The Closet is CLEAN!

So, here is the closet now. Seriously. I'm not real sure what I am more proud of ... the fact that it is clean and organized or that it has stayed that way for a week!

Zack Swims

Jen thought Ben and Carly would enjoy seeing Zack swim ... so this is for you Ben & Carly!

(An edited note ... If you turn your head it appears that the video is going the right way ... I have no idea why it is on its side nor do I know how to fix it!)

Memorial Day 2008

We spent Memorial Day up in Pinehurst at Linda and Paul's. It was a beautiful day ... perfect for swimming and a cookout! Everyone got in the pool ... even Zack (our dog ... for "stranger friends" reading the blog!). We didn't think Zack would get in the water ... we should have known better! At one point Zack had Dean pushing him around the pool on a float (we know he is a spoiled dog ... but, he is so stinkin' cute!) Fun was had by all ... there was a rousing game of catch over the bridge (a new favorite!) and a water gun fight. Dean and I got burned (me not so bad ... Dean really bad!) and Torrey just got brown. Torrey got to stay with Linda and Paul for a few days (I had to still go into school to clean up my room etc.) ... when I picked her up Wednesday night she was officially "brown as a berry"! Hello summer!

Before the Closet was Cleaned

So, here is the "before" of the closet. Seriously! And, sadly I did not go in minutes before taking the picture and throw everything everywhere ... this is how we have lived for about 3 months (I teach Kindergarten people!) So, school was out on Friday and on Saturday I spent ALL day cleaning the closet ... at one point everything was out of the closet and I was tempted to leave it that way, but we wanted to sleep in our bed so back it all went (minus 4 bags of garbage and 3 bags of clothes!) It took me 10 hours ... I told you I needed an intervention!

I went in the closet a few minutes ago to take an "after" picture, but we are putting in a shelf and that is on the floor because it is a smidgen too long. Dean is fixing it tomorrow and I will take a picture and post it so you can see it clean ... and, it has stayed that way all week!

Next up ... the junk drawer!

The Last Day of School

Ok, so today was the last day of school. It is always so bittersweet ... the excitement of summer and the knowing that I am sending these little ones on to 1st grade and a new class. No other class will ever replace them or be like them ... I did not look forward to today and I found myself feeling sad for much of it.

I sent this poem home with the kiddos today and it sums up my thoughts and feelings exactly.

On the Last Day of School

Father,
a quiet tension fills the room
on this last day of school.
I expected exuberance and rowdiness,
but that came yesterday,
when there was still one day to go.
Today the children were disturbingly subdued.
I am embarrassed at my own emotions,
I cannot look at the children directly.

The room is so blank.
Our desks are cleaned out.
The last traces of the party have been swept away.
The charts and posters are down for the summer.

So now we sit quietly,
too wrought even for songs and games,
and we wait for the bus to come.

I expect to see these children again, of course.
But it won't be the same.
They know it,
and I know it.

They will come around to see me,
jealous of the new class.
And I will look at a room of little strangers
and miss the familiar faces.

In time
the strangers will become friends.
But every class is different and special;
no new group of children will ever take the place
of the one leaving me today.

Lord,
I have worked hard,
and I have loved these children dearly.
In investing in their future
I have cast my bread upon the waters,
content that I will find it after many days.

Lord, I commend them into Your hands.

I am aware it has been almost two months ...

I know, I know, I know ... so much for keeping in touch with those we love. Actually, those we love really don't know we HAVE a blog since I STILL haven't released it to the public. Dean has reminded me that I haven't posted much (as if I wasn't aware) ... I keep thinking "SUMMER! SUMMER! SUMMER!" I don't tell him that because he is hoping that "SUMMER" means I will finally clean out the closet ... there will be pictures because you really won't believe it! An intervention is in order! OK, so a lot has gone on in the two months since I warned you about honey lattes and Torrey turned 12 ... there was a sleepover birthday party (what were we thinking?!), Dean's mom turned 80, Linda and Paul moved to Houston, Kindergarten, we flew to NH for a quick weekend to celebrate the birthday girl (and, if you turn 80 you do still get to be called a birthday girl!) And, now we are on the brink of summer ... hallelujah! Which means the closet will be cleaned out and the blog will be released ... oh, and we go to NH for Kristin's graduation and the Outerbanks and Gretchen and the gang come to visit and we go to Florida and girl's trip to Savannah. Did you notice that I put the closet first? That was really for Dean ... I have 90 days to clean it out ... sincerely an intervention is needed! Happy Tuesday ... maybe I will be back on Wednesday (which Wednesday is the question though!)