Summer Days

Summers for teachers are supposed to be 3 months of sleeping in, hanging out at the pool (or golf course), catching up on reading, staying up late, laid-back days, right? Well let me set you straight!

First of all, for the record, summer vacation is really only a little more than 2 months. Especially when you consider the extra days we spend in August getting our classrooms ready. Just wanted to make that little tidbit clear to everyone.

For us, summer does have its share of laid-back days. We piddle around the house, complete home improvement projects, take a family vacation, and the golf course sees plenty of Jeremy.
But we also spend a LOT of time at doctor's appointments.

Today we started the appointment season with a visit to the ENT for Jeremy. He's already had strep throat at least twice this year. I suppose you could count it as three times because after the first bout he had to get back on an antibiotic. And he's had more than his fair share of encounters with strep in his life. I won't go into all the gory details. But he is having a tonsillectomy in July. Lord give me strength!!!

Other upcoming appointments include visits to the neurologist, endocrinologist and pulmonologist for Nate. Dentist appointments for Mom, Dad, Bri and Alli. Orthodontist appointment for Allison. Delaney will see the pediatrician for more shots. Sports physicals for both girls. Mom sees the gyno (woohoo). And most likely Nate will have a bronchoscopy (annual procedure) toward the end of the summer.

In other news, Nate started summer school yesterday. He goes from 8:30 to 12:30 on Monday through Thursday for seven weeks. His nurse, Melissa goes with him and the bus transports them to and from school. It's so good for him to get out. I think he gets bored at home. I mean there's only so much baseball a kid can watch! Let me rephrase that...there's only so much baseball WE can watch! And it's nice for us to have a little bit of freedom from his care.
But there goes sleeping in.

So there you have it. Not a terribly exciting start to our summer. But we're starting to get into a routine. And before you know it, we'll be back to school and dreaming of the summer days we were sitting in waiting rooms, flipping through magazines.

Summer List

I got this idea from Meg at Whatever. You really should check out her blog. It's amazing. She's amazing. I thoroughly enjoy keeping tabs on her family.
Anyway, I saw this last summer and thought it would be a great idea. I love to check things off a list!
My family was less than enthusiastic, to put it nicely.
But I forced encouraged each of them to come up with at least one idea. Can you guess what Jeremy wants to do this summer?
We didn't fill our page, so if we come up with any new ideas I'll add them. And I'll let you know how much we accomplish.
I think they are all doable.
There's only one thing I'm unexcited about.

First Official Day of Summer Vacation!!

I love teaching. I love my students. Most of the time. Just like my own children, they can drive me a little crazy. But I still love them!

This year's group was extra special to me. I had about half of them as first graders and had the opportunity to continue that relationship this year. It was fun to see how they had grown; physically, academically and emotionally.

And the new relationships I built with the other students was just as special.

This was an unusually creative group of kids. And so smart! But now it's time for them to move on to fourth grade and I'll have a new group of kids coming to me in the fall. And this new group needs a rejuvinated teacher.

And that's why God created summer vacation!!