Monday, Monday

 I spy with my little eyes ...

Life in the garden.  

Can you spot the pepper?  There are tomatoes appearing too.  I was a little late to get it all planted this year so it's surprising to see.   

This morning I gassed up the school van and did the morning run.  Tomorrow is the last day for this school so the van will need washed and vacuumed before its return to the garage.  Then my summer officially begins.  After work I went to the store to get some things and bought some donuts and juice for the kids.  They woke up to the surprise.   

Saturday I watched my mom while dad went to an emergency dentist appointment.   She wasn't having a good day and that's typical for Alzheimer's.   Her neurologist put in a referral for a home care group to start coming in to help but they are backed up for several months so I'm praying they can soon help.  My dad can use the help and I, the only family in Pennsylvania, can only do so much.  

Well,  that's the update on this warm Monday morning.   Laundry is calling.  

Starting Summer with Horses

 We made it to Friday from a week that felt like it was taking forever.  Did you feel that too?  My kids are on summer vacation but the school I drive for still has until next Tuesday.  So, we really haven't done anything fun yet but yesterday since the school had an early dismissal I took the kids to their dad's work to have lunch.

His job is tough but the scenery is beautiful.  The building sits on the owner's property and farm.  There are horses everywhere.  We ate lunch next to this friendly guy.  

Then took a walk around a small part of the property.  It's peaceful and looks like a dream.  As I think about how lucky the owners are to have such an amazing business on this beautiful land it did take them a lot of hard work to get all of this.  The work part I could live without (ha ha) but to be able to live on this much beautiful acreage has to feel like quite a blessing.  

 

My daughter had received an offer for something that feels like an answered prayer and a wonderful opportunity but we decided to allow her to make the decision and it's a difficult one for her.  So many pros and cons will come along with whatever decision she makes.  If you could please pray for her on this decision we would appreciate that.  

The weekend is among us and I've been waiting for it.  Saturday morning my father needs me to watch my mom and Sunday is for church.  Today will reach 90 degrees so I'm grateful to have finished the mowing for the week.  I cannot wait to get summer vacation kicked into full gear.  

One Chapter Closes

 He did it!  Matthew graduated!  These 13 years felt long but as I sat on the field watching as he crossed the stage for his diploma it felt as if it all went by in a blink.  He didn't like school and he and I questioned if public school was the right choice but I did see how God's provision carried him through.  He had some struggles here and there but still graduated Cum Laude.  He said, "Imagine if I actually tried."  

The morning was warm but very windy.  Many were losing their caps. Since Rob is on the school board he was able to hand him the diploma.   At the end we were able to get a lot of pictures.  

He wanted to recreate the picture.  When Matthew was in kindergarten he brought home this tiny pine tree.  We planted it in the front yard and it's grown right along with him.  Actually, it's gotten a lot bigger and still growing.  

Even though he is now a young adult ready to set sail on a new chapter of life I will still remember that little 5 year old waiting outside for the school bus to take him for the first day of school.  Oh, I felt so much pain that day wondering if he was okay and anticipating the moment when he got home.  Now I feel a new level of pain as I prepare to send him two hours away to college.  He's a man now.  An official adult.  He made it through childhood and learned a lot along the way and now a new adventure begins.  He's ready for it - but as for me - I will always hold tight to the memory of this little boy.  

Memorial Day and Other May Moments

 Hello again ... it seems as if it's been awhile.  I've been keeping busy.  This morning I spent time outside pulling weeds and mowing grass.  It rained here for days and we are finally dry and sunny.  I thought it's time for a break to give an update.  

Yesterday was Memorial Day and my kids both participated in a Memorial Day 5k.  My son carried our flag to the finish line and got second place.  To our surprise my daughter earned a medal for her age group.  She was so excited to get her first medal ever.  

I've always been proud to be an American and have raised my children to believe the same.  I'm so thankful they still understand and believe the importance of knowing the privilege it is to be an American and how there were so many who risked and lost their lives for us to have such freedom.  

We stopped at a diner for breakfast and my parents came over for a barbecue.  When they left we ventured out to find a tennis court to play.  None of us are good at it but it's fun.  It's really difficult to find a court that's not being used for pickle ball.  What the heck is pickle ball?

May is a busy month and I'll start by saying on the 16th we celebrated my mother's 81st birthday.  Each year is a huge milestone.  It's a miracle, actually.  She proves over and over that she is tougher than the Alzheimer's.  

In this month we also celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary and my husband's 47th birthday.  I believe that celebration deserves a post of its own and I'll get to that soon.  We both had work on our anniversary and then we went to a steak house for dinner.  I'm so grateful to Rob and the life we created together.  I just have to be better at taking pictures of such occasions.  

And speaking of pictures, today was the senior walk.  The seniors, in their cap and gown, got to walk through all of the elementary schools and middle school.  I used to work in the cafeteria and loved watching the seniors go by but unfortunately I left the job and won't get that experience with my own children.  Luckily I still have a friend in the building who took this shot for me.  

This is it!  The last week of school.  Graduation is Saturday morning and I'm going to be a mess.  Getting a child through school is no easy task but we did it.  Still have three more years with the youngest but we are doing it.  

Tonight is his last jazz concert at school. He plays trumpet.  These are the moments I dreamed about but why did it have to happen so quickly?