Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Back to School

Today begins a new school year. This year looks to be a tad different from the previous one. Last year I taught full-time, so my duties as wife and mother remained entirely neglected as I devoted myself to preparation, curriculum writing, grading, etc. My family was fortunate if I cooked one decent meal a week, or if they had clean underwear, or if I remembered to take them to basketball practice. And housekeeping? Let's just say that when "the baby" came, I actually swept and mopped the kitchen so he could leave my arms...but only in the kitchen, mind you!

This year, though I anticipated not teaching at all, I recently committed to teaching 6th grade Latin and English grammar. I will take the boys to school, teach for an hour and be finished for the day...oh yeah, and I only have 5 students! Now I have no excuse for piled up dishes or filthy floors! And I get to be a mom again...COOL!

I began this post early this a.m., but left it midway to go to school. For some reason, it was a very emotional experience today. Partly because I talked to one mom who just dropped a daughter off at college and put her youngest in 4th grade today...it's the first time in about about 15 years that she is not homeschooling and she was tearful. Then, another new PCA mom with #6 on the way, who has also been a homeschooler, dropped the oldest four at school for the first time. THEN, I stood, along with many other parents who lined the hallways, watching all the classes file through to their rooms. It is so sweet to watch their faces...the anticipation, excitement, fear, dread, etc....and they just kept coming and coming and coming! It was emotional for me and I don't quite know why.

Maybe because this school has struggled for 10 years to make ends meet - last year at this time we were $90,000 in debt - as of 2 weeks ago, we are debt free for the first time since inception. We have also labored to draw and retain families and growth has been nearly impossible - the Schools of Dialectic & Rhetoric grew from 20 last year to 55 this year, and two of our Grammar School classes are completely full (at 18)! We actually have some cash flow now and purchased beautiful new furnishings for the Humanities room...we've been living off ugly, worn, hand-me-downs forever...and now the room is aesthetically pleasing! It's somewhat astounding! Anyway, in spite of an administrative change which has led to major chaos and disorganization, it promises to be an exciting year.

Even my boys were excited. The oldest, who was forced to leave a school he loved to return to PCA, had an incredibly sweet spirit and an air of eager anticipation. THAT is evidence of the mercy of God. The sixth grader is always ready to go back...he even got up and STAYED UP when his alarm went off this morning.

Happy Back to School to you all!

3 comments:

Jessie said...

Lori, I am so happy for you and your new schedule! I am excited about this year and its changes, too! But sad that it all means that these little people are growing up...

Mr. Dad said...

Yep . . . "watercolour ponies" all!

"There are watercolour ponies
On my refrigerator door
And the shape of something I don't really recognize,
Brushed with careful little fingers
And put proudly on display—
A reminded to us all of how time flies."

"Seems an endless mound of laundry
And a stairway laced with toys
Gives a blow by blow reminder of the war
That we fight for their well-being
For their greater understanding
To impart a holy reverence for the Lord."

"And the vision can get so narrow
As you view through your tiny world
And little victories can go by
With no applause
But in the greater evaluation
As they fly from your nest of love
May they mount up with wings
As eagles for His cause."

". . . what will we do
When it comes back to me and you?
They look a little less
Like little boys every day
Oh, the pleasure of watching
The children growing
Is mixed with a bitter cup
Of knowing the watercolour ponies
Will one day ride away." (Wayne Watson)

Jeff Meyers said...

Things are looking up at school. That's good news!