Sleeping with Bread: School's Out Edition

Well, school's not out, yet. As of this writing, there are three school days left in the 2006-2007 school year. But it is the perfect time for a SWB school edition.

In the last school year, what am I most grateful for?

Colin is about to successfully complete his first year of high school. His father and I watched with pride as he took on a new challenge, the track team. He worked very hard and pushed himself beyond what we've ever seen him do physically. I admire him for that because I was never able to work so hard at his age and as an adult, I wish I had. I think in seeing him strive for something he wanted, we saw that process of character building begin to take place.

Marley has flourished in her multiage class. Her reading skills are coming along and she continues to do well in math. Never one to perform on demand, she has always been acutely uncomfortable on stage for Christmas shows, etc. So, I was quite touched to see that when her teachers asked her when she had bloomed this past year, she wrote: "When I bloomd is when it was in all of are plays Hans Chrsaran Andrson and Cats." Doing the plays, even her tiny little parts, is scary for her but she feels proud of herself and realizes she has accomplished something by going out there and being a school child in Hans Christian Anderson or a Gumbie mouse in Cats.

This year, I've also grown closer to a few of the moms in class. We multiage moms spend a lot of time at the school and it has been nice to develop those relationships. My sense of community has deepened considerably there and I feel as if I am benefiting from my daughter being in this program, also. One benefit alone has been in the walking partner I've had since October. It has been an important part of my exercise regimen. We've worked up to four mile jaunts a couple of times per week. Yeah for walking partners! I'm also grateful this year for the process of applying for and being accepted for graduate school. The magnitude of what I'm trying to accomplish is already beginning to scare me a little, but I'm still at the more excited than scared stage. . . so far!

In the last school year, what am I least grateful for?

With my two darling children, there are always trials. This year, Paul and I have really seen how much Marley struggles with the long term day-in-and-day-out routine of the school year. She was ready for summer break weeks before spring break and my patience has been tested severely as my strong-willed daughter and her father and I have gone through multiple morning battles in order to get her to school.

With Colin, he has always chafed under the school routine, but he has enough school years under his belt to know that the end will come. . . eventually. Instead, his father and I have pushed him a little in regards to the grades we expect of him and, as Chief Executive in Charge of Schooling, I've struggled with the balance of being equal parts encourager and disciplinarian. My resolve has been tested as I've had to keep that expectation, a completely reasonable one, I assure you, alive and not let his pronouncements of "not fair" and "that is so stupid" sway me. (It might not sound like much of a protest, but if you have a teenager in your midst, you know what kind of resistance I'm talking about here.)

Finally, I am still in recovery mode as far as working through some health issues. All the issues of last year, GERD, sleep apnea, etc., are still very much a part of my daily life. My CPAP therapy is still not what it should be and I am persevering with my exercise and diet, although it seems that I can only manage one aspect of that at a time. Currently it is exercise over diet. Next week, who knows? With that, I've struggled with Paul's travel more this year. Partially that is because he has traveled more but I also think I am just weary of it.

Still, I am blessed in so many ways and even with the challenges this year has brought, I have to say that it has been a good one.