It has been a long two months since I've updated our blog. So much has happened that I don't quite know where to start. I'll try to give it to you in a nutshell, but it is still going to be long.
APRIL
*Workworkworkwork - and more work.
That's all April is about for me. My fourth graders take the Reading & Math TAKS tests at the end of every April, and it was quite a task to fully prepare them this year. Between teaching, planning, evaluating, communicating, reports, conferencing and meetings almost every day, April is tough. April is also a lot of work for Todd, too, although he doesn't administer the actual TAKS test.
Good news though! Todd's students did *awesome* on their EOC (end of course) exams. His passing average was over 90% which is amazing! I was so proud of him! I learned at the end of May that my students did well on TAKS. I was especially thrilled that 100% of my students passed the TAKS Writing test in April! Over 1/3 of my class received perfect scores which thrilled me as well.
As far as next year, Todd will be teaching 8th grade Science. This will be a positive move for him because the 7th graders he has this year will basically loop up to 8th grade with him. I will continue teaching 4th grade, but I will only be teaching Math, Science & Social Studies. This will be good for my workload, or at least I hope it will be!
MAY
May was tough - and that's putting it lightly.
* We lost my Grandma on May 6. She had been on hospice since Christmas, and her health declined quickly. She was a strong woman both emotionally and physically, and she could cook anything well. Thankfully she shared her chicken salad recipe with me (from memory of course) several years ago, and I can now do one thing well that she could. The matriarch of my Dad's side of the family is now gone, as is that entire generation.
A photo of us from ten years ago:
Grandma left behind four children, one preceded her in death just a month before, eighteen grandchildren, and even more great-grandchildren. My Dad, Step-Mom, sister, and I traveled to Oklahoma for her funeral. Here is a photo of a few of the grandchildren that were there:
* On May 8th, only two days after Grandma passed, our hearts were shattered. I don't even know how to write this (and the tears begin), but we lost Mackey. Our precious, cute, strange, goofy, sweet, boy had to be put to sleep. It will be four weeks tomorrow, and Todd and I are still reeling from Mackey being gone. Todd's best friend of 14.5 years is gone. His ashes are home with us, where we wish he still was. For being the calmest of our three dogs, it sure has been a quiet house without him. The big dogs have felt the absence of his presence as well. We are all still devastated and many tears have been, and surely will continue to be, shed. It still doesn't seem real, and it seems like forever since he's been gone.
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Now that I've dried my eyes (some), I'll continue. May also brought us some proud moments and smiles.
* My sister, Cindy, was inducted into the Hall of Honor of the school district where she ran track and cross country in high school. She was the first track star to be inducted. Her beautiful and heartfelt speech had us all in tears. A photo of her with a former teacher & coach:
Cindy, while giving her speech:
* I, along with my work team, took a bajillion (okay . . . maybe only 65) fourth graders to Austin for the day. We met at te school at 6:00am, took chartered buses to Austin, toured the Capitol building, explored the Bob Bullock State Museum, and returned to the school about 8:30 that same night. Talk about tired!
* Our niece, Whitney (a junior), went to prom. Luckily I was invited to take photos. She was amazingly gorgeous, and I was so proud! I can't believe how grown up she is now. Man, I feel old.
With her date ("friend"), Alex:
A full-length view of her dress:
And with her double-chinned aunt:
* Todd finished his first semester of graduated school and did really well. He is taking two other classes this summer, and has about a year until he graduated with his Master's Degree in Educational Administration. I'm so proud of him!
* Our annual Memorial Weekend in Tyler with Todd's cousins was a wonderful time as always. Although not everyone was able to join us, we still had family there from Boston to Colorado and all over Texas. There were 24 of us, I believe; eight of whom were aged 10 and under! Lots of fun, water, eating, drinking, and relaxing - just what we needed.
* And now, here we still are, in June of 2010. Best of all, it is now SUMMER! Ahead of us is work around the house (decorating, more landscaping, cleaning & organizing), relaxing, Todd's birthday, traveling to both coasts, and recuperating from a looonnnnggg school year. For today, Steve sums it up for both of us :
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