Retirement

Dear Summer,

     These last 8 weeks have been challenging, rewarding, and highly educational.  I have enjoyed them all however and would not like to retire my summer status.  I've been able to get to know my children again, spend some time reading, going out to dinner with girlfriends, and sneaking in the occasional nap.  I think I earned this break, given the stressful nature of the previous 10 months.  I could really, really get used to working just at home.  I could easily send my children off to school, work around here, get them off the bus, you get my drift.  It is good to dream, which is what my Dear tells me, as well as my own brain.

     The summer began with swim team, the day after Memorial Day.  Afternoon practices ensued, meeting up at the pool with the moms, while silently fretting over dinner and how it might be possible to eat before midnight.  Shortly after the school year concluded, practices transitioned to the morning, on a rotating start time for the oldest, but always the same for the Princess.  While I liked that one age group was not stuck with the 7:30 practice time, it was hard to find a groove when the time changed weekly.  Never mind the tiny nuances, my son really grew in his swimming technique, as well as the Princess.  They both enjoyed swim team, earning their ribbons, playing at the pool after practice, and being part of such an awesome team.  It was fantastic and I can't wait to do it again next summer.

     The simplicity in only worrying if I would get stuck in traffic trying to get to the library was perfect.  I knew that I could avoid it on Fridays, or by going early enough in the morning any other day of the week.  I loved that I could read after breakfast for about an hour, or so depending on the book, until lunch demands were vocalized.  Hey, I could read after that was done too ;0)  I also kept up with the laundry, the mopping, the cleaning, and keeping hungry children out of the pantry.  It was not such a tough life.  Shhhh, don't tell Dear though, as he thinks I had it easy every single day of the summer. That wasn't quite true.

     The cleats have been retired for my son.  Tackle football was not his sport this fall, a decision that was not made without great discussion and consideration for his fellow teammates.  Although Son is tall, solid as a wall of concrete, and would appear to be an excellent candidate for said sport, he was not playing it well.  The coach voiced concerns over his tackling, or really lack there of, putting him in danger for being hurt.  His fellow teammates never gave up on encouraging him though, which was a sign of an excellent league.  The night he retired, Son went to practice and addressed the team, thanking them for their motivation and encouragement.  He also thanked his coaches for their support, but gracefully retired for the season.  I can't say I'm sad he retired but I was sad for him to loose out on the team building skills he could have learned.  Although, given that he didn't like to get dirty, a fact he stated only after signing up and practicing for a month, I think he could have been the teams biggest cheerleader/bench warmer  :0)

     I am gathering speed toward getting my fanny in gear.  I'm going to be case managing 12 students this year, which is double what it was last year.  I have some anxiety about this, but I got to attend a two day institute for assistive technology, which helped exercise my brain and prepare me for what I need to know for this year.  I'm going to have to become really good at working with augmentive communication devices, learning the programs, and how to use them for the student to express their ideas and opinions. I think I'll do okay.  I know who to ask for support.  It's really all good...that's what I keep telling myself at least.

     Summer, it's been great and I am sad to retire from this season.  Until next year, say around the 23 of June, we'll be put into active duty status.  I wonder what the school year will be like?  Will my children succeed in their assigned classrooms?  With their teachers?  Will their teachers survive them?  I'll think about these questions and look forward to Summer 2016.