Well…it is the end of the second day of school, and I can honestly say that I do enjoy my job. I have not enjoyed the administrative tasks associated with these first few days–teaching 31 eleven-year-olds how to open a locker, collecting tissues, map pencils, etc., and making sure papers get signed and returned.

However, I do enjoy former students stopping by to say hello and that they miss me. And I enjoy teaching siblings of former students, and I REALLY enjoy thinking that Summer is just 185 business days away. Just kidding.

Seriously. I take pleasure in trying to ease the mind (and high blood pressure) of sixth graders who frantically run through the halls and say, “Do you know where Mr. So-and-so’s class is?” Or, “How do I get to the gym?” It’s neat seeing these students progress from terrified little ones to the confident (maybe too confident) hall-dwellers that they will become.

If you sit back and try to find the little perks that come with teaching, it makes for an enjoyable time.

Should I remind the reader that compared to “the program” anything is better? It’s all about perspective!

There they go with quite some force. The last vestiges of summer. They are evacuating like vacationers before a hurricane.

Shaving rarely…gone. Sleeping ’til 10…gone. Giggling about my neighbor having to work…gone.

There are so many other things that I like about summer to which I must tip my hat and say, “See ya next year.” But it’s okay. I’ve had a great time this summer (other than that more-than-mild “disturbance” during July), and I’m ready to go back to work.

What kind of lazy man naps for THREE hours in a single day!?!?

Kane

I just had to respond to my neighbor’s bitter comment about my last post. You see, I purposely invited him to play Ultimate Frisbee and Taboo two nights ago. These activities kept us all up to at least midnight. My plan was to wear him out and then giggle while he worked and I napped. And the plan worked!

The photo to the right adequately expresses the way I feel right now about my current job as an educator. I have really enjoyed the first two weeks of summer. I have mowed lawns and trimmed trees (my usual summertime occupation), but I have also played with my children in the back yard, and taken a few naps. Today I enjoyed a three hour nap after mowing two lawns.

Don’t get me wrong. The 2007-2008 school year was perhaps in the top three of my most enjoyable. I am not trying to communicate that summer is sweet because I am away from the classroom. I am saying that this summer is delightful to me because of an exhausting yet fulfilling year as an educator. I am thankful that the LORD gave such a year to me.