Teachers don't get the whole "New Year's Eve" thing. The anticipation of a fresh start? Beginning a new year with a new attitude? Wiping the slate clean?
Nope. We're knee deep in the trench that is public education at that point. We are trudging determindly with our helmets pulled down low, mud up to our waste while the air is littered around us with schrapnel. There is no fresh start, no new attitude and all slates show the remnants of a semester full of chalk writings.
Our New Year's celebration begins on the last day of school, which has been talked about, dreamt about and eagerly anticipated for approximately 180 school days. It's not that we don't enjoy our jobs, we just have to have a vacation from our job in order to appreciate it that much more.
Summer is quickly approaching and the endless hours at school spent watching anxious and squirrley sixth grade students work on reviews tends to leave me reflecting over my past school year...much one might do with the more traditional calendar year.
It has definitely been a year of changes - buying a house (without a ring!), moving, a tragic death in my family, first holidays with future in-laws, an engagement ring, two knee surgeries, uproars throughout the athletic department and currently, my concern over potential job changes.
Needless to say...I deserve a break. So what do I have planned for this summer? What are my "new year" goals?
First and foremost is the wedding planning. People that I know and love understand why we're waiting so long to get married. I need time to digest, reflect and perfect. I know what I want and it's just a matter of making it happen and hopefully this summer will provide ample time to knock a few more big things out of the way: flowers, cakes, invitations, menu, bridesmaid dresses to name a few.
Secondly are Craig's tournaments. (Well...I have a feeling these two top items might be flipped on his list of important tasks for the summer) He's got three in a row this June and then his two big national tournaments in July. Although I have relatively little to nothing to do with his weekend tourneys, I am the master of Excel spreadsheets and Craig "hires" me to put together all the NCAA coaches and general information books.
Third important on my list is tanning. Sounds a bit shallow when put that way, doesn't it? But when I say "tanning" what I really mean is lying by or in the pool and reading. I haven't really been able to slow my mind down enough to really engage myself into any sort of book in the past six months and I am looking forward to catching up on several books that have seemed to pile up. On my list is to first finish Goodbye Jimmy Choo by Annie Sanders, and then move onto The Art of Mending by Elizabeth Berg and Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou. With the seemingly endless stretch of summer vacation set out in front of me as well as a six day jaunt to the Bahamas, I should be able to really delve into these books and possibly many more!
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