Changes

     Wow!  It's been a long time since I've written on my little blog.  I'm so sorry!  I last wrote near the end of June.  I've had a busy summer, but I hope to get back to things soon.  I have enjoyed reading all of the blogs written by other teachers.

     I've had some major changes in my life.  At the end of last school year, I resigned from my teaching position.  I decided that it was time that I move back to Portland where I lived most of my life.  I am looking forward to living closer to friends and family.  The hard part is that I don't have a teaching job for next year.  I taught for the past 13 years in one school district and have taught a total of 18 years.  This will be a hard change.  I have signed up to substitute and am hoping I pass the criminal history check (no problem here!) and get accepted soon.  I will still write for my blog.  My experience will just be a little different.  In fact, maybe I'll have more time to write about my teaching experiences.  I did substitute for several years at the beginning of my career, so I do know how to do it, but it's been a long time.  I've gone through so much stress the past few years that the change just might be nice.

     I've wanted to spend time creating things that other teachers might be interested in.  I'll have extra time, so I hope to be able to spend some time doing that.  I've started things in the past but couldn't  find the time to finish things.  I'll share those things once they are done on this blog.   Another thing I hope to do is work on crafts.  This is something I haven't had much time to do lately.  I enjoy making and sending cards to friends by rubber stamping.  Here are some examples that I made a recently:

Maybe, through substituting, I'll be able to get to know some principals and teachers and have a job by next year.  It's hard to find very many openings and they usually hire the new teachers.

     I've been busy all summer packing.  It's a hard job to pack and go through things after living in one place for 7 years.  I have arthritis in my knee which makes it hard to stand all of the time.  I was hoping to be ready to move by the end of August, but there's still too much to do.  Hopefully, I'll be ready to move by the end of September.  I have a lot of work ahead of me!

     If I were teaching, Wednesday would be the first day of school with students.  I imagine that it will be a hard day for me.  I so wish I had a classroom of students to meet and begin teaching.  I was going to go to the beach on Thursday since I really haven't had time for a trip anywhere.  I saw the forecast is for showers and a high of 60 degrees.  Instead, I'm going to go on Wednesday.  It might be nice to do something fun on a day that could be hard on me.  I'm looking forward to a day away.  Wednesday isn't supposed to have any rain and the high is to be 68.  I always enjoy going to the Oregon beach!

     Those of you who are in school already and those of you who are beginning this week I hope and pray that you have a wonderful start of a new school year!