~so am I~

I'm practicing getting up early these days and the way that I hit the snooze button 3 times in a row this morning tells me that I'm going to need a bit more practice.  We have gotten used to not setting an alarm for any reason this summer.  Now that the first day of school is quickly approaching, I figure it's time to get used to my once very normal hour of arising at 4:15 AM.  
I like the early morning hours and the quiet they bring to me.  Mike, Sally the dog, and Crosby the cat are all sound asleep and save for the noise of the refrigerator humming, the only sound I hear is the clicking of the keys on my computer.

Day has begun for me and I rejoice in seeing yet another sunrise.

The kitchen table is strewn right now with things I've been preparing to take to school tomorrow in my attempt to get my new classroom set up and ready for kids.  Last night I worked on making words for my world wall at school and enlisted the help of "Mr. Renfro" to cut them apart for me.  Mike is a good sport always about school things and he's glad to help out.  All I have to do is ask.  He learned right from the "get go" what it was like to be married to a teacher and never complained once.  

So many things will need to be hauled over to school tomorrow, things that will help a now very barren classroom begin to look like "home" to me.  I love plants and generally always have at least a dozen or so in any classroom that I have been in.  Plants help us to stay healthy and lift our spirits in a much needed way sometimes.  My sister Sherry started three nice ones for me, even giving me names to call them by.  I always bring pictures of my family and special items from home that are meaningful to me in order to decorate the room.  When school begins, I'll be spending the better part of 9-10 hours there each day and having my own personal items around me in my classroom provides a sense of peace and calm.  That may seem strange to some but to me it is most important.

I've heard so many of my teaching friends tell me that they did not get everything done this summer that they would have wished to.  I understand that totally.  When we moved here on the 28th of May, it seemed as if we'd have more than a plenty of time to get things done.  Even though there is still much to do, Mike and I are happy for everything we did get accomplished. What remains will be finished sometime in the coming months, just in time for other things to take their place on the "to do" list.  Funny how that always works out.

I miss my colleagues from Olathe Elementary.  My stay there was only two years but in that short time I met so many good folks.  I've been thinking about "the 20" and hoping they are doing ok.  They are ready for another year of school and all of the promises that it brings to them and the truth is this.

So am I.

I am very fortunate to live within an hour's drive from the best 4th grade teacher that I've ever known.  I plan to recruit her to come and help out in our classroom from time to time.  My sister Sherry taught me what it means to be a good teacher.

He is a good sport about school and a hundred other things.  I have a good team to back me up in whatever I do each day.  What more could I ask for?