School's out!

And thus ends another year of public education. In about 10 short weeks, I shall be the mother of a 2nd grader, and 4th grader, and (gasp!) a 7th grader.

We are all happy to see the year end, even if two out of three of my kiddos shed some tears today. (hint- one of them wasn't Zach) They are excited for the freedom of summer, and excited to be moving on to bigger and better things, but they are two little sentimental fools (they get it from their mother) and sad to be leaving teachers and friends behind.

Yesterday Nick had his 6th grade promotion. It was very nice, even if I did have a very naughty nearly three year old driving me crazy. They had a video presentation set to music with probably hundreds of snapshots taken over the course of the last school year. I think I personally sent in about a hundred that I had taken when I chaperoned at science camp. I just copied the whole folder and sent it in so they could do with it what they will. I really didn't think they were going to use them all. I tried to take lots of pictures of other kids, but my favorite subject was of course my own kid, so my guess is that at least a good 50% of the pictures that showed during the Beach Boys song had Nick's face somewhere in there. (It was actually a little embarrassing) They made copies of it and gave them out as "video yearbooks" on CD, and even I am immortalized forever with the 6th grade class of 2009.
Forgive me for a self-indulgent moment of bragging-

During the course of the promotion ceremony, some kids gave speeches, some kids sang the school song, some kids recited poems, many kids were recognized as being on the honor roll, or received the "Principal's List" award. Nick was none of these kids. He didn't even get a Perfect Attendance Award. I think he felt a little bad about not being on the honor roll but only because he knew he was smart enough to get the grades, he just didn't do the work. I think he was also trying to apologize for things like not being in the Advanced Choir which sang the school song- they met on Tuesday afternoons, and besides, he takes the viola, and Mrs. B picked the kids to read the poems and we all know how she feels about Nick, etc. etc.

As we stood there talking, and he was explaining things in an apologetic way, (I wasn't asking for explanations) this girl walks up to Nick and says very enthusiastically, "Hi, Nick!". She was a girl from his class who was obviously "Special Needs". I don't know if she had Downs Syndrome or what, and although he said she was in his class, I didn't recognize her because I guess she spent a majority of her time in her "other classroom". (She also got the loudest cheers from the audience when they handed her her graduation certificate) He explained that she was his buddy. Awhile ago during field day he had noticed her standing alone without a partner during one of the games, and without thinking twice, he walked up and asked if she'd like to be his partner. Ever since then, they have been friends. I think it must have meant a lot to her, because every day since then, whenever she sees him, she greets him with the same enthusiasm.

I couldn't have been prouder. No "Principal's List" Award could have topped that. I did happen to see a picture of them partnering up during an activity, but I didn't realize what I was seeing at the time. He has got to be one of the most compassionate, loving kids I know. I had to fight back the tears as I drank my punch and ate my cookie. I don't take any credit for that. Heaven knows I have no idea what I am doing as a mother. I regularly apologize to him for being my "practice kid", and I know I still have a good half dozen or so more years to screw him up royally, but how I got blessed with such a great kid, I'll never know. (and just in case any of my other kids happen to read this- I honestly ask myself that question about all of them almost every other day- I'm not going to say what I am asking myself the days I am not so appreciative)
As usual on the last day (today) the kids gave their teachers bags of caramels. I also talked Madison (it wasn't hard- she's a sweetheart as well) into giving her teacher the potted plant we won in a silent auction at art night. She wanted that thing real bad. They had made it as a class project and it had pictures and signatures of all the kids in her class on it. Madison was really excited when we won it, but I secretly wondered how long until I would kill it, and I knew how much the teacher wanted it, (She showed it to me before hand, it was clear she was sad to see it go and she had actually bid on it too) so we devised a plan to keep it for the week, then return it to the teacher on the last day of school. Mrs Eastwood totally started crying when Madison gave it to her. Madison now has her teacher's home phone number, and they have discussed having a play date with Mrs. Eastwood's granddaughter. Madison still bawled her eyes out the whole way home "because she's going to miss her teacher."

Lousy picture, I know, but it has "the pot" in it.

Zach is always a different story. He will remember Miss Kress forever, and will probably bring her up every time he sees any Ohio State University paraphernalia, (cause the kid has a mind like a steel trap) but I could barely get the kid to stand still long enough to take his picture with her. I had the nerve to show up at recess time. He has priorities.

So what are our big summer plans now that we are free? Scout camps and hopefully lots of swimming (I plan on having Christopher "waterproofed" in the next few weeks- he tried to drown himself several times last year). We'll be traveling to Utah to escape the heat for who knows how long, I am accompanying John on a work trip to San Francisco in a month, and am hoping to make it to my 15 year high school reunion. And looking at those pictures, apparently my boys need haircuts ASAP.