Summer. . .Summery. . .Summary

June, July, and August didn't just fly by, but they moved quickly enough that I didn't make time to post on the blog.  I don't say "have time", because we all have time for what matters most.  Now, as I transform to a working full-time, homeschooling mother and wife, I struggle to identify my top priorities. Apparently blogging is a secondary matter!

Emily's summer was filled with:

• volunteering at Vacation Bible School, leading a group of preschoolers
  
• volunteering at the Humane Society. . .not often, but often enough to grow attached to a kitten there, who now resides with us.  His name is Achilles, and we call him Chilly for short. . .or "kitten", or "hey, stop chewing on the cords", or "stop climbing the screens", or "leave Sassy alone", or "stop trying to eat Hershey's food", or "stop chewing on my nose". Chilly has introduced an element of chaos to our otherwise orderly home. . .probably good for all of us.
  
• swimming at the fitness center with the youth swim team, "TCA"
  
• continuing violin and piano lessons, and practicing
  
• swimming in our pool 
  
• caring for kids (too old to be regarded as "babysitting") and giving a couple violin lessons
  
• camping with our good friends the Larsens at Wright's Lake
  
• attending Pacific Quest, academic summer camp, for the second and last year. . .this year's subjects were "psychology" and "French"
  
• keeping up with friends on Facebook
  
• getting together with friends. . .a few times, anyway
  
• finishing the summer by going to Discovery Kingdom, formerly known as Marine World, with some friends, and riding crazy roller coasters
  

Wayne's summer was filled with:

• changing jobs as a result of the state budget changes
  
• filling in the gaps made by my transition to full-time work
  
• being a general "everything to everyone" kind of guy at home
  

My summer was filled with:

• working
  
• working
  
• and most especially, working
  
• camping, and going to Discovery Kingdom, but skipping the crazy roller coasters
  
• finishing my one and only special craft project--a digital scrapbook/yearbook for Emily's freshman year. . . .it turned out gorgeous, and I'm ready to start the next one

My work changed from part time (20 hours/week) to full time, and my job description is no longer "home health field nurse" and "chart auditor".  It is now "intake coordinator".  My workplace underwent a metamorphosis as the local Visiting Nurse Association merged with our hospital- based home health agency. The hospital system purchased VNA from the county.  Our staff doubled (think "blended family"), and we moved to VNA's office.  We lost a long-time well-loved office nurse during this time, and eventually I was moved into her role, but cannot fill her shoes.

Life is filled with change.  I'd probably never choose change, but in the current economic climate, it seemed prudent to seize the job opportunity when it was available.  There is joy in the change. I don't work weekends, holidays, or nights; I don't take call; I get more money, and our family gets insurance benefits.  Oh, and most importantly, I love the people I work with.

Technically I wouldn't say that I am homeschooling Emily right now.  She's schooling herself with help, but I'll cover that in the next post.