEQ will provide scholarship funds to the students after receiving proof of enrollment at a community college or university within the state of Arizona.
The scholarship package and informational materials will be sent to every high school in Arizona and also are available on ADEQ’s Web site at http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/waste/solid/program.html
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January 12th, 2009, 1:43 pm by Michelle Reese
A reader recently commented about her daughter’s ability to change the words to songs she sings. And that reminded me of something my little one did this weekend.
For Christmas, my 4 year old got a CD of children’s music. My daughter filled in words she didn’t know with “And goes Indiana Jones.”
I have no idea where it came from. I asked her several times if that’s indeed what she said. Yup. That was it. I even told her the right words. It didn’t matter. The song she sang, ”And goes Indiana Jones” again.
I have no clue why. She has not seen the movie and as far as I know, the only “Indiana Jones” toy we have is her brother’s Lego set.
But it’s pretty darn cute so I’ll stop correcting her, and try to catch it on video for some time in the future - like her first prom.
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January 12th, 2009, 1:38 pm by Michelle Reese
I spent much of Sunday resting under a tree in the park near our house. It was a perfect January in Arizona, and I was recovering from a very long week. My kids were riding their bikes, playing “Star Wars” with the neighbors and just, well, being kids.
And though the house still needed to be put back together - remnants of Saturday’s family gathering for my daughter’s birthday rested in nearly every room - when my 6-year-old son and now 4-year-old daughter begged to go outside, I gave in.
It wasn’t that hard. My own body needed some outdoor time, some time away from the confines of home, some time when I couldn’t view the dishes that needed to go into the dishwasher and the boxes that needed to go in the trash.
I can’t remember the last time I just sat in the sun on the grass. Under that tree I remembered my own days growing up in the Valley - I climbed a lot of trees as a kid during Arizona’s “winters.” Now and then I think about living some place with more “four-season weather,” but then we have a day like Sunday.
I can brag to my sister in Minnesota about our time outdoors (which she can do in the summer, so it’s even). And I don’t have to worry about driving in the snow.
The biggest gift was the chance to listen to the kids laugh and play, even though most of my daughter’s comments were, “I’m Princess Leia. Help me. Someone save me.”
Hmmm… maybe Friday night’s viewing of “Star Wars” wasn’t such a good idea.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Time at home | Post a Comment »
January 5th, 2009, 10:19 am by Michelle Reese
I got a phone message last night from a friend I haven’t talked to in several weeks. What it boiled down to was the past two weeks had been crazy with the kids at home and ”Hallelujah! School is back in session.”
Yea… I have to agree.
I don’t have the same reason, however. I had to work nine of the 10 days my kids didn’t have school. Because of that, their holiday break was a mixture of going to daycare, going to camp and going to grandparents or my sister-in-laws.
In other words, there was no routine. We pretty much stuck to bed time and rise time, but each day I had to remind the kids where they were going after they got dressed.
And while my son lamented last night, “Mom, I don’t want to go to school” and he had a tough night sleeping, this morning I saw him run to the playground and bounce in line to his class.
I was a little worried about how he would do.
Mom worries too much. He did great - and hopefully that will be the report when the day ends.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • School time | Post a Comment »
January 2nd, 2009, 3:49 pm by Michelle Reese
 On a recent day, I remembered to turn the camera on myself and my kids I took a moment this afternoon to peek in on the Nielsons and their extended families - that is, I looked at Courtney and Alice’s blogs.
Though they live now in Utah, I still think of Stephanie and Christian Nielson, the young couple whose lives were turned upside-down in August following a plane crash, and wonder how they’re doing.
Returning to reporting in July, I’ve had the chance to write a number of stories about a number of people who will forever be embedded on my thoughts.
Many of them were moms: a mom caring for her sister’s kids, a mom struggling to survive, a mom hoping to stay in her home with her family for Christmas.
I’ve met moms of teens helping them get through their first glimpse of mortality. I met a mom caring for her son with special needs and several moms running for school board, looking to have an impact on their child’s education.
And I’m thankful. I’m thankful that I share this common bond with them. I’m thankful as I talk to parents or teachers or other school leaders that my own life experiences - thanks to the not-so-always cherub faces of my 6-year-old son and nearly 4-year-old daughter - allow me to understand a bit more what everyone is talking about.
And I certainly hope the New Year will help me take a bit of what I’ve learned from all these moms and bring it into my own parenting. I admire how these moms make a part of each day memorable, embrace each hug, salute each little milestone and welcome each frustration as a normal, comes-with-the-day part of parenting.
Posted in: Michelle Reese • Being a mom | Post a Comment »
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