Mike started a brand new job the day I started summer break, so that meant no vacation or travel plans for us. That was fine since we'd just gone on a cruise over spring break plus we'd lived off of our savings for the last three months, so we couldnt afford to do much this summer. I felt so depleted both emotionally and mentally by the time summer hit that I wouldn't have enjoyed a trip very much, anyway. What good did a plan do if something unforseen changed those plans?
A quiet, uneventful summer lay ahead, and I was perfectly fine with that. I could relive my travels to Colombia, Guatemala, and Spain through my daily memories on Facebook and look forward to possibly another grand trip some other time in the future. I didn't even have a Bible study lined up to teach or attend this year.
I spent the first part of the summer doing what I do best when I'm struggling through something serious, shutting the world out and giving myself the time and space I need to process, read, write, reflect, and pray. After surfacing from my books and journals a few weeks later, I found myself randomly saying yes to invitations I might not have always considered. I threw routine out the window (though my personality craves that structure) and just went with the flow of whatever came up each day. In doing so, I felt God pour back into me in many little ways that I didn't expect.
I didn't have the money to spend on a big (or even small) vacation, but I did have the money to meet with at least one friend or family member each week for tea or coffee. I normally go out for coffee with the same two friends all the time, but this summer I had a chance to get together with different friends, like my teammate (who I thought was my ex-teammate), my mom, a friend from Bible study that I hadn't seen in months, my husband, and my sons. I also got to visit and support my dear friends who supported me in Colombia who now live here and own the tea shop I frequented.
With no big plans or goals, no huge home cleanouts or renovations, I could play a lot of card games with my boys and my husband at random times of the day or night, sometimes for hours on end. We also found time to just sit around the table working puzzles that Mike brought home from work. I'll have to say, though rather spontaneous and unproductive, the summer was quite restful.
Since Juan and I both have a teacher badge for work, we took advantage of free movies for teachers every Wednesday. We saw the new remake of Aladdin, Toy Story 4, Men in Black International, Spiderman-Far from Home, Avengers End Game (Avengers-Infinity War at home the day before), and then Mike and I saw Lion King together and Breakthrough. Juan and I also visited a couple museums in downtown Dallas, took a quick trip to Houston to pick up his Colombian ID card at the consolate, and celebrated all of our adoption anniversary dates together (Gotcha Day--June 13, Adoption Day--July 11, Coming home to the U.S.--July 18th, and the day we met/Colombian Independence Day--July 20th), all the days we missed celebrating with him last year while he worked at Pine Cove all summer.
Dallas Museum of Art
Puzzle days
Colombian Independence Day
--11 years since the day we met
Lion King--25 years after it originally came out in animation form (the first movie Mike and I ever went to see together)
Free tea day
Visiting the spot where JFK was assassinated
Klyde Warren Park and the Perot Museum
More random coffee/game dates
Sounds of summer concerts in the park
A quick trip to Houston
Celebrating Adoption Day with Colombian food, of course
More summer concerts
More coffee dates
We got our fill of free Chick-Fil-A on Cow Appreciation Day by hopping around to several restaurant locations, and we attended free concerts in the park as a family on Friday evenings. I also attended a first ever conference for Christian teachers called Teacher, Be Still--where I met up with an old friend I hadn't seen in almost 15 years, my study-buddy who helped me pass my teacher certification exams. God gave her to me as a support system when I first moved to Texas, and now He reunited us at a time when we both felt the need for such a conference.
Blanca and I reunited at Teacher, Be Still
I turned in my keys at the end of the school year not wanting to come back. Today I eagerly await to get my hands on those keys to get back into the classroom with a very real peace and serenity over my heart. I am ready for a new school year to begin and for 22 new little ones (some that I've already taught once in Pre-K) to look to me as their fearless leader over the next nine months. I'm so thankful for the opportunity and privilege to teach them, especially the ones I get to teach again. Had I moved to kindergarten, I would have missed that opportunity. I am thankful for every child God has already chosen for my classroom and thankful that He chose me to be their teacher--again.
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