Moving Day - Part 2

Today there is light at the end of the tunnel.  When I came in this morning the majority of the boxes were gone, as was most of the furniture.  It's strange sitting here with nothing on the walls and a clean desk.  It's not terrible, almost refreshing.  I enjoyed my time in the classrooms earlier and I'm really glad to have most of this move behind me.  I'm excited to have the next three to four weeks on the main campus.  I am thrilled to be sharing space with someone I admire and respect, not to mention, like!

When I left here last night I felt hopeless and so tired I could drop.  Today is a new day.  Tomorrow is the new start.  It will be very different, but it will be over before I know it.  That is the way of the last month of school no matter what is going on.  I even found myself smiling when I found out that my new "roommate" has to pack all her stuff too.  God is laughing.

Moving Day - part 1

Well, it's here!  Moving day!  I'm trying to remember the positive as I sit here surrounded by boxes.  Today they will come and take most of this stuff to storage for the summer.  I'm happy that this will be a much more pleasant work environment when this is done.  It's hard to remember that right now.  It feels like I will never be done. Overwhelmed and stressed.  However, as I'm sitting here getting ready to go into a class, I am listening to parents, who are helping to pack books and children in the classrooms, laughing.  Somehow, I know it will be OK.  Yes, I'm hot and tired.  Yes, I'm still overwhelmed, but there is that little light that is shining.  The positive ray of hope.  It will get done, it will happen and life will go on.  It will be a very different, long (or could be very short) three weeks, but flexibility and determination will overcome the overwhelmed feelings and stress that are here, now.

More on moving day(s) to come.

Difficult

Have you ever had one of those days, (weeks, months, years), where almost everyone and everything seems difficult?  We all have certain things we would rather not do, but do them because they need to be done. Lesson plans can be like that, but I would be lost without them.  Moving is another one of those things that is difficult for me.  I tell people "I would rather have a root canal than have to move." However, since we have to be out of our building by the end of the month, I don't have much choice.  I guess I do, but it would be 3x's worse if I didn't do anything to get ready.  I keep telling myself that it will be wonderful when the renovations are finished and we get moved back in.  Who knows, I may even get rid of some things in the process.  I can be a little bit of a hoarder.

One of the other difficult things that happen with a move is that you have to deal with many differing opinions on how and what should be done.  If it were just me moving it wouldn't be quite so bad, but we are moving 12 adults and about 65 children.  If that weren't enough, the children are all 3 and 4 years old.  And, if that wasn't enough, there are all sorts of people who have different points of view on the situation.  Sometimes it's difficult to find a compromise that will work for everyone.  It can be tricky.

I find that when I have dealings with other people, I am less than happy about some of the ways things are getting done.  I also find that if I dwell on this, I lose my "power" to be in control of me and give it to them.  A friend of mine once asked me "Who's not doing what your way this time?"  I was really upset at the time and it completely took me off guard.  I was expecting sympathy and got reality instead.  Boy, was I upset, but he was right.  I keep asking myself the same question when I get so angry about things I have no control over.  My rebellious side kicks in and I get super upset.  I want to scream and shout but that is not productive.  Oh sure, I may feel better for a moment (note: totally understand kids who have tantrums), but in the long run, it won't make any difference.

What does all of this have to do with children?  Well, the 65 plus kiddos that have to make this move for 3 weeks of classes are going to run into a lot of frustration.  Children like, and need stability and routines.  They need structure and patterns in their lives.  This is going to "upset the apple cart" so to speak.  I have to remember, my anger at other adults is not going to help the children. As adults, we need to be there for the kids and be there to help each other.  If we work together, we can make this temporary situation much more bearable.

Wishing you peace and calm during your difficult times.