Typically, this is the week that I would write a few witty, panicked paragraphs about the back-to-school preparations I would be making. I would have started having the " alarm-didn't-go-off-late-for-school" nightmares a few days ago. I would have already bought my first day outfit-yes, I still did that. Technically speaking, this is the first year in my 28 years of living that I will not return to school as either a student or a teacher. This is the first year I am something other than what I've always been. Here are a few, concise and not all-encompassing thoughts in no particular order about that:
1. I am thrilled to be the one to raise my daughter full time, instead of giving her to someone else so that I can teach other people's children.
2. I am seriously missing the excuse to spend 200.00 on awesome posters, new books and shiny red pens for my classroom.
3. I am giddy with anticipation of setting my alarm for the first day of school, only to shut it off in the morning and go on with my day-which will be everything I ever wanted to do on my first day of school. Brunch, new shoes that I could never, possibly wear in the classroom and perhaps, a manicure to round out the day.
4. Part of me is sad that I will not be returning to the third wing that ran my life for the last 4 years. I'll miss my neighboring teachers and their antics.
5. I will miss my fair share of teenage drama. It's true. I will.
6. I get to be one person. Not Mrs. Shannon for 7 hours, Jenny and Mama at home. It's all me, all the time.
7. I will get to enjoy my favorite season, and have it mean something other than scheduling conflicts and pep rallies.
8. I can pee anytime I want. I don't have to wait until third period.
9. I can read for fun. Not Crime and Punishment for the thousandth time.
10. I don't have to pack my lunch and leave it in the creepy teacher's room fridge that always had a peeled cucumber and a defrosting lean cuisine haunting it's top shelf. Ew.