The Storm Before the Calm

Wow, what a month! I think I've come home each evening without an ounce of energy left in my body. Nothing has been catastrophic or overly negative; this just must be the busiest May I've ever had. I guess I say that every year. I'm now getting psyched! This is also the most exciting part of the year. These are the days when I can again become giddy about staying at home for a while with my boys. This year will be different. Nick will be in clinic for much of the summer, plus some classes (that sounds so nonchallant), and will study like a mad man for the first round of dental boards. As of the other day, Nick is now officially a third year dental student. That sounds so distinguished! Somehow he managed to get through finals without too much taxing on the family life. I am so proud of him, and now that we're over the second major hump of time, I am breathing a little easier. I've now taught in Houston as long as I taught in Lubbock. WOW. We've been here for quite a while. Looking forward, perhaps we still have a chunk of time to go. But looking backwards, it really has gone quickly.

My summer is already pretty "booked." Nick and I sat down one night, as finals were wrapping up, and planned the most amazing anniversary trip. It will be just us, and yes it will be expensive. I see it as a huge investment in US. Time, amazing sights, time, time, and more focused, uninterrupted time. I love Nick all of the time, but doing something completely special and out of the ordinary--and just for us--is so invigorating.

The boys have part-time school over the summer. Fun, enrichment weeks for Nathan, and two-days a week of preschool for Michael, mostly so I can clean, declutter, and revamp for the next school year. And sew a little.

Here are a few recent photos.

One of the photos is of the white bearded iris that bloomed for me on Mother's Day. It is from the rhizomes that we've had since our first neighbors gave them to us in our first house. They've been dug up and moved in a bucket each time we nomads have relocated. This is the first flower we've seen since we were in Lubbock. It was a nice reminder of the old days, but a fresh feeling of things yet to come.