New Year

OMG! I have done this in so long I hope I remember how...

Well, it is August and that means the beginning of a new year...a new school year. This is the time that all teachers start to get jittery, shop for new classroom decorations, and begin to look forward to meeting a whole new groups of students! This is one of the most exciting times of the year! There is no way to describe the feeling of walking into your classroom and deciding how to arrange the furniture, where to put your Word Wall and what your theme for the year will be. Only teachers know this feeling...and it is hard for us to put these feelings into words.

The four years that I did not teach were a blessing. I was able to spend time with my young children, watching them grow and being there whenever they needed me. However, every August I would get melancholy and teary eyed when my friends would start talking about going back to school. Guess I was born to be in education!

This is the beginning of my 29th year in education (not counting the 4 years I "retired" and voluntered at two different campuses!) and it is still exciting for me! Shopping for supplies for the teachers, picking out my yearly theme, buying new school clothes...yes, I still do all those silly things. I look forward to each new year, but for some reason, I am especially excited about this year. Don't know what makes this year different, but I have a renewed excitement and passion and I know this will be one the best years yet!

Teachers are a special breed of people. Teachers instinctively know the needs of thier kids, they know when to joke and when to be serious. Teachers know that the weather does have an effect on student behavior. Teachers know that parents want to be active partners but that life sometimes get in the way. Teachers have a love and compassion that cannot be beat. Teachers are a special breed...

Here is to all the TEACHERS in the world...active, retired, staying home for a while...you are very special and appreciated!!! Bring on the 2010 - 2011 school year!

Spring Break!

The weather is gorgeous, the time change has begun so we will have longer days, I have a week off of work...yea for Spring Break!!!!

Lots to do this week! Sushi lunch dates, taking some time to take care of myself, tanning, shopping, grilling out, working on the house and yard...sounds like a full week of fun! Juan will be off the last part of the week so we will be able to spend some time together, too. After the last month of work, this will be a much needed break!!

I know that once I go back to work it will be nonstop stress and pressure. So all the more reason to take this week and be selfish. TAKS season is gearing up so 3rd - 5th is working overtime. PK, KN, 1st and 2nd are busy getting the kids on level and ready to move forward. We know that the next few months will be hard. Hopefully we all spend time this week resting and rejuvenating!

I love having this week off. But, I know it will be so hard to go back to work after this!! Oh well! No time to worry about that now. I have sunshine calling me! Happy Spring Break ya'll!

Every day choices

Ever wonder how many times in a day you have to make a choice? Some days might not be so tough, but then come those days when it seems like every time you turn around you have to make a choice...not easy to do most of the time.

Everyone has different experiences that require different choices. Moms make different decisions that dads. Blue collar folks make different choices from white collar workers. Kids have tough choices every day. But, we all have to answer for our choices and our decisions.

I read somewhere that a teacher makes over a million decisions throughout the day. WOW! 1,000,000 decisions in an 8 hour work day! No wonder we are soooo tired by the time we get home. Then, we have family decisions to make...and it never ends!

God makes choices every day as well. He chooses to stand by us and support us no matter that we make bad choices. Kinda wonderful knowing that even if we make an unwise choice He is there to hold us up and guide us. Maybe next time we will make a better choice!

If we would all just take a few minutes each day to contemplate our choices, and spend time asking God for wisdom to make good choices, our lives would be so much easier!

May all your choices this week be good ones...and if not, reflect and move forward!

Strength

Life is so hard at times. Just when you think things might become normal it all falls apart.

My family is the most important thing to me. My husband and two kids bring me tremendous happiness...and tremendous pain...How do I keep everything going? Keep everyone happy? Mediate between arguments? Offer financial and emotional help? and still be a good mom, wife, friend and professional????

It is just so hard to balance life right now. I try to be optimistic and put on a happy face, but it just isn't working. I feel sad and depressed, and taken for granted, helpless and frustrated.

Prayer is the only thing that will help right now so I am going to go have some quiet time with my Lord and pray for his help.