summer summary

Even though it's still July, my summer, as I know it, is nearly OVER. Yep. I'm reporting back to school Monday. I obviously have such mixed feelings about going back. I'm grateful for having summer's off, and enjoyed every second of it this summer, but there's also a part of me that's excited about a new start with new faces.

I've spent the past few days preparing for the new school year and reflecting on the summer (also trying to figure out WHERE MY SUMMER WENT!!!).

Here are the highlights of my fantastic summer:

• BEACH!!! I got to go on 2 back to back beach trips this summer. They were both heavenly.
• Flexibility! If it was a Tuesday at 2:00 and I wanted to drive a couple of hours to visit a friend, I could.
• Free time! I got to spend extra time with my sisters and close friends. Priceless.
• Relaxation! While, I'm not a lazy person, I do enjoy my sleep. I was guilty of sleeping in often this summer (sometimes getting 10+ hours of sleep in one night!). I love to sleep more than most.
• MINT! The most perfect, most fun "summer job!" It makes me sad that this will be my last week to be there. You'll find me there during my Christmas break, though!
• Balance! This may sound odd, but I think I had the perfect amount of it this summer. I got to work, rest, travel, relax, and have fun without doing too much of it at once!

How can I complain about a summer like that?

Now, here are some reasons why I'm actually looking forward to being back at school:

• "teacher friends!" I spend so much time with teachers at my school for 9 months out of the year, and I barely see them during the summer. We teachers have a strong bond with each other, and count on each other for sanity purposes! :) What would I do without them?!I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again!
• Routine! What can I say? I love a routine. While I LOVE sleeping as late as I want, working out when I want, and going to sleep when I want, it'll be somewhat nice to have that consistent routine again.
• New kids! I like the idea of starting fresh. I get excited (and nervous too!!!) about meeting new students and their families. I always try to be the best I can be in the classroom, and my prayer this year is to strive to set a Godly example for my kids. For some of them, it's the only exposure they have to knowing about God's love, you know? What a huge responsibility I have! The students will be with me next Thursday! AH!

Please keep teachers and students in your prayers for the upcoming weeks! It's an exciting but SCARY time for us all!

Cheers to another fabulous summer behind me and hello to the 2009-2010 school year! :)