what do you do when you (almost) forget your favorite sister in-law's birthday?

you tell the whole world (at least the part of the world that reads your blog) what a HUGE LOSER you are while at the same time extolling the endless virtues of aforementioned sister in law.

world, meet K - my favorite sister in law. she is educated, intelligent, beautiful, funny, loving, thoughtful (much more so than i) and she has a special place reserved for her in heaven for marrying my brother! I LOVE HER!!!!!

so sucking up...

yep. that's exactly what you (I) do.

and Monday was her birthday. i (almost) forgot - save that my brother called my dad and my dad called me and i sheepishly called her. and she gave it to me with both barrels. and i'd do the same if i were her. cause if i were married to my brother and the in-laws forgot to worship me on my birthday, well, let's just say it would not be pretty the next time the family got together for tea and crumpets. (it's a joke, brother)

K is the sister in law living and teaching (for now, at least) in south mississippi. pre-katrina, she was a second grade teacher in a cozy little elementary school in pass christian. that school no longer exists. katrina gutted it. the bulldozers finished it. she now teaches middle school art in delisle, MS. the district combined the two school districts into temporary trailers. this will probably be much more than temporary.

on friday, as a late birthday present (or not), she finds out if she still has a job.

the biloxi school district - right down the beach from delisle laid off 60 teachers last month. biloxi is one of the richest school districts in the state of mississippi. they do not have enough students to warrant the current staffing levels. families have left. children are gone - leaving teachers with no one to teach. katrina is still washing away lives in south mississippi.


but again, i digress, back to my FABULOUS sister in law. she is amazing! my brother (her hubby) works off-shore so she is a single mom half the year. and does a great job of it. i am often in awe of her as she skillfully manages a full time job, two small kids and household on her own (half of the time).

K - i love you. i miss you. and i hope you had a wonderful birthday. i am a complete loser and will do better next year. (maybe)