I’m singing "I Have Survived," as opposed to "I Will Survive." I’m not sure I have even wound down enough to feel alive yet, but I made it through finals week. Everyone reacts differently I’m sure, but I am still so worn out from last week’s activities that I’m feeling washed out and numb. Give me a few days, and I should be raring to go again.

On the other hand, the kids were jubilant when Friday finally came. We had ice cream and movies for the last couple of hours, then one final recess to end a perfectly short day! I hope everyone has a great summer. I heard that Brittany Bush was taken to the hospital suffering from heat exhaustion. Brittany girl this is not the best way to go through the summer. We love you so take good care of yourself! Play days start on Sunday and baseball is in full swing. I saw notices going around for football on Thursday. It looks as if it will be a busy summer for some of these kiddos. I appreciate everyone helping out to give our children something to do. I can make book Valerie Gossett and Paula Miller will be in the middle of it somewhere!

The First Baptist Church is going to be running an early vacation Bible school this year. More details will be available next week. Pastor Barry is planning a series of one day revved up events that should be entertaining as well as inspiring. Good luck in that effort.

Graduation was a great success on Friday. All seniors passed and parents were on hand to celebrate the great event. The kids were all dressed up and looking like a million dollars. I noticed at the 8th Grade graduation how good the kids looked. You get so used to seeing them in every day duds that it is refreshing to see them spiffy! The job they get in the future will determine their everyday dress. Some will wear uniforms, some business casual dress and some will get to wear casual clothes. Those belly and tongue rings that popped out the last week or two may be no more acceptable to their new employers than it was to the school. Those at least, can be put back in at the end of the work day. The tattoos are something else. I told my kids growing up "Don’t do anything to yourself that you can’t fix." Life and bosses are not required to bend to our requirements. For many of these kids, school is just starting. As long as you stay in your little fish pond you have control over your clothes, but once you branch out you have to figure out the "dress code" for your new environment and dress appropriately. I wish them all the best of luck.

Project Graduation went off wonderfully well. Oh, that’s right, there was one little hitch. After a long busy week, Mr. Fowler ran home to rest before the big event. It seems his rest turned into a long nap. Some time in the wee hours of the night, he jumped up and saw the hour. He quickly dashed back to school, where some very anxious seniors greeted him enthusiastically. To quote Mr. Fowler," That’s the most enthusiastic greeting I’ve ever had from a bunch of people." Although I’ll give him a vote for best principal, I’m also thinking it was those individual checks that made him so welcome. Equally welcome was the cute little gift bowls put together by the ladies of the First Baptist Church for the teachers. Each of us was treated to a bowl full of goodies in appreciation for our hard work. On behalf of the teachers, we send a hearty thank you to all of you for your thoughtful gift. A very sincere thank you needs to be extended to Lynn Green for her work with the flowers at graduation, and to Candy Lewis for her work on the 8th grade graduation. Speaking for myself, I must add that graduation is an occasion when everyone should wear their best duds, including parents and little siblings. It’s not everyday that you reach such an important milestone and it should be treated with the respect it and these students deserve.

More than a few Richland Springs residents went to the big street dance in San Saba on Saturday. It makes for a happy evening. I don’t know what it is about a street dance that creates that atmosphere, but create it, it does. When you throw in a few food vendors and stalls, and couple it with toe tapping music; you have a recipe for fun! I didn’t get to go, because I was "vegging" on my couch. Can you hear me whining? The teachers had a full workday on Saturday, minus the kids of course, and my room was such a mess I had to work a little later. That’s what I get for not keeping up with my mess! My neighbors, Kathy Brockman and Cubby Pearce have much neater rooms. I think they hung around just to keep me company.

Next week appears to be surgery week for several of our teachers. Patsy Hall came to the teacher luncheon on Friday. She will be in rehab for some time yet. Shawn Rogers is headed for back surgery and Cubby Pearce is headed for surgery table also. Delores Smith is scheduled for eye surgery I believe next week also, and Bonnie Evans has to go about an MRI result that came in. Gladys Powell is recovering nicely from her knee replacement. She is astounding all the doctors with her toughness. Seems she didn’t want any pain medicine because it didn’t hurt. She even questioned the doctor as to whether or not he had done the surgery! What can you say to a lady who breaks her arm while cooking a meal for workers and doesn’t even stop until her job is done! I’ll bet you didn’t know Mrs. Superman lived in our community, did you? We wish all of you a speedy recovery and a successful outcome.

Let me take a minute to brag on our kids a bit. Mrs. Brockman has been teaching about good character and fair decisions. Like most teachers, you never know if the lesson sinks home. Last week during the relay events, the 4th grade ran all out and won several ribbons. When it came time to hand out the ribbons, two of the kids were mixed up and given the wrong ribbons. Instead of fussing about it, the class came to Mrs. Brockman, and explained to her what had happened. The young man who had been given the wrong ribbon, very correctly told Mrs. Brockman he should exchange it for the lower ribbon. She was so proud of him, and the class, that he was given a first place ribbon for his conduct. That’s what I call good character.

We have quite a few sick still. Please pray for Bonnie and Junior Evans, George and Donna Hill are in Illinois with George’s very ill mother. Al and Billie Behrens have in laws that are keeping a death watch over a sick mom. These tragic moments just break your heart. Please don’t forget our precious troops in harms way and the families who are mourning for their lost soldiers. We owe our lives to the men and women, dating from now back to 1776, who paid the ultimate price to make this great country free. God bless America. May America forever be a lamp of freedom to those who live in bondage.