Let Summer Begin...

I am so ready for summer. Ready for end of the year testing to be done...ready to hit the 'complete inventory' button on my Destiny report...ready to walk out the doors of a place I love and just take a break...or at least be able to devote myself to the remaining 9 weeks of summer school.

Memorial Day weekend is always a bitter sweet one of sorts. First of all, I want to say thank you to all of those who have in the past and who continue to fight for our freedom in this country. I've always had an appreciation for these men and women, but not until my cousin spent some time over seas did it really hit me how real it is.

My family usually spends time at the lake on Memorial day weekend because it is usually a 3 day weekend for me and it always falls around my birthday. It is the opening weekend of 'lake season' (or pool or beach - whichever tickles your fancy) and I look forward to it every year (despite the crazy business of lake traffic and some folks who have no business driving watercraft).

This past weekend was Gilbert's first trip to Lake Gaston. I was eager to see how he would react to all the changes, a new place, the water, the boat. Luckily he loved it ALL. He made himself right at home and wasn't scared of anything. Much to my disapproval he wanted to jump in the lake...finally I caved and he jumped in not once, but twice. Good news - He can swim, and quite well I might add. :)

After friends and family left last night, Mom, Miss Robin, and I had a girls night of movies, giggles, and eventually sleep. We all know that I am a person who finds it very hard to relax and forget the world around me. Lake Gaston has been THE place for that over the past few years/summers. That is why this weekend was so bitter sweet - summer is so close I can feel the sunburn on my shoulders - yet it feels so far away. Looking forward to focusing on myself and summer school after two and a half more weeks of work.

3 Years Ago Today

I have been struggling all day with what to post here tonight, but I knew I couldn't let this day pass without acknowledging one of the most amazing people I was ever blessed to know. Three years ago today Richard lost his battle with cancer. Richard was just another one of my brother's college friends, and you know how that goes when you are the 'little sister'...But Richard was different, he went out of his way to be everyones friend, not just your acquaintance. I have so many special memories of him, like the time he forced me to try home-made strawberry ice cream (this was my pre-eating strawberry phase) and when he stopped by the store with the dogs in the crate one very hot summer day. One of my favorite was the night he and some of the other guys flew back in from Italy and stopped at the house to visit on the way home. I came out of my 'cave' where I spent countless hours doing homework to see these country boys who were now considered 'cultured'. "How dare you go to Italy without me and leave me here to teach these little youngans' "...That was my first remark to them. Richard jumped off the couch and gave me the biggest hug, I can almost still feel it. Some of the memories are so silly when I sit back and think about it and some of them are priceless...but none of them do I take for granted. I can tell you the last time I saw him before he found out he was sick, and the last time I saw him before he passed away and the exact place I was sitting in my living room when I got the phone call from my brother. It was so nerve racking going into his hospital room and not knowing what he would look like or what to talk about. It seemed like things went so fast once he got the news about his cancer. Who knew what would result from a few really bad headaches.

Richard makes me think about my previous post, and how there is truly a season for everything under Heaven. It is a shame, for those of us left behind, that Richard's season was shorter than we would have liked for it to have been, but what a blessing it must be to be sitting at the feet of God today! Words cannot express to you what kind of person Richard was and the effect he still has today on those who were blessed enough to know him.

For Everything There is a Season

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven.

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to harvest:

A time to kill, and a time to heal;

A time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time for Peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A chapter in my life is coming to a close. Some days I embrace it with open arms, eager to turn the page and see what is waiting. Other days I grip as tightly as I can to that final page, the last sentences, the faint memories of a chapter that has lasted over a third of my lifetime. This is a chapter that few people know about and I'd like to keep it that way, but these few people know the toll is has taken on me, especially over the past few months. To you - thank you for drying my tears, embracing my anger, and for just being silent when there were no words to say.

I've spent the majority of my life being a friend to anyone who would accept and love me, to anyone who needed a friend really. I am a friend who accepted without judgement, gave without question, and loved unconditionally. This 'gift', as some of you call it, has brought joy, laughter, love, and positive change. It has also caused a lot of heartache when it comes to those who saw me as temporary. There have been several people come and go throughout the seasons of my life. Some stay in touch...other's don't. I've never been good at letting go, or saying goodbye to people. I've spent hours crying or frustrated over the friends I've lost touch with over the years...and surprisingly enough found some people back in my life that I did not really think would be.

