TGIF

I love Friday; best day of the week.  I know a lot of people share my enthusiasm for this day but I, truly, am convinced that I have the best Friday schedule possible.  I wake up to my alarm at 5 a.m. like every morning.  I type for about half an hour and then head to the gym for one of my favorite classes, 6 a.m. pilates.  After the gym, I head home and take Emmy for a short walk.  I then join the rest of my family in the kitchen where I help make lunches, finish up breakfast, and just chat about the day with my boys.  Dean takes Ben to school at 8 a.m. and I jump in the shower and then take Joey to school at 9 a.m.  After dropping off Joe, I meet my dad at a local elementary school for our weekly session working with 2nd graders who are struggling with reading.

In August I called my dad on the phone one day and said "Good news!  I signed us up to be mentors."  My dad was a good sport and agreed to participate with me.  Every Friday we work with kids from 9:30 - 10:30 and then go out for coffee afterward.  I am pretty sure my dad enjoys this coffee date each week but I also am pretty sure he doesn't know how much I treasure it.  I feel so lucky to be able to spend time alone with my dad each week.  It is one of the highlights of my week.

After coffee I head to Benny's school, where I volunteer in his classroom from noon to 2 p.m.  This is another one of my favorite ways to spend my time.  I absolutely adore Ben's school. I love his teacher, his classmates, and really the entire staff.  Just being in the building makes me smile and I feel like it is such a blessing to get to know the kids that Ben spends his days with. 

I typically leave Ben's school about 2:15 and head to Joey's school to pick him up at 2:30 and then back to Ben's school to get him at 2:50.  It is a full but awesome day and absolutely my favorite day of the week.  I go to bed on Friday nights exhausted but with a full and happy heart.  Life is good. Thank God it's Friday.