Plus Five Overnight

This week has been exhausting. I have been in my classroom every night until 10:00 pm. I was there all day today, and I'm going to need to be there all day tomorrow. It's starting to come together but there is so much extra furniture and "stuff" that it's taking forever. I know that everyone says it doesn't have to be perfect the first day, but honestly I'm not going for perfection. I'm simply hoping my kids can walk across the floor without tripping.

As of Thursday night I had 17 kids in my class. Friday morning I found that had gone to 22. That is a lot of kindergartners. Those of you who have taught in the primary grades understand that 22 five-year-olds are very different than 22 eight-year-olds or ten-year-olds. Everything is new, they have to be taught how to line up, how to use the restroom, how to hang their backpacks, etc. It is definitely a journey. A good majority of my class does not speak English as a first language and I have three special needs students. I'm excited to be able to help a really diverse population, but if I'm this tired now, can you imagine how I'm going to feel this time next week?!?!?

Monday is open house and school begins on Tuesday. I'll be sure to take some more pictures soon of the classroom as we slowly find the floor. Wedding planning has come to a sudden and immediate HALT as I am completely absorbed with work. I suppose that's why God gave me AK and Julie. :-)

Thanks to Suzie, Christopher and Stephanye who have all pitched in and helped me scour, organize and move a classroom full of materials. (The oldest thing we have found so far was published in 1962... Sweet).