Disappearing Act

Did summer happen this year? Clearly my blog missed it. But I almost feel like I did, too. What happened to "Lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer"? I don't remember many of those as the last several weeks flew past me on the road to this "Back to school week". And here we are in September. How did that happen?

One thing the kids and I realized this year is that summer vacation is shorter in Ontario than in New Brunswick. More than a week shorter this year! Cousins and friends back home finished school a whole week before my kids were set free, and while Connor and Janelle dressed in new clothes and toted new backpacks back to Lambeth Public School yesterday, most New Brunswick students didn't climb back on the school bus until today. Nine weeks. Nine short weeks that this year were carved up into three very easily defined portions. Weeks one, two and three we were settling into summer, enduring unbelievable temperatures, attending a week of day camp (basketball for Connor, church day camp for Janelle and I), and packing for vacation (with my annual case of strep throat, I might add). Weeks four, five and six we were driving to New Brunswick, visiting family and friends, enjoying my sister's cottage, and all to soon saying goodbyes and heading back to Ontario (this time with some shopping in Freeport and a visit to the Basketball Hall of Fame thrown in to make the trip more fun). When we got home I could hardly believe week seven was already here, and it was time for Janelle to head to theatre camp, and Connor and I to volunteer one more week at our church's day camp. That week flew by, and we found ourselves in week eight, Janelle still at theatre camp preparing for her stage debut as a seagull in Finding Nemo, Chris home sick most of the week, and me bribing Connor to go back-to-school shopping. Chris took most of last week of for vacation, so we decided to take a long-promised camping trip to the Pinery, a provincial park on Lake Huron. The kids were over-the-moon excited, and I was too, until I started to feel the beginnings of Chris's flu taking over. I went anyway, and slept in the tent while the rest canoed and rode bikes, enjoyed the Smores and my hubby's Coleman stove cooking, read in my camp chair, and did manage to head down to the beach for a swim. We arrived home just a few hours before the Moores arrived for a weekend visit. Thankfully they are one of the few families that I am happy to have staying at my house despite feeling miserable, knowing they are happy to help Chris with dinners and just hang out on the deck and visit and play Wizard, while our kids ride bikes and play video games and sleep in the tent in our backyard. Ellen and I did manage a shopping trip to Winners and Homesense and a girls dinner out, coming home to find our husbands had fed the kids and built a fire in the new firepit. Nothing like ending the summer with Smores and the Moores.

My only "Back to School" picture. My lens
had fogged up in the humidity, and as usual,
we were too behind schedule to snap
another.

And so here we are. The first day of school was my first day feeling a bit like myself again. Connor got the teacher he wanted, but didn't get in his best buddy's class. Janelle got the teacher she wanted, and is back in class with her friend from Grade 2. All in all, they are both happy. At least they were yesterday. Who knows what today will bring. Who knows what the rest of the year will bring, but I'm looking forward to finding out. Despite summer's disappearing act, we made some new memories, and I know that before long I'll be writing a "last day of school" post about how once again the school year has flown by. A good reminder to slow down and enjoy every moment. I think I'll go downstairs and sit on my front porch and listen to the quiet for half an hour, until my house once again will fill with the chatter of my favourite voices.

I Have a Mommy Ache

Friday was the day that the first progress reports came home from school this year, and somehow, for the first time ever, I forgot about it. I didn't realize it until this afternoon when Connor was digging in his bookbag to find out if he had homework to finish. His discovery sent Janelle rushing off to find her bookbag and hand me hers.

Connor's report card was fairly good, pretty much as expected. He isn't leading the class, but he has a pretty good handle on everything, and other than a few issues with keeping focus and staying neat and organized, his teacher thinks he's an awesome kid (which he is, of course).

Janelle's report card made me heartsick. She has always struggled with staying focused, because she has such an active imagination, but her teachers have always managed to be positive and cheer her many strengths while encouraging her to speed up and stay on task. For the first time, her teacher seemed to find far more negatives to highlight on her report than positives. "Needs Improvement" was more common than "Good" or even "Satisfactory".

