End of the year Blues and Wahoos!

Wow! It's even weird to hear me say the word "summer" right now. This year has flown by super fast. As I sat in meetings today reluctantly reliquishing the rights to my precious 4th graders into the 5th grade teachers hands I realize how impacted I am by each of those little faces that I see for 9 months straight. In all reality I am trusted by their parents to provide for them a safe, secure, happy place to learn and grow and laugh for 9 months at a time. Throughout those 9 months I hug, encourage, scold, discipline, love, smile, laugh, humble myself, comfort, cry, befriend, play and truly become part of their little 10 year old life. Then in an instant of time they are gone - back home with their parents and I'm left with an empty, overwhelmed exhausted feeling of pride, fear and loss. Yes, I will see them again in a few short months but it won't ever be the same. They will become passive and "too cool" for their 4th grade teacher. I enjoy teasing my former students who tower over me. I know the "real" person that they are and I often get after them for being so nonchalant. They can't fool me! It's crazy to think that my first class will be Sophomore's in highschool next year. WHAT????? Where did the time go?


I am extremely appreciative of the years that I've spent out in Melba and the people that I have come to know and love. I am so grateful that they fought for me and were willing to find a way to keep me employed out there. I think that God had a hand in it because I was ready for a change and I was ready to be able to spend more time with my own children. I LOVE 10 year olds and I will always love teaching 4th grade and God willing I will someday go back to it. But for now I am extremely excited to add Kindergarten to my resume and am looking forward to 5 year old faces some of which I luckily already know due to the close-knit family community out in Melba. I do look forward to next year. And I get to teach them the most important part of coming to school - to LOVE to learn - that's a pretty awesome responsibility and I'm pumped about it.

Throughout my process of transition from 4th grade to Kindergarten I am going to be setting up another blog sometime soon. A blog only about my Kindergarten class - I will of course get the permission of each parent before posting any comments or pictures of their children but I am looking forward to documenting my Kindergarten experience. Through this blog I will share special moments, personal struggles, cute stories, art projects and such. I hope it will be worth the effort.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers as to the direction that I needed to take next year. God took care of it like I knew He would and I can't thank him enough for the opportunity. If I have to work I am blessed to be where I am.

Now I going to concentrate on having an awesome summer with some much needed time with friends, family and most importantly my children. Can't wait!!! Wahoooooooooooooo!

Surprise for Great-Grandma!

So, this past Memorial Day weekend we traveled up to Moscow, Idaho to surprise Jeremy's Great-grandma for her 85th birthday. It was a fun but LONG trip, especially for the kids but we made it Friday evening safe and sound. Grandma was very surprised to see all of us pull up and I think she was a bit overwhelmed but we could tell that she was so happy that we came to visit. The weekend was quickly filled up with fun, birthday barbeques, water fights, games, Indianapolis 500, church, yatzee, and crazy kids. I always enjoy our trips up to Moscow to visit and hopefully we can visit again sometime soon.

Birthday Barbeque - Happy 85th Grandma Franklin

Rhett and Aunt Joyce

Water fight! Jim versus the three boys!

Walking to church on Sunday

Great Grandma and her Great grandkids!!

Growing Too Fast!

Rhett was born moving and hasn't slowed down one bit since we brought him home from the hospital. He has never taken good naps - he would not want to miss out and during meal times will not keep still. He reminds me of someone that I know - my daughter Addison was exactly like that. I was hoping that my second child would come into our family and be relaxed and laid back like his Dad, but nope - Rhett and his sister couldn't me more alike. Like Addison, Rhett is determined to walk at an early age. The beginning of April he began crawling and once he caught on to that it was hard to keep up with him. Now that he has mastered crawling about two weeks ago he began pulling himself up on couches, chairs, leg hairs, whatever he could get ahold of. Now he has begun walking up and down the couches and quickly as he can and he is quite proud of himself. I am fully aware that children should not walk this early but what am I going to do? Jeremy and I have instigated NONE of this - he is completely on his own and is determined. A few nights ago Jeremy yelled at me to come into the family room and once I arrived I saw Rhett in the middle of the room standing on his own. It only lasted for a few seconds but WHAT??? He definately keeps us busy and the "baby" stage has gone way too fast - he well on his way to being a toddler all too soon. However, I wouldn't want him any other way - it's just Rhett!! And I can't complain because he is an extremely happy baby who will laugh at something funny even when he's crying. Life ahead of us with him will be one exciting ride. Can't wait!!

Just Because . . .

Ahoy matey!! Argggg! I love pirates!