Traveling Mercies

The fact that I absoutely love teaching does not make going back to school any easier each summer. I think their is almost a grieving that the end of camping, traveling, and hanging out as a family is coming to an end. Maybe it is just that feeling of freedom is slowly disipating. I've always said that my favorite day of the week each summer is Sunday, and specifically Sunday night because you don't get that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you are putting yourself on the line in front of hundreds of teenagers for the next five days. That being said, I also do love seeing colleagues and students again. So that is the tension I feel in the third week of August. But traveling mercies as we begin the journey of a new school year.

My mom and dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last weekend. It was an incredible few days of dinners (Thursday), open house (Saturday) and hanging out with my brothers and sisters (Sunday). It was an opportunity to honor my mom and dad for showing us each day what it means to live faithfully. On Sunday we had lots of incredible conversations where I got to know my mom and dad even better as they shared some of the joys and difficulties of their immigrant journey. We talked about how to walk the line between giving grace and still standing up for injustice. It seems that as they get a little older they seem to share with more confident vulnerabiity. We also walked through the cemetary where my grandfather was buried and we heard some incredible stories about the impact my grandparents had on my own parents. The words can't describe what the weekend meant to me. Traveling mercies to my mom and dad as they continue on this journey.

My niece Jessica and her sister Christina and her boyfriend Paul are heading back to Iowa for school. What an incredible time; I am always a little envious when they leave as it is such a unique time of life. Traveling mercies to them and especially to Jessica as she begins her first year of university.

My Master's is done. The mole is still alive. This mole has obviously been blessed with traveling mercies. We've tried the hose, we've tried juicy fruit in the hole, and we've tried garlic. I am beginning to feel like Wile. E. Coyote. Below are some pictures from the summer.

Four good reasons going back to school is so hard.
My sisters Marg and Soph toasting my mom and dad.
At my Opa's gravesite
The whole gang...this story started on August 9, 1958
My brothers and sisters and mom and dad.