Blessed...

Aging...it's a process I'm getting a new perspective of.  I see changes in myself and my lifestyle as I grow into a grown up.  I'm most of all noticing those around me growing older.  Though the plans of having children aren't priority for Jon and I yet, are my parents really old enough to have grandchildren??  When did this happen?

I'm mostly thinking about this topic because of my grandparents.  I've been extremely blessed to have grown up with 2 sets of wonderful grandparents.  Grandpa M. and Grandma M. lived right next door and a personal relationship was easily and naturally formed.  Grandpa and Nanny lived 12 hours away and with the aide of phone calls, letters, and trips there and here we also formed a meaningful relationship that only grew stronger when I chose their hometown college to attend and was able to visit them several times a week for laundry, meals, love, advice and comfort.  Where did the time go when Grandpa M. could lift me and toss me into the ocean or pool on one of our trips to Florida?  When did Grandpa get too physically tired to work hours in his workshop?

As I've watched Grandpa and Nanny move from their home to a condo and watched Grandma M. move Grandpa M. into a nursing home where he can get better care I wonder where the time goes.  I could cry and cry about the failing health of my grandfathers (and I often do) but mostly I'd like to think about all the wonderful years they've spent influencing the lives of others.  Grandparents are truly grand and special.  I hope that my grandparents always know how much their love and support has meant to all of us.  

They're aging, but doing it with class and grace.  Feeling blessed...

Sweet, Sweet Summertime

It's finally here.  Extra hours in the day.  Dinner ready by 6.  Laundry caught up.  Dishes clean.  Bed made consistently.  Dog walked.  Homemade iced tea prepared.  Banana bread baked.  Books read.  Bike rides daily.  The signs of summer...and it's only the first full week.  Ahh!


In other news, I'm getting back into the swing of playing tennis.  (Pun definitely intended.)  We've played the past two days and I'm loving it!  My muscles are not used to the motions of tennis and reminded me of that when I woke up this morning.  Sorry, muscles, for giving you such a long break from what you love to do.  That wasn't kind of me at all.  Here's to playing tennis all summer long!


On today's agenda:  laundry, exercise, read, a trip to the library, and dinner at Mom and Dad's with the fam.  Yum!


Welcome, summertime.  Sweet, sweet summertime.  :)

It's (almost) here!

We did it!  Tuesday was our last day of school.  We packed and played and mushed all the last minute stories in the day that we could.  We ate the last box of goldfish from the cupboard and even snuck in some popsicles in the afternoon.  As I waved goodbye to the string of buses with my colleagues I saw another great year coming to a close.  Sure, there are things I could have done differently, lessons I probably should have taught and classroom materials I should have put back when I was finished using them.  

Which leads me to my next point...it's ALMOST here.  Summer will officially begin when I've put those things back where they belong.  I have the daunting task this year of cleaning up, boxing and moving my things to a "holding room" until a classroom is transformed into my new classroom.  This new classroom will be worth all of moving I'm doing today.  It will have bathrooms...ahhh! :)  It will have tile...cha-ching!  It will be wonderful!  But today, I put on my work clothes and I move, move, move.  I clean, clean, clean.  I sort, sort, sort.  I refuse to pack and move things I have not used in the last three years.  I may make trips to recycling or our area thrift shop.

Here goes nothin' and hoping that tomorrow it is (really) here!  Sweet, sweet summertime!