Back To School: Tea Bags, Muslims, and a Beautiful Run

I cut myself some slack last week after the Tri but while most folks use New Years to kick off new behaviors, goals, and resolutions... I have always loved the day after Labour Day to do the same. Back to school, start fresh, etc. I got up early to do a run. No timing or distance worries, just me getting my ass out of bed and forming a new habit (running in the mornings instead of after work). It was the most glorious run I have ever run. Seventy degrees, pre-dawn, and silent. I have never run that long that far without feeling tired or bored. Considering the last morning run before the Tri was a forced slog that left me wondering why the hell I did this, this morning was like a gift from Hermes for not giving up. 

The tea bags? I saw this tip on Pinterest that said to stick dry (unused) tea bags in your shoes to get rid of the smell and holy cow I think it works!!!! So, my feet smell like English Breakfast Tea but I promise you that is far better than the alternative :)

Muslims? Ah, yes. For my next trick:

I have mentioned before that one of the families in my neighborhood is Muslim and I like them and enjoy talking to them. They recently shared that their youngest daughter is struggling in school because kids (especially girls) are being vicious and mean to her. Most likely because she is gorgeous but she is convinced she is ugly. Y'all know by now I totally feel that pain. Add to that, her mom is fighting cancer (like a champ) and you have this poor kid who is just having a huge struggle in life now. She failed all last years SOLs and the school system passed her anyway (seems to be their pattern) and the parents are worried and want to help her but had no idea how to start.

They knew we homeschooled P so yesterday we sat down in our dining room and helped them get organized with a plan to homeschool. They will do some, use a local tutoring business for some and...yes...I, the great Satan will also be tutoring and helping out. Due to the mom's illness we are working on a plan where if she is having a super bad day, their daughter can come over and hang out with P. and, we've already planned a few field trips to include her in.

An interesting development at our meeting was that both their older kids (one in college and one a senior) are leaning towards agnosticism/atheism. The parents are a bit disappointed but the father is a scientist so actually understands the kids' thought process that has them where they are. It was a really nice discussion and when I shared a few Muslim homeschool resources I had found they were both decidedly insistent that religion and education were separate. They both wanted critical thinking and science to come first, faith was something you dealt with in a separate way. I told the dad he must have done well based on his older kids and he had this sort of sheepish "yeah....but..." look. The age old conundrum I am sure when it comes to those with faith that are scientists. 

All in all it was a super nice few hours with good people that want to do right by their kids, just as any good parents regardless of religion want. Having been immigrants, they come from a place that is pretty awful and they do not take the gifts the US gives for granted when it comes to freedom. Ah, well. This shall be an interesting adventure this year :)

On that note, P is making back to school pancakes for breakfast and I promised to eat one before I left for work so I shall wrap it up here.