Jenny's Thoughts: Only 2.5 months behind!

Sheesh, September – half over and I haven’t even documented any of the crazy exciting details from our epic summer! I will (EVENTUALLY!) get caught up…maybe.

Let’s start with the end of the school year. It was the end of an era actually. Zachary wrapped up his entire elementary school career with a bang! He was one of only four (and the only boy!) to share an essay at graduation looking back on his experience as a fifth grader.

I will thoroughly admit that I was a little shocked when I read his speech. It felt sort of, um, brutally honest and a little bit of a downer to be honest. I knew that he’d had some struggles – especially with some of his classmates and the ridiculous cliques of 5^th grade – but the tone of the message (when I read it in my head, anyway) made it sound like he’d had a rough go. Honestly, I’d say his year was probably typically – some drama, some struggles, but nothing too terrible. I decided to hold my tongue and not make any suggestions. They were his thoughts. His class would be voting on whose speech would represent them in front of the entire fifth grade and all the families. And yep, they picked his, so obviously they liked it/could relate!

I’m pretty sure I was more nervous than Zachary. The first girl to present her speech was all sorts of sweet and nostalgic on her experience at the school. The second girl’s speech was very funny and got a lot of laughs. And then it was Zach’s turn. I attempted to take a video but my stupid hand was shaking so much, I deleted it right after.

He did a GREAT job. Got up there and read his very personal thoughts like it was no big deal. Several parents afterwards came up and told me they were amazed that he was so brave and honest. One mom came up to me later in the day and, with tears in her eyes, told me that his speech moved her as it so perfectly summed up her own son’s experience as a fifth grader. She later posted on facebook: “ZJ's speech has me looking forward to having the DVD of this event more than anything! He perfectly captured the experience as I understood it through my own son, and I am so grateful for his voice (and his courage in using it)!”

Here is Zachary’s speech for your reading pleasure:

Survival of the Fittest:

We came to school expecting an awesome year. We came with growth mindsets and high hopes. But needing to handle being the oldest in the school, going to middle school, competing in P.E and at recess, gossip and even getting bullied. We learned that it was survival of the fittest, the smartest, the athletic, the popular and then the ones who aren’t any of these. We were somehow separated into two groups the popular and UN popular.

As fifth graders it was like if the left side were the popular and the right side was the unpopular, you’d have to stay with your group; girls with girls guys with guys nerds with nerds. Soccer, football, wall ball, baseball, four-square, and tag were all separated into their own groups it was like good and evil or black and white “I stay with my posse and you with yours ” fights and arguments were happening all the time. “And Gosh was that hard”

But despite all this trouble and turmoil our teachers were there with us to help us survive. Every kid had his own time and life yet our teachers figured out a way to help us out they’d notify our mistakes and inform us the correct way. Along with fifth grade drama we also needed help learning what we needed for 6^th grade. After loads of help from our elders we were finally ready to pass on and complete 5^th grade. “These teachers must’ve been exhausted cuz’ believe me we are difficult”

So in the end we survived the boring-ness of social studies, the hardness of math, the disturbing-ness of flash, the difficulty of science, the fun of camp, the shock of bad grades, the seemingly endless arguments during lunch and recess, and the exhilaration of music, P.E, and library After all our teachers were there to help us all out and this year was actually kinda’ decent. But now we move on to the next great adventure. MIDDLE SCHOOL!

Well, after I somehow managed to get through the graduation without massively breaking down, I went to get a picture of Kayliana with her Kindergarten teacher – who we absolutely adored [and who is now on medical leave and could use some much needed prayers]! I was appalled to find KAYLI was an absolute disaster. She was just sobbing and having the hardest time saying goodbye. Yeah, my whole success in not losing it didn’t last once I saw this.

Kayliana with Zachary's 5th grade teacher (with the mini/replica-version of their class-auction project. Our fam made this one for her as an end-of-the-year/thank you/pre-her summer wedding gift.