Is it the end of the school year, or the beginning?! LF is taking his first and second period final exams today, but received homework for both his literature and science class. The kickoff to marching band (goes with football season) was last night? I'm so confused ;) The kickoff song that the show will revolve around is so good I got goosebumps the first time they made it through it. I have to admit, the soloists had time to prepare, but there were kids who'd never even been to band camp who played and it was the first time most of them had seen the music. It's going to be a great show. I thought nothing could beat last year's, but this is dang good. The show is called Out of the Woods, and it's based on Frost's the two roads diverged in a yellow wood poem. We have this greenhorn director (last year was their first year marching, even though their parent is a marching director). They really lack in some areas, but they are off the charts amazingly fantastic music arranger. We are dang lucky to have their talent in that arena.

I was most proud of myself yesterday. It's so silly, but the older I get, the more I hate to change my routine any. I'll dread and dread going places and doing things. I drag myself to get there, but I end up enjoying myself. Not yesterday. I have been looking forward to kickoff to band camp for a couple of weeks now. Looking forward, not dreading? Not once did I dread it. We walked in the door, the bandroom was filled with kids who were glad to see us both, and there were hugs all around. I never once felt uncomfortable or left out. Nice to be home. Part of a team (the pit crew) and we run like a well oiled machine. The best part? We, the freshman parents, hit the ground running last year. You know how it's hard to get parents involved? Not us. We'd all been in band ourselves, growing up, and were ready. We bided our time last year, while the senior parents were training, all the while, plotting and planning how we'd do it. That began last night. It's nice to see such caring and involved parents, and even better to get to do it our way :)

In the next few weeks, the boy and I will be going to DC. We're staying close to the Smithsonians and walking everywhere; a handful of days, it's a "cheap" vacation. Neither of us has ever been, and so, we're really pumped to get to see it. We're also planning the next cheap vacation. We want to drive down to the Gulf and camp along the coast. It's fun to just pick up and go. This is the more enjoyable part of parenting.

Mom has to have surgery again. I admit I have a bias against her spine surgeon and that hospital, but this is the last straw for me. She had surgery within months ago on her neck and it's in the exact same spot. The good news is, she retired last year and can pick her provider now. She came to my hospital. They ran tests (I hear from faculty here, she should've had them years ago), and found her neck has become destabilized. She's been in pain and that explains it to me. Worse, she has moderate nerve damage in her lower extremities and mild in her upper. All caused by this. I'm so glad she's about to feel a thousand times better, but I am ultra-POed at that hospital. She was in pain long before the surgery, the surgery didn't alleviate the pain, and now she has to suffer surgery again. Ugh!

We're all spending Memorial Day at my oldest brothers and I'm looking forward to fresh corn, dogs on the grill, and summer. My best thoughts of respect for the fallen, and towards their family, much gratitude. They've paid the ultimate price and I am indebted.