My last final was submitted this morning, and the sense of relief was immense and unanticipated. I had thought I was dealing with the pressure well enough, but it’s another situation of the frog in hot water… and when the valve tipped and the steam released, I hadn’t even realized how heavy it had been. My dreams of a perfect quarter are in shreds, but I still hope to pull high enough grades to score some grants and scholarships. In one class I know I have perfect number, but the other two will adjust with a weighted total, so I have to wait until Wednesday to find out. At this point, I hardly care. I did my best.

Now a month of languid days lies ahead of me. It’s really my first day of summer vacation- deep into August. My poor kids have had a tense mama who hasn’t been much fun, studying most of the days. Jeffrey said he estimates the amount of homework I did in the last 8 weeks is more than he’s done in four years of school. I told them from here on out, it’s a Yes summer. I plan on being as free and flowing with them as I possibly can manage- starting today with a Yes Day. That means they got popsicles, frozen pizza and Nerds (I never let them get non-chocolate candy. I have this weird idea that almond M&M’s are at least redemptive in their candyness by virtue of the almonds. I know, I know.)

One of my aunts sent them a box of books for summer reading, and each of them a gift certificate to Baskin Robbins- so not only did they get unredeemed candy today, but they are begging me to take them for ice cream tonight. You know? I just might.