The First Day Of School

There's something special about the first day of school.  The floors are still shiny from their summer coat of wax.  All of your school supplies are still fresh and new, far from the mangled mess they will be come May.  You're excited to see your friends, to share your summer stories.  You're a little nervous about what classes or teachers you will have and if you will have a good year or one you would like to forget. 

I've mentioned before that I have always liked school.  I was the teacher's pet kind of kid.  That's not really too surprising since I was the kid of two teachers.  I still remember going to class on the very first day (pictured above).  I remember the name of the first kid I met, what my pencil box looked like.  I know that I didn't have any teacher anxiety because my mom was the teacher.  (There was only one kindergarten class, after all.)

Since then, I've had a lot of first days--elementary school, junior high, high school, college.  And because I was called to be a teacher, today marks my ninth year where I am the one in charge of setting out rules, calming nerves, and planning lessons.  This week, I will be focusing on the theme of teaching.  I have some special things planned.  But, more than anything, I don't want to ever forget why I do what I do.  (It's not just because it means I have a permanent excuse to buy school supplies either!)  And I pray that in another twenty-five "first days" I love it just as much as I do today.