After vowing to keep up with this blog by faithfully posting at least once a week, I find myself at least a month behind. What can I say? Life was bananas for a while. While I have heard that the end of a school year can be quite hectic (according to expert teacher husband), I really had no clue until I saw it all for myself. I apologize for seemingly making excuses, but it is what it is. So here is the catch up:
Three weeks ago Eric was in charge of the Freshmen class lock-up. If you remember from a while back, I also helped with a lock-in this year for Sophomores, my homeroom. While my lock-in went quite smoothly (if you consider catching a ride with total strangers part of a smooth evening) Eric's lock-in hit a small snag. The night was going along fine, when, on a tip from a fellow teacher of ours, Eric caught three of his Freshmen boys with smuggled alcohol in a locker. Alcohol at a school sponsored even held on campus of said school is not a good plan, but apparently Freshmen boys know nothing of this logic. While the other teacher chaperoning the event took the rest of the class to Shao Kao (Chinese night bbq) Eric had to deal with the perps. He called one of our Administrators and had the boys call their parents and with much drama afterwards the boys were suspended for the rest of the school year. Way to go, boys. The rest of the night actually went on without a hitch and he ended up really enjoying himself.
Two weeks ago was high school graduation. I have been to a few of these ceremonies and while the KIA ceremony was very nice (and short), it was the after party that made my day. After the ceremony friends, family, and teachers were all invited to stay and eat and hang out with the graduates. We spent our afternoon and evening hanging out with the students we have come to know over the course of the year. It was really only then that it dawned on me that this was probably the last time I would see some of these kids again. Ever. Many were leaving that coming week and most on a permanent basis. They were spreading out around the globe to attend university or spend a gap year abroad. They were moving to other parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. Graduation afternoon gave us a great time of saying goodbye.
Last week was the end of our school year. Three days of exams followed by a half day of check-outs and an awards ceremony. Because teachers had to be done with grades by Wednesday night, my job as the Grade Coordinator didn't start until Thursday morning and then it was straight through to Saturday. Friday afternoon as our last official day of the year as teachers and there were many more goodbyes. We have staff moving around the world as well and again I realized all too slowly that that afternoon would probably be the final time I saw quite a few of the friends that I have come to know this year.
Monday morning brought another season of change- Eric started teaching summer school and I boarded a plane for U.S. for a few weeks stay. Eric is at home, holding down the fort and being his ever responsible self, while I am back on the farm spending time with family and friends. I am so grateful for this opportunity and for Eric's insistence on having me make the trip.
This pretty much brings us up to date. I am sitting at my parents house. Everyone is asleep, but I am up. My mantra of, "I am beating jet lag, I am beating jet lag" isn't quite working like I'd hoped it would. But no matter, I am thankful for a great school year, an amazing husband, and a faithful God who has brought us through it all. I can handle a few sleepless nights.
