Wrap Up

The end of another school year.  I just finished year 22 of teaching ~ wow ~ I've seen a LOT in those 22 years, but this year may have been the most challenging.  I had such a WIDE range of disabilities and attitudes and motivation levels.  And I think I am more sad to see this year end than most of the others.  Maybe I feel that way at the end of every school year.  I will miss each kid.  They are all unique and add so much to every single day.  {I think I'm getting a little too mushy here}
But I'm also sad to see my 6 years of having one of my OWN kids in the building end.  I've had a kid in the car with me for so long, it will be very empty next year when it's just me.  Stopping at McDonald's won't seem as special without a kid happy to go there.  Seeing my kid in the hall, even if he wouldn't acknowledge me, was such a blessing.  I knew he was ok because he was there with me.
Mike keeps talking about all the beginnings the boys will be having and all I can feel are the endings.  I am excited for the people they are becoming.  I'm very proud of all they have done and WILL do in the future.  But it's just gone by so very fast.  And now things are starting to be OVER.  That word just keeps bouncing through my head...OVER...OVER...OVER.  So final.
But I will focus on the positive:
Patrick earned his second year varsity letter for tennis.  Of course Coach Vidmar said some very nice things about him at the banquet, recalling the time he was down in the first set 3 to 5 and came back to win 7 to 5. Won the second set 6 to 3 (I think) and then Patrick and his opponent decided to play a tie-breaker instead of a third set, without anybody mentioning it to any coach.  When the coaches realize what they were doing, they insisted on the boys playing a third set.  Patrick won that hard fought set 7 to 5...Coach remembered Patrick saying how tired he was!  We also found out that Patrick "Midnight Rider" Barton was not named that because of the sunglasses he wears, but because Billy thought that it was Patrick Henry who made the Midnight Ride to tell people the British were coming...{that was Paul Revere, Bill}.
Jacob was honored for his 4.0 Middle School GPA at the annual Honors Breakfast.  He looked pretty fine in his first tie. {What does it say about us that the first time he wears a real tie is to an 8th grade award ceremony?}

School Ended:
The Last day picture was taken by a different tree, because it was raining and I didn't want to get wet ~ wasn't raining hard enough for it to get wet under this big tree.  Both my boys are in high school now.

And now, It's Summertime.  Time to get organized, read a book, sit by the pool, go to the beach...the days stretch out before me...I love the freedom of summer.