I've been staring so long at these pictures of you.

Tomorrow is library day at school... meaning I don't have to do much. So I'm playing now...

A picture of you dressed up

A picture of you that is old, but is one of your favorites

A picture of who you live with

A picture of you during the summer

A picture with a parent or two

A picture of you on your birthday.

A picture of you in one of your favorite outfits… as long as I have my cowboy boots I’m happy

A picture of a time in your life that you wish wasn't over

A picture of you being your true self

I came to find truth.

Today went by so fast!

And things ran pretty smoothly. I'm starting to feel bad for my 2nd period. They just get the fast, not so good explanation, while my other periods improve each time. I guess one day I'll explain it perfectly in all 5 classes...

Someday. after several years of teaching the same content I'll get it right.

I'm so wrongly excited for tomorrow night because I won't have any problem.. due to the fact that we have library day on wednesday! I plan on cooking a slightly more complicated meal than normal and going for a wonderful hike. I have loved the recreation options in Austin, so far.

Even though I really haven't had much planning tonight either. Except for the wonderful birthday cupcakes I have to make for the bulletin board. Just writing names.... but still how did the first year teacher get stuck with that?

It won't be that bad... I'll watch TV and finish it up.

Hopefully tomorrow will run well also!

I liked the way I planned everything out on Sunday night. That helped me a lot. I'd like to do that every week, just a little bit earlier than 7pm next time.

Also- the black bean enchilada's I made tonight were great! Can't wait to try it again

Week 2

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Day 1 down. How many left?

Just kidding!

The first day was great! Much better than I expected. I knew that I would be nervous. I knew that something would go wrong. I knew that at some points I would be confused.

And all of that was true.

Honestly, once the kids got into the room I did feel much better. There were times I was so confused and questions I couldn't answer. But I think that the most important thing is I got what I wanted to do completed.

I know the students are on their best behavior the first few days, but it was nice to have them that way. They also were ver talkative and fun to be around.

There were also a few things I kept forgetting to mention, or would say in one class but not in the other. I'm sure those are all things that will improve with time- I just need a little checklist of things to say near me.. or written on my hand!

I just looked at one of my friends who recently started teaching elementary school facebook to check in on her and what she had to say, if anything at all. She had started teaching the day before me and her status referred to the 2nd day being more tiring and harder than the first. Then I started to panic..

but in all honesty I know that day 112 or 87 is going to be way harder than day one. But it's laying the foundation on day 1 to hopefully make day 93 a little easier. At least I hope it is!

I also know I'm going to be tired. A lot of the time. It was that way when I started observing last semester also. I guess it was something I conviently forgot when I finished today with plans to read and go to the pool.. and then promplty took an hour nap.

I know I'll get back into the swing of it and keeping my energy up soon enough. But until I remember how to keep my energy up and how to do it all in one day- I'm saving some coffee for the end of the afternoon. Here's to hoping the caffiene adds a little bit more to my day!

you got the wrong girl.

Things have been getting more and more intense in teacher world. The staff development and meetings have been endless. It seems like I'm learning so much, and in the same time I'm not doing as much work on what needs the most work.

This moring made me feel so unprepared and nervous. The admin. went over first day proceedors and it seemed like so many things to remember and so many things I can't remember. I think that's how everything is. They introduced the ideas of homeroom, and taking attendance and first day procedure.. none of which they mentioned until today!

I just tried to picture the first day as realistically as possible. It will be chaotic and crazy, I will be nervous, something will go wrong, but at the end of it I will still be alive.

The end of the day ended so well though. I felt like even though we were in endless meeting sessions (that are seeming to get repetative!) I still got such a good handle on things in my classroom. I also did a lot of lesson plan work at lunch time and felt like I got a lot of things figured out. My classroom is almost set up to where I want to be.. and I feel like I FINALLY have a vision about where I want it to go. Which is a nice feeling to have- 4 days before school starts. And I think I'll be working hard for 3 of those 4 days- but I know it will be a great feeling when it's all done.

I went to this great training session yesterday about being creative and thinking outside the box. I loved it. I really want to carry over creativity as much as I can in my class. A lot of the ideas presented I knew that I would have struggled with as a student, but I hope my students will love to be creative and original.

I am in this weird stage- which I heard about in a class at A&M- the fantasy stage. I just can't picture anything going wrong. I know it will. I think of the things that went wrong in my last school, and then I just think to myself, " But that school wasn't as good. This will be great."

At least I know this stage will pass. Quickly.

I'll just think of it as staying positive.

I am getting nervous about money. I realized today it's one month until I get my first paycheck. I just need so many things... a coffee table, a washer/dryer, a poster, always something for my classroom. Just too much stuff! And on top of that rent and bills I've never paid before. I know that I have plenty of money- I'm just not sure if it will all go around.

I can't wait until Where The Wild Things Are comes out in theatres!

There's been so many Firsts in my life this week:

First time to see a movie alone

First time to live alone

First time to drive around Austin.. as a resident

First time to decorate a classroom

First time to be so overwhelemd by school training

First time to buy so much with my own money!

First time to not be in College Station... or sorority rush in 4 years.

So many new things that are scary and overwhelming right now. In no time, though, it will seem like all this will be old news. I hope I can remember what it felt like to be going through all these firsts... even if it isn't the best feeling right now.