Memories

 We are all officially on summer vacation!

On Friday Timmy celebrated his final day of school with a virtual party and an in-person smorgasbord of all of his favorite treats. At 3:30 promptly Scott and I fired up the Bluetooth speakers and gleefully serenaded Timmy with a rousing rendition of "Schools Out for Summer."  Unfortunately, we later learned that he had not yet logged off, so it turns out that his class listened to our rendition before closing the term. 

Saturday morning Scott and I put on our funeral clothes and headed back to Northern Virginia for a Celebration of Life. A co-worker's son passed away. Because Scott and I have both worked with her and have remained connected via Facebook, we wanted to go to extend our support. I suppose the scant attendance at my brother's funeral continues to sway my decisions. If I am able to attend, we are going to go.

It was weird being back in our old stomping grounds. While we were so excited to leave for our next adventure, the area holds so many memories for our family. I lived in Virginia for 25 years, longer than I have lived anywhere else. Virginia is where I met Scott and where we became a family. Driving to the funeral, I was flooded with memories of both the extraordinary and the mundane events of our lives. Each store, stop light and park seemed to flick open another memory portal to our past. By the time we arrived at the funeral I was feeling both overwhelmed and horribly depressed.  

We just don't have those connections in our new home. I know that these types of memories are formed through time, and that we need to be patient. After 18 months, we still feel like strangers in the area. I am still struggling to find friends, and we are so lonely. We miss Virginia, but we also know that we cannot go back. 

 

Last Day

 Happy Last Day of School to Timmy!! 

I honestly do not know who will be more excited to put this school year on a shelf- Hamlet or me. He has been eagerly counting down for the past month, excited about sleeping in and enjoying extended play dates with his friends. I am simply looking forward to the absence of the pressure that becomes part of your life when school is in session. 

This school year has been one of change and growth for Timmy. Because his former school closed, his teachers were forced to pivot and develop their own private venture. I am eternally grateful for the dedication and the hard work that they have invested into their school and students. While the platforms were different and took some adjustment, this year there were no tears as we learned to navigate the programs.

As soon as Timmy became settled into his school year I began working full-time outside the home. This put Timmy in a position of navigating instructional and lunch time by himself. He stepped into his new independence like a champion and has grown exponentially through the experience. I am so very proud of him. 

As of 3:30 this afternoon, the Chenoweth's will be on vacation! 

 

Summer Blues

 I've been frustrated by my inability to unwind and relax. My mind is still in 'school' mode. When I do find myself on the couch relaxing, I feel wafts of anxiety hinting that I should be productive. I don't remember unwinding into summer break being this difficult! Of course, Timmy is still in school so that may be a factor in my relaxation difficulties.

The weather is certainly not bringing any summer vibes. It has been cool (highs at 75) and breezy every day. Today is the first day we are going to break into the 80s. While I have been grateful for the cooler temps because my body and leg are considerably more comfortable, it has been difficult to feel summery when wearing jeans and long sleeve shirts. Hopefully the warmer temperatures will blast the summer blues away, because I am longing to feel carefree with sun kissed cheeks. 

Today is 'camp out' day at Timmy's school. To surprise him, we are going to light to fire pit and roast hot dogs and s'mores for lunch. I think he will be delighted that we are staying on theme, and I'm looking forward to doing something summery. 

 

Lounging

 Yesterday was my first day of summer vacation. While I had high expectations for productivity when I awoke, my motivation quickly waned through the day. I found myself settling into the lounger and grabbing for the remote after I poured my second cup of coffee and, although I moved to prepare meals and help the boys, I didn't really do anything of consequence. I certainly did not tackle my highly organized Summer To-Do 2026 list.

After the chaos of the past few years, I am giving myself permission to relax and lounge this week. Timmy is still in school so his needs are relatively few. I have the luxury of lounging, and it would be a travesty to squander it.  My list will be put on hold, because this week is going to be reserved for sleeping, watching movies and reading my books.

What are you doing today? 

Happy Birthday Koopa!!

 Happy Summer!!

Friday morning I attended my final meeting before I headed to turn in my badge and supplies. It has been an amazing year of growth, not only for my students but for me as well. Timmy, whom I thought would dislike navigating lunchtime by himself, has matured so much that he now loves the autonomy and independence that my working outside the home affords him.  Talk about change!

Alas, all good things much come to an end, and the contract position is now over. I'm optimistic that it will be renewed for next year, but at this time nothing definitive has been offered or decided. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, I'm going to do my very best to enjoy summer vacation with my family.

While Friday Scott and I celebrated the end of the school year, Saturday was all about Robby because my sweet little Koopa turned 20! I can't believe that I have been lucky enough to be his Momom for two decades. Thinking about the passage of time made me feel overwhelmed, so I opted to just stay in the moment. We went to Waffle House for breakfast before heading to the Apple Store (an hour away). We picked up his favorite chicken for lunch before heading to Olive Garden for a celebratory dinner.  Basically, he ate his way through his big day.   

   

Sparkly

 All year I have worn pants. My wardrobe choice was carefully selected because my job is physical (I am literally walking all day) and because I wanted to keep my prosthesis concealed. Anybody who has known me for a nanosecond knows that I am not ashamed of my prosthesis. While I am not ashamed, I am very aware of the disability bias that surrounds amputees and their abilities.

In my experiences, especially in professional environments not geared for individuals with limb loss, being 'out' too soon with a disability is detrimental. Co-workers often start their own little informal evaluations on their new disabled peer, "just to make sure that everything stays okay."  I was not interested in having to work while continuing to prove my worth after I was hired, so I chose to simply wear long pants and do a stellar job all year with my students. 

The school year is over. I looked back on the progress made by all of my students and I feel nothing but pride. Each one of my kiddos made amazing strides towards independent travel. I worked the entire year without encountering any issues because of my amputation and prosthesis. I no longer feel the need to hide because I'm damn proud of what this amputee mommy accomplished over the past 9 months. 

Today, as I go into my final days of work, I'm feeling sparkly.

 

Orientation and Mobility Job

 Memorial Day has come and gone. The constant cold rain did nothing to herald the summer season. I cannot remember another Memorial Day weekend where we huddled in front of the fire and made a pot roast instead of burgers on the grill. We didn't do anything celebratory, but all local activities were cancelled due to the rain so I suppose we didn't really miss out. 

Today is back to work for the final week. I don't know what I will be doing next year, which feels unsettling. It also leaves me feeling frustrated, because I feel like I am fighting for professionalism-again.  Unanswered emails and the total lack of information has forced me to expand my job search beyond my current county. My contract ends on Thursday and I would love to have something established for the next school year.

While I hate to admit it, I'm back on the prowl for a new job.