Bursting My Bubble of Serenity

I didn't go anywhere this summer. It has been a hot, desert summer as much as any summer I have ever had. In spite of that, I think it has been the best summer of my life! Yoga and dating and going out and family... All good things come to an end, though, and I hear the daily grind knocking on the door of my summer vacation. It is time for a change this year. I am going to have more balance in my life.

I got an e-mail from the principal yesterday as well as a bunch of text messages and facebooks from my colleagues prior to that announcing who the new third grade teacher will be as we will have a team of five. I am so excited for who they hired. This teacher was formerly a fourth grade teacher at our school and if I could have selected anyone to fill this position she is the person I would pick. It's not because I was good friends with her--I actually don't know her very well--it is because I remember her character. She is one of those people who never gets sucked into gossip and I love the way she treats others. The one concern I have always had with BFF team is the way they treat others. I wanted to change that, but I participated a lot more than I changed it.

I have a big heart for not treating other teachers poorly because I was treated so poorly by some in my second year of teaching. I wish that I would be the person who didn't let others get treated that way. This year I didn't do that, and I wish that I did. I feel like a lot of pure poison was put into who I was as a teacher and last year I was still trying to process that and move on. Sometimes I saw myself being exactly what hurt me. I can't take all of that back, but I can be different. I look forward to our new teammate because she is who I want to be in that regard. It is really providence to have her join our team and I can't wait!