Only ONE more week!

I am proud to announce that I have made it back to teaching now for 7 weeks and only ONE MORE WEEK TO GO!!! I am way excited! It has definitely been hard leaving Garrett everyday to go to work. It's even harder to come home and have the energy to be a mom! I so look up to so many moms that work outside of the home! It is tough! Our families and friends have taken time out of their busy schedules to help us out to watch Garrett! We can't say enough thanks to how you have helped us! I am glad that I don't have to continue to work and can soon stay home with Garrett.

I can't believe that I am only one week away from retiring! That is sooo crazy to think about! This is my fourth year teaching and it is going to be strange not to go back. I can honestly say that I am going to miss it. There are many things that I will miss and many that I won't. Take today for example: I had a boy in my class have a COMPLETE meltdown! I am not just talking about a few tears, but full on screaming, head banging, almost digging eyes out type of meltdown. This all started when some boys were teasing him about a bug being on his shirt. Yes, at one point there was a bug on his shirt, but they didn't let it go and thought it was funny to keep tormenting this boy until he was beyond hysterical! NOT FUN!! His only solution to calming himself down was to suspend this boy! I wish I had the power sometimes to do that! Needless to say, I had to try and deal with that for almost 45 minutes while my class "hung-out" and waited for me to come back to the class. On the FLIP side of today: I had three great moms come in and present me with a treasure chest full of presents and treats for "Teacher Appreciation Week!" The best being $25 gift certificates for dinner and a movie! That was sooo nice of them! It makes all the hard work worth it when you have the support of great parents. I also got a card from a student yesterday that said, "too bad you're retiring this year. I think that kids next year would really like you!" That pulled at the heart for a minute knowing that there will be no next year! Despite all the ups and downs, the stress, the long days, the after hours work, the meetings, the conferences with parents, the not so fun emails and phone calls home to parents, recess duty and bus duty....the list could go on, I WILL MISS BEING A TEACHER!

Thanks to all the friends I have made over the last four years, the principals I have worked with, and the fabulous students that I have had the priviledge of teaching! I have grown and learned so much and if there is anything I have learned, it is how to be a better parent for my own kids! My teaching career is not ending, it is just beginning! I can now be my son's life-long teacher!I miss you too, Garrett!