The Return

Yes, I finally have a little time to post a new blog entry. Between tech camp, in-service, and preparing for school I've been too busy to even relax much less blog. School has started now and except for the expected technological glitches that come with every new school year, everything seems to be running pretty smoothly. Hopefully things will start to slow down just a little as we get back into a routine and adjust to early mornings and long days.

Alex loves junior high! He came home Monday and said "It was a perfect day!" He's in the percussion section of the 6th grade band and he is so excited that he gets to have his mom's old band director. Mr. Currie has such a fantastic influence on young people. Alex is fortunate to get to work with him. He can't wait to get his MacBook laptop computer. He has been looking forward to it all summer. He is getting to take a class called Explorations where he will get to learn a lot about how to use the computer and will complete many projects using it.

Aric says that he feels "weird" being at CES without Alex, especially riding the bus to the high school by himself. He really likes his teacher though. Today, the teaching assistant told me that Aric already has Miss Stewart "wrapped around his pinky" so I guess that means he is behaving. At open house last night Miss Stewart bragged and bragged on him. We are fortunate to have such an outstanding team of teachers in our elementary school.

As much as we enjoy our summer break, it's nice to be back at school and experiencing all that comes with it. The seasons will soon start to change and the fall weather that Melissa enjoys so much will bring cooler temperatures and earlier sunsets. That which seems so new to us now will start to be "old shoe" again as we fall into the schedules and routines that we develope every year and eventually we will begin to long for the sunshine and relaxation of summer again.

The Plunge

Am I really doing this? Although I've always enjoyed reading other blogs, I never really saw myself as being a blogger. Who would want to read what I have to say? Maybe no one, but here I go anyway.

We are two weeks away from the beginning of a new school year. My 16th at Childress High School. Where did the summer go? By this time each year I am ready to go back to work and get into a routine again but my wife is so...not. She would take several more weeks or even months off if she could. I've been sitting at home long enough. I know that I will be much more productive once school starts again. Even here at home.

My life has revolved around school either as a student or as a teacher for so long now that my body and my mind are in a constant cycle: the beginning of school, football season, the holiday season, mid-term, the new year, basketball season, TAKS season and tax season, spring sports, banquets (prom, sports banquet, etc.), the end-of-year crunch and, finally, afterglow...summer...and all the peace, comfort and relaxation that comes with it. I've followed this same cycle for so long that I don't really know any different.

I vow to myself right now to make this year different! If my life is in that much of a rut it's because I have let it and only I can change that. There are already changes taking place in my life so what better time for a complete overhaul. My only goal is to be the best at whatever I am doing. That means being the best father, husband, son, teacher, student, friend and Christian that I possibly can be. If I can do that then by the end of this school year I'll be "running on empty".