Autumn Adjustments

School started this past week. Oy vey! We enjoyed a long and relaxing Labor Day weekend and were sad to say goodbye to the freedom that comes with summertime. Since I am off with the kids in the summer, our lives run smoother overall and I feel so much more at ease. Whenever September rolls around, it seems like time flies by and our lives get super busy. I go back to teaching and spend countless hours away from home in order to get my classes ready and organized. The kids go back to school and have to be in morning and afternoon childcare. Thankfully, we use a neighborhood lady that has watched the kids for years and so we know they are well-cared for. Though it is REALLY hard leaving them to go back to work every fall. I go through withdrawals when I can't be with them, so you can imagine how important summer is for us.

Unfortunately, the house suffers the most. The little time we do have at home is not spent worrying about the chores. Doing laundry, dishes, and other necessary evils get their due attention on the weekends mostly. Thank goodness for the dishwasher! Each year I am working at the juggling act of teaching and parenting. I have to do keep my students' best interests in mind, but remember to put my own family first...a hard thing to do when school gets busy and has heavy expectations on the staff. This is my third year of teaching, so the balancing is getting better. My lead teacher reminded me just the other day to have more confidence that I'm doing well (it just never feels like it) and that I am a good teacher. I guess I need to hear that sometimes as I get really analytical about everything and dwell on the negatives too much. Summer brings out my softer, more peaceful self...while the school year tends to bring out my anxious, more stressed out self (thank goodness for this blog to let it all out once in awhile).

The good news is that I have a great classroom (still have a few finishing touches to make on it and then will post pics) and work with a great team of people. I am enjoying my students thus far, though I have a few doozies to contend with (don't we all though). If I can keep myself organized and stay on top of things, I have faith that the third year will be the charm with this whole teaching thing.

N and K started at their school on Tuesday. N was pretty laid back about everything. He was excited to get his old kindergarten teacher for third grade. She was always wonderful with him, so we are really happy about that. Our neighbor girl is also in his class again, so that's nice for him to have her nearby too. K couldn't have been more eager to start first grade. She got a familiar teacher too. Her teacher was N's reading teacher in first grade, lives in our neighborhood, and her own kids go to the same childcare. I am grateful for these blessings and hope they are a sign of a fantastic year ahead. I am still mourning the end of summer, but also look forward to the joy that autumn brings. A trip to the pumpkin patch, celebrating N's 9th birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and whatever else comes along.

Ready for the 1st day of school

Finally a 1st grader

My big 3rd grader

Mommy has to get just one more photo