The Boys of Summer

It seems it has been 7 months since my last blog entry. In fact, not too long ago, I deleted this blog. I wasn't keeping up with it, figured there wasn't much reading going on, and I didn't really have anything to say. When we were in Peru, I opened it back up to post pictures, but could never make it work with my iPad. Then I thought, "Why not keep it open? I can write about something, right?"

So here I am attempting it again, with no big news, no breaking story, no witty tidbit. Just me, sitting down to "write" about my summer. In case you haven't noticed (not sure if I've pointed it out), but the titles of my blog entries are always song titles (stole that from Gray's), and today's is no different. The title has little significance except that it's summer time, and that is my all time favorite song about summer. It's probably one of my all time favorite songs.

If you are reading this, you were most likely able to keep up with our trip to Peru earlier in the summer. We went for 2 weeks - one a mission week, one a vacation week. The mission week was amazing. We did great work, great work was done in our hearts, and we met some wonderful people. Those memories are ones that I will treasure always. And if I should forget (excuse my use of and at the beginning of the sentence!), Justin took 800 pictures so I can remember every single moment. The vacation week was less vacation and more rustic living. Ask Justin about it - he paints a far rosier picture than I can. I'm not going to elaborate more because I'm not in the "I can laugh about it" phase yet. Ha.

In other summer happenings, my brother and his wife will be welcoming their new addition, Caroline Elizabeth, at the end of the month. Well, it'll really be in a few days. Can't wait to meet this little girl! She'll be joined by her cousin, Kristy and Brad's baby, in October, Harper Frances (named BEFORE the Beckams crashed Kristy's world, FYI). Lots of additions to our family this year, and we will be the favorite aunt and uncle in no time. As we surely already are to our other nieces and nephews!

I know that before I know it, the end of summer will be approaching. I'd love to say that I'll have a new job as a school counselor next year, but that just doesn't seem to be happening. I'm in constant prayer that something will come my way because I desperately need a change. Perhaps the answer is that I need a change in attitude. I know that my degree will be put to use some day, but I truly hoped for some day to be now. I will be changing to 3rd grade next year, and honestly, that was always my dream year. I had the MOST amazing third grade teacher - Mrs. Crabb. She inspired me to become a teacher, and I hope that if this is where I'll be, that I can be even half of the teacher she was. Things will be different, for sure. Luckily, I would no longer be teaching all subjects, just the ELA/Social Studies block. It means more kids, but it also means a wonderful team leader who is one of the greatest friends I've ever had, a teammate (hooray!), and a group of kids that I already love because I got to do guidance lessons with them when they were in 1st grade. Well, hopefully they'll still be good :)

So there are lots of changes on the horizon. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude. Glad I have supportive friends and family at this point in my life. So in case I don't blog again until Christmas (hahaha), I hope the rest of this summer is restful (it is my first summer off in my whole 5 years of teaching!) and that I can borrow Justin's rose-colored glasses.