Tracey Childs

When I attended college, Auburn was on the quarter system. About a third of the way through each quarter, after I’d received my first grades on tests and papers, I knew that midterms were right around the corner. And I needed to vent! My students are probably at that point now. They’ve been in college for about a month, and they’ve received their first grades. Some received a wake-up call while others are just happy that they are making the transition. In any event, now may be a time to vent, and so this week’s journal entry is a lemon squeeze. I learned about lemon squeezes in college. The only twist is that simply squeezing the lemons is unacceptable. You have to make lemonade. So after all of the venting is done, an action plan needs to be put in place. How are you going to deal with the situation if it ever presents itself again? What are you going to do differently in life to avoid making the same mistakes twice? Go ahead. Try it. You’ll feel better after venting, but you’ll feel even better after you add a little bit of sugar to that lemon juice and can sip on some refreshing lemonade!

So much is going on in the news right now. I don’t know where to begin…

A seven month old died yesterday of EEE. That really scares me. I am already a bit paranoid when I see anything “foreign” on my child, and I can be obsessive compulsive about spraying her with Off (although I have slacked off since we moved. I don’t see nearly as many mosquitoes). You better believe I am about to get back on that! I can’t even begin to imagine what that family is going through.

I also can’t imagine what the families of the Jena Six must be going through. I read another update this week that charges for others have been reduced. It just makes you wonder what is going on today! I mean, how did this situation go on for so long w/out any national attention? And why isn’t it getting the attention that it needs? And why do the principal and superintendent of the school and system still have jobs? And why doesn’t the DA take a page out of the book of the NC DA who went after the Duke Lacrosse players? Shouldn’t they have to answer to someone? And Governor Blanco? She can’t step in yet? I don’t understand that either! Wake up! And let’s remember Dr. Kings’ sentiments about injustices…if they happen anywhere, they are happening everywhere. Yes. Even right here in Mobile, Al.

Who wants to talk about all of the war stuff? I am not a huge Tavis Smiley fan, but he does raise some good questions about timing. How important is it that the report on Iraq (which was pretty favorable) was released on Sept. 10, the day before the sixth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our country? And how important is it that a new Bin Laden tape was released at the same time? And how important is it that our president is about to ask for billions more dollars to fund the war? I don’t have the answers. I just want you to think about it.

And in entertainment news…how funny is it that Kanye West is beating 50 cent in the battle for record sales. And is 50 REALLY going to retire? I doubt it.

My Tigers play Miss. State Saturday. I want to say it’ll be a sure win, but with the way our O is playing, I am keeping my mouth shut until AFTER the game is over. I do, however, still say loudly and proudly, “WAR EAGLE!”

Have a great weekend.

Please read the following link for more information. Remember the old adage, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20589789/?GT1=10357

To say that I have a type A personality may be an understatement. I am the oldest of three, and I was an only child for six years. So it’s in my nature to be bossy, straight-forward and driven (at least I tell myself it’s natural). I was always the one who had a plan and followed it through to execution. If I said I was going to do something by a certain time, then that is how it was going to be. Don’t get me wrong. There were times when the stars didn’t always line up in my favor. For instance, there was the time I ran for ninth grade class president and lost to childhood friend Renee Stewart. I was crushed for a day or so. I knew my campaign slogan was witty, and I knew that I would be the perfect person to plan the ninth grade prom, but nevertheless, it was not meant for me. And then there was the time I ran for senior class president in high school only to lose to a girl who stood up on chair in the gym during open campaigning and yelled, “do you really want a CHEERLEADER to be your president?” I wanted to turn around and yell, “do you really want a lazy under achiever to be your president?” That, however, would’ve been undignified, so I refrained and instead cried on the front steps of the school’s main entrance and told my assistant principal that it wasn’t fair while I waited for my dad to pick me up from school. My biggest set back began on August 16, 1994. That’s the day I went into the hospital and began the journey of a lifetime. At 18, it was hard for me to comprehend why I was sick, why I had to have my kidney removed, and why I couldn’t begin college in the fall. I learned a very important lesson then. I was not in control of my life; God was. And if I was going to recover and live, I would have to put my faith in Him rather than in myself. I learned that lesson in 1994 and forgot it and learned it and forgot it again many, many times. I was reminded, however, on December 16, 2005 (this period was the greatest test of my faith). I was 29 weeks pregnant with Katelyn, and I was not feeling my best. I was tired, my feet were swollen, I had a bladder infection…I just didn’t feel good.

I was admitted to the hospital on Friday night as a result of blood pressure readings in the 200/100 area. When told that I was going to be transfered to a hospital for high risk patients and that I would probably deliver my baby that night (she wasn’t due until March), I sobbed uncontrollably. When the doctor went on to explain to me that if I didn’t get myself under control, I would have seizures and put Andy in a situation where he’d have to choose whether or not he wanted to save me or Katelyn, I knew what I had to do. That life-long lesson came back to me instantly. I had to pull it together and put my faith in God because I knew that I couldn’t do it. I also knew that the process was happening for a reason. I’d have to figure out that lesson later.

Katelyn was born on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 11:19 am. She weighed two pounds and three ounces. For the next eleven weeks, she, Andy and I would go through many physical and emotional rollercoasters. During those eleven weeks, I continued to learn and remember that life was not Burger King. I could not have it my way. My way would’ve been that Katelyn was born on March 6, 2006 and weighed more than six pounds. My way would’ve been that she could breathe on her own immediately. My way would’ve been that she and I would’ve gone home from the hospital on the same day. My way would’ve been that she wouldn’t have had to have surgery before she turned three months old. My way would’ve been that we wouldn’t have to shelter her from the common cold for almost two years. But it didn’t happen my way. lt happened God’s way. And we–Katelyn, Andy, and I–are a lot stronger for it.

It’s been twenty months, and Katelyn weighs a bit over 21 pounds. She is as healthy as can be. I don’t think I love her anymore than other parents love their children, but I know that I appreciate her struggle, her will and her zest for life. And I thank God for giving me a daily reminder that His way is really the best way.