Summer ending...

Today is the last day of summer vacation for me. Teachers go back to work on Monday. I always feel sad and excited when this time comes.

I am especially sad this year as I know my summers will never be the same. Julian will graduate this year and Olivia will start kindergarten. I wonder if we will ever have a summer vacation again, as a family. For years we vistied my dad in Florida for a few weeks, but the last two years we did not. Last year we had been on a cruise to Mexico as a family in the Spring and this year, my knee and finances were still on the mend. Looking back, I wish I would have been down anyway. Those years wll be behind us now. I knew this day would come, but I still am not prepared. The future with Julian is so up in the air. Who knows what summer 2014 will hold.

But I am excited. Olivia is so ready for kindergarten in Mrs. Davis's class. And Julian is beginning his bittersweet journey into his senior year. I could not be more proud of both of them. I have smart, opinionated, strong, independent, compasionate, loyal kids. I cannot wait to celebrate this year of firsts and lasts with both of them.

Finally, I am excited for me. I am looking forward to this new year. I had so much time off last year and this summer to reassess what I wanted out of my life an my career. I have heard from so many of my past students who motivate and encourage me and remind me why I chose this profesion. I want to be that teacher again. I want that energy again. I want to make a difference again. I'm ready to put in the time, energy, and love to get back the joy I had my first years of teaching.

And so it begins...