This morning, I assigned Thing One a task. It was her job to clean off our dry-erase calendar that hangs on the wall in the kitchen. It tracks our appointments, events and bday parties. This week is the girls' first day of school. I've received their soccer schedules and a note from their principal which includes info on the Open House for this year, among other details.

The calendar is up, and the required Zipcars for this month are reserved. We have acting groups, soccer games, birthday parties, open houses, dentist appointments, trips, and this week's dinner plans outlined and planned for.

After I filled in the calendar with all I could think of, I had Thing Two read it all off to me, and put it onto my computer calendar.

So we start our juggling. This week stays relatively slow: Thing One has her acting group tomorrow and Weds, from 9-12, and is bring a friend home with her for the afternoon tomorrow. Beloved has to deal with entertaining Thing Two while Thing One and her friend huddle in their room, and I'll be off learning Tax. Thursday is the first day of school, and I think that Beloved will pick Thing Two up after school, because she doesn't want to go to the after-school program on the first day - while Thing One can't wait, and probably will be upset if she's picked up a minute before 6 p.m. (when the program ends). It's my late day, with Appellate Advocacy running until 7:30 - so I'll pedal home as fast as I can to get first day reports.

Friday is Day 2 of school, and they'll both go to their afterschool program on that day, but i'll likely pick them up early. Thing One has a sleepover that night until Saturday a.m.

Last year at this time, I had a training for the Class that I Was Teaching, and my parents came to town to help distract the girls from my absence - which is tough so early in the school year. I remember that my parents dropped Thing One off and picked her up from this girls' sleepover. I was stressed and freaking out with the realization of the huge chunk I had bitten off with that Class.

On Thursday morning, I had gotten to school at approx 9 a.m., and was in the computer lab spitting some info onto my resume for a meeting with our co-op coordinator, and there were some second and third year students FREAKING OUT about how they had to set up their class rooms and meet with their class for the first time, and how they didn't want to go to a lecture (associated with that program) because they were so nervous.

I was so happy that I was not in their shoes. Soooo happy. Two out of 30 (between the different quarters) of last year's student-teachers repeated the experience this year. I think they're insane!! I can't imagine kissing my life goodbye for a second time.

This year, I have the ability to be much more focused on the kids and THEIR school, rather than my own, and that of the First Year Class. I think it's a good year for this - since I'm joining the Firm next year, and won't have the same flexibility (to say the least). I can hang out at school without rushing away every morning, I can even go on field trips!

Third Year is thus far my favorite. Classes I can get into, but yet a life away from school is more than possible. Phew.

posted by Zuska @ 2:04 PM

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