I wasn't taken completely by surprise. The teacher had called a couple of weeks ago to discuss Janelle's progress in reading, saying that she knows she can read well, but because she reads so slowly her reading level would have to be set back. I got off the phone miserable, and in the end, quite angry. Janelle loves to read! Am I supposed to take something she loves to do and insist we use a stopwatch every time she does it? Does adding that kind of pressure really help? She is a pokey little puppy! Everything Janelle does is at the pace of a turtle. She will never suffer from stress or high blood pressure. She cannot be hurried, but her work is always neat and perfectly done. When I asked for suggestions, the teacher was not helpful.

At suppertime we tried to talk to Janelle about the importance of staying focused and on task and completing her work more quickly. We tried to impress upon her the importance of keeping her mind on what she is doing, but I know that urgency is not a concept Janelle really understands. Since birth she has done things when she is good and ready. She was born six days late, didn't walk until 17 months, didn't talk until she was two (when she opened her mouth and surprised us with full sentences). She is amazingly self-assured and confident, and I hate the idea of compromising that in response to a negative report card.

So tonight I have a Mommy ache. I'm hurting because I know I have to start getting tough with my little girl. I'm hurting because I feel like her teacher doesn't recognize how amazing she is. And I'm hurting because I don't really know where to go from here to make it all better. Time to get on my knees!

Tonight I am thankful for Janelle, my imaginitive, articulate, brilliant daughter. I wouldn't trade her for all the speedy little girls in the world!

Back to School

Grade 6 and Grade 3 — I'm not sure how that's possible, but apparently it is! The first morning of the 2011/12 school year passed with relatively little drama at our house. The kids were up before I was. They got dressed when I told them the second time I told them to. Chris and I drove them to school together, and stuck around until Janelle had found her new teacher and Connor had found his buddies. Then we celebrated with breakfast out and a trip to the lighting store to choose lights for the basement.

My kids are back in school. I am not. But I have a long todo list to keep me busy for a few weeks, at least. Today however, I have a cozy chair and a book calling me. And 2 1/2 hours before dismissal time.

Happy first day of school!

What is Normal?

It is August 24, and life is just beginning to settle down from our "summer buzz" and return to normal. We are back from our four week vacation in NB, we don't have anyone visiting this week, and Chris was at work at 8 a.m. this morning. Normal.

Although it isn't actually "normal" yet, because the kids are still home in the middle of the day on a Wednesday. We don't have any particular routine that we are following. Connor and Janelle got up when Chris did and headed out to play in the tent that is pitched in the backyard. I made coffee, breakfast and lunch for Chris and then headed back to bed with my book. I read for about an hour and I dozed for about an hour. Definitely a lazy morning. I have some laundry I'll get to at some point today. We really need a few groceries. I have some library books to return, so the kids and I will probably make a stop at the library today. Otherwise, I'll let them run and have fun on their own. They have less than two weeks to do that now.

In two weeks they will be off to school in the morning. Chris will be gone to work. I had hoped that I would be visiting schools to introduce myself as a new supply teacher in September, but I found out yesterday that isn't going to happen. So Chris and the kids will be back to normal in two weeks, but it's time for me to establish "normal" for Leanne. Last school year I was able to create a workable routine for myself: volunteer three mornings a week, meet with the girls one morning, spend one morning getting things done around the house. I plan to volunteer again this year, but that always takes a bit of time to get going in the fall. "The girls" have both gone back to work after their year of maternity leave, so that won't be happening this year. Housework — yep, that's always here waiting for me! But inevitably, I will be in a bit of limbo for a while before my new routine begins to emerge.

Honestly, I was heartbroken yesterday when I found out that I didn't even get an interview for the local occasional teachers list. I felt like all my education and experience was really worthless if it didn't even warrent a meeting. But my husband and several friends reminded me that this could just be an opportunity. God obviously has other plans, and I just have to seek out what those plans might be. It's frustrating, but it could also be an adventure. I wonder what kind of September I'll be looking forward to a year from now.

Meanwhile, I'll keep writing. It seems that's what I always return to when I've sent my family on their way and find myself in my little corner with my computer. I'll write about how the renovations are coming along. I'll share about my search for the perfect colours to brighten up my colourless house. I'll chronicle the new activities my kids are involved in this fall. And I'll keep you posted on my search for the new "normal". I know it's out there somewhere!

