My last Saturday

Yesterday was my last Saturday. We had a staff meeting and I announced to most of the staff (a few already knew) that my last day would be Wednesday. I told them thank you for the learning and growing experience and that it was awesome working with them for the last four years, or two years, or two weeks (we just hired a new guy, who was probably like "What the heck, my boss just quit"). I kept it short and sweet. My boss was there, and he thanked me for the last four and a half years and everyone clapped. One guy said, "I'm not clapping for this! I unclap this!" and started reverse clapping, if you can picture it. It was funny and sweet. He later gave me a big hug. It's good to know when you're loved.

Another one of my girls got teary during the meeting, and during the day later she said, "I don't want you to go! It's going to suck here without you," to which I told her she would get used to it in one day. Change is weird, but it happens.

There was a water line break, or something, in the St. Charles area, so all of the water we ingest has to be boiled for 3 minutes. I was thinking while in the shower this morning about how your skin is the largest organ (am I right?) and it absorbs whatever gets on it into the bloodstream, yeah? So, I hope my baby is ok. It was a long shower. And then I brushed my teeth like normal and let out a small scream when I was done, realizing I had not used the boiled water. They say Missouri has the best water, but the Missouri River... I wouldn't let my dog swim in it, and I dare say, drowing in it would be unfortunate for several reasons. One being that it smells like sheol.

I cannot find a good boy name! I love old names, and names of authors that I love. The first name can't end in ER, because Tyler Wheeler, who would name their kid that. Haha. Kidding, but also, it can't end in ES because if the middle name is James, which it will be, then... and it can't be single syllable because that's boring? Is it? I don't know. Last night I fell asleep with my phone in my hand looking at a baby name list. Guess how many names were on it? 1,000. That was just for boys. Then I read the girl list.

As far as a girl names, I feel like I'm settling for the middle name being Marie since that's my middle name, and all my cousins middle names, and some of my aunts middle names... It's a fine name, but someone even made a joke to me not knowing it was a family name... "It's not Marie is it? Hehe..." and I said, "Uh well, actually..." so, learn this lesson if you haven't yet... wait until you hear their name choices before bashing some. I wasn't offended. Marie is... marie. It's my name and I love it. But do you stick with something just because that's the way it was done before? That isn't very like me.

I have asked people what they picture when they see the name Shannon. A middle aged black man? A Mean girl? A boring person with not much personality? A quiet business man with four kids wearing a suit? These are all Shannon's I've met, or used to be (I have been mean before... none of the others).

There's a lot to a name. I'm not out to freak people out and name my kid Bookshelf. But goodness.

PS. yesterday a woman was telling me how much she loved bright colors, and to explain herself she raised up her shirt completely and showed me her pink sports bra. Later she said, out of nowhere, "When are you having a baby?!" in shock, as if I had just said to her that I was having a baby, but I hadn't. And she was staring at my belly. I told her December. She said, "What?! You don't even look pregnant. You just look like you have a fat belly!" Thankfully her boyfriend was sane and nice. He told me I was patient, and that I would be a good mom. I don't care if a stranger says it, it's meaningful.