Last Day

More than I remember this day last year, I have noticed lots of people commenting about how they are enjoying this "last day."  It's the last day of summer for so many of us teachers.  Some people feel the need to clean because they like coming home to a neat and clean home on the first day back to work, some people just want to relax and nap, some people have waited until this last day to run a million errands like haircuts, new tires, and doctors appointments.  I am kind of in the middle.  I started the day rather early, getting up about 5 minutes after Wes (that's the last time that will happen for a WHILE...starting tomorrow, I take over as the early riser) and changing into my swimsuit to go tubing with my cheerleaders out on Beaver Lake.  They had a sleepover last night, but due to the major storms we had, the tubing was pushed back to this morning.  Since then, the normal slow mid-day has come, and I love it.  Feed and walk Emmett, shower, and just enjoy the quiet for a while.  It's so incredibly peaceful.  I have noticed that I RARELY turn any sound on when I'm home by myself during the day.  No TV. No music.  It's the opposite at night time for some reason.  I'm about to go over the dance that I made up to teach my cheerleaders, and then I'm off to school for practice and then cell group training.  I guess I'm ready for everything to start again.  I absolutely love my job, but these first few weeks are tough getting used to a different schedule and learning all 120 names of my students.  Here are a few pictures of these last days.  Happy End of Summer!  

Celebrating Michelle's birthday in Fayetteville!

My cheerleaders at the sleepover.

After Ben and Molly's performance at Kid's Camp. 

American Idol Concert!

Eating in NLR before the show.

Fun Summer Days

These past few weeks have been filled with super fun lunch dates, play time, and just good times.  Take a look at some of them...
Betsy (one of my dearest friends and co-worker), Erin (former student), and me out on Beaver Lake with Erin and her parents.  We had a blast tubing and wakeboarding!

My incredibly cute and wonderful nephew and nieces out at Fayetteville's Farmer's Market.

Swim lessons with some of my favorite people.

Finished jellies...plum and blueberry/blackberry!

Out to eat lunch with Mom, Leslie, and Sam!

Making jelly with mom.  She has taught me lots of great tricks to use in the kitchen over the years.

Happy Summer Days!  

I don't think I need to write anything. This past week was simply wonderful. We relaxed, celebrated, enjoyed the company, caught some rays, and just spent time together as a family. Enjoy the pictures...I've been enjoying playing with them!

Happy Birthday, Seb.

I hope she won't mind the title. Today is my mom's birthday, and it is definitely a day to celebrate. To put it simply, she has been everything I have ever needed or wanted her to be. A shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, a wise counsel, a best friend, a shopping partner, a teacher, a role model, and the list could go on and on. I got to tell my students this year about one of my favorite memories from growing up in my house. Any night when I would come home from being out with friends, I would go back to my room and start my "get ready for bed routine" at my bedroom sink. Yes, bedroom sink. I know now that my mom probably gave me a few minutes on purpose, and then she would come back, check the temperature, and then nonchalantly walk over and either sit or lay in my bed while I finished washing my face, brushing my teeth, and getting on my pajamas. I loved knowing that she cared about my night, and about how I was feeling. Crazy teenage drama was probably the topic most nights, but we would just lay there for a while talking until I got sleepy enough. So, as I told my students about this (we had been discussing Anne Frank's tendency to confide in her father over her mother, and then we started talking about whether they tell their parents everything or anything at all), they all seemed to think my mom was pretty cool. She listened to what I had to say, and unless I asked for advice, she didn't give it. She was open and genuinely caring. And that's just one tiny example of who my mom is. The part of my mom that I've been noticing a lot lately is the giving part--and this part of her is HUGE. The moment she hears someone is ill, or the moment a baby is born, or the moment she knows someone would be just a little too tired, my mom calls and offers to bring a meal. She gives so much of her time and energy to love on others. She showers me with love in so many ways, and I just pray that one day I will be half the mom she has been to me. I so look forward to her loving on grandchildren (and I know she looks forward to that, too!), and I look forward to our relationship growing even closer as the years go on. I love you, mom. Have a WONDERFUL weekend in Columbia!

Summer is HERE!

