The first day of school was a big day this year. When I accepted a teaching job at the school where Taylor also teaches, our entire family transitioned to joining the staff & student body of our school.

Let’s start with the most adorable student.

Arrow denied my applications for delayed growth, and went on to become a kindergartner.

Keep in mind, she did not have my permission. There was definitely some longing for the simpler days when she was a little baby taking a snooze in my arms. There was also some fear on my part. So many new variables happening this year in particular. On top of Covid, I was returning to the work force for the first time in a few years, and I’ve never had a child in school before! We visited the classroom and her teacher a couple times before school started. Taylor and I were anxious to help her feel comfortable in a new environment with new clothing and wearing a new mask.

Unsurprisingly, we had nothing to worry about. She adjusted to the mask just fine and is thriving in her class.

I started my first day of teaching at the same school. I was a little nervous to be standing in front of a new faces with names I didn’t know yet, but my passion for teenagers and money took over pretty quickly.

(Note: I did have a mask on during classtime. It was taken off during my prep.)

Taylor also started another year of teaching middle school math.

Taylor had a rougher start to the year. He was put into a new classroom, which was stuffed with junk and remnants from the statewide school dismissal. (My own classroom had a leftover rotting lunch box and another teacher had an expensive guitar left behind, of all things!) Precious time for lesson prep had to be dedicated to cleaning. Now into October, he feels like he’s finally getting caught back on track. (Rough month for him, but he pulled through.)

It was the the strangest, and most unprecedented, way to start a new school year. Definitely one to remember.