Last Day of School

Wow. It sneaks up on me every year. I am continually amazed at how quickly a school year flies by. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up one June morning not far off and find that I have a child graduating from high school. Connor is nearly halfway through his school years. His former classmates in New Brunswick graduated from elementary school last week. Because the public schools here include classes from JK to Grade 8, I get to ignore that milestone and pretend I don't have a middle school kid yet. But I do. Grade 6 next fall. How did that happen? And my baby in Grade 3? Grade 3 kids are big kids! She isn't a big kid! Although her monster crush on Justin Bieber would lead me to believe that she is growing up much faster than I am ready for. School years fly by way too fast. Kids grow up way too fast. But we are enjoying the ride as they grow!

Connor and Janelle both had a great school year. Connor loved his teacher, Ms. Beaulac. She is a wonderful Grade 5 teacher. She calls her class "The Grade Five Hive", and they have their bee mascot decorating most surfaces of the classroom. Monday I joined the class for absolutely the coolest field trip I've been on. We started at the John Labatt Centre, and had a tour that included the London Knights' dressing room. You can imagine how pumped all those 11-year-old boys were about that! After the JLC, we began the "Mystery Tour", which was an "Amazing Race" type scavenger hunt through downtown London. We were divided into teams and had to complete 100 tasks before meeting for lunch at a park by the Thames River. We even had team t-shirts. We were the red team, and I had four very excited boys, who narrowly missed coming in first (I still maintain that we won -- those pink team girls stole the victory from us!). After lunch we headed to Labatt Memorial Park, which is the oldest active ball park in North America, and three members of the London Majors baseball team met us at the gate for a tour and a catch on the field. So cool! Connor was in his element. He loved every minute, and I loved Ms. Beaulac all the more for all the work she put into creating such a special memory for my son.

The Red Team, in the London Knights' dressing room, in front of former Knight Corey Perry's jersey. Soooooooo coooooool!!!!

One of our Scavenger Hunt pics, in front of the Thames River fountain, not spraying this day.

The Red Team at Labatt Park.



Cleveland Brownlee signing Connor's ball glove.

Janelle loved her teacher, too, and she loved that I was able to become part of her class by volunteering with Ms. Butler two mornings a week. Two weeks ago, the parents were invited to attend "Japan Day", the culmination of a unit on Japan the class had been studying for several weeks. We started with an authentic Japanese lunch, and then moved on to a program presented by the students. There were songs and dances, and each student spoke about an aspect of Japanese life. Janelle talked about Japanese gardens. She was so proud, and she happily proclaimed it the "best day of the whole year". Once again, I was enormously grateful to Ms. Butler for the tremendous amount of work she put into making a memory that Chris and I were able to share with Janelle.

At home, all ready for Japan Day!!!

Soooooo Excited!!!!

The girls all wore chopsticks in their hair.

Not so excited about eating the Japanese food (it was really yummy though!)

I am truly thankful that my kids have been blessed with such awesome teachers; teachers who understand that kids learn best while they are having fun. Connor and Janelle learned so much this year, and they really enjoyed school. In the van this morning, I asked them and their friends who was sad that it was the last day of school. First there was a loud chorus of "Nobody!!!!" And then Connor followed up with "Well, a little bit, because I am going to miss my friends, and my teacher". My heart swelled a little bit. Less than ten weeks, Connor, and it starts all over again!

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Several years ago, when I was still teaching full-time, I gave a CBC Radio interview about Parent-Teacher Interviews. The purpose of the discussion was to prepare parents for meetings with their children's teachers. I remember encouraging parents to know what they want to discuss ahead of time, bring report cards with them, and get right to the point since time is of the essence in a 15 minute interview slot. I recall saying "Don't be nervous! The teacher is just as nervous about meeting with you."

I wish I had a tape of that interview now. I'm on the other side of the table. And it is a bit nerve-wracking. Both of my kids are amazing. They are kind, smart, funny, courteous — I am proud of them for so many reasons. But both of them have issues with staying on task. They struggle with getting work started right away, and with getting it finished on time. Incentives often work for Connor. If he knows he'll get something out of it, he'll get right to work and do a great job. But if there is any distraction or social stimulation to take his mind away from the task at hand, he completely forgets what he's doing. Janelle, on the other hand, just lives in her own little world. Her kindergarten teacher nicknamed her "Poky Little Puppy". Her grade one teacher in Fredericton affectionately refered to her as "Turtle". Janelle doesn't need an outside influence to distract her. There are plenty of distractions already living in her imagination, ready to lure her mind away from whatever assignment she is supposed to be completing. And despite many conversations with her teacher about it, I am at a loss to find a remedy for her lack of "self-motivation".

