Summertime

If I ever have a child, I think I will get nothing accomplished all day. I’m fairly certain I will spend most of my waking hours just staring at his or her face, in awe & shock that the tiny little one is actually my own. My dear friend had her 2^nd baby, and he is just as precious as the first. I can hardly imagine their life without him, now that he's arrived.

And speaking of kids, my niece & nephew are getting cuter by the second. I had a blast with them this weekend. They’re both so vocal now, and they continually kept me laughing. My niece can charm the socks off anyone, and absolutely warms my heart by climbing into my lap with her enormous blue eyes as she asks, “Will you read this book to me?” And, inevitably as the last page is turned, she looks up and insists in her irresistable whisper, “Read it again!” Dear me. That child could ask me to rob a bank for her & I’d probably comply. And I'm thoroughly convinced that my sweet nephew, with his freckled nose & vivid imagination, is undoubtedly the most adorable boy on the planet. I never knew I could love two kids so much.

I'm very much enjoying the summer so far, although I'm quite anxious to make my job official, sign the increasingly evasive contract (should I be at all concerned about the district's deliberation?), procure my books, and begin planning. I've plenty of ideas rolling around in my head, and need to sit down and give life to them. My mother is probably right when she told me it's a good thing the school is taking their sweet time with the paperwork, because if I had the curriculum, I'd likely spend all summer poring over it instead of relaxing, which I'm having no problems accomplishing thus far. I spent a rather remarkable day multi-tasking as I relished in all five hours of Pride and Prejudice. I think I annoyed J. for days afterward because I spoke to him in Austen-esque language, such as "insufferable presumption!" and "you take great delight in vexing me." I knew I'd gone too far when I muttered "I daresay we will be able to bear the deprivation" upon my roommate's exit for the weekend. Cheeky, I know. I must say, though, that my favourite line from that film has to be Elizabeth Bennett's: "My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me."

I was very excited to learn that a fellow MATer also accepted an 8th grade science position. It would be even more fabulous if she was in the same district, because then we could attend ILT meetings together, but we're still hoping to plan together and share ideas as much as possible. I know I can use her ideas & lessons, because we have similar teaching styles. The 1st year isn't looking quite as painful as before.