They're Mine Again!

 Bad picture with my eyes half-closed, but oh, such a good day! The Last Day of School!

Every day of the school year feels like drudgery to me. Every single day, the same thing: wake up at 5:15am, cook breakfast, feed children, pack lunches, have scripture study and prayer, drive to the bus and drop Aiden off, come home and get Conor dressed and ready, and take him to school. 

Come home to an empty, lonely house and wonder about all the learning and experiences that are going on that I don't get to be a part of. I miss homeschooling so, so much! I want those hours with my children! But since I don't get to have them, I'm grateful for teachers that work hard, and I'm very grateful for summertime! Give me back my babies!

Conor finished 1st grade this year, which I can hardly believe. I remember thinking that when I finished nursing school, Conor would be finishing up 1st grade and that seemed so far in the distant future! And yet, here we are! He was accepted into the Magnet Program for 2nd grade, which will be on the same campus as he's been attending. So excited for him! (Why are his shoes untied -- from double knots-- every single day after school?)

And Aiden completed 7th grade, so only one more year until high school for him. Holy. Cow. This boy has begun to enter the Realm of Teenagerhood, if you know what I mean, but we're navigating fairly well, so far. Love this boy.

This was our Teacher Gift this year, thanks to creative bloggers who share their ideas. Simple and useful. Who can't spend money at Target, right?

And so, our summer has begun! We have some loose routines that we'll adhere to, like our Little Jobs, and some academic refresher work, and daily reading. I only have a few weeks with Aiden before he leaves to spend July with his dad in Arizona. Conor and I hope to do some art and science projects, and get back to his regular piano lessons, and go on some field trips. Of course, I'm still awaiting news of eligibility for the NCLEX (State Boards) exam, and studying a bit each day. But I am loving being home without huge school pressure and want to really enjoy this time with my children before I become a Working Mother. *sigh*

What about Lyndsay? Well, she's here. Sort of.

She was hired at a burger grill called The Habit shortly after getting home from college for the summer. So, she's been working almost every afternoon and night. She's learned very quickly and has had great reviews and feedback from both her management and the customers, and she mostly enjoys her job. She's learned so very much about Having A Job and all that goes along with that. I think it's a great experience for her. She's always made much more money doing other things, like babysitting, tutoring, and housecleaning, but I really think every kid should work in food service at least once. And I'm proud of her for getting in there.

And Dylan?

Oh, I miss that boy. It's been almost a year since I've seen him. But he started talking to me recently, which has lifted my heart to new heights. I write to him weekly and pray for him daily--sometimes hourly! He'll be a Senior this upcoming year! He's struggled in various ways, and I miss being a part of his life, but these years are only a moment. He's done tremendously well academically and is working this summer at Ace Hardware, so probably won't be able to swing a visit. But hopefully soon. And in the meantime, letters and prayers. And a phone conversation or two. I love him so, so much, and didn't expect this part of mothering him, to be sure, but we're okay.

So? On to Summer!