In Fredericton, it seemed that all my interactions with my children's teachers were positive. They found them charming and intelligent. Even when Connor was struggling with reading, his teachers were very encouraging, explaining that this was only temporary and one day it would all "click" for him. Janelle's teachers, while they did express frustration with her "pokiness", always said she was delightful and a joy to have in the class. I am hopeful that our meetings with the teachers this morning will be equally positive. But I am nervous. This side of the table is frought with far more emotion than I knew when I was a teacher who was not yet also a parent of a school-aged child. I wish I had my own encouraging radio interview to listen to as I prepare to meet with the teachers today. I think someday this experience will make me a much more sensitive and empathic teacher on Parent-Teacher Interview day. I can't wait until it's over!

Field Trip Mom

Yesterday was Connor's first field trip of the year. It was to Western Fair, which is London's (larger) equivalent of the ANE or the Fredericton Exhibition. No, the kids didn't get to ride the rides, but they did do some pretty cool stuff. They saw an ultrasound of a pregnant goat, they watched a milking machine working, they saw an awesome "Birds of Prey" show, they touched a crocodile, and (Connor's favourite) they saw a demonstration of how manure is used to generate electricity — among other things. It was very interesting, and showed the kids why Western Fair actually exists (ie. not for rides), and I'm glad I got to experience it with Connor. However, I began to wonder when the teachers are going to get sick of seeing my face every time they go on a field trip.

Since we've moved, Connor has gone on four or five field trips, and I have accompanied him on each one as a parent volunteer. When he asked me to go this time, my response was "Connor, do you really think I should go on all the field trips?" He assured me that he really wanted me to go, so I did. And while I was there I noticed something.

All the same moms go on all the field trips! These faces are beginning to become very familiar to me. Sure, there are occasionally a few dads sprinkled in among the moms, but in general it is the same women that volunteer for every field trip. I'm not alone. I realized that this is how I'm going to get to know people. These are the parents of my children's friends and the people whose concerns are the same as mine. We share a lot in common, and we will be thrown together often, so we might as well get to know each other!

We arrived back at the school an hour before dismissal time. As I was driving out of the parking lot, I invited one of the other moms to join me for coffee. She immediately accepted and hopped into my van. We had a lovely conversation over cappuccinos at Tim Hortons. As we drove back to the school to collect our children she promised to return the favour soon.

Maybe field trips are as good for me as they are for my kids...

September Resolutions

I've never been much of a "New Years Resolutions" kind of girl. Oh, of course I've made resolutions! But I've never been good at keeping them. I'm much more of a "September Resolutions" keeper. It makes more sense to me. New school year, new routines, new habits. So here is a quick list of this year's September Resolutions.

1. Fitness—This one is mandatory. I am going to spend some serious time on my new bike and my Wii Fit. When I got the Wii Fit for Christmas last year my brother's comment was "I hope you're ready to start hearing your Wii insult you." Well, I'm not really ready, and I know it's coming, but I'm going to do it anyway! Starting today!
2. Breakfast—I never have time to eat breakfast before the kids go to school, but I've decided that I do have time for a glass of water and an apple. That way, I get my metabolism going before I finish the morning routine and get the kids to school. Then I can come home to a piece of toast or a bowl of cereal or a bagel.
3. Reading more—Okay, if you know me you probably don't think I need to be reading more. But honestly, I have a bookcase full of books that I want to read! And I waste way too much time watching tv or browsing on the computer. So I'm going to seriously cut that wasted time down and spend some time getting through all those books I've been longing to read. AND I resolve to NOT read books I don't want to read. Even for my book club! If I've read 50 pages and I really don't like the book, I'm donating it to the library. Maybe someone else will enjoy it, but there are far too many great books in the world. I'm not wasting my time!
4. Dinner Recipes—Despite the fact that I am going to be cutting down my computer time, I am going to get more familiar with Allrecipes.com. Like all families, we tend to cycle through about a dozen usual dinner meals, and I think we need to switch it up a bit. I'm going to find at least one new dinner recipe each week to feed my family. Hopefully we'll find some new favourites.
5. Make some friends—Still not sure how I'm going to do this, but I think getting involved at our new church and volunteering regularly at the kids' school will help. This one is pretty important. I probably should have put it at the top of the list!

