well that's done...

Maggie got back her 1st quarter grades from Seton: 8 A's and 2 A+'s. Mary's packet went out last week, and Will finished up the book report this morning, lifting that weight that was hanging over my heads and putting a little spring back in my step.

I love the start of a new quarter, nightly making a stack of books on the floor for each child's next day's work, the freshness of the lesson plan pages just begging to be scribbled through and highlighted, and the opportunity to find a new method of organizing their papers and time each morning.

Writing this down makes my life sound quite pathetic, but it is likely more productive than spending my days shopping and lunching with the other suburbanites. While quelling screaming matches and getting the older ones to practice the piano isn't worth much in many folk's eyes, I'm a blessed and lucky girl.

the vodka box in the background is NOT my weekly stash, but tapes and CDs that I haven't found a place to store yet!