Just in Time for School!

Yep, you guessed it…

RAIN!

This is the first day of school for my mother — and for the first time in years, truly for me. I leave in 12 minutes to help in her classroom.

I haven’t had jitters like this in a long time…

Still, I love doing what I will be doing, working in her classroom, giving the children the extra attention they need – and deserve – but for which the school district either can’t or won’t pay. 27 children (as of yesterday) were assigned to her class. Not unusual in middle school or high school, but unreasonable in a first grade classroom without extra aides in the building.

Of course, this is a volunteer position, and less than half-time. About 12 hours a week, I expect. Not too stressful or strenuous, but a good chance to see how I hold out after so long.

And on the first day of school… rain.

Tomorrow is my children’s first day. I won’t be here to see them off to school, but Tom will. It is possible it will rain tomorrow also, probable that it will at least be cloudy.

I think rain on the first day of school isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It lets the kids be a little less antsy about the sun and all the things they could have been doing at home in the yard, riding their bikes or climbing trees.

But this summer has been SO DREARY the local paper even took notice. Take a look at the actual statistics for days of sun or rain/clouds toward the bottom of the article. Not one of the three months were even halfway sunny!

No wonder my flowers are less than enthusiastic and all the berries less sweet…

But today: School! I will pack up my flowers for the teacher and head out in a few minutes.

Wish me luck!

Addendum 8 September 2007:

My first day of school went well.  I ended up being there all four days, and had a great time, though I came home exhausted!  Still, I proved I can do it (for a week at least) and managed to get a start on the library project.  More on that later.

Unfortunately, Tom had to be elsewhere Wednesday.  So while I was able to get one kid off to school, the other one had to just get himself ready.  His friend’s mom had already arranged to pick him up, but I still felt badly not to be there as he left the house.  Still — he did just fine, and now he knows he can do it!  Here is a pic of the elder stidkid, ready to go.  No pics of me yet…  maybe this next week.  I did get new “school clothes!”  Now I just need someone around to take the picture.