Hurray! We're Going to the Beach

Tomorrow in the wee hours of the morning we will be headed just outside of Ocean City, where my aunt and uncle have a beautiful 3-bedroom condo on the bay. The girls really like their pool and there is a little custard shack nearby that is amazing! We plan to lounge by the pool or take the boat out by day and then hit the boardwalk at night for my favorite pizza on the planet that just curls my toes (Mack and Manco's).

We need a break....I haven't blogged much about it, but school isn't going so well for #2. After the first day she started to withdraw and yesterday she really had a humdinger of day, complete with her mom (that's me) screaming at her in the morning over socks and shoes (today I found out that the dog took her new sock, she didn't actually loose it). I apologized immediately after, I really felt terrible for being so nasty. Then, her teacher harshly told her to sit down when she was trying to help collect pencil boxes (she had been asked to do it all week and thought it was her job). For her grand finale, she was sweating away at a long soccer practice, after a very long day and had trouble focusing on her position on the field and was embarrassed to have the coach make her take a lap around the field as punishment. It was then I saw how hard she was holding back tears.

Last night my heart broke for her as she cried for a full half hour on the ride home from soccer and at home. I know it was part exhaustion, but it was also part despair at being at a new school and being the worst (in her opinion) player on her soccer team. I had no idea her teacher had spoken harshly to her until after soccer when it all came pouring out. There are two main things that hurt #2 to the core, being embarressed, and trying to help, but getting in trouble for it.

So, it is time to reconnect and encourage. I'm so thankful for a 4-day weekend. We plan to make the most of it. And, maybe we'll bring back boxes of salt water taffy for their teachers after we explain to #2 that she needs to forgive her teacher and start over on Tuesday with a smile.