So those are the top five resolutions for this September. Feel free to check up on me and make sure that I'm doing all I can to keep them! Accountability always helps!

First Day of School

Starting the day with a good breakfast!

A bright shiny morning to start off the school year.

Time to go find out who our new teachers are.

The first day of school has come and gone and we all survived. Connor is in Grade 5 and Janelle is in Grade 2 and I still can't believe it. I find myself writing Grade 4 and Grade 1 on all their paperwork because it just doesn't seem right for them to be so grown up!

Connor protested any mention of school starting right up until today, but in the end I think he was excited to see his friends and the renovations to his school. Janelle was unashamedly excited about starting Grade 2, and this morning she was thrilled to find she was in the same class as her friend Avery, and has the same teacher that she had last year, Ms. Butler. Both of them were smiling at the end of the day when I arrived to collect them.

And as for Mom.... Well, my wonderful husband took me out to breakfast at Cora's to keep my spirits high. The strawberry crepe was just what I needed! The rest of my day flew by, and before I knew it 3:30 had come and I hadn't posted on my blog. So here I am, with my little scholars asleep in their beds, composing my first blog post of the 2010/11 school year. Chris hasn't issued a challenge this year. But I've decided to challenge myself! See you tomorrow!

My Terrific Kids

Each month, the kids' school holds a "Terrific Kids" assembly, where awards are given in recognition of qualities demonstrated by students representing one of the letters in the word "Terrific". This month the quality the teachers were looking for in students was "capable". Connor's teacher called on Tuesday to let us know that Connor would be honoured today as a "Terrific Kid". She said he has certainly shown himself to be very capable through the whole process of moving to a new school and fitting into a new class. He didn't know anything about it, but she wanted to invite us to attend the assembly. I've been keeping the secret since then, and yesterday, Janelle's teacher called to let me know that she also would be honoured at the Terrific Kids assembly. Janelle didn't know anything about it either.

This morning I got up and got myself ready and told the kids they would need to ride their bikes to school on their own today because I had too many errands to run. The assembly was scheduled for 9:00 a.m., immediately after the first bell rang, and Chris and I didn't want the kids to know we were coming to the school, too. I sent them off on their bikes and then Chris and I arrived in the van right at 9. I'm pretty sure Connor caught a glimpse of us on the schoolyard before his class went inside, but I think it just piqued his curiosity. Janelle had no idea we were there until she was standing in front of everyone receiving her award, and I caught her attention for a picture.

They both looked so proud! I certainly do have terrific kids! They have handled this enormous transition with such grace, and their dad and I could not be more proud. I am just so glad they were recognized in a forum that they appreciate: their own school. Days like today do so much to make this feel more like home to them, and to me.

Meeting at School

We met with the Program Development Team at the school today. Basically it was a positive meeting. The primary concerns were Connor's ability to keep himself on task well enough to complete his work in a reasonable amount of time, and the anxiety he experiences when he doesn't get his work done and has to spend recess in the homework room.

Lots of things were said, by the teacher, by the school psychologist, by us. The principal and learning support teacher basically just acted as witnesses. Hopefully progress was made. Primarily, we wanted to impress upon all of them that this has been a huge transition for Connor, and it hasn't even been a month yet. We have gone through 4 1/2 years of school without one negative comment about his behaviour, and less than two weeks after starting at a new school there are complaints from the teacher. How much are we expecting of this little (at least in my mind) boy who has just endured the biggest change of his life? The psychologist was very much the voice of reason, saying that this has only been a very short time and Connor would of course still manifest anxiety over all the new people, expectations, and environments in his life.

Most importantly, we impressed upon the teacher that Connor needs to be well aware of what is expected of him, and what the consequences of his actions will be. If he isn't surprised by a consequence, he will usually take it without too much problem. But if he is suddenly told "Nope, no outdoor play for you today", he will have trouble dealing with that. He is sensitive, and needs to feel safe in his world. He needs to know what is coming. I have to deal with this all the time. Chris is constantly reminding me not to spring a form of discipline on Connor that he wasn't expecting. It isn't fair to do that to him.

