...s u m m e r...

oh how i love you, summer! you came so fast this year..i can't quite believe you are already here.

i plan to do so much in my time with you:
read books
read magazines
go to the pool and lay my white-ass out (while engaging in the first two items listed)
go to the gym and go running at whatever time i please
sit around and do nothing
hang out with my homeboy
go to breakfast
go to the beach
go to the dog park and on long dog walks
watch useless daytime television if i please (i'm quite sure i won't do that but it sounded fun to say)
have a second cup of coffee and lounge in my PJ's
and i'm sure we will think of more things to add to the list!

awe, summer. you have arrived and i couldn't be happier!

letter

Dear eighth graders,

Two years ago I made the jump from teaching 6th grade to teaching 8th grade. If I must be honest, I was a little nervous to teach you because many of you are bigger and taller than me. A part if me wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, that my classroom management was strong enough to handle big bad 8th graders. While yes...some of you are very challenging, I absolutely adore you! I love how you are mini-adults who can think for yourselves and carry on good conversation. I like that when I say "how are you?" or "have a good weekend" most of you return the regard to me and genuinely care about my answer. I love how you get my sarcasm and laugh at most of my jokes. I really like how if you are messing around, I can give you a look and say "really?" and you will realize you are being ridiculous and stop. I love how many of you take responsibility for yourself. All of you have taught me things along the way and I am grateful. Be confident in who you are, both as a student and a person. Remember you have all the power in the world to do whatever you want to do and be whoever you want to be. Don't give your power away by letting other people or circumstances keep you down. It has been SO fun watching you grow and mature and get ready for high school. It is the last day of 8th grade and you are ready now. You will go on to do great things I'm sure! I sincerely hope you come back to visit me, because I will miss you. I hate that I only get to know you on campus for one year and then you're gone. Embrace change because it helps you grow as a person. Enjoy every minute of the present! Stay focused on your goals and dreams and your future will be bright! You better come back and visit me!!

Love, Mrs. Harvey

hard questions

bad things happening to good people is just so hard to understand. maybe impossible. several months ago i read "The Shack" in hopes of being enlightened on this very issue in a spiritual sense. i certainly got a lot out of the book and found it an amazing a unique way to look at God. and how humans and one-size fits all religion has done a really good job of turning people away from God for good reason. the book does address the topic of bad things happening, but i did not get a good enough answer that i can wrap my brain around. especially when it comes to something like cancer. it is so so unfair. and heart-breaking and ruthless. and recently, has been all too prevalent.

my friend and former colleague from Wilson just passed away from cancer Sunday. she was a strong and beautiful and funny and confident woman and mother of three. she was a selfless person who genuinely cared about everything about my life. she was so fun to be around. she won her first battle with breast cancer more than 2 years ago. it came back in her bones and quickly spread. megan, i know i told you often how you inspired me and we had many conversations about your strengths and weaknesses in your battle. you are amazing and i miss you.

this photo is megan and her husband, chris, at our wedding. she was rockin' one of her fabulous wigs!



i am sorry for the downer, but it was on my heart and the least i could do is honor the beautiful person she was. Keep her family in your thoughts and prayers if you think about it. Her kids are Kyle, Patrick and Kate (the baby girl who is 4).