As the summer begins to come to an end and thoughts of classes return, I tend to get excited about home-baked meals and fresh cookies from the oven. I love to smell the autumn leaves and to burn a candle in the living room. I love the warmth of my fireplace and the sense of home when everyone is in for the day and relaxing together in the living room either reading or watching TV.
But I do feel sadness for the loss of morning and evening light. I crave the sun all year long and love the summer hours of light and warmth from the sun. I miss barbecues. I know I will miss the idea of staying up late and getting up early, and I despise going out at night in the fall and winter. I will miss having a cup of coffee on my porch, listening to the world wake up and watching my girls begin to explore the world. I will miss fireflies and open windows. I will miss complaining about how hot it is and just being home with my girls, my boys, my husband and my home. I will miss my boys because my oldest is in Nicaragua and my youngest is at U of Rochester.
However, I do love what I do and I look forward to a new batch of freshmen walking through my door. I love teaching Fahrenheit 451 for the first time. Again. I love watching To Kill A Mockingbird be absorbed. Again and again. I love the visits from my old students and even seeing some of my fellow teachers! ;-) I look forward to getting to know all new students and possibly helping them to clarify who they are and what direction they want to head towards.
What will you miss? What do you look forward to?
