Here We Go?

This summer was the best summer of my life. Yes, I do tend to exaggerate a lot, but this is truth. It was the first summer that I've known for sure what I was doing in the fall, so I was able to fully enjoy my time off without a bit of work or stress or worry. (Year-round paychecks are a gift from the Lord himself.) I filled my time by spending it with people that I love - old friends, new friends, and many a high school student. I traveled a lot - Mississippi, Vegas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and made wonderful memories in each place. My summer was free and happy and blessed.

And then August happened. So much of what had made my summer happy came to a quick end. I finished up my run as a high school leader (which was easily the best part of my life the last couple of years), all my travels were over, I stopped hanging out with a certain someone, and worst of all - work was looming ahead of me.

All of those plans I had in my head regarding a productive summer (I'll read this, take this class, pinterest ideas, paint my classroom...) clearly did not happen. And now, all of a sudden, I have to teach first grade. Not that long ago, I literally said, "I would rather not teach than teach kindergarten or first grade." But when you've fallen in love with your school and your co-workers, and first grade is the only way you'll get to stay put, you do what you need to do. 

Everyone keeps telling me that it's going to be great. That I'm going to love the kids - they'll be so sweet and loving and funny. And I don't doubt any of that. But if I'm being honest, this is just not what I'm passionate about. Even as much as I dearly loved my third graders last year, I missed the depth and humor I had with my sixth graders. I just don't get super excited about singing the days of the week song or practicing sight words like "and" and "the." I love digging into literature and doing big projects to connect content areas, and the ridiculous sense of humor of ten and eleven year olds. 

So I guess that's why I'm making this blog. This is not going to be a "look at what an awesome teacher I am" kind of blog. In fact, I sincerely hope other teachers don't see it. (Side note: the kind of teachers who do have those blogs are crazy people who must not need sleep. Like vampires? Maybe.) This bloggy is just a place for me to put my funny and cute kid quotes, my feelings about my crazy little first graders, my stories - good and bad - of my school year. To force myself to look at the awesome parts of this job. And hopefully I can look back, months from now, and be so happy to have taught first grade. (Or at the very least, gracefully survived it.) 

Tomorrow is day one. I spent the last couple of weeks setting up my classroom (a terribly painful activity for someone as organizationally challenged as myself). I think I'm ready, though I'm sure I'm forgetting things. I wish I could say that I'm really excited, but I'm really not. At this point, I just feel nervous. I don't know how 24 first graders operate all together. I don't know what the timing or pacing of the day will feel like. I don't know what these babies are capable of. And I don't know if I have the patience for over four hours straight with them in the morning with no break. Seriously.

Here's how my room is looking: 

I guess it's ready to be filled with 24 tiny little 5 and 6 year olds. 

Here. We. Go.