Summer, End of Year, Caroline latest

I made it. I made it to summer. I was worried that I would end up lasting to the end of the year. I've had friends placed on bedrest or delivering early and thankfully, I just made it to summer. I even left days on the table. I just wanted to be there at the end of the year when their scores came in (they came in the last day of school...I had to hand them out as they were walking out the door since we had been at the park all day...,I really wanted to be able to go over the scores with them). We worked so hard together and I wanted to be the one to share their results with them and I at least got to tell them that they passed. I wanted to go on their last day of school with them. Me. No one else. Speaking of scores...they were great! I'm so proud of them. I'm so grateful to God that they came back that good. I didn't want to let them down or frankly, be that pregnant one who did the children a disservice and just left the kids hanging. There were days that I taught from my chair just trying not to get sick in front of my class.

Yesterday, I packed all but a few boxes up in my classroom and Micah came and hauled it downstairs. Two short years ago I became an elementary teacher. Day one of teaching a child threw up. Shortly thereafter, I had another wet her pants. Then, another pooped their pants. I thought what have I got myself into. I thought that a lot. A lot. I never have worked so hard in all my life. My class as with all the classes at my school were very heterogeneous. Children came in at all different levels, different socioeconomic statuses, special education, bilingual education, foster homes, gift and talented and a partridge in a pear tree. We are not departmentalized so we taught all subjects. Three TAKS tests. Just being absent was a feat! But, I was sad yesterday. I even ugly cried. I really don't have a happy medium cry. It's all or nothing. I really learned so much about life the last two years ago. I grew up in a bubble. Not really on purpose, it's just my reality. The kiddos taught me to be more grateful and compassionate. They come in with so much and for some of them school was their refuge.

Micah and I trekked back to the hospital for our sonogram to check on Caroline's growth and to see what kind of labor I would be having. My last doctor's appointment has me weighing in at about 20 pounds from my original weight and my tummy measuring right on schedule. Caroline is weighing in at 4 pounds and 13 ounces. She is currently in the 23rd percentile regarding size and is on track to weigh 6 pounds. These are only estimates based on bone measurements, but it at least gives us a guide. As for the kind of labor I will have, it's still up in the air until the doctor reads the results next week. We had a hard time seeing her. She hides during the sonograms. Her feet were up by her head. How does she do that? I have been having Braxton Hicks and even had one during the ultrasound. We had to stop for a moment until my stomach unhardened.

Much love,