It May Be Raining Outside But There's Sunshine In My Heart (Yeah, I Know It's Cheesy, But Y'all Will Just Have To Grin And Bear It)

So how is the start of your summer?, you ask, because of course you have all been on tenterhooks wondering if I managed to survive those last 58 minutes without Going Educational TM. The answer is yes, yes I did. And I even managed to say a pleasant Have a great summer! to the last kid out the door before breaking into a wild Irish jig.

Well, mentally at least, because I've never actually learned how to do a jig.

A former student of mine who adores me still and keeps coming back wanting to do favors for me because I apparently made an impact in his life just in one semester of Creative Writing (I'm telling you, you never know--some of the kids you think you helped transform never appear again and then others for whom you just did what you normally do stick around for years)--um, lost my train of thought. Student, favors--ah yes! Anyway, the wonderful Jason (who reads this blog so Hey! You're awesome!) was waiting in the wings to swoop in and help me finish up getting Out Of There, which he did by carting pounds and pounds of paper to the recycling bin and tossing out the broken chair that students mutilated this year and stuffing the rest of my desk things in a cabinet and carting my take-home things down to my car. Not to mention keeping me company as I finished up the last bits of grading and whatnot.

Sweet boy. He is also threatening me with Dire Consequences if I don't call him this summer and let him take care of my kids so I can get Time To Myself.

I should mention this is also the saintly boy who, two years ago, cared for The Widget from age six weeks to eight weeks so I could go back to work for the last two weeks of the year without having to put him (The Widget) in daycare. For a very piddly amount of money that I practically had to force on him (Jason). I know, right?

And to think that lately I've been feeling all sulky and resentful that God hasn't just cleaned up my mess and made my life all perfect. He's been filling my life with people like Jason for years. I kinda had to apologize to Him yesterday...

Anyhow, I've been busy in a good way since then. Yesterday morning another amazing young man, my 22-year-old brother, insisted on being up with the kidlets in the morning while they ate their cereal and watched cartoons and made messes so that I could sleep in. (What is with these young men these days? All unselfish and generous and caring and stuff!) And then after I dropped the kids at daycare, I leisurely checked out at work, chatted with folks, and then went to lunch with a few coworkers. After doing some banking business, I went to my chiropractor and had an adjustment and an hour-long massage with my marvelous massage therapist Sherri.

Hard times, I'm telling you.

Then I went to a park and had some quiet time with God, which is when I apologized for being a sulky brat and finally said out loud that I forgive two individuals who have hurt me, and walked away with a lightened heart.

And then I went to Target and got a few (hopefully last) pieces of summer clothing to round out my wardrobe.

Finally it was time for the main event of the day, which was my Menting Meeting with the two young teachers who are my official mentees. Chip and Shanell are both awesome and Chip in particular practically saved me time and again this year, not to mention bought me A DESK CHAIR OF MY VERY OWN. I loves them. So it was off to Shanell's condo for some pre-beverages (she got me some Smirnoff pomegranate martini, which is so yummy) and then to Andiamo/Second City in Novi where they were having a special Educators' End Of Year event. An hour or so later, after delicious appetizers and another drink or two, we went into the comedy theater and saw the absolutely hilarious presentation of Kwame a River. Very raunchy (come on, it's Kwame Kilpatrick--how could it be anything else?) but so very ROFL.

It has a touch of "A Christmas Carol" to it, since the basic premise is that the Spirit of Detroit (who is apparently female, appearances to the contrary) appears to Kwame on the night he leaves office and takes him through the past as well as giving him visions of the future, all in an effort to get him to Face the Truth of his Many Malfeasances and Confess. There were all sorts of insider jokes, things that only Detroiters would get, and my stomach hurt from all the giggles. One part that brought the entire audience to tears (the actors had to wait a while to continue) was a depiction of the Sam Bernstein family. It was So Wrong, but So Funny. Why is that so often true?

(For those of you not aware, this is a family of lawyers in the Metro Detroit area that specializes in injury lawsuits, and their ads are Everywhere. The patriarch, Sam, is normal enough if somewhat dumpy, but somehow every one of his children has some physical abnormality, such as crossed eyes, that just cannot be ignored. As you can imagine, the depiction was a little wicked.)

If laughter is the best medicine, a lot of hurt was healed last night.

Today I slept in, since the kidlets are with their father, and I will meet my own mentor for lunch, and I will take my beloved bro to see Up, and then we'll pick up the kidlets from school and bring them home.

Life is good. Sometimes it just takes a little time, a little breathing space, a little perspective to realize that.