School's OUT

Life doesn’t feel different yet. School is over but the stress is hovering. I hope the realization sinks in next week. Justin finally heard back from Pennant, they extended an offer to someone else. Justin and I felt a level of discouragement sink in for a day. Time is racing toward us! His “last” day of employment is Saturday. He had a great interview on Thursday with a company that is closing most of their offices and moving to telecommuting. After his month at home I think he is realizing how much he is needed in the home, I need him, the kids need him, we need him. Maybe telecommuting wouldn’t be such a terrible idea. He is also interviewing with a gun company in Iowa and had another interview (maybe with a head hunter?). He spent some time in the temple on Wednesday. Came out with some clarity: he is needed at home, that we need to continue paring down our spending habits, and he was impressed that I need to be at home. Last night we went to get ice cream and talk about his impressions and my own. I don’t know how I feel about not working. While it was very challenging I feel a level of commitment to the students. All of our children are at a crossroads, Mia will graduate next year, Phillip starting High School, Everett will be alone at EVMS, and Evelyn is terrified to start 5th grade. I will put the challenges to the Lord! Direct Justin to a job that offers better health insurance, we commit to a budget! I will gladly walk away to be more present at home. Justin asked me if I am ready to submit to the will of the Lord. The answer is easy, maybe the result more difficult than I imagine. It’s even easier to stop working when it looks like hourly employees will have to work 9-10 hour days with the 4-day school week. 

Memorial Day we had a relaxed morning. Evelyn suggested we visit Celebration Park for an activity. I was reticent, tired and grumpy. Justin rallied the troops including the Ostlers for a trip out to the Snake River. I took Everett with me to Walmart for some picnic supplies. I surprised him with a visit to GameStop for a new game of his choice. He chose a fun sports game for the switch. We slathered on sunscreen, topped off the water backpacks, and shoved snacks into the van. Fergus was excited to join us for the adventure. He loves to stick his head out the window, apparently Phillip enjoys that as well. The visitors center was closed so we couldn’t do the atlatl throwing. A ranger gave us some maps to do a self-guided tour of the huge basalt melon gravels, some decorated with archaic petroglyphs. We walked across the historic Guffey Railroad bridge and learned a little about Idaho’s history with mining. It was near perfect weather! Warm with a nice breeze wafting through the flowering Russian Olive trees and sagebrush. It smelled like a slice of prairie heaven outside. We cooled our heels in the Snake river skipping rocks, hunting for freshwater clams, and watching the dogs frolic in the water. Thank you Evelyn for the excellent suggestion! I made potato salad, baked beans, and lemon bars for our Memorial Day picnic. Evelyn, Oliver, and Josie used a huge wooden spool as a singing stage! They had so much fun making a show for us. Dusty grilled up our Bedda Cheddars for the main course, along with a few hamburgers. We vegged in the shade listening to patriotic country music. Dusty started a fire to make s’mores for dessert. 

Phillip and Everett enjoyed a week at home with Justin! Enjoy is a relative term! They had until Thursday to clean their room to Mom level, which according to Phillip was manageable with 2.5 days to get it done. Justin helped the boys fill out job applications to corn top for 3 weeks in July. The Kuna company hires youth as young as 12 to work out in the fields! Everett is completely stoked to finally get a job. Phillip’s best friend Ben invited Phillip to apply with him. Justin went with the boys to orientation Tuesday evening. They got applications turned in and listened to the owner talk about the job. The job goes from 6 am until 2 pm until the corn all around the area is topped. They get one paycheck after the work is completed. Potentially, the boys could earn $2k working in the fields. I like that idea. 

It rained Tuesday evening. My heart was extra heavy because the job opportunities went from 3 to zero in one day. I am grieving the idea of not going to Boston. A nice thunderstorm dumped rain and decorated the sky after dinner. We let loose and ran around in the refreshing rain. It felt marvelous to run around with the kids splashing and getting wet. 

The boys worked very diligently Thursday to clean the backyard in preparation for next year’s chamber choir hang out that evening. I texted Mrs Sene last month asking if I could host a choir party, she texted back that a hang out for next year’s choir would be amazing before retreat in August. Justin was in fine form, he was a jolly host. The students played a game, roasted marshmallows, ate snacks….and KARAOKE! I am so proud of Amelia for asking her sisters to sing a song with her in front of her friends! The girls sang a Miraculous song together. Fun. Mrs Sene and I sang “Eye of the Tiger” complete with sound effects. Amelia was elected Choir President for the next school year! She is very excited for the opportunity. 

Last Day of SCHOOL! We walked to school singing “Eye of the Tiger” and “It’s the Final Countdown.” If Mr Obert ever checks the hallway video footage between 7:45-8 am there are a few gems capturing cartwheels, running, dancing, even racing scooters down the hall. I started a dance party in the hall, no one joined. I had no specials classes to teach so cleaned up the classroom for next year and gave teachers bathroom breaks. Heidi and I manned the north-east family picnic sign in station. One parent was clearly disgusted we informed him he needed a check-out ticket from his daughter’s teachers in order to leave the campus with her. He later left then angrily stalked back yelling at us about the retarded system we had in place. I told him he could complain to the Principal or volunteer next year as a bouncer. Stinker. I gave my phone to Amelia since I couldn’t join the picnic. Justin brought a Del Taco fiesta pack as a super awesome picnic treat. Amelia handed me my phone back filled with “point 5” photos. A trendy (and irritating) way to take super strange fish eye snaps. Silly goose. I had to stay until 4:15, boo hoo. I decided to take most of my belongings home in case I decide to not come back next year. 

First day of summer vacation! I went grocery shopping with Amelia and Josie. Those two are quite silly, Amelia used Josie as her arms to get items off the shelf. Fergus got a snazzy hair cut in time for hotter summer days. Evelyn organized a spa day in the evening for all the girls. We had a very relaxing time soaking our feet with lots of bubbles, resting our faces with masks and cucumbers, and freshly painted toe nails. The spa music was very crunchy granola. I felt like it was really a spa with the new age elevator spa tunes. Josie kindly scrubbed my feet and massaged them, that was about a cute as can be. 

Everett was feeling very overwhelmed with all the things in our family. Justin and I went to the temple late Saturday afternoon to do initiatories.  Everett said while we were gone he decided to pray out loud seeking comfort. He got an immediate answer that he is loved by God, everything will work out, and a bubbly sense of peace and joy. He went over to Sara’s and bore his testimony about the power of prayer! He told the rest of us during devotional, my heart was so touched by his testimony on the power of prayer. Made me cry on Sunday during testimony meeting…most of the ward was touched too. I’m grateful for his faith.