Last week of first grade

 I am 99.5% excited to move to Richmond. Then after today the 0.5% of regret shows up. Leaving CCS means that Cazin, Ella and Max won't get to experience first grade with the Ciccarones. I hope each of my children will encounter teachers as wonderful as Rose and Sandy Ciccarone during their childhood. They are amazing teachers who bring kids into a relationship with Jesus through a most gentle and loving way. It is no surprise that they are the most beloved teachers at CCS.

The first grade class had their end of year celebration with an award ceremony. Mrs. Ciccarone said that this year when she started writing the award certificates, she kept re-writing them and decided instead of naming awards for everyone, she would do her other favorite thing and think about what the kids would become in the future. You could tell how much she loves her students and how well she knows each and every child. It was wonderful listening to Ms. Ciccarone talk about each child and when it was Julia's turn she said that whenever she reads to the class, Julia always comes up with a different perspective or response to the story. This is what she wrote about Julia:

You are so creative. You always find new uses for things.

You are also a reading, writing and math star. I think

you'll be a teacher one day, or maybe even the principal!

Immediately I thought of how Julia favors MFS in so many ways, the busy, ever-thinking mind, the need to run things...being a principal was feasible prediction. There were also predictions of engineers, nuns, vets, Wii game inventors and singing ice cream shop owners.

Julia is so sad that she only has two more days left with her friends. They are a sweet bunch of kids. Each of them wrote a letter to Julia and they are among her most prized possessions. Right now she is out cold from the scavenger hunt, relay races and ice cream truck fun. I am so thankful for this year. Julia has always been blessed with wonderful classmates.

Before I turn into a mess, I will redirect to a more hilarious scenario.

I have been having this mild, persistent chest pain for the past 5-6 weeks. I thought it was because my figure was becoming more Reuben-esque. It never alarmed me until 2 weeks ago when it moved around my front and back like a rubber band. So I decided to call the doctor with some arm twisting from MFS. I few exams later and I find myself undergoing a stress echocardiagram this morning. Let me say, I think all of this is stress related with a little bit of reflux, but my physicians just want to be sure since I my family has a significant heart history.

Now back to the test. I don't know what I imagined it would be, but my main concern was that I would trip and pathetically fall off the belt. Little did I know that my concern should have been the fact that I would be wearing no shirt, no bra and a paper vest. Thank heavens my chest looks pre-pubescent. So there I am walking along all wired up staring at a giant photo of Lance Armstrong. At one point I am running at a steep incline holding on for dear life with my right arm while they are taking my blood pressure on my left. What a sight I was. Good news, all is well and I have been given the blessing to restart P90X. After my exercise break, I don't think I want to...