Be Still my Mother/Teacher heart!

Yesterday, I took the monkeys to the library at the local University.  I am an alumnus, so I still get to check out books for free (it's $15 for everyone else).  Why the University library?  Well, because our tiny town's library doesn't have enough non-fiction for juveniles...plus there's an elevator. 

When we arrived, we made our way to the 3rd floor and settled into the fiction alcove (I try to read all the state award nominees each summer).  I made my selections and we headed over to the non-fiction alcove where the Clover made hers (if you guessed all the books she chose were about chickens, you get a gold star).  Then, the Cubscout wanted to check the card catalog for a Star Wars book.  We went to the computer where he promptly put in the information he needed (Yay for the awesome librarian at his school!).  We found that the only Star Wars books in the library were either special collection for library use or adult fiction.  So, he asked if he could just go look at the adult fiction to see.  So, I said, "Yes." (Mostly because when I was his age someone thought that I should be looking at easier books, when I could read older ones and it really made me mad).  Then, this is the totally cool part...I showed him how to find it.  As an elementary student, he is used to going alphabetically or by Dewey, but yesterday he learned Library of Congress.

He found his book, pulled it off the shelf, held up one hand and opened the book with the other, then started reading.  HE WAS DOING THE FIVE FINGER RULE!!!  Without my prompting!!!  He got to the end of the first two paragraphs without lifting one finger and said, "I think this will do.  What do you think?"  I told him, I thought it would work as well.  Then we decided that because of the length, he should only check out one (too many library books around the house makes me nervous).

I had one more book that I wanted to check out over in the stacks.  Asked me if he could try to find it.  Of course I said yes, because I only showed him that one time how to find a book.  So, he took my slip with the call number and headed down the aisles.  He got a little hung up on the third set of numbers, but after I showed him again, he found the book I was looking for.  It was a nerdy treasure hunt.  I was so proud, I almost cried in the library.

I AM SUMMER WIFE!

So, last Friday was my last contract day.  I went over to school yesterday to finalize some paperwork with my process coordinator.  So now, ladies and gentlemen, I am SUMMER WIFE (and mom)!!!  Who is Summer Wife, you ask?  Well, she's the one who keeps up with the laundry, vacuums even if people aren't coming over, cooks things from scratch and packs a lunch for the DH in the morning.  Summer Mom has dozens of fun things planned because the monkeys and I cram as much vacay into the days as possible (ala Phineas and Ferb).  Now, my DH will argue that Summer Wife doesn't truly arrive until two weeks after school ends, because Narcolepsy Wife comes first.  But, I beg to differ.  So far, I have made three home cooked meals and the house is relatively clean.  Although, I did fall back to sleep after giving the monkeys breakfast and didn't wake up until 11:30...  (ahhh the life of leisure), so maybe he's right (I only said maybe). 

My friend

One of the funniest people I have ever known passed away yesterday.  We had worked together since 2004 in some way or another.  Most recently, we cowrote and received a grant for trade books to go with the math textbook at my old school.  This year, I moved to another school in order to make the switch to sped.  I didn't do a good job at keeping up with people.  Of course there were the typical run-ins at district meetings and such, but nothing more than that.  I knew the cancer was back, but I took for granted that she was strong and she had gone into remission once before.  So why wouldn't she win again? So I lost touch.  It still didn't seem real on Friday when I was told the hospital had called in her family.  On Saturday morning, one of my friends from my old school called to tell me that my friend had passed an hour earlier.  I took a few minutes and cried for her and the husband with 3 children she left behind.  Then my husband said something like, "She was a funny, funny girl and there is no way your crying would make her happy." So true.  The last time we spoke she told me crying wasn't allowed from me and she needed me to be funny so she wouldn't have to put on a brave face for my benefit.  So I am reposting one of my favorites because it is about my friend Lynn.

Every year we drew names for Secret Santa.  Every year, you hoped someone good got your name.  By good, I mean someone who doesn't think fruitcake is a delicacy.  So when I drew, and got a good friend of mine (who definitely likes what she likes), I saw my opportunity.  I immediately knew that I was going to prank her.  I went to my mom's house and asked, "Hey, do you have any old junk that I could regift to my friend for Secret Santa?"  She was more than happy to help me with my joke, and out from under the bathroom sink, she pulled a package of champagne bubble baths (still in their box).  The cellophane was coming off and the Walmart sticker (old green kind) was still there.  I had struck gold.  I gathered up some other things from my house (to be honest what teacher doesn't have some stuff to regift?).

On Monday, the trick began.  I can't really remember the order of the gifts that I gave (one was a gourd painted like an apple with a chip in the lid), but what I do remember is my friend showing me the "gifts" with an astounded expression and the words, "Look at this, LOOK AT THIS!"  By the end of the week, pretty much the whole school knew what was going on (it's amazing that no one told).  On Friday, I did give her real presents of things she actually does like.  She was a good sport (even though I'm not sure she has truly forgiven me).