WLA on CNN en espanol

We finally got the link to the CNN piece featuring WLA students. The little ones are second grade. Samuel, the cute little guy at the end, if one of my students. Very proud:)!

http://us.cnn.com/video/?/video/spanish/2009/10/26/WEBgeorgia.cnn

Dia de accion de gracias (Thanksgiving)

Dia de accion de gracias.....this is the phrase that the speakers of Spanish in American situations have come up with for Thanksgiving. It is popular in American and International schools in Spanish speaking countries, but not within the Latin American countries or Spain themselves. This is because the latinos really don't need a special day to give thanks; they tend to do it on a more basic level anyway. Their is a more ritual practice of slowing it down enough to say....wow, this is good and I appreciate this...whatever this is...the earth, the food, the wine, the shelter, or whatever.

Meanwhile, I listen to the news about the dude at Fort Hood who just shot and killed 13 people. I am also praying the my coworker at school whose 5 year old is has been in the hospital for four days now with a fever that will not go down.

But if we don't get anything else out of this whole economic debacle, as my friend Karen said, then we will learn to be grateful for the plentiful things that we take for granted (paraphrasing). Icing on the cake is that I am grateful for my amazing, thoughtful, and brilliant husband Kelley (anniversary Nov 17) and that my mom is getting a hip replacement soon (thank God!). I am also thankful that business may be getting a little better. Just as I am, I know that my dad, Kelley, and father in law, and my uncles are thankful for that.

Kelley and I have an ongoing conversation about living here and living there. Let's face it...there are places in the world more attractive than Hoschton, Georgia....the California coasts, St. Louis, Madrid, Santiago, the Peace Corp, wherever....but when it comes down to it I am glad to be close to home and to my family, always have been. It is lonely enough being somewhat in the spotlight now, even with family within a 10 minute drive. And if we succeed, I fear it will only get more lonely.

Lonliness is the price that we pay for ambition and talent. Because my Dad taught me this at an early age, it doesn't come as a surprise that it is true. Coincidently, he also says regularly that I am the "meanest 'white woman' in Jackson County", but that is because we believe similarly that it takes grit to be worth a damn at anything, and also his way of saying 'thanks for not being a puss' (paraphrasing, and sorry for the run-on, in case you are reading for grammar). Ambition, talent, hard work, a little luck, and the temerity to put yourself out there will make you really understand who your friends are. Even more than that, it makes you realize who your friends are not. More than anything, it makes you realize where friend crosses paths with family, when it crosses at all.

So I have mixed fealing about Thanksgiving. I have mixed feelings about the superficial nature of it. I have gotten to the point, like Kelley (who is much better that I am at focusing on what is important) that I just enjoy the good parts and ignore the rest without feeling bad about it. So overall, it is wonderful to see my grandparents and to enjoy the good parts (and there are really good parts, including the new baby) of all of the really crazy things that go on with my friends and family. Happy Turkey Day! Feliz dia de accion de gracias! L

Make a Smilebox greeting

Congrats Lauren, Mark, Will, and Kate on the little girl!!

Love,
Lora and Kelley

KOG for State Senate online

Kelley Gary for Georgia Senate Seat 47 is now online. Have a look, especially at news in Jackson County straw pole: 55%! Barrow, Jackson, part of Clarke, Oglethorpe, Madison, Elbert at in this district.


http://www.jacksongop.org/2009/08/kelley-gary-announces-for-state-senate.html

http://garyforsenate.com/

In other news, just lamenting to Kel today that I am missing seeing our branches of the families. Looking forward to Thanksgiving/Christmas for that.

Lora

We enjoyed dinner tonight at Ken and Susan's house and celebrating three September birthdays: Katherine, Ken, and Tim with the fam. Some of the best cornbread that I've had in while!! It finally stopped raining after raining what seemed like everyday for two weeks. We needed it, but I think everyone is glad that it finally stopped.

Koby and I finally got a much needed job this afternoon. It was beautiful weather finally, and we enjoyed doing the loop around Chateau Elan. I didn't know this before, but Tony said tonight that it is four miles. He also enjoys walking it. The landscaping and trees really are beautiful and the changes in elevation make it a challenging course.

Hoschton had its annual fall festival this weekend. Yesterday was a complete dud b/c of the rain. They even cancelled the parade; however, a good many people showed up for it today. We went to the outdoor New Community service this morning and then to lunch with some neighbors. Our favorite Mexican restaurant has the most awesome "Centinela Dip" that I tried today and it was the best Mexican dish that I've had in a while.

Before going to the birthday bash, we checked in on Erma at her tent at the festival. She feels that she met a good many people of the "332" section of Hoschton, which was good given that this is the part of town that she did not meet when she and Kelley were going door to door for the petition. Perhaps biased, but I think she has this mayoral race in the bag!

Have a great week!
Lora Gary

Rainy Sunday 20 Sep

We are so thankful for the weekend! Yesterday--Saturday--(aka: campaign day) we spent at a BBQ in Hull and then drove on down to Crawford for an event there. Weather was aweful for both, but we are thankful for the rain.

My mom is doing well after a procedure. She continues to improve and really advocating for herself in the way that is often necessary to get things done in a medical setting.

We are contemplating getting a "brother" or "sister" for Kobe so that he will have someone to play with more often, which hopefully will not translate to get in trouble more often. We are debating another Rideback pup or adopting a "mut". He is a good role model for a pup either way, so hopefully we could continue to leave our shoes out and not have to worry about them. Although genetics is key, so much of what they do is a product of their environment. We'll see.

Next Saturday is the Hoschton Fall Festival. I suspect Kelley and I will be out distributing Gary for Senate cards and campaigning for Erma (for Mayor of Hoschton), although I havn't checked his calendar yet. Hopefully the weather will be better.

Hopefully I'll be looking up from the computer sometime today. Grades have to be in the computer system by tomorrow, so ofcourse I am making up for procrastinating.

Have a great week! If you are reading from meeting, have a safe trip home!

Love, Kelley and Lora Gary

Hello everyone! I finally came up for air today from school, and it feels awesome. We had the GAPSS committee today, so there were random "visitors" in my classroom all day. From what we've heard so far, World Language Academy is doing well as a whole. I have to say that there are days that I envy the teachers who leave at 2:30, but then there are many days when I know that the hard work over the last year of forty devoted and visionary educators is changing how we look at charter schools and immersion education.

Kelley and I are filling whatever spare time there is with getting his run for Senate off to a good start. In other political news, by great friend Erma Denny is running for mayor of Hoschton in November 2009. She is thinking of making her campain theme "Vote for Denny, Durn It" (paraphrasing, and just kidding!). Not only would she be the first female mayor of Hoschton, but she will be the most awesome!

Let us know if you will be in Athens this weekend! Let the tailgating begin! Go Dawgs!

Lora