Grasping at Summer Straws

School buses with squeaky brakes are back to making their morning and afternoon rounds, picking up  in the early rise of the sun freshly pony-tailed, breakfasted, face washed, rested kids and dropping off messy haired, hungry-ed, dirtied, tired kids at the end of the day.  

Usually this time of year, I am gearing up to kick off another year filled with fourth grade chicken wings.  Getting class lists, name tags, folders, and silly face pictures all ready to go.  But this year I am packing up my classroom into boxes to be stored.   

I was hired to be a Performance Strategist for our district and will be working at two different elementary schools.  Three days a week at one and two days a week at the other.  No classroom, no chicken wings, and no fourth grade.  But I do have two new office type rooms, a variety of data based programs to learn, two new staffs to assist in their journey of student learning, and a whole troop of chicken wings to do star-jacks in the hallways with when I need a kid fix.  It's an entirely new step in my education career.  A stepping stone to see if I want to take the next leap into administration...a way to let my toes skim the water without fulling jumping off the dock.  I'm hoping it's the best of both worlds.  

So as my summer draws to a close, I find myself grasping at summer straws trying to squeeze the life out of those last extended coffee quiet mornings and long warm nights.  Last Wednesday evening delivered that big time summer feeling.  It was one of the last times for the Wednesday night ritual and it's like everyone, including the sun and sky, was trying to make it last just a bit longer.  Holding on to the freedom summer offers.  The staying up late, getting dirty, and being on your favorite horse.   

Cherishing those moments of getting up the courage to try something new.  Even if it is only petting a baby goat.  

Being thankful to have precious quality time between a grandma and her grandkids.  Because the times they are small and are willing to reach out for your hand are fleeting.  

Laughing at a little boy who entertains on the back of a pickup bed.  Laughing even more because his big brother thought he needed some big boy undies over his diaper.  

With his Auntie Em gladly accepting a kiss in the setting sun because pretty soon he'll be too busy being a big boy for real to wrap his little fingers around our necks and jump his little Elmo socked feet up around our waists.   

Witnessing the always stomach pit inducing act of saying goodbye to friends.  Because it's time to head back to college for one while the other stays here to finish up her high school life.  The hugs and tears and sadness make you turn away but quickly they are transformed to laughing tears because of the reminiscing of memories made and moments logged.  Remembering the fun.      

Two crazy daring girls who push each other to the maximum and are always there for each other when one stumbles.  And even though it's time for them to part ways for the year, the knowing that next summer they will be back on those horses running full speed ahead has to be comforting to them both.  

It's the time for change.  New adventures and new challenges.  I'm beyond excited to head into this new chapter of my life.  It feels right and if there is one thing I have learned over the last twenty-eight years, it is to trust my gut.  And my gut told me it was time.  Time for new.  Time to stretch myself once again.  

Why would I ever want to let myself be too comfortable and too complacent right?  Isn't it the unfamiliar and the change that pushes or almost forces us to keep becoming better and stronger people?  I sure hope so.  Because I'm ready to take on this new job and donkey kick my way to a satisfying, productive, and happy inducing school year.