Deep Breaths.

My students hear me say it all the time;  "Just breathe."  Getting anxious about impending work, school, or letting yourself settle in to a feelings of overwhelming inadequacy does nothing to help the situation.  Take a step back, prioritize, and B-R-E-A-T-H-E.

BUT AUGUST BEGINS IN 31 hours!  (Not that I'm counting...) And every teacher knows that August 1st is pretty much the official start of the school year, no matter what the school district says.  I have friends who swear by googlecalendar (my personal preference), others who need the color-coordinated/highlighted month by month scholastic calendar, some who map everything on a giant desk-blotter calendar, and still others who write in miniscule letters, attempting to list everything on the calendar provided by the school district, which also lists all of the in-service days and holidays for students and teachers.  

I'm not sure that I'm ready -- at least in the alarm department.  I've been alarm-free since June 8th, and it accidentally went off on Sunday morning, confusing me out of a sound sleep, convinced that it was the dehumidifier insisting that it be emptied.  You know it's been a while when the last thing considered for the mysterious beeping at 6 am is the CLOCK.

The boxes are starting to arrive in the office, marked with teachers' last names in fat sharpie marker on the sides.  The "official welcome back" letters arrived via email this week from both the superintendent and principal. We're sporadically dealing with schedule adjustments, new students, and scheduling late August GIEP meetings with parents.  We know it's coming...

The gears may require a bit of oil to be fully functioning by August 24th, but they'll be humming just fine when students walk through the doors on the 26th.    The balance is the key, I keep telling myself.  Get something done for school, treat yourself to dinner with a friend.  Get something done for school, get one more chore done at home.  Get something done for school, clean out the trunk of the car and start loading all the bargains headed for school in there -- making room in closets in the house.  Connect with family, connect with friends, BREATHE.

And, occasionally, get a tad excited -- to the point that it's difficult to fall asleep -- and set the alarm.  Just for practice.