Summer is so close...

So very close. (Insert sigh of relief here.) Today was my last day of official music classes and tomorrow is the last day for the kids. Unfortunately, it's a full day... our administration decided that changing the last day of school from a half to full day would be an excellent option for making up missed time for snow. Ugh. It leads me to believe that none of them have ever actually worked in a school. In fact, I think I have a new idea for Survivor. Forget a remote island without resources. Put those people in a elementary school during the last week before break. See how long they survive. That is worthy of a million dollar prize. But I digress...

I'm happy I can at least say that I'll be spending tomorrow dancing. Resource teachers pull together every year on the last day for dancing. I promised some kids I'd have on my dancing shoes, so I'll have to pull out my crazy sequined flats. Or get super creative and bejewel and bedazzle a pair of flip flops. :) I should probably wear leg-warmers and a sweat band too. I'm taking this seriously. They already think I'm crazy, so I should just go with it.

After tomorrow (assuming I survive), I only have one day!!! It's a full teacher workday, but nobody intends to do much working. We'll be taking a nice, long lunch and putting off any real work for after summer. In preparation for an easy last day, I've been organizing my room this week and clearing it of at least 5 years worth of junk. Lots of dirty, dusty work but it's helping me feel so much more prepared for next year. It'll be nice to have an easier start this time.

My dad is flying out here tomorrow morning to help me get ready for my summer "abroad," and more importantly, to keep me company on the drive home. I'm not great at long trips in general. I think it's the sitting still for so long that bothers (and tires) me the most, and having someone to take my mind off of that will be great. The dogs are going to be ecstatic to have company as well. (I haven't told my dad yet that Izzy will be expecting to ride in his lap the whole way.)

In other news, I had an interview on Friday for the after-school position I mentioned several months ago. This has been a really frustrating process because it's so unorganized and chaotic. The program is starting from scratch. Everything about it is brand new to everyone involved and that's making for a rough start. I have been waiting to be interviewed since April and now that I finally have, I don't know when I'll hear back. If I get the position for my district, it's going to interfere with my summer plans in a major way. I'm hoping that something will work out and I'll still be able to spend most of my time in Texas and Missouri, but only time will tell. As it stands right now, I plan on several days in MO, an amazing trip to MT, a week or two in MO again, and then TX for a few weeks before heading back to VA. Four states in two months! I absolutely can't wait to see everyone!!!

The dogs and I have been a little lonely here without Stuart. They adjusted pretty quickly and are doing great for the most part. Izzy has grown more attached to me and is being super obnoxious. She follows me around whining, growling, and sighing to let me know how she really feels. But she is also overwhelmingly happy to see me every time I walk through the door, so that's not so bad! I certainly feel loved. Hutch has responded by being even more protective than usual. Any time he feels alarmed, he barks and growls at the window and then lays on me until he feels I am safe and secure. He spent 20 minutes on the recliner with me the other day and was very reluctant to get down when I insisted that there just wasn't enough room. Oh well... again - I feel loved! And safe!!!

Stuart is doing great. He likes his job and is making friends with the creative director, of all people. He made it into the right crowd right away, haha! He's been enjoying the World Cup and spent last Saturday watching the US game at a local movie theater that was showing it for free! Things have been fine for us and get better the longer it goes. I wasn't sleeping much at all the first week, but we've been Skyping more frequently since then and it seems to be helping. I've been keeping myself so busy that I'm starting to wonder where I'll fit him in when he comes back! ;)

Well, that's all folks. I have a lot of laundry to do before I can even think about packing! See all of you very soon!!!