Goodbye summer 2010

I know we're not quite there yet, but this summer is almost over. I have to say it was one of the best summers of my life. I can't point to one thing about why I feel this way. It's not as though I completed any particular life goals or dreams (writing a book, being in top physical health, buying a home, etc. . .), but I worked on all of these as best I could.

I regularly exercised for the first time since my mastectomy through the amazing Pink Program, a fitness program for those affected by breast cancer treatments. I won a shirt from Be Bright Pink at the FORCE conference at the beginning of the summer and wore that shirt for inspiration as I stretched and worked on the parts of my body that had been affected most by the surgery.

My sister thought it would be quite hilarious to take a picture of me next to a picture of me at the FORCE conference. I just wanted her to hurry up.  

My friends who have the summers off from teaching look at me with pity when I tell them I'm teaching summer school, but I love the slower pace of summer session. One new and wonderful teaching experience was for Bridge to Engineering Success at Tufts (BEST). At the end of the term, my students made podcasts of a short personal essay they wrote and we listened to some of these together. There's something about the inflections and timbre of the author's voice as they read that can be so moving.

In other summers, I was helping one family member or another through cancer treatments,  but this summer everyone was healthy. It's been over five years since my niece was diagnosed with cancer and she's growing up to be an amazing kid who regularly speaks in front of large audiences (hundreds of people) to raise money for places like Camp Sunshine. She says she still gets nervous before her talk, but praying helps her through it. Did I mention she's only seven years old?

Here's what my niece has to say about running on my sister's blog:

Running is good for me because it helps my body get stronger and healthy. It is important for me to be healthy because, well, it’s just good for your body. Because I have cancer, it is important for me to be strong. When I was 2, I almost died from cancer. So, that’s why I ran 2 miles today.

I might run more miles. If you read this, you should do it, too.

Hope you enjoyed your summer, too.  

My nephew balancing on a horse. He did this while trotting too--no hands. When he was trotting past me, he had a proud, exuberant smile. I think about that expression on his face all the time. Just seeing him make that smile made my whole summer. 

I love this pooch couple that my niece made. She posed them on a tiny bench and took their photo.