So I hope his teacher will take that into consideration. And I hope she will try to integrate some positive reinforcement techniques into her teaching. Chris was very forceful in asking what techniques the teacher uses to keep students on task. Her answer was not particularly satisfying, but at least Chris made the point that keeping a 10-year-old on task in the classroom is not only the responsibility of the 10-year-old. I think this teacher has previously taught middle school grades, and has the same expectations of grades 3 and 4 as she had of those students. I think she needs to add some motivation techniques to her repertoire. Positive motivation is so much more effective with Connor. His NB teacher had a reward system, where the kids earned play money that they could spend at occasional classroom auctions over the course of the year. Worked like a charm for Connor. I wished afterward that I had mentioned it at the meeting, but I don't want to sound like I am trying to tell his teacher how to teach.

I survived the meeting, although there were moments that I was afraid I would dissolve into a puddle. Now I just want to put it behind me and move forward. We need to talk to Connor about what is expected of him. He does need to take responsibility for his own work, and if he doesn't finish on time, he needs to accept the consequences. That's just something that goes along with growing up. But I don't want to spend any more time worrying about it. We have all lost enough sleep over this. Time to move on.

Call from the Teacher

Connor's teacher called this morning. It was early, before school started, so I was out taking the kids to school and missed the call. She left a message, just asking me to get back to her by phone, or to stop in this afternoon when I pick up the kids. She said she just wanted to touch base, to keep good communication between us. As a teacher, I've made many similar phone calls myself in the past. So why do I feel a sense of dread?

I know Connor is a good kid. I know that he is certainly not one of the "problem kids" in any class. He is fun, and funny, and kind and friendly. He is a little chatty (ok, at times a lot chatty), and I'm sure he is easily distracted from his work. But all in all, I would love to have a kid like him in my class. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his mom! I can't imagine that she would have anything really serious to discuss. She just wants to make sure that we are both providing Connor with a smooth transition.

So I shouldn't be nervous about meeting with his teacher this afternoon. I shouldn't be, but I am. My "Mama Bear" instincts are kicking in. I know that it is important to keep open communication with the teacher, so that when a problem does arise in any form, we will all be prepared to deal with it together. I am used to coming at this situation from the other side. Being the parent shouldn't scare me!

But I still have a nervous pit in my stomach. And I don't think anything is going to make it go away before 3:30.

Day 2 and All is Well!

Day 2 -- Not bad! How long do they say it takes to create a habit? Two weeks? I think I can manage that. As it is, I couldn't wait to sit down at the computer this morning and start rambling. The problem is, like yesterday, I get sucked in to the computer and I find it hard to leave. I have so many things to do that spending the whole morning at the computer really isn't an option. My kids need to be able to get up to go to the bathroom in the night without tripping over boxes! That needs to be my priority, not my blog. So today I'll just right a short blog, and then head out to do battle with the boxes.

Yesterday dragged on slowly while I waited, filled with worry, for 3:30 to arrive. When it finally did I wondered what I wasted my day concerned about. Both of my kids had big smiles on their faces when I picked them up at school. They had a great day! Connor made a new friend (whose mother just happens to work with Chris), and Janelle loves her teacher. I asked if she made any friends and she said "Yes, but I don't know any of their names". She did mention that there is an Avery in this class too, refering to her "favourite friend" in her class in Fredericton. Neither of them showed any hesitation in jumping out of the van when we arrived at the school this morning, so I can proceed with my day without any of the concerns of yesterday.

Which brings me back to my day. I think my problem is that I'm overwhelmed. There is so much to do in every room of the house that I don't know where to start. And if I realize that there might be some reason for me to run out to the store, I'll grab onto it for dear life -- ESCAPE. For example, "Oh, I think we might need granola bars. I'll have to make a special trip to the store to stock up on granola bars." I must resist this urge! I must position myself in ONE ROOM (Connor's room first), and stay until it's done. Then at least I'll be able to see that I've done something. I have no need to leave the house before 3:30. The mail will wait. I have all I need to make dinner. Those returns to Home Depot and Walmart can happen another day. It's time to get down to business and get this thing done. The boxes will not win!!!

I apologize to anyone who may be reading this post. You really didn't need to be part of my little "self pep-talk". To be honest, I think I'm only still writing now to delay the inevitable. I'm stopping now. I really am. See you tomorrow!