First Day Jitters

If you're not familiar with the book First Day Jitters you should read it. It's a great story for all ages. It is a picture book - I wouldn't want those of you who read my blog and are NOT teachers (there are a few of you!), to hunt it down and be disappointed. 

I started journaling my adventure in my new classroom a couple of weeks ago. Then friends, I left you hangin! How rude of me. These last few weeks have honestly been a whirlwind. New employee training, Granny's funeral, more employee training, open house, and now tomorrow - First Day of School! Yikes! These last few days have been long ones, but I'm just as excited and nervous as our main character in that book First Day Jitters.

I'll be learning right along with my little 2nd graders tomorrow. I'm SUPER excited about my kids, my school, my curriculum, my team, I think it's going to be an awesome year.

Here's a sneak peek of my room as I left it tonight after open house (it's still a tad messy from the crowd). 

Highlights would include my huge bulletin board above the bookshelf. It's titled "Binkley's Learning Pad" and I'm planning on using that space for anchor charts made with my kids during whole group reading instruction. My class library, which says "read it, read it" to go along with my frog theme. The biggest change for me this year - no teacher desk! I'm using my guided reading table to house a few teacher items I might need, other than that what belongs to me, belongs to my kids. We share our space equally! 

Two personal goals this year (well two that I can quantify at the moment) would include: 

1. Mastering my new 2nd grade curriculum - and by mastering I mean knowing my standards as thoroughly as I did my 4th grade ones

2. Beefing up my primary library! My books are all chapter books!

A wise theater mentor once told me that nerves are a positive thing. They keep you on your toes, and keep your mind sharp. Those "first day jitters" have nothing on me. Bring it on 2012-2013 school year - bring it on!

My Tribute to Granny

Domingo (Sonny) & Eloise Dasal

On  Wednesday night, August 1, my Granny, Eloise Dasal, joined my Papa in heaven. She just turned 92 years old.  This is my tribute to her.

When I started this post, I wanted to outline Granny's life in details. I wanted to share her and my Papa's love story that started in WWII, and their journey of raising six sons. I wrote it all out, line by line. Then I placed my finger on the delete key and held it there for a very long time. In writing my memories of her I got lost in the details, the pieces of colorful thread that wove her life together. When I got to the end, what caused me to hit the delete button was that it wasn't the thread I needed to pay tribute to. It was the beautiful quilt those pieces wove together that deserved all the justice.

Granny was a strong willed, God fearing, southern belle, that stared adversity in the face (often with a hand on her hip). She was proud of who she was and where she came from. She deeply loved her Sonny (my Papa). Her greatest accomplishments came from the lives of her six sons. It was those boys who relished spoiling her, and those boys who, in her frailest moments on earth, held their Mama tight and told her it was OK to let her go.

I know that today was really difficult for many family members, but I realize that today might have been Granny's best in a long time. Today she got to love on Papa, whom she'd been separated from for almost 9 years. She was able to look into her baby girl's eyes for the very first time. Most importantly, today she was able to stand in the presence of God. How much better could it get for her?

Granny you were loved and will be missed by many. I am forever grateful for the woman you chose to be, and am honored to be but a thread in your life quilt. I love you!