What A Year!!

My new fiance Mindy gave me a journal for Christmas when I was 55 years old. The journal has journal entry for severe numbers, doctor's numbers and neighbors of trusted neighbors and friends. When I turn 56 on a March 13th I have my best birthday present according to my journal that is the day Mindy and I get married. Thus I will never forget our anniversary. Mindy and I arrive at our new home in a new city in a new state. A couple neighbors welcome us to the neighborhood. Then my cell phone rings and I hear the good news and share it with Mindy- our first adoption of a 9 year old Caucasian male named Brandon has been approved and so my journal states Brandon comes to our house on M March 14th. Neighbors tell us their is a neighborhood meeting at 3:30 pm. There was no meeting it turned out to be our first neighborhood party as everyone wanted to welcome us. Brandon found friends named Tommy, Harold and Tommy's older brother Timothy who was 12 years.

March 14, we all had our first supper together and at 8:15 pm my journal states we had our first power outage. I asked my spouse Mindy if she had heard of any problems with our electric bill payment. She said " No" and since there was no storm I went to talk to a neighbor and learned there was a motor vehicle accident nearby and a car knocked over a utility pole and knocked out power to the entire city. Power is back on by 9:30pm.

On March 15 around 7pm my family experienced it's first severe storm with a tornado- no injuries and no damage.

March 29th- at 7pm Brandon finds his first Cub Scout pack 7789 and earns his first rank. Two weeks later Brandon and I enjoy our first campout together and we both end up experiencing our first flooded tent. Fortunately, we both had raincoats even though the local TV weather personnel had forecast all sun for the weekend. I was the first Eagle Scout to help and work with the Scout pack. Brandon at the campfire had to share information about himself such as age, school attended, grade, favorite subject, least favorite subject and favorite food.

The next meeting I used the discipline technique called " Positive Conotation" on Tommy who was being very disrespectful to everyone- he didn't like my discipline technique as it uses peer pressure to help form a change in better behavior.

March 26th was my brother's Birthday Dan. Brandon got to talk to his uncle Dan for the first time.

April 15th- my journal states this is when I get my first job as American history teacher at Brandon's school however the principal stated Brandon couldn't be in my class. I asked the principal if that also included stepchildren. He told me he would have to talk to the Superintendent as this was a new question, the first one about the rule

July 11th- My family experienced its first hurricane together. No injuries, minimal injuries.

My family doesn't celebrate Haloween on October 31st, we all celebrate All Saints Day on November 1st as we all dress like the saint we are thankful for like St. Anthony or St. Leo.

Three weeks later the family has its first Thanksgiving at it's first house.

December 1st- we receive our first Christmas card from Hawaii- my nephew Lucas and his family. The next day we hold our first family meeting to discuss the rules of the holiday as both Brandon and I have a two week vacation. We also talk about gifts, to who, make a budget and rules for Brandon in regard to friends and relatives visiting the house about the Golden Rule and show respect to everyone

January 1st- At 9pm Brandon takes a shower to prepare for bed and we allow him to watch the whole nighttime college football game and the local news at 11pm and then watch the Baloon drop in Times Square in New York at midnight.

January 15th in my journal we take our first family vacation to Florida to Walt Disney World. Brandon meets Aunt Sue, Aunt Selma, Uncle Dan and Uncle Will for the first time.

January 31st- in my journal Brandon receives his first report card all "A"'s except in math- an " F". Mindy and I ask Timothy who is excellent in math to help Brandon for five dollars per session plus we would proofread his English assignments for free to help him with his weakness.

It is now February, highs in the 40's, lows in the 20's.

February 15th- a knock on the door at 6pm Brandon is at the door with a police officer. Mindy and I send Brandon to his room. The officer tries to stop Brandon however Mindy and I tell the officer we are in charge of discipline in our house. He asks may I talk to both of you? We say yes and escort him to the living room. The officer tells us Brandon is not in trouble, he and a classmate saved another classmate's life during gym class. I wanted to invite you next Friday night at 6pm to the local Hungry Howies as a surprise dinner for Brandon and his classmate. I tell the officer Brandon is in a local Cub Scout pack, they are all welcomed to attend.

February 28th- at 4pm I tell Brandon to get dressed in Class A uniform as we are all going to Hungrie Howies for supper. He gave me an odd stare however he got dressed and we all got to Hungry Howies around 5pm and we saw 10 Cub Scouts with parents out of 15 Cub Scouts of the pack. The waiter escorts all of us to a special room. The Cubmaster opens the activity. The two oldest boys of the group lead in the Pledge of Allegiance and then the Cubmaster asks for the two adult guests to come up front. The police officer, who spoke through the microphone explained what occurred about a week ago. Brandon and a classmate saw another classmate fall during gym class. It was Brandon who figured out that it was a serious event so Brandon sent two people to go get the principal and the teacher called 911. Brandon got help from his classmate Mark and they did 2 person CPR on John the classmate hurt until EMTS arrived about ten minutes, so Brandon and Mark saved John's life. John's parents didn't know he had a problem with his heart, now they can treat him. Brandon and Mark both received their awards and they both smiled. The award ceremony was in the local newspaper and on the early news at 10pm.