Summer Through This Window

Well, it's the last week of school...

YAY!

So Far...

Monday, several students in my Journalism class threw me a surprise shower.

They made a creatively-iced cake shaped like a monkey wearing a diaper.
They made me sit in front of the class and open darling presents: blankets, outfits, lotions, cuddly toys, baby booties, and a paci thermometer.

Their excitement and curiosity about the baby have really made being pregnant at school more fun. I don't think a day has gone by when they haven't said, "Keep the baby safe!" or asked me how I'm feeling. Their cards were priceless--they took the time to write something heartfelt, which made the frustrating moments of teaching disappear.

The end of the school year feels the same as it ever did in high school or college...the hope of a sun-soaked summer, the eagerness to end this chapter, the freedom of being home and going barefoot. At the end of this week, I begin a leave of absence from school that will last until January--a full seven months off work! But, this fall will serve as Mommy training, so rumor has it I won't be bored.

Summer Plans:

There will be no jet-setting. I'm not even going to Louisiana. Still, I'm looking forward to this summer all the same, because it gives us the chance to prepare for Baby Story. Brandon has finally finished his stint at the Barter, and has moved into full-time home renovation. He's pretty amazing, having built a bathroom and closet in what will be our master bedroom. Once that room is finished, we can begin working on the nursery. And then the house will be ready with rooms we've been planning since we got married (almost 5 years ago!). The house has come such a long way that we may never sell it and just grow old here, even if we do spend a year or two here or there.

I've finally scheduled our childbirth classes for July. Gosh I hope I don't have the baby until after we have the class. At least next week, we're planning on meeting with the doula for labor training, and we'll go ahead and tour the hospital as well.

Angie and Aunt Jackie plan to visit the second week of June for our shower, and it will be great to see them. Mom can't come then, but will be able to take the time off when the little guy arrives.

The Wall of Pop is playing a few random summer gigs, but other than that, the summer promises to be happy and low-key.

I look forward to enjoying my buoyancy in the pool most sunny days.

Night-Night

Today one of my students gave the sweetest baby gift-- a blanket. He said when he was little, he used to have the same one, and his mom would rub the silky part over his eyes to soothe him. In his card, he wrote "I hope this gift helps your son sleep and not cry."

This student is special to me because this is my second year getting to teach him, and he really is a remarkable person. In both the English class he was in last year and this year's journalism class, he is one of the hardest working and most thoughtful writers in the class. Though he suffers from muscular dystrophy, he has a better attitude than students whose lives are far less demanding. I hope that whatever challenges my son faces, that he does so with this boy's courage, humor, optimism, and discipline.

Central High School Baby Shower

The Central English department was so sweet to throw this shower for Virginia and me. Virginia, in absentia, just had her little tiny boy Monday, and after the shower, we brought her gifts up to the hospital. We each received so many diapers and baby wipes to keep the infant butt clean and dry for months, but the veteran moms said just wait--we'd be lucky to get through a few weeks on those. Until I get these cards written, I just want to say THANK YOU!