Proud Mama

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she wonderful? Isn't she precious?

I couldn't have been more proud of my toothless wonder this past week. On Wednesday, June 4th, during the last school assembly M received a special award from her teacher. M was honored with the Excellence in Reading award for the school year and later that afternoon in her classroom, she received the Creative Writing award for the year. I am PROUD! Yes, dad, I said the "P" word!! (My dad doesn't believe in saying the word "proud" he would say "well pleased" while we were growing up.) I refuse to do that to my child. I've told her several times how proud of I am of the effort she's put forth during the school year. I love to see her beam back at me. M didn't know that she'd be receiving an award so when her name was called and she saw her daddy sitting in the audience you couldn't deny who is her favorite parent. I can't decide who had the bigger smile. As a parent, it meant the world to me to finally have an educator realize that my child can hold her own.

I can't tell you how excited I am that the school year is finally over. While most parents dread finding things to do for their younger ones during the dog days of summer, I have been done with this school year for about... 9 months. It has been a tough year for my active, inquisitive six year old. School has been less than challenging and she found most days ending with her in trouble for having talked to much. I can't imagine where she got that trait from! We have fought to keep her self esteem and spirit in tact while she was called "weirdo, freak, not my best friend anymore!" from mean spirited little girls. OHHH! the self restraint it took for me not to storm over to that school and find those little.... lovely children of God. When your child cries in the morning for you to let her stay home and expresses her willingness to work "all the day long" if you will just let the bus drive by it is a clear signal that something isn't right. BUT! We made it through and Friday was the last day of school for M and we are ready for a fabulous summer break! Today T & I let M lounge around just playing and T even let her stay up til 10 last night. WHOO-HOO! Livin' on the wild side!!

I'll let her have about a week off then it's back to work for my smarty pants.School starts on August 20th! so there is little time for us to get things done. We are planning on some great learning activities that will take advantage of our proximity to D.C. and the endless historical sites on the East. There will be a trip to the Hill Cumorah Pageant, Niagra Falls and hopefully parts of Canada in July. I'm not sure what else we will tackle, but M is a certified traveler and would rather be in a hotel than at home and she plans on enjoying her time away from the formal classroom. Congratulations Sweet Girl!