Balance in May

We have turned the calendar to the final month of the school year. Amen. I would say we are going to make it but it really is too soon to call. I no longer care to sign behavior charts for my first grader because he has had good marks all year and the slippery slope from good impression full signatures in August has slipped to an almost complete "SB" each day. I contemplated sending a note to his teacher explaining my lack of desire to sign anything for the remainder of the year but elected instead to send a card letting her know how much we appreciate her. Chances are strong I won't have it together in three weeks to tell her then. And let's be real, I am grateful Makenna isn't bringing home behavior charts. I will count my blessings and scribble something on Ty's chart 15 more times and pretend I don't know what high school educators are dealing with at this point in the year.  In other words, we are once again barely limping across the finish line.

Makenna returned to assist the theater director at the local middle school manage their spring musical. She enjoyed the process and was repeatedly praised for her leadership and organization skills. Not only did she get to demonstrate what she is capable of doing but she felt appreciated in the process. But that meant a seventh show for the year as a technical theater student. It has been another busy year.

Kate has completed two math books, read 13 novels and worked through several writing pieces. We are calling it a year with daily reading and journaling at this point. I simply cannot find it in me to proceed with the same ambition I had when we embarked upon our homeschool journey in October. Or 100 years ago as it sometimes feels. This mom is tired and ready for less routine; knowing full and well she will be ready for routine again as the summer wraps.

Greg's parents handed this dresser down to Greg years before we married. We have used it in one form or another for almost 23 years and finally made the decision to replace it when the drawers kept falling out into Ty. The original wooden tracks had literally disintegrated after near 50 years of wear and tear. It served us well and I was a little sad to be letting it go, deciding to purchase a larger dresser in its place so Ty could grow with it and ultimately take it with him some day. He is excited about it because the drawers won't fall on him anymore and the babies can't reach his secret toys in the top drawer.

Greg smokes something delicious on the smoker most every weekend now. His willingness to spend entire days producing incredible food makes me want to kiss the cook. The fact he is rather handsome doesn't hurt either.

"I can't make my belly make that sound." I have always been known for my large and obnoxiously loud laugh. I suppose there are far worse things to be known for but when Anna made that declaration, I cracked up. Loudly.