11 Weeks...and Back to School

Preplanning started last Wednesday, which is hard to believe. Summers seem to be getting shorter and shorter nowadays. I was in class for the entire month of June, went on vacation the week after it ended, and spent the last two weeks cleaning house and preparing for the baby. I feel like I blinked and my summer was over. I'm enjoying being back at work though. I like being at home and doing things in my home, but I like working too. It's been nice to catch up with my friends from work and get things ready for the new school year.

On the first day, the faculty always has breakfast together and then meets for about three hours to discuss the school procedures. It's also a tradition of ours to share anything we want about our summers, like getting a degree, great vacations, births, etc. Well as soon as my principal asked if anyone had anything to share, two of my coworkers looked at me. I just smiled and nodded at my principal, so then she made the announcement. Everyone was really happy for me.

And you know that expression, you reap what you sow? (Or, what goes around comes around?) Well, it's definitely true. Many people have been so nice to me and looking out for me. I was hanging some things on my bulletin board in the hallway, and there was a step stool next to me for those hard to reach spots.

One of the janitors came by and said, "I know you aint standing on a stool, is you?"

I laughed a little and said, "Only a few times."

He gave me a parental look. "You know why I'm saying that, don't you." I nodded. "Alright now. You be careful, Mrs. Sherrod."

Another janitor saw me on a different day when I was going to use the restroom. She said, "You might not want to go in there. I just put bleach in there."

One of the secretaries offered to do something really nice for me last week, which ended up saving me hours of work. And today, a different secretary fussed at me for going to lunch late. In a very parental tone of voice, she said, "You don't need to be starting out this way. You know why I'm saying that, don't you."

Tonight was open house, which meant I stayed at work until 7:00. Many of my students have already heard about me being pregnant--news travels fast in a small town--but I decided to wait until Wednesday to let all of them know. They were so well-behaved when I had my foot surgery; I can't wait to see their reaction to this kind of news!

And now, after working until 7:00, I am wiped out. I think I might actually go to bed before 10:00...