Spring into Summer

Wow, can't believe it's been so long since I've posted anything. It's been a busy year here in Rhode Island and now it's really going by quickly. We will be moving in a month to the D.C. area and although we are very excited about our new adventure there I am realizing the many things we've failed to see and do while here on the coast in New England. I thought that fall here was spectacular but I think that I love the Spring here even more. I have never seen so many gorgeous flowering trees and bushes. The Rhododendrums and Cherry Blossom trees are amazing. So much color! The bay is filling up with sailboats and we've seen the first few cruise ships of the season. I am really going to miss living right on the coast. I always thought I'd like living by the ocean and have not been disappointed in this first experience.

As of today, the boy's have exactly one more month of school (I know, I know, everyone is finishing up this week or next but they started much later here than we are accustomed to). They have all had such a productive year. Garrett is one of a handful of freshman who have had straight A's all year. He has had a successful year in football, basketball and baseball, even if his football and baseball teams weren't exactly winning organizations. It took a while but he earned the starting First base position on his Junior Varsity baseball team and now he is really looking great playing First for his Babe Ruth team. They are currently the only undefeated team in the league...His latest academic success has been having his World War I project on Alvin York become the example his teacher wants to use for future classes to show them what an A+ project looks like.

Jacob has had a terrific academic year as well. He has had great grades all year but this past term he really bumped it up a notch as he made straight A's and was recognized by his English teacher has having the only perfect grade in his class on his recent analysis of "The Diary of Ann Frank." Then last week he was the only student in his class to score a perfect score on his math skills exam. This is math we're talking here...I remember just a couple of years ago when math was his most despised subject and frustrated him so much.. Currently he has a 99 in the course. Awesome! He had fun this year playing basketball here in Newport. The community program here provides a very fun environment that is less competitive and more just a time to play and improve your game. He and Matthew have also excelled quickly with their Tae Kwon Do. They have recently earned their Green belts.

Matthew is growing up so fast. He will soon be a fifth grader...Still can't believe my "baby" is ten now. He has had a fun year with so many friends here in the neighborhood. He and Jacob have had fun progressing together in Tae Kwon Do. Matthew is such a natural at it...He's very fun to watch. He played both fall soccer and indoor soccer in the winter and continues to amaze me with his footwork. I hope he'll continue to play. Academically, he continues to do well. As usual, he amazes us with his math abilities, but he's also finding quite a love for science and history. I always thought Garrett was the history buff in the family, but Matthew may very well rival him in that area. It's been fun for him learning about the Revolutionary War and the early days of America and realizing that we currently live in the part of the country where all of it occurred.

I can't look back on this year without also noting how proud I am of Kevin. In just a couple of weeks, he will earn his second Master's Degree as he graduates from the Naval War College. It has been a year of much studying and writing for him and although there is not as much "downtime" as many who have been here before would lead you to believe, it has been great having him home more, even if much of it is spent with him closed up in our room upstairs writing and reading for his classes. It's been a lot of education crammed into 10 short months but I think in the end, he will say it was worth it. To cap off the year, he will have his recent paper sent to the Provost and President of the War College. Who knows, perhaps his suggestions will someday be prompts for improving the educational environment here.

Well, one month from now we will be preparing to leave New England and head to Virginia.. I can't wait to see what opportunities will await us there.