Senior Living

Still In This Together

By Vicki Bahr

A wonderful head start

I moved the picture frame from the end table to sound and kissing their fingers and toes, counting her smiling and crying right along with us and standmake space for a holiday decoration and smiled as I higher than she was able to those last few years. She ing at the corner of the room in disbelief as she whisalways do at one of the photos I hold most dear to knows, and she loves and she dances with joy at the pers, “And to think all of this started with your father my heart. It’s a picture of my mother in her wheel- two tiny miracles that will be ours when she’s good and me.” chair in the memory care ward at the nursing home as and ready to let them go, and not a minute before. I love you so much, Mom. And thank you for craour daughter, Becca, presents her with her twentieth Mom has earned this miracle and I’m sure she’s dling our grandboys and keeping them safe until we great-grandchild, Adler, four years ago. sharing so many secrets with the babies; telling them could hold them in our arms.

The look on my mom’s face is remarkably cogent what a wonderful mother they have waiting to care and overwhelmingly loving. She lived for her family, for them, and that she’s pretty crazy about their dad and was never happier in her final days than when the and big brother, too. She’s whispering to them how great-grandkids were visiting her, racing her through proud she is to be their great-grandmother, and that the halls in her wheelchair, fighting over whose turn she wishes she could have knitted a coming home it was to push her, listening to her repetitive stories outfit for each of them, but that she will say some exabout when she was their ages, coloring pictures and tra prayers for them instead and see that their paths admiring the door decorations of all her fellow resi- are a little easier when they least expect it. dents. She will cradle them and hold tight to their tiny

Suddenly it hit me that the twins Becca is carrying hands until the moment that Becca and Andy do, and are the only grandchildren of mine my mother will she will be there with us as we welcome our newest never meet. She wasn’t able to pat Becca’s stomach miracles into the world. I’m pretty sure I will sense and tell us her predictions or exclaim with pride that these are the only twins in the family and how exciting it’s going to be to tell everyone that her granddaughter is having twins very close to her birthday and maybe she will hold on just a little longer than the doctor says and help her celebrate what would have been her 93rd birthday.

Mom won’t be able to hold the babies and exclaim how much they look like their parents or wonder what they will be when they grow up. And I felt so sad that it took my breath away.

But in the very next breath, I laughed out loud and shook my head in disbelief as tears rolled down my cheeks. Of course, she’s seen them! She knew before any of us that they were twins and that they were boys and she already knows their names, even though their parents haven’t agreed on one, let alone two of their names and are waiting to see the babies first.

My Mom is holding them, one in each arm, parading them all around our heavenly family for their approval and their love. She’s bouncing them on knees that are no longer useless and arthritic, singing lullabies that she remembers every word of now, and whispering the knowledge of www.TheSarahCommunity.comthe ages into their ears.

She’s touching the hair we just saw on the latest ultra-

Vicki Bahr is an inveterate word lover and story sharer, a published author in magazine, newspaper and blog forms. As a mom of four, grandma of nine, and wife of one for nearly 49 years, she finds that inspiration and wonder are everywhere.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

Normandy School Board approves resolution for bond issue on April 6 ballot

On Jan. 25, the Normandy Schools Collaborative Joint Executive Governing Board approved a resolution to add a bond issue on the April 6 ballot.

To address the district’s longterm facility needs, NSC voters are being asked to consider Proposition V, a $26.5 million no-tax-rate increase general obligations bond, and Proposition T to increase the operating tax levy ceiling by $0.58 cents. “Both Propositions V and T will provide funds to make needed improvements and upgrades at Normandy High School,” said Marcus Robinson, Normandy superintendent of schools. “Normandy High School is the flagship campus of our district and the place where our students make their most cherished memories. We want to make these upgrades and enhancements to increase safety and security, and just as importantly, the learning environments for staff and students.”

Robinson also noted additional funds will be used to complete other construction, remodeling, repairs and improvements at the EleMiddle (grade 1-8) schools.

Earlier this month, Normandy hired a third-party vendor to survey residents, asking questions to provide insight into what they think about the district’s strengths, challenges, and facility priorities.

“The statistically valid survey results assisted our board in its decision to move forward with seeking a vote from patrons,” Robinson said. “Survey respondents overwhelmingly supported the no-tax-increase bond issue by 83 percent, and more than 55 percent supported the levy at the $0.58 cent level.”

Specifically, Proposition V will provide funding for: • A new secure “connector” building that will link classroom buildings and ensure a safe environment by creating one point of entry to the campus. • Classroom, cafeteria, and restroom renovations. • A new, indoor access to the current detached caf-

eteria as well as cafeteria upgrades. • Renovations to the library. • A new STEM classroom. • Proposition T will provide funding for: • Construction of a new community auditorium at Normandy High

School. • Lobby renovation, team locker improvements and spectator seating replacement at Viking

Hall. • Expansion of the West

Gym at Normandy High

School for the inclusion of additional practice courts. • A new, artificial turf athletic field and a new, regulation size track at Normandy High School. • Quad and parking lot improvements at Normandy High School. • A new elevator and HVAC upgrades at Jefferson School. • A new elevator, bus dropoff and HVAC upgrades at Washington School. If Normandy voters approve Proposition V, school property tax rates will not increase. However, the $0.58 operating tax levy for Proposition T would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $110 per year until the 20-year sunset.

More information about Proposition V and Proposition T will be available soon on the school district’s website, www. normandysc.org.

Normandy High School, one of the oldest high school buildings in the area, is in need of major repairs and improvements.

Submitted photo