That Excitement!

It's the most wonderful time of the year...when I begin to look forward to attending professional development, meeting and greeting with peers, and returning to school and the built-in routines.  Yes, the excitement has returned!

Good thing...as, beginning tomorrow, I have five straight days of in-service; then, the following week, Open House and school starts on August 14.

What a busy summer I have spent making and creating for my new classroom!  Fun!  Pics...coming soon!

But...what did I not complete?

1. While I did read 12 books (so far) this summer, I had planned to read nearly double that number.
2. I am reading four...yes, four...professional books concurrently, with two set aside, which may explain why none are finished!  Need to focus and complete...Joy Write by Ralph Fletcher, The Unstoppable Writing Teacher by Colleen Cruz, Workshopping the Canon by Mary Styslinger, and We Got This by Cornelius Minor.  Sitting on the side...Atomic Habits and All Learning is Social and Emotional...Yes, I need to focus!
3. I signed up for Book Love...and have read only one of the four books in its entirety, although I have started them all. (Again...focus!)  I will complete two; one I may set aside for now.  I am pulled into the pages of Reading with Patrick, Michelle Kuo's memior of her time spent here in Arkansas with Teach for America.  Interesting.
4. My lesson plans are not drawn up in detail; this, I had envisioned completing, and, now that my classroom sets ready, I do intend to focus on this next step.  Excited!  I only have two preps.  Never have I had so few.  Wow.

Yet...what I did complete?

1. I moved many of my young adults books and created an in-class library.  While I love books, those books simply sitting on my shelves at home would be so much better put to use with my new groups of students.  As I shifted from shelf to shelf, I did note gaps in book genres.  Need to work on that.  Oh, to have the $$$ to buy and build an even healthier student library!
2. I painted...and painted...bookcases, tables, boxes, a podium...as I attempted to color-coordinate my room.  I do so like my new classroom...and its huge window!  Awesome!
3. The brain is more rested and rejuvenated and ready.  :)  Well, the brain is busy...so much to plot and plan!  
4. I am back to waking up earlier...and the brain kicks in immediately with mental to-do lists...and sleep takes a hike!  Just that time of the year!  I like it.
5. I did order Katherine Howe's new book The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs, a sequel...or would it be a prequel?...to The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, a very favorite book on mine.
6. Number five makes me laugh, for it sounds as if I only acquired one book this summer!  Gentle reminder:  I am a book addict.  No hope of recovery.  Two more are in the mail right now...Gordon Korman's Restart and Brene Browns' Daring Greatly.  No hope of recovery.  :)
7. Praying already for these students I have yet to meet.  May we each be better for journeying through CAFE 114 together through 2019-2020.  

Yes, it's the most wonderful time of the year.

Here's hoping your summer as been slow...and productive...and full of many wonderful reads!