The Night Before...

...going back to school. Ah, the memories. When I was growing up, I remember feelings of excitement, anxiety, and sadness on this night.

Excitement... seeing friends again.

Anxiety... What will this year be like?

Sadness... summer is over.

I think the feeling of excitement usually dominated and my sister Becky and I would talk late into the night about what the following day would bring. That is, after I bribed my sister Erin to let me sleep in her bed so Becky and I could talk. Since I was the oldest, I had my own room and Becky and Erin shared a room. I usually liked having my own room, but on going-back-to-school eve, I would try to convince Erin that it would be fun for her to sleep in my room, and this convincing usually required some small bribe. I can't remember what it would have been, but probably something extravagant like a piece of gum or maybe a quarter. She was usually fairly easy to please.

Becky and I would then talk about random things like classmates, teachers, school work, and probably a bunch of nonsense until Mom would tell us to go to bed because we had to get up early the next day. While our lips were silent, my brain would be in overdrive and usually took a while to slow down enough to fall asleep.

The next morning we would wake up with excitement... to see our friends, arrange our desk stuff, and best of all... break open the new school supplies!!!

I won't be talking to my sister "late" (as in 10:00 PM) into the night, but I do have a feeling of excitement and anticipation... for new students (currently at 16), new activities, and a new adventure of teaching preschool full-time. This year I won't be splitting my time with preschool and the junior/senior high class as I did last year. It feels a little weird that I won't be with the older kids, because I was their teacher for 5+ years, so it was with mixed emotions that I chose to do the preschool full-time this year. But I'm sure it will work out fine, and I'm excited to see what God will do this year!

Now I'm off to bed to "dream" about school!

Good Night!