Yep, the last day of school was today, and I can't wipe the smile off my face! Now, this isn't to say that I'm actually going to really miss a lot of my students. In fact, I was even the tid bit sad today. I think that means I love my job and have found the career God wants me in. Let's go back a few weeks so I can catch you up on life. We had a mini vacay to Scottsdale over Memorial Day weekend, and it was fabulous! I have married into such a wonderful family, and I got to spend the weekend with many of them. It was cousin Sasha's wedding weekend, and this party was the place to be! I mean, this was in incredibly beautiful wedding, and we felt honored all weekend. Gospel choir led the bride and groom into the sit down dinner, USC marching band came to the dance reception, and the resort was right up there as one of the prettiest places I have EVER seen! I am so happy for Sasha and Chris!
Another really fun moment was running into one of my BFF's at Walmart the other day. Ying just moved back from Memphis after a few years away...it was such a fun encounter! I mean, we are going to be able to just run into each other like that now! So fun!!
Ok, so we are caught up. Summer officially starts tomorrow afternoon when my school work day is over. I'm really excited about it, and I've made a pretty long list of to-dos. I've divided it into To-Dos (such as get carpet cleaned after Emmett got a little sick and broke out of his crate while we were gone to a wedding), People to Call (such as LeeLee to catch up on her new life in Auburn), Things I Want to Do (such as paint a bookshelf and go on a few road trips), Goals (such as have lots of people over for dinner and get together with lots of friends for lunch, shopping, whatever), and a Wish List (such as a new macbook and an iphone). Last summer's didn't go so well, and I'm really not expecting to get a lot of this year's stuff done either. Good thing they are just fun things. I'll let you know how it goes.


Some of my favorite students, of course.

And more of them on the last day of school.

The rehearsal dinner at The Phoenician.

JB and me with the Mother of the Bride, Aunt Ann.

Bride and groom showing off some southern roots.

Walker girls with the stunning bride.

USC Marching Band!

The after the party brunch!

Spring Happenings

Emmett is still really cute. However, he now weighs in at 55 pounds.

I got to visit with some of my favorite people on this earth last weekend. My BFF's brother graduated from U of A, and we all came to celebrate.

Yes, I took a half-day last Friday to go cheer on Kris Allen as he came home to Conway.
And Ed's Bakery definitely did their part by making Kris cookies!

Our next American Idol!!

My two moms.

Wes and I were also busy the weekend before hosting his Mema. We went to the tea room in Rogers for Saturday lunch.

The rain is finally out of the forecast for the next 7 days, so I'm sure I'll be outside a lot this next week. We are hosting an American Idol party on Wednesday, having an all day 8th grade celebration on Thursday, and heading to Phoenix for Wes' cousin's wedding on Friday. Our busy lives aren't slowing down any time soon, but we are loving all of the things we are doing. There is your Walker update. Next time you hear from me, school may be out for summer!! Wahoo!!

Oh Happy May!

A snapshot of what is up at the moment:
-Emmett, who had a major surgery today during which he lost his manhood, is asleep at my feet.
-I just got home from Table Mesa, a great new restaurant on the Bentonville square, with Bret, Jayme, Molly, Morgan, and MEMA!
-Wes is at rEcess, a monthly nonprofit organization event we help out with on the first Fridays of the month...Wes has done a little more volunteering than me lately. For some reason, important gigs keep coming up on first Fridays, and I have to miss loving on some really neat kids.
-We have only 21 days of school left. Geez!!
-It's May 1st, and the April showers are definitely not over here in northwest Arkansas.
-I LOVE my job...that's not new, but I've really enjoyed it lately. I have to think that it has something to do with Benchmark tests being done with for the year. We are reading the play version of the Diary of Anne Frank, and I love it. It opens up for some awesome discussions.

I know, this wasn't the most exciting post ever to grace thekatebox, but I just wanted to fill you in on what is happening here at the Walker house. I am very happy that is May. My Lonely Planet calendar got flipped today, and now Pakistan is featured for the next 31 days. I'm looking forward to learning a bit more about this very interestingly beautiful country.
Well, I'm going to go move to the couch, Emmett will follow me, and then I'll work on a little Esther study (Beth Moore). Happy Friday, and Oh Happy May!