After a couple weeks of insane paper writing, grading, projects, and massive consumption of Siggi’s coconut styr yogurt (Y’all, this stuff is like magic ice cream masquerading as food acceptable to eat at breakfast… or lunch… or midnight. All three have happened in the past week.), the semester is over. The German exam is submitted, the student exams graded, and the living room cleared of the hurricane of papers that whipped through it a couple weeks ago. I can’t even begin to tell you how good it feels. Despite all the awesome things from the past couple months, this semester really took it out of me. That breakdown over the magazines? Totally not the only one lately. The moments where I informed James that I was quitting grad school? A regular occurrence.

But now, it’s done. Finished. Closed. Completed. And summer is coming.

When I look over the next couple months, I feel panic rising up because they already look so full that next semester seems only blink away. No. Not yet. We have a lot happening this summer, some good things, some hard things, some daunting things, and I am ready to embrace them all.

But first, I’m excited about this next week, this first week post-semester, this magical early Memorial-Day week where summer seems to sneak up and start early, giving me a blissful breather before June rolls in and the next thing I know, it’s the end of August. I’m starting summer now. 

Yesterday, after the last exam was graded and submitted, I headed out with Christine to do some lazy-day exploring of the little Northeast corner of DC that holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I lived when I first moved here, where I learned to love this city, and where we love to spend saturday mornings at Union Market. Christine and I  sweet baby Everly — in leggings that have bows on the ankle BE STILL MY HEART — in tow, spent a quiet morning wandering around Union Market before checking out the new Dolcezza gelato factory and bar that opened recently.

I’m hoping for more days like this as summer continues, blissful days that I know are a luxury purchased by graduate school schedules and miserable semesters.  I don’t really know how many there will be, at least not in DC. I’m not complaining, because I know that evening having a summer break is a gift that most adults don’t enjoy. I’m just soaking up whichever ones come.

We have family coming into town over Memorial Day, which does mean I get to show off my city. Any exciting plans for this weekend to kick off summer?