One of my life long friends got married last fall. As I participated in many 'pre-wedding' activities and got to know the other girls in the wedding I learned quickly that we were all so different, but here we were with the common friend - the bride - and playing an important part of her life in one chapter or another. I don't think you can get any more diverse than she and I, but somehow I've been blessed enough to be a small part of her entire book.

This past year "Little Ashley" and I have been reunited - thanks to grad school and my need for constant help. As I was talking to one of my mom's friends last week she said to me, "You go enjoy your weekend, and you go off and get those two married. That Ashley is a good friend Allison, she is an encourager." I got to thinking...she sure is, and God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. It was an honor to be included in her wedding and I enjoyed spending the weekend with Jennifer and Tracy in Morehead.

This weekend gave me a lot of time to think. The passage from the Bible that I began this post with kept coming to mind. The combination of a wedding (starting a new chapter in their lives), and being with two best friends (one who has been for a life time, and another for most of it), and seeing the beauty of the ocean really got my mind going. These are the things that were laid on my heart this weekend:

- Just because friends come and go, doesn't mean that the end has to be a bad thing.

- There is a time to let go. When friends begin to cause more heartache personally than they do joy - it's time.

- When a chapter is ending, there is always one to follow. One with new friendships, new lessons to learn, and new things/people to embrace.

- It's okay to take the focus off of others and put it on yourself, but don't become so consumed that you miss the bigger picture.

- All you really need are a few people, be it family or friends, that love you for exactly who you are, not for who you could be, not for who you were.

Today I am thankful for the few true lifetime friends that I have. I am thankful for the friends that had to let go, you've taught me more than you will ever know. I am thankful for a small spark of optimism that hasn't been present in my life in an extremely long time.

Teacher Appriciation Week

Well, for those of you who don't know, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Kudos to the PTO for already spoiling us rotten with a treat first thing this morning. It's nice to be appreciated, even if it's the simple gesture of a pat on the back, or looking us right in the eye and telling us 'thank you'.

Have you ever thought about how much you take for granted that your teachers taught you? For example, have you ever tried to teach a group of children how to tell time using an analog clock? If that was a success, have you tried to teach them elapsed time? During my student teaching these very math lessons were the ones that made me realize how many of my past teachers I took for granted. I was frustrated, why didn't these kids understand, this is so easy...but guess what Miss Rose...Someone taught you along the way didn't they? I've always tried to keep that in the front of my mind for the past five years.

Now for a special thank you to some teachers I work with. We have an awesome EC team where I work. A very special little one benefits from one of those teams this year and I don't think they understand what they mean to me. I used to want to be an EC teacher, and went as far in undergrad to obtain a degree in Specific Learning Disabilities...just in case. I had a grand plan of using this degree after teaching in the regular classroom for three years...Isn't it funny how WE write all these big plans for our selves, but God knows what is best so he sometimes has to redirect us? Anyway, I TRULY believe that God hand picks absolutely amazing individuals to educate and love his most unique children.

Today I am thankful for those special women at the end of the third grade hall.

I am thankful for Jennifer W. who inspired me to be a cheerleader for the underdog.

I am thankful for Mrs. Adams, my 2nd grade teacher who knew I couldn't spell and would never be able to (she told my mom to buy me a dictionary to keep close by at all times), but loved me for it anyway.

I am thankful for everyone in my path of education who taught me what I know, as a student and as a teacher.

Dashboard Feet

Sometimes I come here wanting to write, to share everything with the world...then I realize that some things should just stay where they are and do not need to be publicised...Today however I come to stand on a soap box. If you are one of those folks that likes to rest your feet on the dashboard or out of your window while riding in the car, you might wanna skip this lil rant.

There are many things in this world that push my buttons. This weekend I took a little road trip to see a very dear friend of mine and her husband. On the way home today I saw MANY passengers in the front seat with their feet on the dashboard. Some were just bare, some were covered with socks and shoes...and yes...one set were even hanging out the window resting on the side view mirror. So, my question is - am I the only one who sees this as VERY dangerous? I'm just curious. What if your driver has to stop suddenly and your legs slam up against the windshield? That is not going to produce positive results. And for those of you who like the breeze between your toes....what about that texter that crosses over into your lane to fast for you to pull them back in...or that 18 wheeler that almost side swiped me?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all about being comfortable while riding, but please ride responsibly and put your feet inside the moving vehicle, preferably close to the floor. Thanks - the unofficial SAFETY PATROL.