Last Day in the Schools

Today is my last day working at Sprucewood Elementary School here in Draper, Utah.

Do you know what that means?
1. No more waking up at 6, to leave the house at 7, to get to the school by 8.
2. No more rushing home at 2:30, dropping off the other girls from the carpool in a few spots across campus.
3. No more spending an hour and a half in the car daily, with four other girls who are all trying to finish up lesson plans, grade papers, do assignments, and read books...because none of us have enough time otherwise.
4. No more lunches in a lunch room with the teachers that ramble about district policies where half the time (if not more) I'm not quite sure what they are talking about or exactly what their complaint is.
5. No more getting home from the school, just to rush off to work, and to get home well after dark, missing all the beautiful weather we've had in Provo.
6. No more grading papers and wondering who on Earth taught these kids how to write...their handwriting is worse than the 2nd graders in my last school.
7. No more standing for the pledge every morning, always being impressed by the respect every student shows the flag.
8. No more reading aloud about WWII, and hearing the students heartfelt reactions to the horrors they are only beginning to understand.
9. No more watching students jump right into a stack of books because they actually WANT to know about Stalin, Hitler, Churchhill, and Mussolini.
10. No more learning random facts from your students and watching them impersonate dead world leaders (you should all see Addie be Mussolini...it's life changing).
11. No more seeing the lightbulb go on when you explain something about space (as if I know anything about space).
12. No more excited twelve year old girls ask about my fiance with such excitement.
13. No more doodles from Emily when she should be paying attention.
14. No more telling Riley that his head can hit the table when mine does.
15. No more hearing students share their dreams, what they WILL be when they grow up, and defend themselves if somebody tries to tell them otherwise.

No more...until the Fall.

I love teaching and it's one of the best things in the world. What a blessing it is to be able to teach. Thank you Mom for all you taught me. Thank you Dad for setting the expectation to go to college. Thank you sisters (and brothers-in-law...you helped too) for having cute kids. Thank you Dave, I'm sure you helped me somehow too (just kidding Dave, you have been such a blessing in my life).