First Day of School

Okay . . . I am alive.

I haven't had much time to post lately with starting my new teaching job.

My brother visited us last weekend from the Denver area, and it had been one year since his last visit. Arden had changed so much since then, and it was fun to see her interact with him. Asher, Owen, and I went to Eureka Springs last Saturday. Stuart stayed home with Hudson and Arden since Hudson got a quick stomach flu and had gotten sick early Saturday morning. It was fun to walk the same streets that Stuart and I went on for our honeymoon 19 years ago! I hadn't been back there since then! We ate some fudge and lemonade ices, and Owen had to pick out a few treasures from a gift shop. Owen got carsick on the winding roads back home, and we almost had a mess in Asher's rental car, but luckily we got pulled over to the roadside in time!

I have officially survived my first week back to work! Overall, it was a good week. I like the job better than I expected considering it is 7th grade. I haven't taught 7th graders in 14 years, but the three classes I have are pre-AP students and more mature than the 7th graders of 14 years ago. They have been extremely well-behaved and respectful, and I think it will be a good year. I am learning the ropes of the school procedures, and my teaching rhythm is coming back to me.

The balance of work and home will be a challenge with three kids, and I hope I can get used to the physically demanding schedule. So far, I haven't been able to cook or clean during the work week, and I am so exhausted when I get home. My feet are killing me from standing all day, and I can barely stay awake past 9 p.m.!

The boys both like their new school and seem to have good teachers. I met Owen's teacher at the new teacher orientation meetings, as she is returning back to Bentonville schools after staying home with kids for the past seven years. She previously taught at this same school in 3rd grade for many years before, and I really like her. Hudson's teacher has taught kindergarten for 15 years, and she is great too. The boys stay in an afterschool program for about an hour while I finish my day since the junior high dismissal is later than their school.

Arden has had the hardest adjustment since she has been home with me until this year. She is doing well for her first week in daycare, but she is extremely tired since she has to be woken up almost two hours earlier each morning and is only napping for one hour at school. She is tired and crying by 7 p.m. every night, and I hope the pace of her schedule gets easier on her after time. She seems happy at school and only cries a little when I leave. She is social and enjoys the facilities for outside play and the indoor climbing room.

Continue to pray for all of us in this adjustment. It will be a few months before I will feel like there is a routine or if I can determine if this will work for our family long-term. I do know that I still love teaching, but I don't know if I can keep up this pace indefinitely. Time will tell.