Friday, May 25, 2007

School Is Out!

My fifth grade room is closed up - the kids are gone, the walls are bare, and the desks are stacked. My end of the year To Do list is checked off. I helped Gayle for a while this morning. She has a great mound of materials to be moved up to the third floor third grade room, but that has to wait until the current teacher has cleared her materials out.

I'm a little sad this year. I liked my fifth graders, they worked hard, didn't quit, and even professed to appreciate my puns. At least that's what I got out of one comment: "I didn't think your puns were that bad." I truly enjoyed the routine of the year and feel somewhat at a loss now that vacation has begun. God affirmed strongly that we are right where we need to be - teaching at The Christ School in downtown Orlando. I am looking forward to the challenges that next year's class will bring, and I'm already aware of a few of them...by name!

I know that this feeling will change as we begin our vacation in a couple of days. I am looking forward to the travel (gas prices are coming down!) and seeing all of the kids and grandkids in the space of two weeks. I have our pastor's 15 year old son taking care of the yard while we're gone, so that's a great relief. I know he will do a good job. And I'm looking forward to doing some interior painting when we get back home. We may even put down some new flooring while we're at it!