My mom is a teacher now...

Just eight weeks into the school year and I can honestly say that Annabelle has spent countless hours with me in my classroom. We paint together as I do my prep work for painting, we form clay together, she listens to me practice my songs, stories, and verse. She joins me while I make up movements for circle time. When I am working at my desk she works at hers.


She has also informed me that she will never go to the first grade and plans to remain in kindergarten for five more years.

Annabelle has the distinction of being the youngest FAB child (Faculty, Admin, Board) at the school. It's a really wonderful group of children, and they seem to group together and watch out for each other. I overheard the 9 year old daughter of the fourth grade teacher talking to Annabelle a couple weeks ago.

Friend :: Your mom is the first grade teacher?

Annabelle :: Yes.

Friend :: That means you're FAB. And FAB kids are COOL.

It's so nice to feel that Annabelle is really having a good time coming to school. And having that feeling reinforced by the relationships she is developing with other children is such a relief! The children that Annabelle refers to as her friends range from kindergarten all the way through eighth grade. I can easily say she has a "friend" in each grade... which speaks to her precocious sociability, I suppose, as well as a confirmation that this is where she belongs.

And me too, I belong here too. I feel so fortunate that my closest colleagues are my peers at work but also in the world: we are all about the same age, married, with children, and closely aligned with the values that support our work. We are the lower grades teachers, grades 1 through 4... and will move through the curriculum side by side. I genuinely value diversity, but I have to say that the similarities we share offer a sense of comfort I have really needed as I come into a new community and leave my stay-at-home-mom life behind.

This coming month presents more big change for us: we are moving again. The beauty and art that surrounds us here in this amazing home is remarkable but we could no longer deny that we belong elsewhere. Thankfully we found a place that suits us very well and places us closer to the school and within walking distance of Dave's future office building. While the idea of moving sounds stressful, we have also struggled to feel settled and the move will give us a real chance to dig in for a while. Hopefully many years!

We are looking forward to the new year with great anticipation...