School's Out!!!

Where has this year gone? Today is my first Monday off. Last Thursday was my last day. It was also the day that I was able to sign my letter of "intent" form. You know, the one that says I HAVE a JOB next year!!! I was so afraid that I wasn't going to know until sometime during the summer. Like maybe not til August, just before school starts! WHEW!!! What a relief and burden lifted!

I really enjoy the job that I do. It is very satisfying to work with these children that are struggling so much with their reading skills and to feel like I have had something to do with their successes. Of course, not every child has a success story. That breaks my heart. We do our best, but sometimes that just isn't enough. This year our scores for our testing were soooo much higher than last year, except for our 1st graders. It almost feels like a personal failure. I know that I did the best that I could for them, but it still doesn't make it any better.

Our "theme" for next year is "wild". I am going to start looking now for jungle type things to decorate my area at work. It is fun to have something like that to work on. This year, our theme was the "sea". There were a lot of fish at school this year.

We have planted a bit of a garden here at home. Not much. And mostly in containers. I have a ton of tomato plants and have already harvested 3 Roma tomatoes and two very tiny round ones (not sure of their names). Yummy! We have basil, green onions, red onions, cilantro, strawberries, cucumber, zucchini squash, and grapes. I am so looking forward to the harvest of more. We also planted 5 rose bushes. So far, so good.

I have lots of plans for this summer. I wish they were all fun plans. We probably won't be going on a vacation. We have plenty to do here. I have a few projects (cleaning certain areas) that I really want to get done. I started last summer, but when you figure that I have 30+ years of "stuff" to go through, it might take me another 30 years to get it done!!!

I have been doing a lot of the indexing for the church. I really enjoy doing it. It is relaxing to me. Last year, I was in the top 6 in our stake for indexing. Maybe this year I'll be #1? I try to do 2 or 3 a day. It is so interesting to index these people that lived so long ago. I prefer to do census' and am currently on 1910. I think that Ohio had the best penmanship so far. I am working on Vermont now.

Well, my projects beckon to me. Til later...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Today was Mother's Day. It has been a very special day with lots of feelings and emotions. I got up about 7 this morning. Of course, I was the only one up. That's OK because I like peace and quiet. About an hour later, Roger got up and said I needed to go back to bed. So, being the obedient (ha! ha!) wife that I am, I went in and read a little. I knew this was his way of getting me out of the way so that he could set up my Mother's Day gift. Anyway, a few minutes later he said I could come back down the hall. So, again, being the obedient (ahem) wife, I went back down the hall. There in the living room, he and Michael had set up my Mother's Day gifts. Roger gave me a really nice hibiscus plant in a big pot. Michael gave me a big Thompson grape plant. I am very excited about both of them. We have gotten a few green thumbs around here in the last few months, and this will add to our little garden.

We went to Church. This being the 2nd Sunday of the month, it was supposed to be my lesson in Relief Society. But, the Bishop took charge of RS so that all the women of the ward could attend. The men taught Primary and SS. The YW took care of the YW. After the Bishops lesson, the High Priests served us a buffet brunch. It was very nummy!

After Church, Roger and I went to the cemetery to "see" my mom. I got somewhat emotional. I really miss her. There are so many times that I think I should tell her something, and then think, oh she isn't here. But I know that she really is. She was the best mother a girl could have. She was so much fun. All my friends loved her too. She taught me so much, but I wish she was here to teach me more. I love her.

We went over to Sarah's and Josiah's for dinner. We had a "Mexican" pot luck dinner. It was sooo good. There was way too much food! All of my children and grandchildren were there and it was wonderful to be together. We have such a good posterity. Beautiful and faithful. They all love the Lord. They are all active in the church. They all love each other. What more could a mother ask for? Nothing, I say.

Well, enough rambling for now. I hope that any and all who might read this had as great a Mother's Day as I did.

Until later...