My Seven Week Vacation

One of the perks of being in the teaching profession is having some extended time off during the summer. Usually by the end of May I am eager for school to be out and ready to head home. This year I was home for seven weeks.

So what did I do during those seven weeks? I relaxed. For me that meant working in the flower bed deadheading, transplanting, and trying to create a beautiful work of art through flowers. I can't draw or paint, but I can plant and organize a decent flower bed. The work is hot, sweaty, and dirty, but I love the feel of dirt in my hands and the joy of seeing a blank canvas take shape and form with color and textures. The bad part for me is I have to leave in mid July before I get a chance to see the flower garden at its peak. Pictures are okay and help me see what is developing, but nothing compares to a walk in the midst of it. I love cutting flowers and making simple bouquets to set on the table.

Besides nurturing flowers, I also nurtured my two nieces, Hannah and Olivia. While I was home my sister asked if I would "keep and eye on them". The three of us had the best of times. We glided down the water slide at Burdette Park at least a couple dozen times in a big inner tube, had a "Sister Sister" weekend, read books, attempted DDR (Hannah is good, but I suck at it), celebrated birthdays together, and snuggled. That's my favorite part.

The seven weeks went by fast, but I feel I was able to do all the things I wanted to do and see everyone I wanted to see, and shop at all the places I wanted to shop.

I needed this time to get away from Saipan for a while and be with family and friends from home. I needed to not think about school for a while too. It was nice not having to set the alarm clock and being able to sleep until I was ready to get up...which was usually around 8:00 a.m. It was nice hearing voices in the home. Even if they weren't talking to me, just knowing they were close by was comforting. Living so far away and alone, I miss those sounds.

What I will miss most is the evening times when my sister and I would sit around the kitchen table watching The Next Food Network Star on the cooking channel or reruns of Reba. This is the time when she and I could talk about important things or just have a hearty laugh. If I miss this special time together, I know she must too. I am the one who left. The chair next to her is now empty. I am back on Saipan. No more TV, no more hugs greeting me in the morning, and worse...an apartment void of voices I love to hear.

In a few weeks school will start up again and my life will get very busy. Until then, however I am still on vacation and have every intention of relaxing my body, mind, and soul.