HaleyI know the May hustle is finally catching up with most mamas. The final three weeks of school have been exhausting and jam-packed (and my oldest just finished kindergarten!). If—like me—part of your job description includes school chauffeur, lunch maker and homework helper, then I think we can all breathe a little sigh of relief that school is out and summer break is finally here.
Goodbye School
Of course, the end of the year is always a little tough due to nostalgia. This picture is about as good as it gets when my two younger ones get wily.
Two influential women at my kids’ church preschool are retiring, which means baby #4 (still no name!) won’t ever get the privilege of having them. And not just that, but last week was Beau’s final day at preschool, as next year he’ll attend the state-funded Pre-K program at the same public school that my oldest son will attend. The public school we are zoned for was bulldozed last year and will be sparkly new and ready for school in August.
At the same time, this week marked my kindergartner’s last day at his nature school. Nature school has been a wonderful experience for him and I think will be a great transition into more traditional schooling next year. It has given him the freedom to constantly move his body and experience a frequent change of scenery (thanks to multiple outdoor classrooms). It’s also given him the opportunity to delve more into a subject he loves—nature.
Out of all his school subjects, his highest marks are for his knowledge of life cycles—for plants, insects and animals. For him, it’s not just memorizing each step in the process. He thrives and his knowledge soars when he can see and touch an organism, as his little brain tries to figure out how something works. I’m grateful his nature school has given him the chance to uncover these miraculous mysteries through exploration instead of just books.
Hello Summer Break
Though school is officially out, the month following school dismissal won’t slow down much for us. You see, I’m trying to pack in all the fun I can before July hits and I plateau at the 9-months-pregnant mark. I simply don’t know how I’ll feel in the heat of the summer—and I’m also not sure how long this baby will stay put. Beau was a summer baby and arrived in mid July at exactly 38 weeks.
So the next three weeks will be packed with two beach trips, and then we’ll start slowly tackling our Summer Bucket List before the new baby. Later in June, we have Vacation Bible School and our last out-of-town trip to celebrate our friends’ wedding before hunkering down at home in July.
Of course, I did sign my Rowdy boys up for Nature Camp the week I hit 37 weeks. I figure it’s a great week for me to get all those last-minute things done before baby arrives—with Scarlett as my helper, naturally.
At any rate, I’m excited to kick off summer with slower, longer days—and just praying I can retain my sanity being super pregnant with three little ones underfoot.
I’ll be touching base from Hilton Head Island, S.C., next week!
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
