bittersweet

Only 2 more days of student teaching. I am really ready to be done, just to have time back, but I will miss the kids and staff. Granted, some of the kids drive me nuts (of course some of the ones that drive me nuts are really my favorites though, lol), but I have gotten a bit attached to them. I see me being the type of teacher whoe gets really sad at the end of the year, at least for the first couple of years, before I grow accustomed to the cycle. These next 2 days will be a breeze though. We are having a pizza party lunch on tuesday in the classroom, as my going away party. I got the kids a little goodie bag present, and wrote them each our a christmas card. While I was cleaning out my mentor teachers cabinet about a month or so ago, looking for resources (she let me copy just about everything she has, giving me a ton of great stuff to use!), I found 20+ years of class and staff pics tucked away in a pile. I took them home and created a scrapbook for her, knowing she would never realize they were even gone. So I am going to wrap that up and give it to her as my parting gift. I baked a cake for tuesday, and goodies to leave in the teacher's lounge. I really am going to miss them all.

But, I am soooo looking forward to being done! It really feels like my life has been put on hold for the last 6 months, like the pause button has been pushed. My housework was put on hold, my friendships were put on hold, my budgeting and balancing the checkbook were put on hold..... I have all too quickly realized that it is darn near impossible to run a household, take care of a family of 5, and hold a full time job, and make sure everything gets done, without going insane. I really don't know how I am going to do with when I get a job, but I'm sure I will figure it out somehow. I've never been so excited to clean my house, lol. Tuesday is my last day at my student teaching, then I have to go to UCO for a wrap-up day on Wednesday. Then thursday & friday are going to be spend cleaning my entire house, including Roman & Starla's rooms which are too full of toys, and need to be weeded out before Christmas toys make their way into them. Starla will be at mothers day out thursday, and then my mom said she would babysit for one last day on friday so I can get stuff done. Then Saturday is graduation!

Not only am I ready for my house to be cleaner and more organized, but I am so looking forward to having time to write my novel, and to get lost in a good book, and to watch movies, and just all those things that got pushed aside for the last 6 months. Just time. I have never not worked onr gone to school in my adult life, I've always had to do one or the other, unless it's summer. I have taken summers off of school, but with 3 kids, that's a full time job in itself! This will be the first time ever that not only will I not have school or work, but the kids will be in school, and Starla will be in mothers day out 2 days a week. Maybe I can actually get my novel done and turned into publishers! Woo hoo!

I have to take my last teacher certification test on January 31st, and then the big UCO teacher job fair is in May. If a position at JGI opens up between now and next August, I'm pretty sure they will hire me there, at least they have let on that they will. I'd really like to get a job in the Mid-Del district, but we will see what comes my way. I really hope to get 4th or 5th grade too. But, thankfully August is a long way away. :) I figure this will be the last time I have off until I retire in 30+ years, so I better enjoy it while I can.

I can't believe Christmas is 19 days away too. I don't want to to get here too fast, I want to enjoy the Christmas season!!