END OF VACATION

I would guess that most teachers experience an End Of Vacation Blues.  That moment when you realize your nice Christmas vacation is just about over, and you need to get the brain and body back into "school mode".  I figured mine would come later today, after I got home and realized what I had to do to get myself and my kids ready for school tomorrow.  On the way to lunch after church, I even got a text from a teacher friend that her depression had already set in.  Boo for vacation ending!  Boo for 9 long weeks until Spring Break!

     

And then we went to lunch.  We went to Genghis Grill, one of my family's favorite places.  I was busy paying attention to my active 6-year-old in the line, when I heard a young man behind the counter say, "Is your last name Cravins?"  I looked up and saw that he looked familiar, but before I could place him, he continued, "You were my first grade teacher!"  I asked him his name, and when he told me I immediately remembered who he was.  We chatted for a quick minute or so.  I was amazed at this young man.  I was his first grade teacher TEN years ago!  He is a Junior in High School now!  Craziness!  But it made my day!  He remembered me, ten years later. 

So, I do feel a twinge of sadness at my vacation ending today, but also a little excitement too.  I wonder how many of my current students will remember me in ten years if they saw me outside of school. 

I doubt I'll be very excited tomorrow morning about going back to school, but we'll get back into a routine, and then start talking about the "S" word.  My third graders have a lot of work to do to be ready for the STAAR test in April.  Fun times....(sigh), but at least we have Spring Break in 9 weeks!