Bittersweetness

Tonight marks my last "official" night of summer 2013! I can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth!  It seems like just yesterday my fifth graders were graduating and I was making my summer-to-do list that never gets done! 

I know I've said it many times, but I love my job!  I love that I love it more each year and I love that it comes with an awesome schedule!  I'm totally always ready for summer break, but I'm also totally always ready to start again in August.  Give me about three or four weeks and I'll start the whole.... why on Earth did I say I was ready to start back whining bit. 

Summers are awesome!  I get to sleep in; do whatever I want which usually is swim, meet up with friends, or not a single thing; play with my kiddos all day; keep a clean house; stay up late; read books; and just about everything else I can't do throughout the school  year.  We never keep a schedule and basically live from moment to moment.  I'm not sure what is better than that! This year was great in the aspect that my kiddos were old enough to play together and be more independent.  This year was also not so great in the aspect that my kiddos argued non-stop!  Their love-hate relationship has about worn me out which is one of the reasons why I am excited for school to start back.  They need a little time apart! :) 

I'm not sure if enjoying work makes me a "bad" mom or not, but I don't think I could ever be a stay-at-home mom... or at least not for an extended period of time.  I have had about 8 weeks of it and that is more than enough for me.  I most definitely take advantage of all of my summer days with the kids (haven't spent a day away from them... well, maybe one for a wedding shower), but I also enjoy my routine and purpose at school.  If only public school teachers could go in at 8, leave at 3, work 4 days a week, and still get our vacations... now that would be the PERFECT schedule.  The one thing I don't like about working is the monotony of the  everyday stuff.  It can really wear you down after a while trying to balance home and school.  I am hoping to do this a little better this year.  I am praying for energy in order to get in some consistent exercise throughout the week, patience to be able to enjoy my own kids when I get home from school, optimism to remember how blessed I am that I "get" to pack bags each night, willpower to wake up each morning for devotion, and strength to be the best me I can be in all of my many roles. 

So, as I am watching the clock and realizing that my ALARM will wake me up in less than 8 hours, I am finding myself in a state of "bittersweetness"...  I love summer with MY
 kids, and love school with my "other" kids!