The First Week

Well, the first week of school is over and I'm exhausted. I'm very thankful that we get a three-day weekend right off the bat!

The students at Garland High School are great as well as the administration. I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs of life there (like when the bells ring!) but I think I'm gonna like it. Plus, I had a great moment of encouragement to keep at it, when after school the second day I got a visit from one of my student's who graduated last year from South Garland. He's one of those kids who was on the wrong path when I first met him his junior year, but he is now working hard to improve his life and was anxious to share with me how his summer went and that he's taking college classes. I was thrilled and very proud.

Grace's first week was good too. She actually said she had fun the first day and was excited about going back for a second day. Of course when we get to like day 84 she might not be so excited anymore, but this is a good start! We have acquired a viola for her to begin learning. I'm sooo looking forward to being able to listen to her practice on it every day. Maybe we'll finally get Cici to sing for us. (I've been trying to get our puppy to "sing", but nothing works. Not even singing "You Are My Sunshine" off key.)

Jackson's first week wasn't quite as great. Well at least not the first day. It seems my precious little boy is growing up and apparently when boys grow up it means they get in more trouble at school. He got a note sent home the FIRST DAY! Apparently jumping on chairs was not specifically expressed to him as a no-no. He also confessed that he thought you couldn't get in trouble on the first day.

Philip's first week was good - I think. He has a lot of good kids and they are already hard at work on the 2008-2009 year book. Of course his week and mine were improved by our Wednesday night outing to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. So much fun and interesting to see that we were in fact among the younger people there. Which made it all the more interesting to smell that lovely aroma wafting down when Petty went into "Last Dance with MaryJane". It was as if they thought the song was giving them permission. I was a more than a little annoyed to have to worry about those old people making my hair smell bad.

In conclusion, I have to say the week was not bad. A little hectic and VERY sleepy but overall a good time. I'm looking forward to seeing how the year turns out as a whole. I better get lots of rest this Labor Day weekend - I think I'm gonna need it.