Babies, senior exams and empty nest

     The  month of May has brought many changes to my life: My daughter moved to a different city to study (but just for the spring semester), my niece had a new baby, my seniors are hopefully all graduating, and my house is really quiet!
     My daughter moving away for two months has definitely made me re-think about my life. What do I want to do this coming year when I don't need to go home and make dinner? When the amount of laundry is minimal and even the bathroom stays cleaner a lot longer? Should I start a new hobby? Maybe, but which one? Should I get more involved in my church? Join a singles club? Or maybe I should go back to school?? So many decisions to make--maybe I just need to spend some time in prayer before I embark on this new road of freedom...
     One of the joys I had was to go from mammogram to holding a newborn baby! First were the good news from the mammogram, and then finding out that just around the corner, in a different hospital building, my niece had had her baby! I got to cuddle and hold baby Selah! What a great way to end that week!
     I am totally avoiding writing the senior exams :-) (Well, at least for a few more minutes.) But there is much to rejoice as well! I teach English Language Learners who struggle with their content area classes in high school. For them, senior exams are hard. We have been working really hard, but some mistakes and occasional lazy-bug ailments are affecting the students grades. For some of them, graduating is on the line. For others, the exams means getting a better grade in a class, which in return will mean an increased GPA. Three more days to go!
     So, I play music, write my exams and go home to a quiet house! Tonight the quietness will be welcomed! Tomorrow, I might have a different opinion. Maybe a dinner with neighbors??? or co-worker?? And then comes the surprise text from my daughter. "Mom, loveee you!" Maybe I will go and select new paint for my bedroom walls.....something cheery but calm at the same time. Any suggestions?

She does not have you!

I was talking with one of my newer students today after class. We talked about his missing assignments and the need to DO them and TURN them in. Unfortunately, Mr.A is often more interested in playing computer games than he is completing his homework assignments. He is often eager to explain how he is learning English by playing these games.
After our chat about his homework, I asked him how is his mother's English. Knowing that his mother has been attending school as well. I even asked him, "whose English is better at this time?" Mr. A replied, "mine of course!"  I could not resist asking, "why?"
And then came the answer that made my day (and probably my whole month at least), "She does not have Mrs. Jaana!!"
In that short phrase he validated my work more than he could ever know!