Forgotten Blog

Maybe "forgotten" blog isn't the right term. The truth here is that I was waltzing along in life, headed for summer, glorious summer, and then life got extremely busy really fast. The school year ended with my classroom a disaster and me pretty teary-eyed. There was just something absolutely bittersweet about not returning to my classroom this year. Wait. That's not even true. It was bitter, all bitter. The sweet came in when I thought about spending the entire year as a member of the CERRA staff and touring our state all in the name of our public education system here in South Carolina. Together, they were bittersweet. Leaving my classroom and my darling students? That part was just sad.

Since my last blog (months ago, I know, so bad), I have done lots of cool things. One of the coolest was speaking at our school's graduation as the keynote speaker. I loved looking at all of my kids sitting there in their graduation gowns, wiggling in their seats, anxious to turn their tassels. I was honored and nervous all at the same time to be given the task of giving that final piece of advice to the Class of 2012. What did I talk about? You guessed it, reading and learning. Both are important, and both are things we do for life, regardless where our paths take us. I talked to them about reading people and reading situations, and it is my most sincere prayer that they make wise decisions in the future and learn from any mistakes. It's important to make the most of those teachable moments.

Photo courtesy of School Bell Photography.

That was June, and since then, I've been in the pool a lot, celebrated my niece's 9th birthday, met and loved the members of the CERRA Advisory Board, been mentor-trained by the best in the state, attended a fantastic induction teacher symposium, and had dinner with a great group of people who live and breathe Notre Dame. It has been one of the most memorable summers of my life.

I am still so honored and humbled to have been chosen for this experience. I guess this year, all of South Carolina is my classroom. Thank goodness it's tax-free weekend; that's a lot of Crayola markers.