Update

Wednesday was the last day of second grade for Samuel and as we walked down the halls of Northport Elementary I had tears in my eyes. Third grade already? For some reason third grade just seems so "big" and I can't believe we are there. I very distinctly remember my third grade school year. I remember it being a tough year academically but I also remember experiencing a lot of difficult growing pains. I also remember my teacher, Ms. May, who I would have sworn was 80 years old then but just recently retired so I guess she really wasn't that old. But boy was she GRUMPY! I pray that Samuel's third grade experience will be better and he will have lots of wonderful memories to reflect upon when he is my age. So far we have been SO wonderfully blessed with teachers. Case in point... just last night, the first night of summer vacation, I walk into the bathroom where Samuel is taking his bath, and he is just boo-hooing. I asked what in the world was wrong and he said that he missed Mrs. Sparks already. He went on to say that he didn't even want to think about a whole summer of no school and not getting to see her every day. I love it! And, I remember tears and similar conversations after kindergarten and first grade. He has LOVED his teachers which has turned into a love for school in general. I feel I should pass last nights conversation on to Mrs. Sparks who has obviously meant so much to our son for the past 10 months. Baseball - Well, the regular season is over and Samuel's team, the Pirates, came in 1st place with only ONE loss the entire season. How exciting is that? AND, we are in the final 2 days of tournament and have not lost a game yet. If they win tonight at 5:30 they will play in the championship game tomorrow. It was been a great season not only because of the winning but because we have a great group of boys and parents. We have all enjoyed it soooo much and are so proud of our boys for always rising to the occasion and for always conducting themselves like true winners. They are an awesome group of 8 year old boys. So, I will update on how the tournament turns out after tomorrow. Go Pirates! John Michael will be two in less than a month now! I can't believe that my baby is turning two just as much as I can't believe Samuel will soon be turning nine. They are growing up tooo fast. The saying "the days are long but the years are short" is so true. He is moving up to the two-year/toddler classroom this summer. I think he will enjoy this class even more because of the structure and the level of activities he will be able to participate in. He is so smart and is a constant source of entertainment around our house. And, boy does he keep us on our toes! He loves going to the ballpark. Only problem is, he thinks he should be playing baseball too! Forget that stroller, he is NOT keeping his little bottom in there. SO after depleting all of the snacks, drinks, and whatever other tricks I can muster, I chase him around while trying to watch as much of the game as possible. Joseph is the official "book-keeper" for our team so it's up to me to do the chasing. Oh well, it's all part of the fun! We are planning an "Old Macdonald" themed birthday party for John Michael. He loves all things related to the farm. Particularly horses, cows, tractors, and most anything else so it is the perfect choice for his 2nd birthday party. I love planning birthday partys especially at this age. We actually did this same theme for Samuel's 2nd birthday and it was one of my favorites. I can't wait - He is going to love it! More Later...